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Special Initiatives
Mutual Support Initiative
The RBAS / SURF-AS Mutual Support Initiative (MSI) is one of the policies aimed at increasing intra-regional knowledge and experience sharing. Through financial support to missions, and the incentive award system to encourage Country Offices to share expertise, the MSI seeks to promote greater use of the wealth of in-house expertise.
To support this policy the MSI Database houses information on key staff competencies in the region.
Questions on MSI Policy can be addressed to George Akl. Questions related to the MSI Database can be addressed to Lina Labaki
Click here to read about the MSI in the UNDP Bulletin
The MSI has two distinct components: The first relates to Support to Travel and DSA and the second is the Incentive Fund.
A. Support to travel and DSA
For 2007, funds have been earmarked by RBAS towards CO Staff MSI missions. The funds will be managed and disbursed by SURF-AS.
Consideration for selection:
- Funds are to be used for short-term assignments and will be based on priority areas for RBAS as identified in RBAS workplans, including the strengthening of the regional Communities of Practice.
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MSI assignments with strong emphasis on knowledge and experience transfer are favored.
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The funds will be earmarked on a first come, first served basis. Early proposals are encouraged.
- Staff exchange and missions could benefit from the 5% learning time.
- The MSI assignment must take place during 2007 and SURF-AS must be informed in advance.
- All staff members are required to obtain their management’s approval for any significant time commitment towards assisting another Country Office.
- Staff members wishing to benefit from the MSI funds must have an up-to-date profile on the MSI database.
- All MSI assignments must have clear TOR with identifiable products to be submitted at the end of the assignment.
- UNDP project staff may take part in the MSI as experts pending approval by the RR and the relevant government body. Requesting COs may, however, be required to compensate the project by reimbursing the equivalant staff salary.
- Upon the completion of the mission, staff must complete a summary back-to-office report and submit a copy to relevant counterparts and the SURF-AS for the records.
- The recipient Country Office is responsible to provide a qualitative evaluation of the staff member’s work and contribution and forward to SURF-AS.
How to apply for travel funding thru MSI:
UNDP Country Offices in the Arab States region may submit requests for funding for MSI assignments. Proposals should be brief (no more than a page), including a budget, explaining the context or project, the specific tasks of the staff member, and how the outputs are expected to support both the project/initiative and regional practice development. The proposal, accompanied by detailed TOR should be submitted to Sonya Knox at the SURF-AS KST .
B. MSI Incentive Fund
RBAS provides a recognition award to COs who provide staff support to other COs in the region by contributing to their learning budget. A maximum of $5,000/year will be awarded to a CO’s Learning Budget for the following year using the following formula:
- Only staff work days count towards the credit.
- Assignments can be missions or desk assignments, as per the MSI Policy Guidelines.
- Every work day will receive a credit of $150/day.
- SURF-AS must be informed in writing prior to the delivery of any assignment for it to count towards this credit.
- Assignments must be completed in a satisfactory manner to count towards credit, and a summary BTOR submitted.
- Recipient CO must send SURF-AS and staff member’s CO Senior Management final evaluation report of assignment for credit to be awarded.
- Staff members must be registered in MSI database to have their assignments count towards credit for their CO.
- Project staff who take part in the MSI and whose projects are compensated with funds in lieu of their salary are not entitled to MSI Incentive funds.
- The SURF-AS will manage the accounts per CO and forward to RBAS the credited days, as per the criteria above, in December 2007. COs will be credited their award in January 2008.
