AusAID / NGO
Committee for Development Cooperation
A Joint Committee of the Australian Agency for International Development and
Australian Non-Government Organisations
Minutes of the 133rd CDC Meeting held on 23rd May 2012
AusAID CDC Members
Mr Gary Powell (Chair)
Ms Rachel Rawlings (a/g Director NGO Policy and Programs)
Mr Simon Cann-Evans
Ms Zoe Mander-Jones (New Member)
NGO Members
Mr Andrew Newmarch
Rev John Deane
Ms Bridgette Thorold
Mr Adam Laidlaw (Phone Hook up)
Secretariat
Ms Katharina Dollmann
Ms Ruth Megirian
Mr Chris Wark
Observers
Cath Blunt (ACFID)
Ms Christina Munzer (AusAID)
Welcome Remarks
Gary Powell acknowledged country and traditional landowners
The Chair also:
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Introduced new AusAID member to the CDC, Ms Zoe Mander-Jones, Director
Evaluation Section
Introduced Ms Rachel Rawlings as A/g Director in Russell Miles’ absence
Acknowledged the significant work of Mr Timothy Church during his time of
working on the CDC.
There were no conflicts of interest noted for this meeting.
The meeting agreed to include a standing agenda item for specific NGO CDC member
items/concerns.
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1. Minutes from CDC Meeting 132 were endorsed subject to the following:
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Item 4 to include a statement acknowledging that accreditation is a valuable
educative process for NGOs and promotes relationship building. There is a
risk that if accreditation is treated solely as an audit mechanism, the value of
the accreditation process itself may be reduced or lost.
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A new item to be included in the minutes to record the CDC’s discussion in
regard to the Innovations Fund and the possible future structure of the Fund.
In addition, NGO members noted that there was no mention in the meeting of
15 March 2012 that AusAID would announce a funding round only weeks
after that meeting. AusAID apologised for the oversight in not contacting
CDC NGO members, noting that it had been released in line with AusAID
Executive approval. The meeting acknowledged that release of the
Innovations Fund round had taken place at the same time as other
discussions with ACFID and NGOs on the Civil Society Engagement
Framework and that it had been an extraordinarily busy time.
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Reference to the development of good practice guidelines for working with
NGOs to be included in the Minutes, noting that while this is no longer an
action item for the CDC, the issue of developing such guidelines may come
back to the CDC in the context of implementing action items in the Civil
Society Engagement Framework. In this respect, the Chair advised that
AusAID is on the process of appointing a steering committee to oversee
implementation of the CSEF. The purpose of good practice guidelines is to
ensure consistency across Australia’s aid program on working with civil
society organisations.
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The action log to be updated to include NGO representatives’ request for a
stocktake of AusAID’s due diligence systems for NGOs, for example in
relation to BRAC. AusAID advised the meeting that due diligence was being
reviewed across the agency, and that a Due Diligence Taskforce is being
established in AusAID. AusAID can report findings back to CDC in due
course, with perhaps an invitation to present at a CDC meeting.
2. Update on outstanding action items (from Actions Log):
 Good Practice Guidelines
The meeting noted that this should have been on the action log, but agreed to
minute the discussion and not reinstate the item on the action log.
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NGO Head Agreement
Development and release of Head Agreement has been delayed.. To date, the
purpose and structure of the draft head agreement have been agreed. However,
NGO members are concerned about further delays as it was originally due for
completion by March 2012.
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Action Log Update – NGO Representatives to provide feedback to ACFID
(Chris Wark to coordinate) on language contained in the draft deed (e.g. on
nature of partnership) by 24 June to further inform the development of the
Head Agreement. A paper outlining next steps to be presented at the next
meeting.
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CDC Terms of Reference/ Engagement of a contractor
The Chair indicated that the implementation of the CSEF and engagement of a
service provider to assist AusAID on accreditation and OAGDS administration are
ongoing and active items. A CSEF Implementation Steering Committee has been
formed with inaugural meeting to take place in the next two weeks.
This Steering Committee will investigate ways in which to incorporate the CDC’s
role and contribution to policy issues surrounding ANCP and accreditation.
Action Log – This item remains on the action log.
3. Update on Budget, CSEF, Innovations Fund and the Monitoring, Evaluation
and Learning Framework (MELF).
a) Gary Powell provided an overview of AusAID outcomes from the Federal Budget
2012-13 including the following in regard to Australia’s Official Development
Assistance (ODA), the Comprehensive Aid Policy Framework (CAP-F) and the
CSEF:
o There is a one year delay in scaling up of ODA to 0.5% of GNI but the
Government remains committed to the implementation of the MDGs
and aid priorities.
o ANCP funding increased by 10% to $110 million in 2012-13 and is
expected to grow further.
o Implementation of CSEF includes increasing access to funding
opportunities by smaller and niche NGOs.
o Accreditation remains an important risk management tool prior to
providing funds to NGOs/civil society organisations.
o CSEF and the CAP-F to 2015-16 are important steering documents for
Australia’s aid program.
Other discussion centred on:
 The ANCP partnership review for 2013-14 will take place in June/July.
AusAID’s Director General remains committed to the partnership. There may
be an opportunity to increase the number of partner agencies. The meeting
noted that ACFID’s Development Practice Committee is undertaking
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research/work in providing evidence on what constitutes good partnerships.
AusAID requested that this research be shared as and when completed.
The meeting noted that the history of numbers of Australian accredited NGOs
had changed over the past 10 years or more, and that some 10 years ago,
there were over 100 accredited NGOs. Concerns about risk and the
accompanying strengthening of the accreditation process led to a reduction of
NGO participants. The implementation of the CSEF will be reviewing how
numbers of accredited agencies might increase without jeopardising quality,
increased risks and diversity of organisations.
The Chair advised that the CSEF will be launched at Parliament House as
well as internally to AusAID staff on 20 June 2012. CDC representatives
would be invited to the Parliament House launch. AusAID also proposed to
publish a booklet of ANCP achievements, drawing on ANCP thematic reviews
and annual program performance reports prepared over the past few years.
Within the context of the CSEF discussion, NGO members noted:
a) The 0.5% aid commitment was removed from the latest draft and should be
reinstated;
b) there was still concern that the CSEF might erode the independence, and
therefore distinctiveness, of ANCP programming.
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CSEF Implementation Steering Committee (as noted above) will include CDC
engagement where appropriate on accreditation as the CSEF is balancing
risks, results, effectiveness and accreditation and how these contribute to
funding outcomes. ANCP will be subject to same factors.
b) Innovations Fund
Garry Powell provided an update on the latest Innovations Funding round,
although successful applicants have not been advised of the delegate’s decision
and therefore the identity of successful applicants cannot be made publicly
available yet.
Gary Powell also noted that the CSEF Implementation Steering Committee will
assist in addressing eligibility for funding issues in the future. Up to now, ANCP
partner organisations have been excluded from submitting proposals for the
Innovations Fund.
c) MELF
Christina Munzer provided an update on the release of the MELF.
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The MELF has been designed as a tool for consistent M&E reporting for
ANCP funded programs which will support AusAID’s reporting commitments
under the CAP-F.
The final MELF was released on 9th of May to accredited NGOs and is aimed
at increased accountability, learning and improvement. It is not designed to
replace agencies’ own existing M&E systems.
This year is an initial trialling year that will include capturing data
retrospectively from 2011-12 achievements. There will be room for feedback
and improvement as the MELF is adopted.
NGOs will be evaluated bi-annually on on their MELF results. Alternate years
will focus on thematic reviews.
The MELF is aimed at promoting good development practice and thanks
should go out to all involved in its design and current implementation.
A hotline is being provided together with fact sheets and FAQs to help NGOs.
ACFID is providing training on the MELF on 20 and 21 June 2012 and will be
disseminated out to agencies (including AusAID potential participants).
4. Engagement of a Contractor to assist with processing accreditation and
OAGDS applications
The meeting discussed the paper prepared by AusAID and the following feedback
was noted:
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The tabled document could have been improved by including a stronger
evidence base, e.g. more statistics on the accreditation requests taken by
AusAID.
It was noted that this proposal was not about outsourcing the entire
accreditation function or compromising the CDC in the process.
AusAID would need to manage any potential conflicts of interest where
contractor personnel assisted agencies through the accreditation process and
then made recommendations through the CDC to the AusAID delegate on
accreditation decisions.
Clear terms of reference for a provider should be developed along with clear
outcomes, role and functions of the provider, for example to differentiate
between collation of agency information and interpretation of that information.
Action Log – AusAID to provide CDC (out of session) with functions intended for
a provider together with a flow chart illustrating accountability, roles and
responsibilities within 6 weeks. CDC NGO members to provide feedback within
a short period after receiving the document.
5. Organisational Reports:
 For individual applications, see Annex A
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The CDC noted that two organisation review reports would be distributed out
of session to ensure that delegate decisions on their applications could be
made before the end of the financial year.
6. Administrative Matters
 Reimbursement of expenses for CDC members
AusAID provided CDC NGO members with draft purchase orders which would
simplify and standardise AusAID payment for reimbursable costs to CDC NGO
members for attendance at CDC meetings. The purchase orders would be in
effect for FY 2012-13.
7. Other Business:
Implementation of the CSEF
Discussions surrounding the role of the CDC in light of the upcoming release of the
Final CSEF included:
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That the CDC is a forum that will be highly valued for any advice in relation to
any possible changes to accreditation under the CSEF.
The CSEF Implementation Steering Committee will engage with CDC on
these matters.
The meeting noted the overlapping membership and roles of CDC members
had created confusion in terms of roles, responsibilities and accountabilities
in relation to ACFID, ExCom and DPC. A review of the terms of reference,
including membership, numbers of members and the roles, responsibilities
and accountabilities of the CDC should be discussed further.
Action Log – Terms of reference for the CDC will appear on the agenda for the
meeting in August. NGO CDC members are invited to submit papers to the
secretariat for discussion at the meeting.
8. Proposed remaining 2012 CDC Meeting Dates:
Remaining CDC meeting dates are:
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22nd August
21st November
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