Standard 18: Learning from and leveraging results during close-out.

• Primary responsible: Project manager or chief of party (PM/CoP), or IDEA staff (for centrally-funded awards)
  • The PM/CoP ensures that all required project documents as well as documents capturing project learning are uploaded to Gateway as part of project close-out;
  • For centrally-managed awards, IDEA staff may upload final documents submitted to and approved by donors.

• Others involved: IDEA or PIQA staff as appropriate
  • IDEA and PIQA staff may have information to contribute to institution records related to the experience of working with individual partners and donors.

Frontload the upload! While final close-out documentation cannot be uploaded until the end of the project, as noted earlier in the project management standards, CRS staff should upload project documentation to Gateway as documents are finalized (including any revisions following donor review), throughout design, start-up and implementation.

• After document finalization and, if applicable, following submission to the donor and any post-submission revisions.For externally-funded projects, the donor review process for some documents (e.g., final evaluation reports, close-out reports, final technical reports) may result in revisions to the documents. Be sure to upload the final version of the document as approved by the donor (i.e. incorporating any modifications requested by the donor), to both Gateway and any donor databases. 

Follow these steps to ensure project documentation is available to support CRS and wider stakeholder learning:

1. The PM/CoP ensures there is a clean, final version of all close-out documents, including the report of the final evaluation or after-action review report, the final project report, report of the project reflection event, and other documentation of lessons learned.
2. The PM/CoP completes/updates the project Past Performance Reference (PPR) based on the final evaluation and after-action review.

• It is good practice to prepare a PPR each year, highlighting project achievements as of the end of that project year, so that this information is available to other projects and project design teams even while the project is still in the implementation phase. During close-out, update the PPR with final project achievements and lessons learned.

3. The PM/CoP (or IDEA staff, for centrally-managed awards) uploads the final documentationAs noted under “When”, for documents submitted to project donors, upload only after donor approval and acceptance of any changes requested by the donor following their review of the initial submission. to Gateway, using the following list of documents and the Gateway responsibility matrix with key documents to ensure that all relevant project-related documents and information are saved in Gateway under the appropriate project/award record:

• Baseline, mid-term, and final evaluation reports Baseline, mid-term, and final evaluation reports all fall under the “Evaluation” type of key document on Gateway.
• PPR
• Key project communications/emails with donors,Attach any critical Award Negotiation documents or email messages to Notes and Attachments on the Award Record if they are not considered Key Documents. starting with approvals, and including all critical correspondence during implementation and close-out
• Final project risk register and issues logIf the project team has used a project change log, upload that document as well.
• Final project charter
• Final reports
• Key communications or emails with important stakeholdersCorrespondence with stakeholders who are not donors or sub-recipients (e.g., a key e-mail or letter from a government stakeholder) can be saved under “Notes and Attachments”.
• Internal award management documentsAttach the award “kick off” meeting agenda or any other documentation to the Notes and Attachments on the Award Record.
   
  Track any formal IDEA meetings or check-ins with country programs as Notes and Attachments on the Award Record.

4. For externally-funded projects, the PM/CoP or IDEA staff (for centrally-managed awards) updates any final information or reflections related to strategic insights or learning on working with the donor on the project. Capture these in the “Notes and Attachments” section of the donor’s institution record on Gateway. 

• Focus on summarizing key points that will assist in strengthening CRS’ engagement with the donor in future opportunities and projects.

5. The PM/CoP ensures updates to the Gateway institution record for each partner institution that participated in project implementationThis includes each partner organization that participated in the project as a sub-recipient, as well as any other organization that played a substantive role in the project (e.g., as a resource or technical partner with a more focused scope), including those contracted as a vendor/contractor. (see “Partnership” section below).

• If any PIQA, IDEA, and/or regional staffe.g., MEAL staff, University Engagement staff, technical advisors, corporate engagement staff, etc. worked closely with a sub-recipient or technical resource partner, invite these staff to provide inputs or direct updates to the Gateway institution record.
• If CRS implemented the project as a sub-recipient to another organization, update the Gateway institution record for the prime (see “When CRS is a sub-recipient” below).

6. As required by the donor, the PM/CoP or IDEA staff (for centrally-managed awards) uploads project final evaluations, datasets or other required final close-out information to external databases, such as USAID’s Development Experience Clearinghouse or Development Data Library.

• Consult donor guidelines (e.g., the U.S. government’s ADS 540 or ADS 579), and be sure to review the document or dataset for any personally identifiable information (PII) and any other information that should be redactedFor example, any information related to intellectual property or other project partner information that must be redacted per the terms of project agreements, etc. prior to submission.