This document sets out the thinking and plans regarding the use and management of Technical Service Organizations (TSOs) within the CORE Initiative project in Uganda. The overall purpose of the CORE Initiative project is to “expand and enhance multi-sectoral services for orphans and vulnerable children and HIV/AIDS-prevention services for youth”. The project provides technical assistance, capacity building, funding through grants, and support for coordination activities.
Technical assistance and capacity building are particularly critical to the ability of Districts and civil society organizations to absorb and effectively utilize available resources to plan, implement and evaluate services. Currently the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) is charged with this technical support and coordination, but has limited human resource capacity at the central level to fulfill this mandate in a rapid manner, covering all districts in the country. It is therefore logical and practical for MGLSD to outsource and decentralize the technical management function to competent TSOs in specific regions. Each TSO will be responsible for providing the same package of technical support to each district response in order to ensure that the most vulnerable orphans and other vulnerable child access and utilize comprehensive, holistic quality services.
The following are the specific MGLSD/CORE objectives of involving TSOs in the CORE Initiative project:
- To regionalize operational structures to facilitate oversight of District and CSO implementation of OVC programmes and services
- To facilitate and support District-level coordination processes including coordination with CSOs
- To increase the proximity of Districts and CSOs to technical resources and financial assistance
- To strengthen District-level monitoring and supervision of interventions
Arising from the involvement of TSOs, the following key outcomes are targeted:
- Identification of underserved populations/regions guiding plans for service delivery
- Increasing congruence and coordination of programmes between government departments and CSOs to maximize impact.
- Enhanced and equitable programme coverage nationally,
- Rapid scale-up of OVC service delivery in a coordinated and manageable approach
- More effective use of limited resources
- Enhance comprehensive OVC service delivery
- Enhanced monitoring and support supervision of integrated district OVC response (both by LG and CSOs) as well as enhanced district capacity
- Basis for advocacy and resource mobilization
To officers, management and staff of MGLSD, CORE Initiative project and individual TSOs, this document is intended to be a reference point and a resource to guide decision making and action in managing TSOs to perform specified tasks in pursuance of CORE Initiative project objectives.
©Core Initiative Uganda