Projects

Description: The World Bank is supporting the modernization agenda as a gradual process towards improving the efficiency and effectiveness of welfare service delivery. Given the Ministry of Social Empowerment and Welfare (MoSEW) predominant role in providing safety net services, the initial phase of the modernization process is focused on establishing the systems, processes and technological underpinnings at the ministry. We are reviewing the existing disbursement mechanisms of the cash transfers with a view to consolidating cash payments provided by the MoSEW, and the introduction of technology-based payment mechanisms to bring efficiency, transparency, and accountability in the safety net program. We are also developing a roll-out plan to automate 1,074 branches of the Dvineguama Development Bank, which is the largest disbursement vehicle for the cash transfers. The assignment was undertaken by Mr. Hussain as an independent consultant with the World Bank.

Description: The World Bank is providing USD 300 million in the first phase, for technical assistance and financing cash transfers. This is a long-term engagement to assist the project FM team in: development of a credible FM system, which allows smooth financial flows and tracking of all payments made to the project staff, vendors, and implementation partners such as BPO; and develop MoU between the Local Government Division (LGD) and Bangladesh Post Office (BPO) which clearly spells out the responsibilities of each entity in: setting up the compliance monitoring system (with investments by the project in developing the electronic infrastructure for enrolment and compliance monitoring at the local level); managing financial flows from LGD to BPO for timely cash transfers to the beneficiaries that are enrolled in the program and comply with the relevant co- responsibilities; and providing necessary controls at each level of financial transactions; and managing timely reconciliation of funds disbursed from Project Implementation Agency (PIA) to BPO, and then to the program beneficiaries. The assignment is undertaken by Mr. Hussain as an independent international consultant with the World Bank, Washington headquarters.

Description: The project consists of two main components: I. Immediate Safety Net Recovery support– To provide Cash Transfers (UCT) for 6 months to cover basic and subsistence needs of the families when they return home. This would ensure consumption smoothing and provide support to people until they restore their livelihoods II. Co-responsibility Cash Grants Child Immunization – This Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT) will be linked to comprehensive child immunization package including Polio for the affected families. This will encourage long-term improvements in children’s health and support overall human development outcomes for the affected region. We are providing support to the design team in finalizing the financial management and institutional arrangements with the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) – GoP. The assignment is undertaken by Mr. Hussain as an independent consultant with the World Bank.

Type: Strategy, Operations, Technologies, Development Sector Description: Advisory services at the pre-bid submission stage includes methodology formulation, budget preparations, proposal conceptualization and review, negotiations with the donor till financial close and at the post award stage; review of the project design and implementation, financial reporting, project burn rate, project cost charging methodology, adherence to ADS / FAR regulations (For USAID funded projects) and relevant guide lines from the donor. Advisory services rendered on various projects undertaken directly or while representing other clients, are here under: – CDKN, PricewaterhouseCoopers, UK (Climate Data Knowledge Network) ENI Pakistan – Bhit Rural Support Program (BRSP) USAID (ASP) – Assessment and strengthening Program (pre award proposal submission in association with Aid, LEAD and GHK) Packard Foundation – Women Leaders for Reproductive Health and Development (WLRHD), Packard Foundation – Leadership and Reproductive Health Project (LRH) Care International – Stimulating Hope in District Buner, NWFP Asian Development Bank – Promoting Climate Change and Adaptation in Asia & Pacific Sindh Education Foundation – Rural Base Community Supported School The World Bank – Improving Quality, Access and Governance in Education (in collaboration with GET GmbH/ICON-INSTITUTE, LEAD Pakistan and Proman SA) British High Commission – The Roles & Capacities of Actors in Water Conflicts in Pakistan: A Mapping Study RAF – Maternal and Newborn Health Programme Research USAID (JOBS)– Integrated Work and Learning Programmes for Pakistan Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung (HBF) – Copenhagen Climate Change Summit IDRC – Entrepreneurship Education through School based productive enterprises Oxfam Novaib – Disaster Response Network-Balakot (DRN-Balakot) USAID- Education Sector Relief Assistance.

Type: Operations, Development Sector Description: The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) is a GBP 40 million global initiative to support decision-makers in designing and delivering climate compatible development by combining research, advisory services and knowledge management in support of locally owned and managed policy processes. We are part of the delivery and design team in the capacity of Contract Administrator for Asia region, headed by the regional director of the Asia region. Contract administration includes compliance with contractual provisions and vetting and scrutinizing invoices raised against the contract delivery of more than GBP 2 million annually.

Type: Operations, Development Sector Description: The objective of this assignment was to assist the Bank in providing technical assistance to BISP in ensuring that a well-designed, accountable, transparent and efficient financial and procurement system is in place. The assignment was undertaken by Mr. Hussain as an independent consultant with the World Bank.

Type: Strategy, Development Sector Description: We have recently carried out the expenditure review of the social sector for Punjab. This was a joint exercise of the World Bank Washington Head office and the World Bank’s Pakistan Country Office. The scope of the assignment entails the institutional assessment review of the Social Protection programs of the Government of Punjab. The assignment was undertaken by Mr. Hussain as an independent consultant with the World Bank.

Type: Operations, Development Sector Description: The existing Human Resources (HR) management systems need further improvement to bring it at par with organizations in the corporate world, where systems rather than persons ensure improved delivery. For this purpose, the World Bank and DFID has deployed a team of consultants to undertake the assignment for the review of the HR business processes of BISP to identify gaps and then re-engineer the business processes to remove inefficiencies and suggest a road map for the implementation of the reengineered business processes through automation. Further, the scope also entails development of a scoping document for the software vendor hired to develop the Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS) for BISP.

Type: Operations, Technologies, Development Sector Description: As part of the ongoing technical assistence to BISP, we have developed a design document for an online interface for the Finance & Accounts (F&A) department, which proposes an independent verification work flow for the beneficairies payment tranche in terms of its completeness, accuracy and adequate approvals.