There is a request for comments on any aspect of the PEFA Framework just issued by the Secretariat. Deadline is May 18th 2012. The full text in English follows. French and Spanish versions also available on
www.pefa.orgRevising the Performance Measurement Framework
Request for comments
Introduction
PEFA Partners agreed at their November 2011 Steering Committee meeting that a key element of Phase IV of the program (2012-2017) will be a comprehensive review of the Framework, the first since it was launched in 2005.
Why
There have been more than 250 applications of the methodology since 2005, and, as those involved in assessments will be aware, the Secretariat has issued numerous ‘clarifications’ to address issues identified during these practical experiences. In order to use this experience to improve both the credibility – by addressing acknowledged deficiencies – and relevance (by recognizing developments in accepted ‘good practice’) for users at the country level, the PEFA Partners believe the time is right to undertake a comprehensive review and subsequently issue a ‘new release’ of the Framework.
Parameters
One of the main purposes of developing the Framework was to provide a baseline from which changes in the performance of a country’s PFM system could be measured over time. As there is a risk that a new release of the Framework may potentially reduce comparability with results from earlier assessments, a fundamental principle will be to focus changes on areas where a current indicator does not assess what it is intended to, or uses inappropriate criteria (in either case, tracking is irrelevant as existing ratings will not be useful indicators of good or weak performance).
The numerous clarifications issued by the Secretariat are likely to provide the basis for refining about one-third of the existing indicators: several more have been affected by changes in accepted norms and standards and newly accepted good practices will need to be incorporated in the rating criteria. However, there may be some indicators that will require more substantial rethinking to ensure that the appropriate PFM feature is adequately addressed.
While the possibility of adding indicators as options to be applied in specific circumstances (for example, for resource-dependent countries) will be considered for the new release, the starting point will be the structure of the existing set (although additional dimensions may be introduced, as was the case in 2011 for the revised PI-2 and PI-19).
Process
There will be a number of stages in the process to produce a ‘new release’ of the Framework, and these will begin formally with Phase IV of the PEFA Program on 1 July 2012. Much of the detailed technical work will be undertaken by specially constituted Task Teams, and there will be extensive testing of proposals before they are released for stakeholder comment. The Steering Committee anticipates issuing the new release in 2014.
One of the lessons learned from the 2011 revision of three indicators was that exposing a near-final product for stakeholder comment risks fundamental issues being raised at a very late stage, thus requiring significant reworking and incurring delays.
Hence the process to produce the ‘new release’ will commence with a “pre-consultation” period, by inviting suggestions from the PFM community at large about the issues to be addressed in what is increasingly seen as the international standard for PFM assessments.
You are invited to comment on any aspect of the Framework you believe should be amended in the new release, together with reasons for the changes you propose, by email to: services @ pefa.org
BEFORE FRIDAY 18 MAY 2012,
