Component 3: Performance Based Management in Cross Border Administration

Component 3 supports strengthening technical and management capacity of the border agencies and improves their performance to increase the quality of the services. Under this, Component the project strengthens technical capacity and management to improve governance in cross-border administration and address political economy resistance to change. Following a functional review of the border agencies to assess the existing organizational functions and staff skills and identify any functional and skills’ gap, the project provides extensive training programs and strengthens the existing Performance-Based Management (PBM) systems to improve the application of rules and regulations and creates a secure environment for traders crossing borders. PBM are accompanied by appropriate incentive mechanisms as well as effective evaluation methods.

Sub-component 3.1: Professionalization and Change Management in the border agencies

HR management practices and policies significantly affect staff incentives, productivity, and consequently delivery outcomes.

This Sub-component provides support to conduct a functional review of institutional effectiveness and efficiency at the customs and immigration offices. It assesses the existing organizational functions and staff skills and identify any functional and skills’ gap to meet defined institutional targets, following which job descriptions for each position being described. The functional review are conducted at DGDA, DGM in the DRC, RRA (Customs) and Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration offices in Rwanda, and Uganda Revenue Authorities (URA) and Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration control in Uganda. The results support senior management to develop strategic organizational functions and staffing plans at the border posts.

In addition to the strengthening of technical capacities, change management is key to success in improving border management. Adaptive challenges are seen alongside technical challenges, especially when introducing the new procedures and innovative changes in border management.

In short, the Sub-component 3.1 provides support for the institutional and Human Resource (HR) functional review and the change management coaching program through the procurement of international consulting services.

Sub-component 3.2: Performance Based Management and Incentive Mechanism

The project supports the use of Performance-Based Management (PBM) as a mechanism for enforcing the application of border management rules and regulations. The ultimate goal of PBM is to provide improved services, a secure trade environment and ultimately increase fiscal revenues through greater flows of trade. The customs agencies in all three countries have been introducing and piloting the PBM at their customs offices.²⁵ For instance, Uganda Revenue Authorities (URA) appraises performance of officials according to the defined mission goal as “Provide Excellent Revenue Services with Purpose and Passion”, vision: A Model for Best Practice And Innovation in Revenue Services, as well as the core corporate values, “

1. Excellence,
2. Integrity,
3. Team work,
4. Respect

Building on the existing systems, the project provides advisory support to fine-tune the performance evaluation system at customs and immigration offices and to include the key performance indicators related to improvement of the cross border environment for small scale traders.

The project supports the development of an appropriate evaluation method and introducing a third party monitoring mechanism using mobile technology. The current performance evaluation system in each of three countries varies but generally uses the traditional approach of annual evaluation by the immediate supervisors and managers of the officials. In order to make the PBM evaluation more meaningful, the project introduces a simple IT tool to monitor traders’ satisfaction and service performance at the borders and regularly provide feedback to the officials²⁶. The reporting encourages and motivates border agents in achieving their objectives and improving their work in day-to-day operations. In addition, a perception survey by traders on an annual basis is conducted by using mobile phone technology to provide more accurate feedback on the performance of agencies and agents and the quality of services provided.

Building on international experiences, the project develops a program for improved PBM with an incentive mechanism. As a way of motivating staff, the project provides technical  assistance  to  develop  appropriate  incentive  mechanisms

In short, Sub-component 3.2 provides support for an annual perception survey and the performance based management TA through the procurement of international consulting services, and in-kind rewards through the procurement of goods/non-consulting services in each of three countries.