J.9_Allowable_USG_Funding_Support_for_GOU_Entities_and_Staff.pdf

Allowable USG Funding Support for Government of Uganda (GOU) Entities and Staff

C. Communications Costs

USG agencies and implementing partners may not, unless exception is granted following interagency peer review, pay for the cell phones, air time, internet access or other communication costs (except as noted below) for Government of Uganda employees. IP’s should direct any requests for exception to the Contracting/Agreement Officer.

USG agencies may, within reason and in accordance with prevailing market costs, provide funds to health facilities to follow-up by telephone with those clients who miss their appointments, follow-up cases, and to support internet services for those facilities managing electronic systems.

D. Program Management Costs

USG may provide funds to health facilities to support fueling of generators, laboratory services, and some clinical meetings (especially those focused on service quality improvement).

Administrative costs, including for items such as stationary and printing and photocopying of service documents should be the responsibility of the Government of Uganda and should not be paid by USG unless approved by peer review and determined to be necessary, reasonable, and in accordance with prevailing market costs. IP’s should direct any requests for approval to the Contracting/Agreement Officer.

E. Allowances

Attached is the approved schedule of Standard Rates of Allowances applicable to GOU officials when attending Implementing Partner funded activities in Uganda. The updated schedule has been developed taking into account the cost of living in Kampala and up-country.

The following principles are hereby adopted:

a. Rates of allowances based on real costs in Kampala and upcountry. The measure of inflation would represent increases in real costs;

b. Future revisions will be based on changes in the cost of living;

c. Harmonize the so-called Safari Day Allowance (allowance for travel over 6 hours) for all categories and clearly state that it should not be paid when lunch is offered to participants;

d. Drop the Facilitation Allowances as a way of discouraging payment of facilitation fees to officials from the beneficiary institution;

e. Sitting and participation allowances will not be paid under any circumstances;

f. Use one car per district for reimbursement of transport based on mileage from the workplace to the place of the event;

g. No support for transport costs for participants from within the town;

h. Rates are standardized for all professional officials on the expectation that all professionals incur the same costs when in travel status, irrespective of grade.

The Schedule of Standard Rates should be applied within the following framework:

a. The allowances should be paid only when it is absolutely unavoidable;

Allowable USG Funding Support for Government of Uganda (GOU) Entities and Staff

b. In general, when representatives from GOU or other organizations attend meetings and events, it should be assumed that the sending organization has an interest in being represented at the same event. Therefore, as a rule, the sending organization should be expected to cover all costs related to participation, including per diems and travel reimbursements;

c. The foregoing notwithstanding, in special circumstances it may not necessarily be in the interest of an organization to participate in a USG funded event, while participation by representatives from GOU or other organizations is essential for the success of the event. In such cases, allowances may be paid as per the attached schedule;

d. Invitations to events should clearly indicate in advance which costs would be covered; allowances paid etc. This will prevent misunderstandings during and after events. In addition, this approach would facilitate the attendance of participants interested in the topic of the event;

e. For multi-day events, the preferred approach should be to provide allowances in-kind only (meals, accommodation etc.). Such in-kind provisions should be clearly communicated in letters of invitation.

F. Support for Transport Costs

Financial support for transport costs, when appropriate, is in principle based on reimbursement of actual costs. Where travel takes place in a personally-owned vehicle, guidelines for reimbursement per vehicle are provided below.

Fuel Cost (UGX) = Distance X Cost / Consumption

Distance = Total Kms for trip (to activity and back to duty station)

Cost = Cost per liter (based on Shell market price for either petrol or diesel (whichever was actually used) at time of travel

Consumption = Kms per liter (see rate below)

G. Fuel Reimbursement Guidelines

Fuel Consumption Rate:

Passenger vehicle up to 7 seats 7 Kms per liter

Distances between Major Towns: See Annex 1

Updated Allowance Schedule for Government Officials on activities funded by the UN, Development Partners and NGOs within Uganda: See Annex 2.

If you have any questions regarding these directives, please do not hesitate to e-mail the Contracting/Agreement Officer with copy to the Contracting Officer’s Representatives (COR)/Agreement Officer’s Representative (AOR) assigned to your award.