ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes particular requirements of process approach projects in terms of their movement through the review/approval system. In order to interpret the way the Agency for International Development (AID) review/approval system has functioned, it is useful to characterize the roles of principal actors: AID/Washington, the Mission and the host countries. Two alternative methods come to mind for making the review/approval process more efficient: maintaining the traditional division of authority, while attempting to clarify the rules of decisionmakers; or transferring full decisionmaking authority to one source. Even if the AID/Washmgton review and approval system were upgraded so that every bureau used the demonstrated most efficient procedures, other problems would remain unresolved. AID is responsible to the Congress, which is in turn responsible to the American taxpayer to ensure that foreign assistance monies are well spent. Careful consideration must be given to creating incentives to making a project successful, rather than the amount of funds programmed, the primary objective of AID.
