The Government Policy Commitments as they relate to each of the Area of Focus of the Sub-Plans are part and parcel of Government Policy approved by the Cabinet. The premise underlying the development of the NICI-2005 Plan is that: the GOR ICT Policy Document provides details of the GOR policy commitments in relation to WHAT need to be done towards the realization of the Vision for Rwanda through the exploitation and development of ICTs and that the NICI-2005 Plan which is based on these policy commitments  is intended  to  provide details of HOW these policy commitments can be translated into concrete programmes and initiatives for implementation. The NICI-2005 being the actualization of some of the Policy Commitments of Government, cannot in itself provide a framework for the modification or revision of these Policy commitments. The Flexibility of the Plan does not therefore allow for the modification or revision of the Government Policy Commitments referred to in the Plan.

• Other Levels

The Plan Modification Details and Possibilities as they relate to the other Levels are presented in the Table below.

	Programme Level	Programme Goals/Objectives Level	Plan-Action Level	Time-Bound Measurable (TBM) Targets	Plan-Action Implementation Agency
Scope for Flexibility of Action During the Actual Implementation of the Plan	A given Programme identified for implementation within the Plan could, if the need arises be enhanced, modified or scraped as dictated by prevailing circumstances and constraints during the actual implementation of the Plan	Specific Programme Goals/Objectives could be adapted or revised to meet changing circumstances as the need arise	Specific Plan- Actions as per a given Programme can be expanded-on; enhanced, revised or scraped during the actual implementation of the Plan	Every effort to should be made to meet the Time-Bound Targets. Targets should therefore not be changed arbitrarily.	A Plan-Action assigned to a given Implementation Agency can be re-assigned to another agency if it is thought the new Agency is in a better position to implement the Plan-Action
Possible Types of Changes	Enhancement Modification Revision Move to Next NICI Scraping	Adaptation Modification Revision	Expansion Enhancement Modification Revision Moved to Next NICI Scraping	Deferring Enhancement Modification Revision Move to Next NICI	Reassignment
Acceptable Grounds for making relevant changes	Need for Enhancement Need for Modification Need for Revision No more Relevant Not Implementable Already Implemented Note: Lack of resources cannot be an acceptable ground for scraping an entire Programme	Need for Adaptation Need for Modification Need for Revision	Need for Expansion Need for Enhancement Need for Modification Need for Revision No more Relevant Not Implementable Already Implemented Note: Lack of resources cannot be an acceptable ground for scraping a Plan-Action	Need for Enhancement Need for Modification Need for Revision No more Relevant Not Implementable Already Implemented   Note: Lack of resources cannot be an acceptable ground for not implementing and meeting a Time-Bound Target	The new Agency is in a better position to implement the Plan-Action

Who Can Make Changes	The NITC in Consultation with the Agency or Organization that Owns the Programme	The NITC in Consultation with the Agency that Owns the Programme	The Plan-Action Implementation Agency	The Implementation Agency	The Old and the New Implementation Agencies by mutual agreement
Should Authorization be Obtained	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
From Who Should Authorization Be Obtained	The Cabinet – The Ultimate Owner of NICI-2005 Plan	N.A	The Agency or Organization that Owns the Programme	NITC	N.A
Are Changes to be Documented	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Who is to Document Changes	The Agency or Organization that Owns the Programme	The Agency or Organization that Owns the Programme	The Plan-Action Implementation Agency	The Implementation Agency	The Old and the New Implementation Agencies
Should Changes be Notified	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Who is to be Notified of Changes	The Cabinet The ICT Advisor to the President RITA The Agency that Owns the Programme All relevant Plan-Action Implementation Agencies	The NITC The ICT Advisor to the President RITA All relevant Plan-Action Implementation Agencies	The NITC The ICT Advisor to the President RITA The Agency who Owns the Programme	The NITC The ICT Advisor to the President RITA The Agency who Owns the Programme	The NITC The ICT Advisor to the President RITA The Agency who Owns the Programme

Notes:

1. The ultimate owner of the NICI-2005 Plan is the Cabinet who is also the owner of the GOR ICT Policies and Strategies on which the NICI-2005 is based.
   
   
2. The NITC through its Plan Review Standing Committee (PRSC) will be responsible for compiling all changes to the Plan and documenting this in its Annual Plan Implementation Status Report for submission to the President and the Cabinet. RITA will assist the PRSC in this exercise.
   
   
3. The Round Table Plan Review Meeting to be convened annually by the NITC and Chaired by H.E the President will among other things discuss the details of the NITC’s Plan Implementation Status Report.

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The NICI-2005 Plan: Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Framework

Preamble

A key component of the NICI-2005 Plan implementation process is Framework for facilitating the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of the implementation of the Programmes, Initiatives and their corresponding   Action-Plans. This monitoring and evaluation process will ensure that Plan objectives and targets met as well as facilitate the taking of corrective measures if the stated targets, goals or objectives of programmes, initiatives and Plan Actions are not being met or achieved during the time-frame of the  NICI Plan. It is also possible that some of the corrective measures may involve the drawing up of new programmes, initiatives and plan-actions for implementation within the current  NICI or subsequent ones.

The NICI plan monitoring  and evaluation process will also facilitate the process of amending the details of the SUNRISE  model to guide the identification and development of suitable programmes for incorporation into subsequent NICIs. The monitoring and evaluation framework will therefore serve as the main driving force for  facilitating transition from one NICI to another. 

An outline of the Plan Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Framework is presented in the attached diagram; with the relevant details of the key components of  presented below.

 The Key Players of the Plan Monitoring and Evaluation Process

 To facilitate and co-ordinate the Plan M&E process, an enforceable bottom-up mechanism (detailed below) is to be adopted involving the participation of a number of key players including: the Program Execution and Co-ordination Committees (PECCs) of the Government Ministries and the PSOs; the Programme Evaluation and Monitoring Unit (PEMU) of RITA and the Plan Review Standing Committee (PRSC) of the NITC. Also to play a key role in this process is the Round Table Plan Review Meeting to be convened annually by the NITC and Chaired by H.E the President – the National ICT Champion.

Key Stages of the M&E Exercise

The actual Plan M&E exercise will involve three stages with each stage addressing a number of specific objectives.

• Pre-Implementation M&E Exercise:

  To establish that the details and the objectives of the Programmes and the corresponding Plan-Actions are well understood by those assigned within the Plan Implementation Organisations and Agencies to execute them.

  To establish those resource mobilization issues for the implementation of the Programmes and the associated Plan-Actions has been addressed or will be addressed during the implementation of these Programmes and Plan-Actions.

  To address the issue of Programme or Plan-Action Ownership by ensuring that, (where appropriate), an Individual, a Team or a Unit, Division or Directorate has been identified within the Plan Implementation Organization to own a specific Programme or Plan-Action and be responsible for its execution and reporting on its progress and completion to the relevant PECC.

• During-Implementation M&E Exercise:

• To establish that the Programmes and Plan Actions are properly executed as per the programme details, objectives and goals.
  
• To identify which indicators (where appropriate) to use to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Programmes

• Post-Implementation M&E Exercise

• To establish that the Plan-Action Time-Bound Measurable Targets are implemented and due dates met
  
• To determine what intervention actions to take at the organizational level if specific Plan-Action Time-Bound Measurable Targets were not implemented or their due dates are not met and see to it that these actions are taken.
  
• To determine appropriate sanctions to impose on the Owners of Programmes or Plan-Actions in event of non-performance or non-delivering on target.

The Plan Execution and Co-ordination Committees (PECCs)

The PECCs to be set-up within each of the Government Ministries and PSOs (as per Plan-Action G1.1) will be responsible for the on-going monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the relevant programmes, initiatives and plan-actions within the Ministries or PSOs. The PECCs will address the various objectives of the Pre-, During- and Post- Implementation M&E Exercises detailed above. For each Ministry or PSO, the PECC will undertake the following Plan Monitoring and Evaluation responsibilities:

• Monitor and evaluate the implementation of each of the Programmes and Initiatives and their corresponding Plan-Actions by establishing and ensuring that whether they are properly co-ordinated and executed and that the stated Time-Bound Measurable Targets of the Plan-Actions has been realized;
  
  
• Identify Programmes, Initiatives, or Plan Actions that have not been executed by the due date or whose implementation has been delayed as well as establish the reasons for the non-execution or delay in implementation of these Programmes, Initiatives, or Plan Actions
  
  
• Identify Plan Actions whose targets have not been realised by the due date and establish the reasons for this;
  
  
• Identify problems associated with the implementation of specific Programmes, Initiatives and corresponding Plan-Actions;
  
  
• Recommend specific interventions and actions to take to facilitate the implementation of delayed Programmes, Initiatives, or Plan Actions
  
  
• Collect and analyse relevant Plan M&E data and information to document the status of the implementation of the Programmes, Initiatives and their associated Plan-Actions
  
  
• Prepare and submit to the Plan Evaluation and Monitoring Unit of RITA (RITA-PEMU) a Bi-Annual Plan Implementation Progress Report providing details of the Plan M&E exercise within the Ministry or PSO.

The Plan Evaluation and Monitoring Unit (PEMU) of RITA (RITA-PEMU)

RITA-PEMU will have the responsibility for co-ordinating the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the NICI-2005 on a national basis. This it will do in collaboration with the PECCs of the Government Ministries and PSOs who will facilitate it with the relevant Plan M&E data and reports as they relates to the specific Ministries and PSOs.

In addition to the Plan M&E details from the PECCs, RITA-PEMU will also on its own evaluate and monitor the implementation of all other Programmes, Initiatives and Plan-Actions being implemented by the Private Sector, Civil Society and the Academic Institutions.

RITA-PEMU as part of its responsibility will:

• Prepare and submit a Consolidated Bi-Annual Plan Monitoring and Evaluation Report to the NITC. This Report will serve as a consolidated Report based on the details of the Bi-Annual Plan Implementation Progress Report (produced by the various PECCs) and the details of other Plan monitoring and evaluation exercises undertaken by the RITA itself. The RITA Consolidated Bi-Annual Plan Monitoring and Evaluation Report will also contained recommendations to the NITC in relation to (i) how some of the documented Plan implementation problems could be tackled or overcome and (ii) what actions the Commission should or could take to sanction non-performing Plan Implementation Agencies.
  
  
• Produce a Quarterly NICI-2005 Plan Status Bulletin that will be used to report on (i) the status of on-going NICI-2005 Programmes and Initiatives in the various implementation Agencies and sectors of the economy (ii) details of Programmes, Initiatives or Plan-Actions started, completed (on target) completed (not on target) or delayed in the various Plan Implementation Agencies since the publication of the last Bulletin and (iii) other specific details relating to the implementation of particular Programmes, Initiatives or Plan-Actions. This Bulletin will be made available to all Government Agencies, the Private Sector organizations as well as made available to the Media and to the public at large.
  
  
• Provide specific Plan M&E details on the status of the implementation of the Plan or a component of it (at Programme, Initiative or Plan-Action level) based on inquires made to it by any interested local or international organization, government or non-governmental.
  

The NITC Plan Review Standing Committee (NITC-PRSC)

The NITC in its capacity as the highest national authority on all matters relating to the formulation and implementation of National ICT policies and NICI plans, will be responsible for overseeing the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the NICI-2005 Plan on behalf of the Government.

To perform this role the NITC Plan Review Standing Committee (PRSC) is to be set-up with the following membership:

• Chairman of the NITC (Chairman)
• A Senior Cabinet Minister (Member)
• The ICT Advisor to the President ( Member )
• RITA Executive Secretary (Member)
• A Head of a University/College (Member)
• A Representative from the Private Sector
• A Representative from the Labour Union (Civil Society)

The NITC-PRSC will through the NITC be responsible for:

• Advising the President, Cabinet and Parliament on an on-going basis on the status of the implementation of the Plan as a whole.
  
• Preparing and submitting to the President and the Cabinet an Annual Plan Implementation Status Report based on the Consolidated Bi-Annual Plan M&E Report it receives from RITA and other Plan implementation status reports or information it might have commissioned or solicited from RITA or other sources.

Cabinet Ministers: Quarterly Cabinet Briefings

Each Cabinet Minister will on a quarterly basis brief Cabinet on the progress of the implementation of the Plan within his/her Ministry and in relevant sectors within the Minister’s jurisdiction. This Cabinet Briefing Session will be organized on a quarterly basis and Ministers will be required to table a One-Pager Briefing Document detailing: new information since last briefing; programmes, initiatives and plan actions in progress and their status; problems being encountered; funding successes and problems and other plan implementation matters.

The Annual Round Table Plan Review Meeting

The Plan Implementation Status Report prepared by the NITC-PRSC will form the basis for the Annual Round Table Plan Review Meeting, which will be organized by the NITC and Chaired by H.E the President.

This Round Table Meeting which will be attended by Cabinet Ministers, member of the NITC and other Key Stakeholders form the Private Sector and the Civil Society will review all aspects of the implementation of the Plan to-date and come out with specific recommendation on how to address identified problems as well as to improve all aspects relating to the effective implementation of the Plan.

This meeting will also have the power to sanction or reprimand non-performing Plan Implementation Agencies.

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The NICI-2005: Plan Costing and Funding Issues

The Rwandan ICT for Development (ICTfDev) Fund

1. It is proposed to set up the Rwandan ICT for Development (ICTfDev) Fund to raise US$500 million in Five Years to support the implementation of the programmes and initiatives of NICI-2005 Plan. The activities of the Fund will be co-ordinated by a 5 member Committee to be chaired by H.E the President. The Fund raising initiatives will be an important and integral component of the implementation of the Plan.

2. The premise is that although the majority of the funds for implementing the Plan is likely to come from Government sources as part of its expenditure provisions, as well as grants, tax and investment incentives to the Private Sector, the Rwanda Government alone will not be able to entirely fund the implementation of the NICI-2005. There is therefore the need to raise funding from other external and local sources to supplement Government efforts. Candidate external sources include: the International Development/Donor Agencies (IDAs), NGOs, International ICT-support Foundations (e.g. Ford Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation etc), Bilateral Donor Countries, the UN Special Initiative for Africa, Private Donations etc.

3. Government’s contribution to the Fund will consist of: (i) annual budgetary allocations for the implementation of various components of the Plan (ii) annual budgetary provisions for tax, investment and other incentive packages, to support the implementation of components of Sub-Plans like: Human Resource Development; Developing and Facilitating the Private Sector; ICT Infrastructure Development; and FDI Drive in ICTs. The total contribution of Government to the Fund will be stated in terms of a given percentage of GDP on an annual basis for five years

4. It is expected that the Rwandan ICT for Development (ICTfDev) Fund Committee will vigorously promote and seek assistance from a number of external sources as well as from domestic sources. Domestic contributions to the Fund from Businesses and individuals could be made tax deductible.

5. There will be a need to recruit a Professional fundraiser or Agency to take care of the international fund raising efforts for the Fund from external sources other than the IDAs and the Bilateral Donor Countries

6. Contributions to the Fund could be in cash or kind (e.g. technical assistance; equipment and other ICT material donations; ICT advisors, and volunteer etc)
   

Costing the Implementation of the Plan

1. It is neither possible nor realistic to cost specific programmes and the initiatives of the Plan. The premised is that a number of the capital intensive and major programmes and initiatives of the Plan will during the actual implementation of the Plan require the development a project implementation report which among other things will provide detailed cost figures. All that is possible at this level of the development of the Plan is to provide a consolidated ‘projected cost’ figures for each of the Sub-Plan within the context of the projected US$500 million Fund proposed for supporting the implementation of the Plan.

2. Also because of the rapid technological advances in the world-wide ICT industry leading occasionally to changes in the cost of ICT-related products and services which in most cases results in lower procurement cost, it is anticipated that project costing is not likely to remain fixed over-time. There is therefore the need to continuously revise implementation cost of the programmes and initiatives of the Plan and for that matter the implementation cost of the Plan as a whole. Plan costing done at the beginning of the implementation of the Plan is not likely to hold in a year or two time. For these and other reasons the ‘projected cost’ approach adopted seems to be the most realistic method of gauging the ‘probable cost’ of the Plan. Furthermore the quoted figure of US$500 million is an ‘upper-bound’ projection, it is more likely that the actual cost of the implementation of the Plan over the 5 Year period will be substantially less.

3. For the purpose of demonstration and illustration, a breakdown of the possible sources of the projected US$500 million funding for the Plan is presented below. Also presented is the Sub-Plan Funding Matrix and a Table summarizing possible total fund allocation per Sub-Plan

The Sub-Plan Funding Matrix

	Source	GOR		IDAs		OFDs		LPS		Others		TOTAL
		Nominal ($ milIion)	%	Nominal ($ milIion)	%	Nominal ($ milIion)	%	Nominal ($ milIion)	%	Nominal ($ milIion)	%	Nominal ($ milIion)	%
YEAR	Sub-Plan
2001	HRD	6	40%	4.5	30%	2.25	15%	1.5	10%	0.75	5%	15	3
	EDUC	4	40%	3.5	35%	1.5	15%	0.5	5%	0.5	5%	10	2
	GOV	5	50%	2.5	25%	1.5	15%	0.5	5%	0.5	5%	10	2
	CMN	3	40%	2.25	30%	1.125	15%	0.75	10%	0.375	5%	7.5	1.5
	PRS	1.75	50%	1.05	30%	0.175	5%	0.35	10%	0.175	5%	3.5	0.7
	FDI	2	80%	0.125	5%	0.125	5%	0.125	5%	0.125	5%	2.5	0.5
	IFR	0.8	80%	0.1	10%	0.05	5%	0.02	2%	0.03	3%	1	0.2
	LRI	0.3	60%	0.1	20%	0.05	10%	0.025	5%	0.025	5%	0.5	0.1
Sub-Total		22.85		14.125		6.775		3.77		2.48		50	10%
2002	HRD	18	40%	13.5	30%	6.75	15%	4.5	10%	2.25	5%	45	9
	EDUC	12	40%	10.5	35%	4.5	15%	1.5	5%	1.5	5%	30	6
	GOV	15	50%	7.5	25%	4.5	15%	1.5	5%	1.5	5%	30	6
	CMN	9	40%	6.75	30%	3.375	15%	2.25	10%	1.125	5%	22.5	4.5
	PRS	5.25	50%	3.15	30%	0.525	5%	1.05	10%	0.525	5%	10.5	2.1
	FDI	6	80%	0.375	5%	0.375	5%	0.375	5%	0.375	5%	7.5	1.5
	IFR	2.4	80%	0.3	10%	0.15	5%	0.06	2%	0.09	3%	3	0.6
	LRI	0.9	60%	0.3	20%	0.15	10%	0.075	5%	0.075	5%	1.5	0.3
Sub-Total		68.55		42.375		20.325		11.31		7.44		150	30%
2003	HRD	21	40%	15.75	30%	7.875	15%	5.25	10%	2.625	5%	52.5	10.5
	EDUC	14	40%	12.25	35%	5.25	15%	1.75	5%	1.75	5%	35	7
	GOV	17.5	50%	8.75	25%	5.25	15%	1.75	5%	1.75	5%	35	7
	CMN	10.5	40%	7.875	30%	3.9375	15%	2.625	10%	1.3125	5%	26.25	5.25
	PRS	6.125	50%	3.675	30%	0.6125	5%	1.225	10%	0.6125	5%	12.25	2.45
	FDI	7	80%	0.4375	5%	0.4375	5%	0.4375	5%	0.4375	5%	8.75	1.75
	IFR	2.8	80%	0.35	10%	0.175	5%	0.07	2%	0.105	3%	3.5	0.7
	LRI	1.05	60%	0.35	20%	0.175	10%	0.0875	5%	0.0875	5%	1.75	0.35
Sub-Total		79.975		49.4375		23.713		13.195		8.68		175	35%
2004	HRD	9	40%	6.75	30%	3.375	15%	2.25	10%	1.125	5%	22.5	4.5
	EDUC	6	40%	5.25	35%	2.25	15%	0.75	5%	0.75	5%	15	3
	GOV	7.5	50%	3.75	25%	2.25	15%	0.75	5%	0.75	5%	15	3
	CMN	4.5	40%	3.375	30%	1.6875	15%	1.125	10%	0.5625	5%	11.25	2.25
	PRS	2.625	50%	1.575	30%	0.2625	5%	0.525	10%	0.2625	5%	5.25	1.05
	FDI	3	80%	0.1875	5%	0.1875	5%	0.1875	5%	0.1875	5%	3.75	0.75
	IFR	1.2	80%	0.15	10%	0.075	5%	0.03	2%	0.045	3%	1.5	0.3
	LRI	0.45	60%	0.15	20%	0.075	10%	0.0375	5%	0.0375	5%	0.75	0.15
Sub-Total		34.275		21.1875		10.163		5.655		3.72		75	15%
2005	HRD	6	40%	4.5	30%	2.25	15%	1.5	10%	0.75	5%	15	3
	EDUC	4	40%	3.5	35%	1.5