Insights

On April 4, 2024, NPI EXPAND hosted the fourth event in the project’s series, Lessons in Localization: Experiences and Perspectives from the NPI EXPAND Project. As NPI EXPAND comes to a close in October 2024, the project will share experiences and lessons learned from implementing its large-scale grants and capacity strengthening program through a series of webinars for stakeholders over the next twelve months. To stay updated on the series and future events, be sure to sign up for email updates from the project using this link.

Since NPI EXPAND’s launch in October 2019, the project has issued over 180 subawards to more than 90 different local organizations across 11 countries to support a range of program activities designed and led by the local partners. These subawards account for approximately 54% of project spending to date, a signal of the critical nature subaward management plays in the project. Throughout nearly five years of implementation, NPI EXPAND has experienced notable challenges, successes, and lessons learned related to the use of the fixed amount award (FAA) model at the subaward level. The FAA is a pay-for-results approach which prioritizes the achievement of milestones over the tracking and reporting of individual activity costs, as cost reimbursable agreements do. Fixed amount subawards reduce administrative burden for both the subrecipient and the prime recipient, minimize financial and audit risk, and allow for innovative program implementation since payments are made based on milestones or results achieved rather than actual costs incurred.

Implementing a subawards program of NPI EXPAND’s scale and structure also comes with challenges for both the project and subrecipients themselves. During this event, NPI EXPAND grants staff shared the project’s subaward strategy, including the selection and use of fixed amount subawards, the subaward process, and challenges faced during program implementation. Local subrecipients also shared perspectives on their experience with the fixed amount subaward mechanism and provided recommendations for improving future subaward programs. This event explored the use of fixed amount subawards, challenges and successes from implementation, and featured local partners supported by the project in Ethiopia and India.