---

FSM Office of SBOC Submits FY2011 4^th Quarter Reports to the Office of Insular Affairs

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Office of SBOC): November 24, 2011 - The FSM Office of Statistics, Budget & Economic Management, Overseas Development Assistance and Compact Management (S.B.O.C.) has officially submitted all received quarterly performance reports for Fiscal Year 2011 to the Office of Insular Affairs. Out of more than 112 projects in six Sectors, including the priority Health and Education Sectors, 96.43% of performance reports have been collected, reviewed and submitted to OIA.

Under the terms of the Fiscal Procedures Agreement in the Amended Compact, the FSM is required to submit all Compact-funded program performance reports to the United States Government within thirty days after the end of each quarter. While the FY2011 4^th Quarter Reports are approximately one month overdue, SBOC staff have indicated that an unofficial submission to OIA was made within the deadline. The delay in the official 4^th Quarter report submission was primarily due to limited staff available to review and compile reports, as well as delayed responses from program recipients requesting for verification of reported data outputs. Another issue of concern was that numerous reports that were submitted to SBOC were not, as they should be, cumulative of the entire fiscal year.

In a communication to the President, the Director of SBOC, Ms. Evelyn Adolph, stated the following: "We have come a long way since the early days of the Amended Compact when reports were not being submitted and more recently, when various programs were submitting their own formatted versions of reports. Today, I am happy to inform you that over 96% of Compact-funded projects are not only being reported, but that the reporting formats are fairly similar across all five FSM Governments." The communication went on to explain that uniformly formatted reports are a vast improvement in management of the Compact and will add significant reliability to reports, allow them to be more readable and provide a higher level of professionalism and consistency. It was further noted that with these improvements, "Our limited Compact Management staff are now in a better position to devote more of their attention to management and monitoring of activities under the Sector Grants to ensure the achievement of performance goals."

For further information, please contact the Division of Compact Management at the FSM Office of Statistics, Budget & Economic Management, Overseas Development Assistance and Compact Management (SBOC) at (691) 320-6260 or email slowe@sboc.fm.