Document of
The World Bank
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Report No: ICR00004795
IMPLEMENTATION COMPLETION AND RESULTS REPORT
TF015264
ON A
SMALL GRANT
IN THE AMOUNT OF USD 4.55 MILLION
TO THE
KINGDOM OF MOROCCO
FOR
A Local Government Support Program (P144438)
August 19, 2019
Social, Urban, Rural And Resilience Global Practice
Middle East And North Africa Region
Regional Vice President: Ferid Belhaj
Country Director: Jesko S. Hentschel
Regional Director: Ayat Soliman
Practice Manager: Jaafar Sadok Friaa
Task Team Leader(s): Anastasia Touati
ICR Main Contributor: Lamia Zaki
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
AFD Agence Française de développement (French Agency for Development)
AMO Assistance à maîtrise d’ouvrage (Project Management Assistance)
CMU Country Management Unit
COPIL Comité de Pilotage (Steering Committee)
CPF Country Partnership Framework
CPS Country Partnership Strategy
CRAMO Centre de Ressources et d’Assistance à la Maîtrise d’Ouvrage (Deconcentrated Support Centers)
DAA Direction des Affaires Administratives (Directorate for Administrative Matters)
DAJDEC Direction des Affaires Juridiques, de la Documentation, des Etudes et de la Coopération
(Directorate for Legal Affairs, Studies, Documentation and Cooperation)
DGCL Direction Générale des Collectivités Locales (General Directorate for Local Governments)
DLI Disbursement Linked Indicator
DPL Development Policy Loan
DRSC Direction des Régies et des Services Concédés (Directorate for State-Owned Companies and
Concessions)
ECI Etablissements de Coopération Intercommunale (Intermunicipal Cooperation Entities)
FM Financial Management
FY Fiscal Year
GoM Government of Morocco
IOI Intermediate Outcome Indicator
IRI Intermediate Results indicator
LG Local Government
M&E Monitoring and Evaluation
MENA Middle East and North Africa
MEF Ministry of Economy and Finance
MoI Ministry of Interior
MSW Municipal Solid Waste
MTR Mid-term Review
OI Outcome Indicator
PACT Programme d’Appui aux Collectivités Territoriales (Local Government Support Program)
PCD Plan Communal de Développement (Municipal Development Plan)
PDO Project Development Objective
PforR Program for Results
PIU Project Implementation Unit
PSP Private Sector Participation
RF Results Framework
SDL Société de Développement Local (Local Joint Ownership Company)
SP Société de Patrimoine (Public Asset Company)
TOC Theory of Change
VAT Value Added Tax
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DATA SHEET .................................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
I. PROJECT CONTEXT AND DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES ...................................................................4
II. OUTCOME ..................................................................................................................................9
III. KEY FACTORS THAT AFFECTED IMPLEMENTATION AND OUTCOME............................................. 16
A. KEY FACTORS DURING PREPARATION ................................................................................ 16
B. KEY FACTORS DURING IMPLEMENTATION.......................................................................... 17
IV. BANK PERFORMANCE, COMPLIANCE ISSUES, AND RISK TO DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME ............... 18
V. LESSONS LEARNED AND RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................... 20
ANNEX 1. RESULTS FRAMEWORK AND KEY OUTPUTS ........................................................................ 22
ANNEX 2. PROJECT COST BY COMPONENT ........................................................................................ 30
ANNEX 3. RECIPIENT, CO-FINANCIER AND OTHER PARTNER/STAKEHOLDER COMMENTS ................... 31
ANNEX 4. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS (IF ANY) .................................................................................. 32
The World Bank
DTF: MA-Local Government Support Program (P144438)
DATA SHEET
BASIC INFORMATION
Product Information
Project ID Project Name
P144438 DTF: MA-Local Government Support Program
Country Financing Instrument
Morocco Investment Project Financing
Original EA Category Revised EA Category
Not Required (C) Not Required (C)
Organizations
Borrower Implementing Agency
General Directorate for Local Governments, Ministry of General Directorate for Local Government, Ministry of
Interior Interior
Project Development Objective (PDO)
Original PDO
The Objective of the Project is to set up a lasting program to provide Local Governments in the Project Area access
to decentralized support services and assistance to institutionalize inter municipal cooperation.
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DTF: MA-Local Government Support Program (P144438)
FINANCING
FINANCE_TBL
Original Amount (US$) Revised Amount (US$) Actual Disbursed (US$)
Donor Financing
TF-16151 4,550,000 4,550,000 3,560,974
Total 4,550,000 4,550,000 3,560,974
Other Financing
Borrower/Recipient 1,250,000 3,900,000 11,097,000
Total 1,250,000 3,900,000 11,097,000
Total Project Cost 5,800,000 8,450,000 14,657,974
KEY DATES
Approval Effectiveness Original Closing Actual Closing
26-Nov-2013 02-Dec-2013 31-Aug-2018 02-Mar-2019
RESTRUCTURING AND/OR ADDITIONAL FINANCING
Date(s) Amount Disbursed (US$M) Key Revisions
22-Mar-2018 1.38 Change in Loan Closing Date(s)
KEY RATINGS
Outcome Bank Performance M&E Quality
Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Modest
RATINGS OF PROJECT PERFORMANCE IN ISRs
Actual
No. Date ISR Archived DO Rating IP Rating Disbursements
(US$M)
01 17-Apr-2014 Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory 0.61
02 12-Aug-2014 Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory 0.61
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03 29-Jun-2015 Moderately Unsatisfactory Moderately Unsatisfactory 0.61
04 21-Aug-2015 Moderately Unsatisfactory Moderately Unsatisfactory 0.61
05 19-Apr-2016 Moderately Unsatisfactory Moderately Satisfactory 0.79
06 24-Jun-2016 Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory 0.79
07 17-Feb-2017 Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory 1.05
08 29-Dec-2017 Moderately Unsatisfactory Moderately Unsatisfactory 1.35
09 19-Feb-2018 Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory 1.38
10 05-Oct-2018 Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory 1.65
ADM STAFF
Role At Approval At ICR
Regional Vice President: Inger Andersen Ferid Belhaj
Country Director: Neil Simon M. Gray Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly
Director: Ayat Soliman
Practice Manager: Franck Bousquet Jaafar Sadok Friaa
Task Team Leader(s): Francois Boulanger Anastasia Nejma Touati
ICR Contributing Author: Lamia Zaki
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DTF: MA-Local Government Support Program (P144438)
I. PROJECT CONTEXT AND DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES
Context
1. At the time of appraisal in 2012, Morocco was engaged in a decentralization process that had started a few
decades earlier. Since the first Municipal Charter (Charte Communale) in 1976, Morocco had gradually been expanding
the legal and administrative autonomy of local governments (LGs). In the ten years before appraisal, several laws and
decrees had contributed to enhance the decentralization process, including by: (i) eliminating a range of ex-ante controls
by the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and the Ministry of Finance (MoF); (ii) improving the transparency of the distribution
process for LGs’ 30 percent share of the national Value Added Tax (VAT); and (iii) requiring municipalities to
systematically develop participatory Medium Term investment plans (Plans Communaux de Développement, PCDs).
2. In particular, this decentralization process had been further reinforced by the new 2011 Constitution, which
enshrines the principles of “free administration�? (libre administration) of LGs and of subsidiarity. The constitutional
reform confirmed municipalities as the lowest tier of LG. The reform also entrusted them with a wide range of mandates
related to the management of key services, including water supply and sanitation, electricity distribution, municipal solid
waste collection and disposal, street lighting, and urban transport. The legislation required municipalities to
systematically develop their planning function, either through participatory medium-term investment plans (PCDs) or
service planning, e.g., in municipal solid waste management.
3. Despite such achievements, municipalities lacked institutional and technical capacity to fully and effectively plan
and implement their investments. The quality of planning remained a key challenge for municipalities. In particular, the
low indebtedness/cash surplus conjunction pointed to delivery capacity issues, more than to financing issues, as a key
cause of insufficient investment in local services. There were also problems with the private provision of infrastructure
services, coming in large part from insufficient project and contract management capacity in municipalities. Private
provision was suffering setbacks in the form of some operators pulling out of the market, of an accumulation of payment
arrears, of service lapses and general recurrent questioning in the media on the “gestion déléguée�? model.
4. In a context of sustained urban growth, there was a crucial need to experiment with new service delivery models
at the inter-municipal level. The rapid growth of Moroccan cities had led to a situation where few of the essential
infrastructure services required in an urban context could be managed at the municipal level. Network synergies or
economies of scale required large investments to be made at a metropolitan level. But the institutional arrangements
for inter-municipal cooperation had not yet been generalized in all large metropolitan areas. In addition, the reform and
modernization of service delivery, especially at the inter-municipal level, required the provision of expertise (Assistance
à Maîtrise d’Ouvrage) and incentives. The preparation of the Third Municipal Solid Waste Sector Development Policy
Loan (Morocco MSW DPL3) had in particular, initiated a dialogue on the lack of efficient management of public service
delegation contracts by municipalities, and the lack of intermunicipal cooperation in a field where this issue was key,
particularly for big cities (Report n°74639-MA). The Preparation of a Public Transport Program for Results (PforR) also
highlighted the weak municipal capacities for managing private service operators and the need for developing strong
vehicles for supervising public transport delegation contracts (Report 101010-MA).
5. The Morocco Local Government Support Program was fully aligned with the Government’s priorities at the time
of appraisal. The decentralization of services in Morocco had been highlighted in several Royal Speeches setting the
Kingdom’s reform agenda. The increase in technical support to LGs from deconcentrated government departments was
also one of the key recommendations of the Consultative Committee on Regionalization. Additionally, in the
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DTF: MA-Local Government Support Program (P144438)
Development Policy Letter in support of the Third Solid Waste Sector DPL (2012), the Government of Morocco had
confirmed the alignment of the activities proposed in this operation with its general development agenda. In the Letter,
the Government stressed that its reform agenda includes “the development and implementation, from 2013 onwards,
of a national support program for LGs including support to setting up inter-municipal institutions and public asset
companies for local public services�? and increasing technical support services to LGs.
6. There was a demand for donors to support capacity building activities for LGs and hands-on support. The
Government, supported by donors, had been carrying out many capacity building activities with LGs, and donors had
also financed projects to support LGs in the decentralization process. But the projects mainly focused on training and
awareness raising activities and did not have enough impact. There was then a specific need for hands-on support to
implement projects through a comprehensive program assisting municipalities to carry out their service delivery
functions. The Program was fully aligned with the Bank’s 2010-2013 Morocco Country Partnership Strategy (CPS), where
there was a clear commitment to “support the Government’s objective to […] increase the role of local government, its
performance, accountability, and empowerment’’ (Report No 50316-MA). The Program was also consistent with one of
the main pillars of the CPS, Pillar 2, on ‘’Service delivery to citizens’’. In addition, the proposed PACT support was fully
aligned with the Bank’s framework for engagement in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region through
strengthening the governance of local service delivery and improving economic and social equity by providing equal
access to local services in urban areas.
Lending instrument
7. This Technical Assistance was financed by an Investment Project Financing through a grant from the MENA
Transition Fund.
Project Development Objectives (PDOs)
8. The project development objective was to set up a lasting program to provide Local Governments in the Project
Area1 access to decentralized support services and assistance to institutionalize inter municipal cooperation.
Key Expected Outcomes and Outcome Indicators
9. Achievement of the PDO was measured through the following outcome indicators (OIs):
OI#1: The Local Government Support Program (PACT) is set-up and operational;
OI#2: The financial incentive of the PACT is financed adequately and there is formal commitment to fund the
program after grant closure; and
OI#3: Number of beneficiaries (male/female) (core sector indicator).
Progress towards achievement of the PDO was monitored through the detailed results framework, which
included Intermediate Results indicators (IRIs); see Annex 1.
1 The Project Area comprised the regions of Tanger-Tetouan, Fez-Boulmane, Meknes-Tafilalt, Doukkala-Abda, Rabat-Sale-
Zemmour-Zaër, Grand Casablanca, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hsen, and Souss-Massa-Draâ.
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DTF: MA-Local Government Support Program (P144438)
Theory of change
10. The theory of change (TOC) of the PACT2 (figure 1) reflects the Government engagement to effectively encourage
decentralization through providing tailored support to LGs for the latter to fully take on their local service delivery
functions and make them ready for the new decentralization challenges introduced by the 2011 Constitution. The
project sought to develop concrete institutional models and provide practical solutions to help municipalities in pilot
areas better fulfill their mandates, with a focus on: (i) the creation of deconcentrated support centers to provide LGs
with technical assistance to facilitate the planning and implementation of urban infrastructure projects; (ii) the
enhancement of intermunicipal institutions through specific consulting services and incentives in order to allow for the
delivery of additional and improved services; and (iii) the development of a monitoring and evaluation system to assess
the pilot experiences and draw lessons for the design of a final program. The project placed emphasized the development
of a participatory approach to design the pilot areas where municipalities would benefit from project activities.
11. The key assumptions were: (A1) target municipalities will ultimately be able to become self-sustained in project
preparation and implementation through the capacity and institutional building activities developed; (A2) the
development of adequate inter-municipal cooperation arrangements will allow municipalities to reap the benefits of
organized metropolitan dynamics through the provision of each service at the optimal delivery scale; and (A3) the strong
country ownership will allow the program to be scaled up nationally and to sustain it.
2While explicit Theory of Change was not a standard practice at project appraisal, the team intended to retroactively illustrate the TOC at
the ICR stage using the project’s objective and guiding assumptions narrated in the design.
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DTF: MA-Local Government Support Program (P144438)
Figure1. Theory of change
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DTF: MA-Local Government Support Program (P144438)
Components
12. Component 1: Deconcentrated Local Governments Support Centers (estimated cost3 of US$1,950,000, of which
US$900 000 of local contributions; actual cost was US$2,029,438, of which US$993,000 of local contributions).
This component financed the program of activities aimed at establishing local single window support centers for
LGs in the Project Area. It included:
- Sub-component 1.1 - Initial studies and implementation planning. This subcomponent funded the review of
implementation options and the organization of the consultative process to determine the legal form, the
resources required, the territorial mapping, and the deployment plan of the local single window support centers,
all through the provision of technical assistance.
- Sub-component 1.2 – Setting-up and operation of LG support centers. This subcomponent funded the
establishment of four local single window support centers on a pilot basis in the Project Area.
- Sub-component 1.3 – Tools development. This subcomponent funded the inventory of existing resources, making
such resources available to LGs in the Project Area, and developed new tools to fill identified gaps as necessary.
13. Component 2: Inter-Municipal Cooperation and Institutional Reform for Local Service Delivery (estimated cost
of US$5,950,000, of which US$3,000,000 of local contributions in terms of incentives; actual cost was US$ 11,932,948 of
which US$10,104,000 of local contributions in the form of incentives.
This component financed a program of activities aimed at accelerating the formation of intermunicipal
cooperation structures in the Project Area, including the creation on a pilot basis of Public Asset Companies that
the inter-municipal cooperation structures established for planning and financing their infrastructure investments.
The program included:
- Sub-component 2.1 – Technical assistance. This subcomponent financed the technical assistance provided to a
limited number of municipalities for the purpose of creating or expanding inter-municipal cooperation structures.
- Sub-component 2.2 - Studies. This subcomponent financed the carrying out of studies to design new institutional
and financial models for the sustainable delivery of the municipal services4 transferred to the intermunicipal
cooperation structures.
- Sub-component 2.3 – Incentive mechanism. This subcomponent funded an incentive mechanism for the
formation of new intermunicipal cooperation structures.
14. Component 3: Program Management (estimated cost of US$450,000 + US$100,000 for contingencies; actual cost
was US$600,161).
This component financed the support provided to the PIU for Project coordination, supervision, financial
3 Total estimated project cost per PAD was US$ 8.45 M (estimated contribution of US$3.9 M from Borrower and US$4.55 M
from donor financing). The original amount entered in Bank systems differs from original amount per PAD and can’t be changed
in the data sheet.
4 The municipal competencies cover provision of key municipal services, including potable water supply, wastewater collection
and treatment, drainage, electricity distribution, municipal solid waste collection and disposal, street lighting, urban transport,
traffic signaling and parking management, slaughterhouses, markets, socio/cultural/sports centers, ambulance and funeral
services.
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management, audits, procurement, monitoring and evaluation.
II. OUTCOME
A - Assessment of Relevance of PDOs
15. The PDO remains highly relevant to the continuing engagement of the World Bank on local governance support
in Morocco, reaffirmed after the constitutional reform of 2011. Strengthening the capacity of municipalities and
improving their services was a strategic objective (Result Area 3) of the Morocco 2014-2017 CPS (Report No. 86518-MA).
The PDO remains highly relevant to the current (2019-2024) Country partnership Framework (CPF), as part of its third
Focus Area on ‘’Promoting Inclusive and resilient territorial development’’, with the objective of ‘’improving performance
of key infrastructure service delivery of cities and agglomerations’’ (Report No. 131039-MA).
16. The PDO also remains highly relevant in light of the governmental decentralization policy . The 113-14 Organic
Law on Municipalities, issued on July 2015, illustrates the commitment of the Government to improve decentralization
and provide a legal basis for an increased autonomy of municipalities through the disappearance of the “tutelle�? of the
MoI over LGs, and a renewed role of the MoI in providing technical assistance and capacity building (accompagnement)
to municipalities – an objective supported by the PACT. Similarly, the inter-municipal management tools (Sociétés de
Développement Local – SDL, and Etablissements de Coopération Intercommunale – ECI), which the project supported to
improve service delivery at the metropolitan level, have also been confirmed and further institutionalized by Law.
B – Assessment of Achievement of Each Objective/Outcome
17. The project development objective was to set up a lasting program to provide Local Governments in the Project
Area access to decentralized support services and assistance to institutionalize inter municipal cooperation.
18. The assessment of achievement of each objective/outcome is structured around the two key elements of the
PDOs: (1) Setting up a lasting program to provide local governments access to decentralized support; and (2) Providing
assistance to institutionalize inter municipal cooperation. The data is based on : the Borrower’s ICR, the minutes of the
meetings of the Steering Committee (Copil) and the Project Implementation Unit (PIU), the various deliverables produced
under the three components, the aide-memoires and ISRs, the recipient municipalities survey (see Annex 8), discussions
with the Wali Director General of Local Governments (DGCL) and the three Governors within DGCL at MoI involved in
project implementation, field visits, and interviews with the PIU, as well as interviews with mayors, municipal staff,
consultants and contractors.
1 - PDO 1- Setting up a lasting program to provide local governments access to decentralized support
(Component 1)
19. This objective has been unpacked and assessed separately as follows: (i) Setting-up a program; (ii) Ensuring its
sustainability over time; and (iii) Providing LGs access to decentralized support.
(i) Setting-up a program: the conception and establishment of the Deconcentrated Local Government Support
Centers
20. One of the main outcomes expected from the project was to set up a program establishing local single window
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support centers for LGs to provide them technical assistance to prepare and manage projects.
21. Under Subcomponent 1.1, the project successfully conceived and put in place a new program to provide LGs
access to deconcentrated support in the following regions: Casablanca-Settat, Souss-Massa, Oriental and Fès-Meknès.
The participatory study developed between November 2015 and May 2016 identified different scenarios for the design
and initial set-up of these centers and confirmed through regional workshops the strong demand by LGs for this type of
support. Following a decision of the Steering Committee in April 2016, the Support Centers were to be institutionally
anchored within the Wilayas (i.e., deconcentrated representations of the MoI at the regional level) to provide them a
stable institutional framework and ensure their funding on a sustainable basis.
22. Under Subcomponent 1.2, the project established and operationalized four deconcentrated Local Government
Centers (Centres de Ressources et d’Assistance à Maîtrise d’Ouvrage, CRAMO). Between December 2016 and June 2017,
four CRAMOs were created (thus exceeding the initial target of three centers for PDO-level indicator ≠1). They were placed
under the supervision of the Director of Local Governments within each Wilaya and operationalized through the
recruitment of three to five high-level experts in local public service delivery (with specialization in waste management,
urban mobility and transport, built heritage, etc., based on demand from the beneficiary municipalities). In all, eighty-four
municipalities benefitted from the support of the Centers (exceeding the initial IRI 1.3 target of fifty). These experts
provided concrete and practical answers on specific issues, while helping them identify, define and reach out to the
expertise needed to address larger issues; see Section (iii) for further details. As a result, the objective of setting up a
new program to provide support to LGs was exceeded.
Table 1. Creation and Operationalization of the Local Government Support Centers (CRAMOs)
CRAMO Official creation (through Appointment of the Head Appointment of other experts
prefectoral order) of Center
Casablanca-Settat December 15, 2016 April 19, 2018 Expert in Waste Management: September 4, 2017
Expert in Transport and Urban Mobility: September 4,
2017
Souss-Massa April 27, 2017 September 8, 2017 Expert in Local Public Service Management: December
17, 2018
Expert in Procurement: July 9, 2018
Oriental May 11, 2017 September 6, 2017 Expert in Local Public Service Management: July 25,
2018
Expert in Cultural and Built Heritage and Public Space
Management: April 26, 2018
Fès-Meknès June 22, 2017 June 22, 2017 Expert in Local Public Service Management: July 24,
2018
Expert in Cultural and Built Heritage and Public Space
Management: April 27, 2018
(ii) Ensuring the sustainability of the program over time (setting up a lasting program)
23. The purpose of the PACT was to set up a pilot that would lead to the establishment of a lasting support program
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which would go beyond the duration of the project and would be progressively scaled up to the entire country. PDO
indicator #2 (the financial incentive of the PACT is financed adequately and there is a formal commitment to fund the
Program after grant closure) and IRI 2.3 (lessons learned from the pilot phase) monitored the achievement of this PDO
element.
24. Under Subcomponent 1.2, a capitalization and perspective workshop (IRI 2.3) was successfully conducted and
enabled the review of the experience of the CRAMOs and to build on the lessons learnt from the pilot phase in order
to program further support to municipalities. Organized on January 8, 2019, the event was launched by H.E. the Wali
DGCL and attracted 100 participants representing the Wilayas, the pilot municipalities, the ECIs and the Central
Government. It highlighted the effective and concrete inputs of the CRAMOs in the planning and management of local
public services in the pilot municipalities5. To better showcase the work completed, it was agreed that the deliverables
produced by the CRAMOs will be made available online on the LG portal6. Upon project completion, H.E. the Wali DGCL,
as well as the Walis Governors of DRSC and DAJDEC, commended the “effectiveness of a flexible institutional mechanism�?
to “regulate, standardize and harmonize the approaches to support local public service delivery from one region to
another�? (particularly in the field of public transport). They also praised the CRAMOs as organizations based on a tight
team of experienced consultants, that were well accepted by municipalities who are keen to maintain their autonomy
from the MoI.
25. The GoM acknowledged that the creation of CRAMOs operating at the subnational level was key for ensuring
more efficient support to municipalities by the Central Government. It also expressly acknowledged that the existing
needs and increasing demands identified through this pilot phase called for the development of a more ambitious
program. Based on the review of the operational costs of the four pilot centers7, it appeared that the scaling up of the
program at the national level called for institutional adjustments to reach out to municipalities located in the 12 existing
regions on a sustained basis, as creating support centers on a regional basis would not be cost-efficient. Beyond the
necessary economies of scale to allow for the successful development of a national program to foster municipal
performance, the GoM wanted to link the development of such a program with the deconcentration agenda enshrined in
the 2011 Constitution. In December 2018, the GoM requested institutional and financial support from the World Bank
and French Development Agency (AFD) to develop this national program, concurrently with the issuance of Decree 2-17-
618 establishing the national Charter for administrative deconcentration.
26. As a result of the pilot phase and in line with the 2018 Charter for administrative deconcentration, the DGCL
reaffirmed the strong commitment of the MoI to pursue the experience initiated after grant closure8, drawing on the
lessons learned to refine the model tested. This objective was to be included in the action plan currently being finalized
by the MoI, and the institutional and financial arrangements for new technical assistance programs for municipalities were
to be defined by September/October 2019. It is included as a key element of the proposed Municipal Performance
Program for Results (PforR) being prepared by the MoI for Bank and the AFD support. This PforR builds on the PACT
Components 1 and 2 through two dedicated Subprograms. The GoM is strongly committed to develop a comprehensive
capacity building system to help municipalities better plan and implement their investments and improve service delivery
(through Sub Program 3: Enhancing the organization and human capacities of Municipalities of the PforR) to provide
training as well as on-demand technical assistance to about 100 target municipalities. DGCL has also confirmed the
engagement of the MoI to support inter-municipal cooperation and the development of ECIs. A strategic note was recently
5 See the Stocktaking Note on the workshop in Annex 4.9.
6 See the PIU Completion report for the detailed list of the deliverables produced by the CRAMOs (in Annex 4.7).
7 According to the simulation presented by the PIU at the Steering Committee of December 14, 2017, the operation cost of one
CRAMO amounted to MAD 2 million (on a yearly basis) (see Annex 4.10).
8 See Aide memoire of the last PACT supervision mission organized from February 26-28, 2019 (Annex 4.5)
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developed9 with the support of the Bank and Subprogram 2: Operationalization of a sustainable inter-municipal
cooperation bodies (ECI) framework of the PforR is dedicated to ECI support. Two Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs)
are being defined, confirming the ownership of the Ministry to: (i) develop a National Plan for LG cooperation; and (ii)
provide a long-term operational framework for the financing of ECIs through the development of an adapted contractual
framework defining the participation of LGs.
27. The project leveraged substantial incentive funds from the Government during the program period (in a
cumulative amount of US$8.48 million, thus largely exceeding the PDO-level indicator # 2 end target of US$3 million. In
addition, Sub Programs 2 and 3 of the proposed Municipal Performance Program for Results reflect the commitment to
continue to fund the support provided by the Program after grant closure. The ongoing Bank loan to the Municipality of
Casablanca also illustrates the impact of the PACT over the medium and longer term through its support to increase
investment capacity, improve the business environment within the Municipality, and enhance access to basic services.
These recent developments provide a very good indication of the commitment of the Government to continue this
experience over the long term. The PACT has been recognized and embraced within the context of de-concentration
and its sustainability is likely.
(iii) Providing local governments with effective access to decentralized support
28. Under Subcomponent 1.2, the CRAMOs provided support to the municipalities and ECIs on a wide range of
technical issues based on demand at the local level 10 (i.e., Directors of Local Governments within the Wilayas). The
centers have provided support to the targeted municipalities in three main areas (especially for the Oriental, Fes-Meknes
and Casablanca centers): (i) management of local public services (support to project management – assistance à maîtrise
d’ouvrage) through : the development of tender documents (e.g, ToRs, technical specifications) on various topics
(including management of green spaces, solid waste management, public transportation, public lighting and parking
spaces) and support to the procurement process (participation in bid openings); (ii) development of analytical notes and
advisory services, including on municipal finance, solid waste management, urban development, and urban mobility;
(iii) enhancement of communication between LGs on municipal management (through the participation in and/or
organization of conferences on various issues, and the organization of assessments).
29. The survey conducted by the PIU in April 2019 on a random sample of municipalities that benefitted from the
services provided by the CRAMOs further illustrates the success of the experience: more than 83% of the 24 municipalities
which responded to the survey were satisfied with the services provided by the support centers, and half of these
municipalities insisted on the need for additional support after grant closure11.
30. Under Subcomponent 1.3, an inventory of existing resources, deliverables and productions of CRAMOs is
currently being finalized by the MoI and will be made publicly available on the LG portal in the coming months. Training
for municipal staff on contract development and project management (maîtrise d’ouvrage) was also conducted between
October 2018 and mid-February 2019, which benefitted around 165 municipal staff in the pilot regions.
31. The Program also successfully mobilized the support of several Government Departments (exceeding the IRI 1.2
end target of 3) through the established support centers. The experts of the four CRAMOs worked in coordination with
the following departments: DGCL and DRSC at the MoI, as well as regional representatives of the Department of
Environment (Casablanca-Settat), Directorate of State Domains in Agadir (under the authority of the MEF), and Curator
9 Ministère de l’Intérieur, DGCL, 2019, Projet de note sur une stratégie concernant les ECI (Annex 4.11).
10 See Annex 4.9 for the detailed list of types and areas of interventions of the CRAMOs.
11 See Annex 4.8 for the Survey form sent to the beneficiary LGs and the synthesis of their feedback.
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of Ancient Monuments in Fes (under the Ministry of Culture). In particular, the Government Departments supported the
CRAMOs missions by providing documentation, as well as legal and technical advisory services in various areas, including
solid waste management, urban development and architectural heritage.
32. By Program closure, 84 municipalities12 (while the IRI 1.3 end target was 50) and more than 11.45 million users of
municipal services (while the PDO-level indicator #3 end target was 3 million) had benefitted from the centers’ support
through enhanced service delivery. Due to the slow start of the program, the local support centers started to provide
support only from June 2017, while the initial target date was 2016. In addition, of the twelve CRAMOs experts and heads
of centers recruited as part of the program, six were recruited less than a year before program closure. The support
centers thus provided support for a relatively limited period, compared to plans in the program design and despite the six
month grant closing date extension. Nevertheless, CRAMOs delivered considerable results, especially in solid waste
management and public transportation. On balance, while this objective was essentially achieved, the benefits could
have been achieved to a greater extent had the CRAMOs been in operation as initially planned.
33. To summarize, through the establishment and operationalization of the four CRAMOs, the project successfully set
up a new program to provide LGs access to decentralized support. The CRAMOs successfully provided decentralized
support to municipalities on a wide range of technical issues. In addition, the proposed Bank and AFD supported Municipal
Performance Program for Results (scheduled to be approved by the Board in 2019) reflects the commitment of the MoI
to continue to fund the support provided under the program after grant closure. As a result, this PDO element of setting
up a lasting program to provide local governments access to decentralized support has been achieved .
2 - PDO 2 - Providing assistance to institutionalize inter municipal cooperation (Component 2)
34. The objective of the technical assistance under Subcomponent 2.1 was to allow municipalities to put in place
institutional arrangements to fully benefit from the economic and financial impact of decentralization and to improve
their capacities in terms of local public service management. The TA was more specifically aimed at providing tailored
support for LGs to accelerate the formation of inter-municipal cooperation structures and the creation of new and
operational service delivery models in four initial pilot regions of Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, and Agadir.
35. The target of four conurbation associations created and/or expanded with clear/sustainable legal, financial,
governance, and staffing arrangements has been met in the target regions (IRI 2.1). They have also been sustained post
project. As illustrated in Table 2 below, these ECIs have been provided legal, financial, governance and staffing
arrangements to ensure sustainable action. The technical assessment supported this achievement through providing the
newly created ECIs with key background information and documents, especially pertaining to organizational and
institutional aspects (e.g., development of tailored organic charters, job description for all ECI staff), as well as for
contractual arrangements (development of different templates and recommendations). The TA also conducted key
raising awareness events and sensitization among municipalities in the four pilots on the role of Local Joint Ownership
Companies (Sociétés de Développement Local, SDL), the advantages of their creation (IRI 2.2 was achieved) as well as the
remaining responsibility of the ECI in the organization of the service. Two SDLs have been created for two ECIs in the pilot
areas (against the IRI 2.2 target of 3): one SDL for the Al Assima ECI (Société du Tramway de Rabat Salé, STRS in charge of
urban transport on behalf of the ECI); one SDL for the Grand Agadir ECI (for waste management and urban transport).
These creations, while largely benefitting from the technical assistance provided under Subcomponent 2.1, were also
achieved through activities conducted by the MoI outside of the PACT. Because of political considerations, El Jadida was
integrated in March 2018 to the perimeter of the study to replace the city of Tangier, hence allowing the realization of
12 See Annex 4.9 for the entire list of beneficiary municipalities
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the target of four pilots.
Table 2. Creation/ Extension of ECIs in Target Regions
ECI Extension Legal, financial, governance and staffing
arrangements
Geographic Sector extension
extension
Al Assima From 10 to 24 Transfer of a new activity The ECI has an operational structure with 4
(Rabat-Salé- municipalities in (water and sanitation) in administrative officials and 6 agents
Temara) 2015 addition to urban transport It benefits from pooled resources
in 2015
Grand Agadir Extension to 9 Transfer of a new activity The ECI has an operational structure (with the
municipalities (on waste treatment) in appointment of a Director of inter-municipal
addition to the services)
management of public
transport
Al Baida Operational only on The ECI (created in 2015) has an operational
mobility/public transport structure (with the appointment of a Director of
inter-municipal services)
Grand Nador Operational on urban public The has an operational structure (with the
transport and solid waste appointment of a Director of inter-municipal
management services)
36. A significant improvement in ECI staffing was witnessed, especially in Agadir and Casablanca, during the last year
of the TA implementation, when municipalities seconded staff to support the ECI as financial and technical directors. This
is largely due to the work of the consulting firm to clarify the general missions of the ECI and the particular missions of its
main agents, and to the preparation of an organization chart (organigramme) and of job descriptions for each ECI. The
work on the financial modelling of the services managed by the ECI also allowed the raising of awareness on the financial
issues at stake and the importance of revising the financing mechanisms of ECIs. The work conducted on the contractual
structuring of the relations between ECI-SDL and the private delegated entity enabled the production of complete models
to better organize the different services and define the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder. These tools are
available to local and national stakeholders for testing and use.
37. The sustainability of this aspect of the program will be ensured by the development of a dedicated Subprogram
(Subprogram 2: Operationalization of a sustainable inter-municipal cooperation bodies (ECI) framework) as part of the
proposed Municipal Performance Program for Results.
38. Other major results from Component 2 activities include:
➢ The Assessment of Transport Fare Integration in the Greater Rabat/Sale/Temara region for the newly
created inter-municipal cooperation authority (Al Assima). The study explored ways to ensure the financial
sustainability of the urban transport system and provided potential solutions to promote intermodal
transport for the benefit of users. The second phase of the study, comprising operational support to the ECI
and operators for the effective implementation of fare integration, will be completed and implemented
through direct funding from the ECI.
➢ The study of the regulation of wholesale markets in Casablanca delivered to a development plan based on
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a vision of the strategic evolution of the operating entity in the fruits and vegetables chain. The final report
of the study was approved by the Steering Committee on February 26, 2019 and a Local Joint Ownership
Company (SDL) in charge of regulating the wholesale market and implement the recommendations of the
study is expected to be operational by September 2019.
39. In summary, technical assistance under Subcomponent 2.1 provided tailored support to LGs to accelerate the
formation of inter-municipal cooperation structures and the creation of new and operational service delivery models
in four pilot agglomerations. The target of four conurbation associations created and/or expanded was met. As a result,
this PDO element of providing assistance to institutional inter-municipal cooperation has been achieved.
C- Efficiency
40. No economic analysis was carried out at appraisal because of the nature of the activities. For the same reason,
no quantitative economic analysis has been carried out at the ICR stage. However, competitive bidding and Bank active
reviews ensured value for money through: (i) a systematic review of Terms of Reference for the activities conducted; (ii)
ensuring that the hiring of consultants and firms followed Bank guidelines; and (iii) reviewing the reports of consultants
and firms to ensure compliance with ToRs and that the reports, in particular the recommendations, were of good quality.
41. Utilization of the Grant. The project provided flexibility to the MoI to further identify studies to be financed under
Component 2.2, beyond those included at appraisal. In addition to the main technical assistance work under Component
2.1, the MoI was provided US$1,950,000 for Sub-component 2.2 to launch on-demand analytical work based on the needs
identified and on topics which could contribute indirectly to meet the program indicators; this explains why the PDOs as
well as most of the IRI targets could be reached despite the cancellation of some studies and partial completion of others.
This led to the studies under Component 2.2 to be defined late (the first approval was during the first Steering Committee
meeting in April 2016) – and thus to the late budgeting of the grant funds – as well as to subsequent redefinition of the
studies. Eventually, two studies were cancelled (the study on updating the law on delegated management and the
information system for the monitoring of delegated public service activities) and two activities (the study on assessing
options to restructure electricity, water and sanitation in the Souss-Massa region and the assessment of transport fare
integration in Greater Rabat/Sale/Temara) were still in process at grant closing date. The depreciation of the Moroccan
Dirham from MAD8.28 to US$1.00 at appraisal to MAD9.5 to US$1.00 at grant closure13, also resulted in savings, with 22%
of the total grant amount remaining undisbursed. In sum, the project achieved its objectives overall, though the grant
could have been better utilized.
42. Operation and implementation efficiency. The cancellation and non-completion of some activities are also largely
due to the delays pertaining to procurement issues (mostly linked to the lack of expertise on the specific issues on local
public service delivery addressed through the project activities). In addition, delays in the launch of some activities
prevented them in reaching their full potential. This was particularly the case for the CRAMOs, which could have been
operational – and thus could have benefitted municipalities in the target areas – for a longer period and qualified experts
could have been engaged earlier.
43. In addition, the project was able to leverage US$ 11.097 million of counterpart funds (2.8 times the amount
13 Estimated costs in the PAD were in US dollars for all components,
based on the original amount of US$4,550,000. An amount
of MAD33 million was made available at project launch at an exchange rate of MAD7.25 for US$1 by a decree of the Ministry
of Economy and Finance dated February 19, 2014. With the subsequent depreciation of the MAD, an additional amount of
MAD8.2 million was made available to the project, for a total of MAD41.2 million.
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anticipated at appraisal).
Overall Outcome Rating
44. Based on the discussions above on (i) relevance of the PDO, (ii) achievement of PDO elements, and (iii) efficiency, the
overall outcome of the project is rated Moderately Satisfactory.
Other Outcomes and Impacts
45. Deepening the engagement on supporting the decentralization process in Morocco. The PACT enabled the Bank to
pursue a technical and operational dialogue with the MoI on decentralization in Morocco through structural reforms. This
directly led to a request from the MOI and the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) for the preparation of a US$400
Municipal Support Program. This upcoming operation represents a continuation of the work initiated through the PACT, as
it will include two subprograms which will build on work initiated through the PACT: a subprogram focused on developing
a comprehensive capacity building system for municipalities including on demand TA, building on the lessons learned on
component 1 of the PACT; another to support the development of a strengthened regulatory and policy environment
framework for ECIs. The Program will also provide technical support to identify institutional/financial arrangements to
further strengthen existing ECIs and potentially establish new ECIs.
III. KEY FACTORS THAT AFFECTED IMPLEMENTATION AND OUTCOME
A. KEY FACTORS DURING PREPARATION
46. The project design incorporated relevant lessons of engaging municipalities to provide them tailored support to
improve local service delivery. The creation of pilot single-window support centers enabled the design and testing of
new structures for supporting municipalities to prepare and manage projects. Based on a thorough study, which involved
broad consultations and a thorough participatory process, this pilot approach aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the
newly created structures, while building on existing entities (i.e., the different Government departments at the central
and/or regional levels).
47. PDO Statement. The PDO statement could have been more focused, with a definition of the term “lasting�?. The
second part of the PDO focuses on an input, i.e., “assistance to institutionalize inter municipal cooperation�?.
48. Results Framework. The original results framework was expected to be refined and strengthened during
implementation by an M&E specialist to be hired within the PIU. In the event, the M&E specialist was hired with delay
(in March 2017), so that the results framework eventually lacked a PDO indicator that measures the achievement of the
second part of the PDO (“assistance to institutionalize inter municipal cooperation�?). As a result, achievement of this
element of the PDO was based on IRIs.
49. Complex institutional arrangements and changes in leadership. At preparation and pursuant to an MoI decision
dated November 15, 2013, it was established that the PIU would be managed by a Project Committee comprised of
representatives from several different Directorates. This arrangement and the fact that at appraisal several MoI director
positions were vacant, including in key Program Directorates such as the DRSC, led to a sub-optimal governance of the
Program.
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50. Risk identification and mitigation. The overall risk to achieve the PDO was appropriately rated Moderate. The main
risks were correctly identified, including stakeholder risks, given the need to get the buy-in of pilot municipalities and
given the relative mistrust in the model of private delivery of local public services. The risks were adequately mitigated
through: timely outreach to municipalities after elections; continuous consultations and their strong involvement in the
project; a focus on municipalities that had already started or planned to form inter-municipal arrangements; broad
consultations with an array of stakeholders on the results of studies and the design of the Program; and an approach,
which started with a few departments and gradually expanded. However, the issue of the complex institutional
arrangements for project implementation and monitoring may have been underestimated at the design stage, as it had
a strong impact on the project and largely explains the initial delays in the setting up of the PIU.
51. Sensitive political context. The project was prepared in a post-Arab Spring context, when the GoM was engaged
in adjusting the legal framework to the newly adopted Constitution (2011). This placed an additional burden on the DGCL,
which was responsible for drafting the Organic Laws and implementation texts on Municipalities, Provinces and Regions.
The Department in charge of preparing this work (the Direction des Affaires Juridiques within DGCL/MoI (DAJDEC)) was
also in charge of coordinating overall Grant implementation, at times diverting MoI staff in the PIU from monitoring the
project.
B. KEY FACTORS DURING IMPLEMENTATION
52. Difficulties in coordinating several Directorates and Divisions within the MoI caused initial delays in
implementation. While Components 1 and 3 were led by the DAJDEC14, Component 2 was led by DRSC, which did not
report directly to the Wali DGCL, the highest authority at the head of the Program Steering Committee. This caused delays
in the effective launch of the program, and also created difficulties throughout the life of the program, especially on the
ownership and governance of Component 2.
53. Procurement and hiring Issues. Delays during project implementation were largely due to the issues encountered
in hiring the key consultants for the PIU. The contract of the Assistant Project Manager (a key function within the PIU)
was terminated within few months, and the new Assistant Project Manager was hired in May 2015. The M&E specialist
was recruited only in March 2017. Longer than expected preparation times for key contracts outlining the framework for
Component 1 and Component 2 were experienced due to: (i) the counterpart’s lack of experience with Bank procedures;
(ii) structural administrative hurdles in processing commitments, payments and disbursements within the MoI; and (iii)
the lack of available expertise for hiring CRAMOs experts. Significant efforts were made by the Bank team to support
program management throughout its implementation. PIU procurement experts were trained by the Bank team to
facilitate their familiarization with the procedures applicable to the project. With support from the Bank team, a
procurement plan for the program was developed and updated on a regular basis.
54. Lack of responsiveness of the target municipalities at project start. The municipalities were very keen on support
from the project; however, they struggled to define their needs and to work with consultants in order to co-produce and
ensure ownership of potential institutional reforms. It was particularly an issue for the technical assistance under
Component 2, which required strong engagement of municipalities for the definition of new institutional models for
service delivery at the inter-municipal level.
55. Thanks to a reinforced PIU team and strengthened Bank supervision, implementation picked up significantly at
14
Component 3 was co-led by DAJDEC and DAA (Direction des Affaires Administratives (Directorate for Administrative
Matters)
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the end of 2015, as evidenced by regular meetings of the high-level project Steering Committee15 and the acceleration
of procurement activities. The Program overcame initial implementation delays, thanks to:
• The hiring of key PIU experts. By the end of 2014, recruitments of the PIU financial management specialist,
the Assistant Project Manager and the Institutional Expert were finalized. The recruitment of the new
Assistant Project Manager in May 2015 was key to the pick-up of activity in the PIU.
• The continued sensitization of municipalities. A national level workshop gathered representatives of over 50
LGs on October 2014 to sensitize the LGs on the objectives of the Program and to select the regions where
the support centers to the municipalities were to be set up. During the workshop, Casablanca authorities
expressed a specific interest in Casablanca also being included in the first batch of project beneficiaries.
• The organization of regular follow-up meetings by the PIU to monitor progress of implementation closely.
The frequency of these meetings (which included at least three Directorates of the MoI) increased by the end
of 2015 to one per month (with the Bank team attending most of them). A detailed Action Plan was
developed after the mid-term review, which was updated on a regular basis. This renewed engagement was
combined with reaffirmed political buy-in at the highest level of MoI through the organization of several
Steering Committees (COPILs).
• Support provided by the Bank team on procurement helped resolve recruitment issues through flexible
solutions, including through direct contracting.
56. Weakness of the M&E system. The M&E expert in charge of refining the project results framework was hired only
in March 2017. The M&E expert fell also behind schedule on his first deliverables on the definition of and methodology
for the M&E system (finalized in September 2017) and the deliverables could have been better. This weakness in the
project M&E persisted sporadically until grant closure but was mitigated by the engagement of other members of the
PIU (especially the Assistant Project Manager and the Institutional Expert) who contributed to clarify the definition of the
intermediate results.
57. The Program was extended by six months from August 31, 2018 to March 2, 2019 to provide time to complete
studies under Component 2. These studies were to set the basis for future reforms on inter municipal cooperation. The
extension also extended the financing of the four CRAMOs, which were established later than initially planned. This
allowed the CRAMOs to better demonstrate their operating model and contributed to convince the MoI to include their
further development in the new action plan of the Ministry.
IV. BANK PERFORMANCE, COMPLIANCE ISSUES, AND RISK TO DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME
Quality at Entry
58. The Bank provided efficient support during project preparation and guidance in the project design. In particular,
the Bank team: (i) conducted a contextual study to identify the key project components; (ii) incorporated global lessons
15Five Steering Committees (COPIL) were organized on April 28, 2016; September 22, 2016 ; December 20, 2016; December
14, 2017, and February 2, 2019.
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in the design; (iii) conducted fiduciary and institutional assessments; (iv) appropriately identified risks and mitigation
measures; and (v) helped design the initial M&E system, which was to be further refined by the PIU during the first year
of implementation. The main structure of the PIU was set-up during preparation and the remaining consultants were to
be hired during implementation. Project appraisal ensured that the Bank’s financial management, procurement and
safeguards policies were complied with. As noted earlier, the PDO statement could have been clearer and outcome
focused. In addition, there were weaknesses in the results framework.
59. Risk identification and mitigation related to institutional arrangements. The PAD identified the risks linked to the
complexity of Moroccan administration and developed associated mitigation measures; however, the two key project
components were coordinated by two different directorates. Due to these complex institutional arrangements, the
process of decision making to reach consensus was often difficult and sometimes delayed the implementation of the
pilot projects. The two components were deeply interconnected and needed to be advanced together, and this ambitious
strategy led to concrete and tangible results, as evidenced by both components being further developed into
subprograms in the proposed Municipal Performance PforR.
Quality at Supervision
60. The Bank team conducted a proactive and hands-on supervision of the project to help the PIU in the daily
management of the project and provided support in resolving issues identified during the life of the project. Bi-monthly
meetings were organized with the PIU to ensure smooth progress of the project. The first three TTLs of the project were
all based in Rabat, while 2-3 Bank experts were mobilized over the project implementation period to support the PIU
(including in assessing the quality of the analytical deliverables produced). There were a total of 15 official supervision
missions and technical visits involving Bank consultants, along with regular meetings between the PIU and the Bank Team
over the six years of implementation. Six thorough implementation status reports and 11 aide-memoires were timely
produced (see Annex 4.5 and Annex 4.6) which included candid ratings and relevant action plans to address issues
identified. Implementation problems were identified as early as possible and communicated to the GoM and appropriate
actions were identified, including at the Mid Term Review, and timely communicated to Bank Management.
61. The Bank provided extensive technical support to the PIU on M&E. Despite the close monitoring of the WB team
to ensure the timely hiring of the PIU M&E expert, the latter was eventually recruited only in March 2017. Several
meetings were also organized with the Bank team to review and clarify the content of the M&E reports. However, the
Bank could have addressed the weaknesses in the PDO and the results framework (discussed under Quality at Entry)
during project implementation.
62. Additional support was mobilized to help the PIU manage project activities effectively, including for the technical
validation of various studies and the sustainability of the program. Various inputs were provided by the Bank team to
support the PIU, including: (i) technical review of the ToRs for hiring experts to support the PIU or private firms to
implement program components; (ii) technical review of most of the reports for Component 1 and Component 2 (which
enabled an in-depth dialogue on the solutions/processes at stake); and (iii) technical review of the progress reports
developed by the PIU. In addition, the task team discussed the sustainability of the program and of its major
achievements on numerous occasions. This resulted, among other things, in the GoM requesting support to fund the
national municipal performance program in the form of a Program for Results.
63. Procurement and financial management. All contracts were procured in compliance with the Bank’s Procurement
and Consultant Guidelines. Adequate FM arrangements were in place during project implementation to ensure the
proper use and accountability of project funds. The Bank fiduciary specialists guided the client and conducted capacity
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building trainings on procurement, financial management and disbursement (including on NPF and STEP) to address the
fiduciary challenges of the project. The FM team ensured close monitoring of project financial implementation by the PIU
through: (i) regular financial management capacity building trainings; (ii) support to speed up payments and
disbursements; (iii) resolving the different bottlenecks in the budgeting and yearly allocation of projects’ funds jointly
with the MEF and the PIU; (iv) support for the preparation of realistic payments forecasts; (v) enabling the production of
regular documentation and reconciliation statements of the designated account; (vi) support for the production of
acceptable Interim Unaudited Financial Reports (IUFRs); and (vii) support the development of an annual action plan to
implement the recommendations of the audit reports.
64. The last audit report for 2017 highlighted the need for compliance with procurement guidelines, such as adherence
to the Procurement plan approved by the Bank, as well national regulations of public procurement in terms of developing
precise terms of reference and contracting procedures. The main procurement challenges of the project were (i) the
limited knowledge and experience of the PIU with Bank procurement procedures, particularly in the selection of
consultants, and (ii) the difficulty of finding qualified consultants in the project area. The Bank team provided support on
procurement through flexible solutions (including through Single Source Selection).
Justification of Overall Rating of Bank Performance
65. Bank performance is rated Moderately Satisfactory, based on the above discussion of Quality at Entry and Quality
of Supervision. Bank performance, together with the client’s strong efforts to implement the program after the Mid-
term review, was critical to the moderate satisfactory outcome of the project in the context of weak capacity and the
complex institutional arrangements for the overall management of the project.
Risks to development outcome
66. The main risks pertain to the sustainability of the program and the ability of the GoM to provide continued
technical support to municipalities (in order for the latter to better plan and implement their investments) and to
encourage effective inter-municipal coordination. These risks are mitigated by:
a) The preparation of a Municipal Performance PforR (to be negotiated in the coming months), which comprises
subprograms that largely echo the objectives of the PACT to strengthening the institutional framework for
inter-municipal cooperation and enhance the organization and human capacities of municipalities.
b) DGCL reaffirming the strong engagement of the MoI to build on the experience with the CRAMOs, drawing on
the lessons learned to refine the model tested under PACT.
V. LESSONS LEARNED AND RECOMMENDATIONS
a) Having clear institutional arrangements upfront and clarifying beneficiary / Government obligations for project
management is key. Coordination of the two main components of this program being entrusted to two different
Directorates within the MoI contributed to the important delays registered. The clarification of responsibilities
regarding daily project management and technical validation process would have avoided such delays.
b) Ensuring adequate resources to define a robust monitoring and evaluation framework at the design stage is
essential for efficient monitoring of project results. Several targets of the results framework indicators remained
to be set at the design stage, while some results themselves were to be further defined by the PIU during the early
stages of project implementation. This had a strong impact on the assessment of the project as the hiring of the
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M&E expert was significantly delayed due to procurement and hiring issues.
c) The capacity of the PIU to implement project activities needs to be assessed and the supervision budget should
be tailored to the specific needs of the client. The grant funded technical assistance activities focused on complex
issues requiring specific and significant expertise. The program was challenging to supervise, as the PIU regularly
sought Bank support to monitor and assess the analytical work pursued, while the Bank supervision budget
remained very limited.
d) Taking moderate risks on nascent topics proved successful in developing dialogue with the client. The
development of inter-municipal cooperation was not a priority for the Government when the project was prepared.
This objective is now clearly an MoI agenda and has been included as a subprogram of the PforR that is under
preparation.
e) Operational arrangements with limited involvement of the MoI ensured the success of the CRAMOs. The project
was designed as a mechanism to provide support to municipalities in fulfilling their mandates for local service
delivery, investment planning and implementation, and successfully supported the PIU in this regard through the
CRAMOs. This operational arrangement proved successful: the use of external consultants (as opposed to MoI staff)
represented for the municipalities a pledge of independence vis-à-vis the Central Government. This happened to be
beneficial for the extensive use of the support provided to LGs; future projects may consider such arrangements to
ensure effective use of deconcentrated support by the municipalities.
.
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ANNEX 1. RESULTS FRAMEWORK AND KEY OUTPUTS
A. RESULTS INDICATORS
A.1 PDO Indicators
Objective/Outcome: To set up a lasting program to provide Local Governments in the Project Area access to decentralized support services
Unit of Formally Revised Actual Achieved at
Indicator Name Baseline Original Target
Measure Target Completion
The Local Government Support Yes/No N Y Y
Program (PACT) is set-up and
operational. 09-Dec-2013 31-Aug-2018 02-Mar-2019
Comments (achievements against targets):
The objective is achieved : the project successfully conceived and put in place a new program to provide LGs access to deconcentrated support
in the following regions: Casablanca-Settat, Souss-Massa, Oriental and Fès-Meknès.
Unit of Formally Revised Actual Achieved at
Indicator Name Baseline Original Target
Measure Target Completion
The financial incentive of the Amount(USD) 0.00 3000000.00 8475842.40
PACT is financed adequately
and there is a formal 09-Dec-2013 31-Aug-2018 31-Aug-2018
commitment to fund the
Program after grant closure.
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Comments (achievements against targets):
Actual % target achieved : 282%. The financial incentive of the PACT is adequately funded: this figure includes the total financing supported by
the FART (a fund to support the creation of inter-municipal structures specialized in the management of public transport).
Objective/Outcome: To provide Local Governments in the Project Area assistance to institutionalize inter municipal cooperation
Unit of Formally Revised Actual Achieved at
Indicator Name Baseline Original Target
Measure Target Completion
Direct project beneficiaries Number 0.00 3000000.00 11451229.00
09-Dec-2013 31-Aug-2018 31-Aug-2018
Female beneficiaries Percentage 0.00 40.00 50.07
09-Dec-2013 31-Aug-2018 31-Aug-2018
Comments (achievements against targets):
Actual % target achieved: 381%. The final figure includes the inhabitants of all the target municipalities which benefitted from component 1
and component 2 of the PACT. For the ECIs benefitting from PACT activities (Al Assima, Al Baida, Greater Agdir and Greater Tata), the
beneficiaries correspond to the total population of each municipality constituting the ECI.
A.2 Intermediate Results Indicators
Component: Component 1: Deconcentrated Local Governments Support Centers
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Unit of Formally Revised Actual Achieved at
Indicator Name Baseline Original Target
Measure Target Completion
Local Government support Number 0.00 3.00 4.00
centers established.
09-Dec-2013 31-Aug-2018 31-Aug-2018
Comments (achievements against targets):
Actual % target achieved : 133%. Support Centers were established and operationalized in 2017-2018. The upcoming Municipal Support PforR
co-funded by the WB will allow to scale up and systematize this type of deconcentrated TA for Moroccan municipalities.
Unit of Formally Revised Actual Achieved at
Indicator Name Baseline Original Target
Measure Target Completion
Government Departments Number 0.00 4.00 5.00
offering services through the
established support centers. 09-Dec-2013 31-Aug-2018 02-Mar-2019
Comments (achievements against targets):
Actual % target achieved : 125%. The centralized and deconcentrated services of 4 Departments provided support to municipalities in
coordination with the CRAMOs (MoI; Department of Environment), Directorate of State Domains (under the authority of the MEF), and
Curator of Ancient Monuments in Fes (under the Ministry of Culture).
Unit of Formally Revised Actual Achieved at
Indicator Name Baseline Original Target
Measure Target Completion
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DTF: MA-Local Government Support Program (P144438)
Municipalities benefiting from Number 0.00 50.00 84.00
support of the LG Support
Centers 09-Dec-2013 31-Aug-2018 02-Mar-2019
Comments (achievements against targets):
Actual % target achieved :168%. The municipalities having benefitted from effective/concrete TA of the CRAMOs (through the development of
ToRs, requirement specifications, delegated management contract, etc.) is significantly higher than expected, thus illustrating the high
demand for this type of support.
Component:
Component 2: Inter-Municipal Cooperation and Institutional Reform for Local Service Delivery
Unit of Formally Revised Actual Achieved at
Indicator Name Baseline Original Target
Measure Target Completion
Conurbation associations Number 0.00 4.00 4.00
created and/or expanded
(geographically or in sector 09-Dec-2013 31-Aug-2018 02-Mar-2019
terms) with clear/sustainable
legal, financial, governance,
and staffing arrangements.
Comments (achievements against targets):
Actual % target achieved : 100%. Three ECIs (Al Assima, Grand Agadir and Al Baida) and the ''Grand Jadida'' Local Government Grouping
(Groupement de collectivités territoriales) have operation structures with an appointed Director general of Services (Directeur Général des
Services).
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DTF: MA-Local Government Support Program (P144438)
Unit of Formally Revised Actual Achieved at
Indicator Name Baseline Original Target
Measure Target Completion
Conurbations with operational Number 0.00 3.00 2.00
public asset companies or
similar institutional 09-Dec-2013 31-Aug-2018 02-Mar-2019
arrangements.
Comments (achievements against targets):
Actual % target achieved : 66%. The two ECIs of Al Assima and Grand Agadir both have their own public asset company (for public transport
management and solid waste management).
Unit of Formally Revised Actual Achieved at
Indicator Name Baseline Original Target
Measure Target Completion
Lessons learnt from the pilot Yes/No N Y Y
phase drawn and program to
further support to inter- 09-Dec-2013 31-Aug-2018 02-Mar-2019
municipal cooperation
developed.
Comments (achievements against targets):
The IRI was fully achieved. A capitalization workshop was organized to take stock of the experience of the CRAMOs. The deliverables of the
support centers will be made available on the official LG portal in the coming months.
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DTF: MA-Local Government Support Program (P144438)
Component: Component 3: Program Management
Unit of Formally Revised Actual Achieved at
Indicator Name Baseline Original Target
Measure Target Completion
The monitoring and evaluation Yes/No N Y Y
system for the Program is
operational. 09-Dec-2013 31-Aug-2018 02-Mar-2019
Comments (achievements against targets):
The IRI is achieved. The M&E system was established during implementation due to the late hiring of the M&E expert within the PIU.
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DTF: MA-Local Government Support Program (P144438)
B. ORGANIZATION OF THE ASSESSMENT OF THE PDO
Objective/Outcome 1: To set up a lasting program to provide Local Governments in the Project Area access to decentralized support services
1. The Local Government Support Program (PACT) is set-up and
operational
2. The financial incentive of the PACT is financed adequately and
Outcome Indicators there is a formal commitment to fund the Program after grant
closure.
3. Direct project beneficiary (% of which is female)
1. Local Government support centers established (IRI 1.1)
2. Government Departments offering services through the
established support centers (IRI 1.2)
3. Municipalities benefiting from support of the LG Support
Intermediate Results Indicators Centers (IRI 1.3)
4. Lessons learnt from the pilot phase drawn and program to
further support to inter-municipal cooperation developed (IRI
2.3).
1. Consultations held to define the model for support centers
2. 4 Local Government support centers established
3. 11 Experts recruited
Key Outputs by Component 4. 5 Government Departments offered services through the
(linked to the achievement of the Objective/Outcome 1) established centers
5. 84 Municipalities benefited from support of the LG Support
Centers
6. One Capitalization workshop conducted
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DTF: MA-Local Government Support Program (P144438)
7. Inventory of the resources (existing and developed by
CRAMOs) developed and in the process of being made publicly
available on the online portal
8. Incentive funds from the Central Government Leveraged
Objective/Outcome 2: To provide assistance to institutionalize inter municipal cooperation.
1. Direct project beneficiaries
Outcome Indicators
1. Conurbation associations created and/or expanded
(geographically or in sector terms) with clear/sustainable legal,
financial, governance, and staffing arrangements. (IRI 2.1)
2. Conurbations with operational public asset companies or
Intermediate Results Indicators
similar institutional arrangements. (IRI 2.2)
3. Lessons learnt from the pilot phase drawn and program to
further support inter-municipal cooperation developed
1. 4 Conurbation associations created and/or expanded
(geographically or in sector terms) with clear/sustainable legal,
financial, governance, and staffing arrangements.
2. 2 Conurbations with operational public asset companies or
Key Outputs by Component
similar institutional arrangements.
(linked to the achievement of the Objective/Outcome 2)
3. One Capitalization workshop conducted
4. Adequate Institutional models for creating/expanding inter-
municipal cooperation structures designed
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DTF: MA-Local Government Support Program (P144438)
.
ANNEX 2. PROJECT COST BY COMPONENT
Table 1. Project cost by Component
Amount at Approval Actual at Project Percentage of Approval
Components
(US$M) Closing (US$M) (US$M)
Deconcentrated Local
1.95 2.02 104
Government support centers
Inter-municipal cooperation
and institutional reform for 5.95 11.93 201
local service delivery
Program Management 0.45 0.60 133
Contingencies 0.10 0 0
Total 8.45 14.55 172
16
Project cost by component includes all funding sources (grant amount and recipient co-financing). The
estimated project cost at approval US$8.45 million (with an estimated contribution of US$3.9 million from
Borrower and US$4.55 million from donor financing). The original amount entered in Bank systems is different
from original amounts per PAD and can’t be changed in the data sheet. The project was able to leverage
US$11.097 million of counterpart funds, as detailed in Table 2 below.
Table 2. Share of local contributions in total financing
Amount at Approval Actual at Project
Components
(US$M) Closing (US$M)
Component 1 – Donor
1.05 1.03
Financing
Component 1 – Local
0.90 0.99
contribution
Total Component 1 1.95 2.02
Component 2 – Donor
2.95 1.83
Financing
Component 2 – Local
3.0 10.10
contribution
Total Component 2 5.95 11.93
16The difference between figures reported in the ICR and data from the system comes from the difference in exchange rates: ICR final
project costs were provided by the PIU and converted to US$ based on July 24, 2019 exchange rate, while throughout the life of the
project, MAD figures were converted to US$ by the system each time a disbursement was made by the Bank.
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DTF: MA-Local Government Support Program (P144438)
ANNEX 3. RECIPIENT, CO-FINANCIER AND OTHER PARTNER/STAKEHOLDER COMMENTS
The team engaged with the recipient throughout the ICR preparation process. The list below presents
key topics/queries on which recipient’s comments were requested:
f) Beneficiary municipalities feedback survey;
g) Financial details on project component costs and local financial contribution;
h) Methodology used for the calculation of beneficiaries.
The recipient also shared all the deliverables produced by the CRAMOs as well as all final deliverables produced
as part of the two component activities.
After several rounds of discussion during the ICR preparation process, the recipients indicated (per their email
dated July 26th, 2019) that they had no particular comments on the draft ICR document, other than minor
technical edits.
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DTF: MA-Local Government Support Program (P144438)
ANNEX 4. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS (IF ANY)
1. Project Concept Note
2. Project Appraisal Document
3. Project Legal Agreement
4. Project operations manual
5. Aide Memoires
6. Implementation Status Reports
7. Borrower’s Implementation Completion Report (Borrower’s ICR) and Annexes
8. Beneficiary feedback survey form and synthesis of the feedback
9. Stocktaking note on the Capitalization and perspectives workshop
10. Minutes of the Steering Committee organized on December 14, 2017
11. Ministère de l’Intérieur, DGCL, 2019, Projet de note sur une stratégie concernant les ECI.
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