The document provides information about the role of Local Fund Agents (LFAs) in overseeing grants from the Global Fund on behalf of recipient countries. It describes that LFAs are contracted to independently verify grant performance and advise on progress, funding requests, and local circumstances. The summary includes the key services LFAs provide such as assessing implementation plans and capacity before grants are signed, reviewing progress reports and financial documentation during implementation, and assisting with grant renewals. It also notes that LFAs do not represent the Global Fund or make decisions on grants.

1. Operational excellence for results that matter
LFA Role
Silvana Oncheva
LFA Country coordinator
www.unops.org

2. Why LFA?
“The Global Fund follows the principles of performance-based
funding in making funding decisions. The aim is to ensure
that investments are made only where grant funding is
managed and spent effectively on programs that achieve
impact in the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and
malaria.”
“The Global Fund does not have a country-level presence
outside of its offices in Geneva, Switzerland. Instead, it
hires Local Fund Agents (LFAs) to oversee, verify and
report on grant performance.”
Source: The Global Fund website, http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/lfa/?
lang=en
2

3. What does LFA do?
The LFA is contracted to provide independent
and professional advice on grant progress,
requests for funding and local circumstances.

4. Scope of LFA Services
• Work performed before GF signs a grant agreement
with a PR
• Work performed during implementation
• Phase 2 Review
• Additional services (upon GF request – e.g. CCM
funding request, Portfolio Surveys, Value for money,
data analysis, conference coordination, etc.)
• Work Performed during Grant Closure and/or
Consolidation
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5. LFA services prior to signing a Grant Agreement
• Assessment of PR’s capacities
The assessment looks at five specific areas:
• Financial Management and Systems
• Program Management Capacity
• Sub-recipient Management
• Pharmaceutical and Health Products Management and
• Monitoring and Evaluation capacity.
• Review of Implementation Planning Documents
(Workplans, Budgets, Performance Framework, M&E
Plan, PSM Plan, etc).
• Assistance to the GF with Grant Negotiations (Review of
various documents, status of implementation of
conditions/activities, etc);
• Verification of 1st Disbursement Request

6. LFA services during Grant implementation
• Review of Disbursement Request & Progress Updates,
verifies results, makes recommendations to GF;
• Review of Enhanced Financial Reporting;
• FPM Visits;
• On-site verifications (OSDV);
• Review of PR’s Training Plans, Annual Reports, Audit
TOR/Plan/Reports & Anti-terrorism certification;
• Follow up on FPM info/analysis requests (PR/SR
monitoring visits, monthly meetings/reports, CCM
meetings, review of implementation planning and grant
related other documents, etc)

7. LFA Services – Phase 2 Renewals
• Phase 2 Assessment
• Grant Performance rating
• Programmatic Achievements
• PR’s Disbursement to SRs
• PR’s/Grant Management
• Recommendations (Go, Conditional Go, Revised Go, No
Go)
• Review of Implementation Planning Documents
• Support to the GF on negotiations during Grant Renewal
Process

8. CCM related activities
• Oversight the work of the CCM
• CCM request for funding review
• Review of CCM funding reports
• Reports to GF
The LFA cannot provide advice or guidance to
CCMs on anything to do with the grant. The
LFA also does not represent the Global Fund in
discussions with the CCM.

9. Other LFA Services – Upon GF request
• Portfolio Surveys
• Data analysis
• CCM funding request review
• Ad hoc assignments undertaken at the request of
the Global Fund, such as investigations relating to
the suspected misuse of funds.
• Any other activities/services not included in the Work
Order (WO)

10. • All of the LFA's reports are submitted to the Global Fund and
are confidential unless the Global Fund makes them public.
• The LFA does not represent the views of the Global Fund and
is not empowered to make decisions concerning the grant or
speak on behalf of the Global Fund.
• However, the LFA does act for the Global Fund in verifying
information, requesting clarifications on certain aspects of
the grant and making recommendations, which assist the
Global Fund in making decisions concerning the grant.

11. What the LFA does not do?
• Does not represent the GF views
• Does not make decisions on the grant (all decisions are
made by the Global Fund)
• Does not participate in the design of the grant-funded
program
• Does not participate in the implementation of the
programme;
• Does not provide technical assistance to the PR or SRs
• Does not provide capacity building to the PR or SRs
• Does not audit a PR for which it is the LFA
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12. GF: FPM
Consultants Secretariat
Geneva
LFA Central/
regional office CCM:
Secretariat,
CCM members
PR:
LFA in the PIUs
country Management
SRs, SSRs
Stakeholders

13. UNOPS LFA Experience – 14 Countries
• Armenia • Ethiopia
• Azerbaijan
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
•
• Bangladesh
Kosovo
• Macedonia • Bhutan
• Serbia • China
• Turkmenistan • DPR Korea
• Maldives
• Pakistan
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14. UNOPS LFA EECA Basic structure
• Regional Team Leader
• Country Team Leader
• International Consultants (Program management,
Financial management, Procurement, M&E, etc)
• Local consultants (Programmatic/Health, Finance,
M&E, etc)
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