ADB is helping Mongolia mitigate the impact of the food crisis on the poor through a food stamp program. The project will help design and implement the program as well as strengthen social welfare systems. It will also establish a mechanism that will ensure the early detection of and rapid response to future food crises and similar emergencies.
Project Name | Food and Nutrition Social Welfare Program and Project (Capacity Development Project) | ||||||||||||||||
Project Number | 42322-012 | ||||||||||||||||
Country | Mongolia |
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Project Status | Closed | ||||||||||||||||
Project Type / Modality of Assistance | Grant Loan Technical Assistance |
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Source of Funding / Amount |
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Strategic Agendas | Inclusive economic growth |
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Drivers of Change | Gender Equity and Mainstreaming Governance and capacity development |
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Sector / Subsector | Health / Health system development - Nutrition |
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Gender Equity and Mainstreaming | Gender equity | ||||||||||||||||
Description | ADB has secured a $12 million grant to build on the existing social welfare system and assist the Government in (i) designing and implementing emergency measures that specially target mitigating the impact of the food crisis on the poor and (ii) mid-term measures to address social welfare issues. This will include designing social safety nets that provide assistance directly to the poor, building capacity among stakeholders, and providing technical assistance to reform social welfare strategies in the mid-term. | ||||||||||||||||
Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy | The grant is in direct support of government plans to provide targeted assistance to the poor to alleviate the impacts of inflation, and supports the country partnership strategy pillar of inclusive social development (in preparation). The design is in line with the development agenda of inclusive economic growth in ADB's long-term strategic framework 2008-2020 (Strategy 2020) and responds directly to the President's pledge at the ADB Annual Meeting in Madrid to assist developing member countries to address the problem of soaring food prices. | ||||||||||||||||
Impact | Improved social equity, less poverty, better social risks mitigation and prevention, and improved food security |
Project Outcome | |
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Description of Outcome | More efficient and transparent delivery of social welfare and insurance services (including support to food consumption), through strengthened policy, systems, and IT |
Progress Toward Outcome | The project has been completed on 30 November 2020. The EA has been preparing the project completion report. |
Implementation Progress | |
Description of Project Outputs | Component 1: Design and Implementation of a Targeted Food Stamp Program 1.1. Innovative targeting approaches for food stamps pilot-tested by December 2009 1.2. A mechanism for delivering food stamps is established by June 2009 Component 2: Capacity Development and Communication Strategy for the Food Stamp Program 2.1. Capacity development tools for national and local stakeholders and institutional strengthening designed and implemented by January 2010 2.2. A communication strategy to ensure transparent implementation of the food stamp program developed and implemented by December 2009 Component 3: Strengthening Social Welfare Strategies and Systems 3.1. Effective food crisis response by 2010 3.2. IT processes and systems are upgraded to deliver more efficient and transparent social welfare and social insurance services 3.3. Social welfare reformed and social protection strengthened 3.4. An early warning and response system to respond to social shocks by October 2011 |
Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues) | The project supported the General Office of Labor and Welfare Services (GOLWS) in conducting the 3rd Household Livelihood Determination Survey based on the proxy means testing (PMT) methodology, jointly approved by the National Statistical Office (NSO) and the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection (MLSP), which covered over 80 percent or 572.2 thousand households. The 2017 survey report was published by GOLWS in Q1 2020 and available at http://hudulmur-halamj.gov.mn/uploads/pdf/sudalgaa_pdf/sudalgaanii_taniltsuulga.pdf. Re-assessment module of PMT information system was developed under the project in 2018. The PMT consultant delivered the final report with a concept note and materials for the cross-checking the data with other government databases. The system registers and re-assesses households based on their applications. Currently, the PMT database is used for the following 5 social welfare services: 1) Food stamp program; 2) Child money program; 3) Cash allowance for emergency case, allowance for released homeless prisoners, allowance for homeless single parents with 4 or more children under 18 years old; 4) Healthcare services for poor people who needed social welfare supports; and 5) Legal advocacy services for insolvent accused. The web-based information system for PMT survey was developed and implemented by a team of national consultants in January 2018. The PMT system is being used for registering household information and receiving grievances. According to MLSP, 69 social welfare benefits, pensions and services can be incorporated into 12 packages. Out of them, 3 packages (Community based welfare services, Benefits and services for elderly people and Welfare service for persons with disabilities) are regarded as services. The updated Social Protection Strategy, developed under TA8544 in June 2019, includes recommendations and policy options for reforms of social welfare and social insurance; a study on currents situation of social protection benefits and impacts; a background papers reflecting proposals and various inputs for the governments social protection rationalization plans. The background studies on policy and legal documents and baseline surveys were conducted, and the policy options for addressing key issues on population development, social insurance, social welfare, and employment promotion were submitted to the EA by the project consultants. The strategy draft proposes 11 objectives, 105 activities and 29 monitoring indicators and has a separate section on gender with the actions to ensure gender equality. However, due to adoption of Law on Development Policy, Planning and Management in May 2020, the adoption of short- and medium-term sectoral strategies have been stopped. Hence, some recommendations and policy objectives have been included in the Government Action Plan 2020-2024. A series of consultations on reviewing/amending the package of laws of social welfare and social insurance were conducted in Q4 2020 with the project support. In Q1 2020 the project consultants developed technical requirements for an integrated social welfare system. However, due to insufficient time left under the project, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and MLSP decided to have the system developed by the Information Technology Center of Custom Taxation and Finance under MOF, with the government funding. The system will integrate all systems operating in GOLWS and enable to generate dynamic reports from different databases including Child Money Program, Food Stamp Program of GOLWS. The project procured required servers and equipment for the integrated social welfare system. Development of the Core Information System for the Social Insurance General Office (SIGO) was done from August 2019 through 30 November 2020 ad tested. It is expected that the system would be fully deployed SIGO-wide by Q2 2021. The system allows to disaggregate data by sex, rural-urban, and socioeconomic status. Digitizing paper-based archives of SIGO was completed in November 2020. SIGO accounting policies were developed in accordance with international accounting standards, and reporting templates were developed by national consulting firm in 2017. The Core system of SIGO integrates financial reporting and allows real time preparation of financial reports. The Business Intelligence (BI) System for MLSP was developed and established by a team of national consultants between November 2015 and June 2019. The BI system testing was done in Q1 2020. The consultants provided guidelines, the operational manual for the system to the end-users. The desktop version of the system was installed in the PCs of MLSP officials and adjustments and improvements were made to the system based on the clients' needs. Data processing equipment for BI system was supplied and installed at MLSP. The system will support policy makers to do data analysis of SIGO, GOLWS and other agencies for better decision making. The BI server is connected to the databases of SIGO, GOLWS and Agency for Child and Youth Development (AFCYD) servers and retrieves data automatically. The system enables the disaggregation all social welfare and social insurance data by sex, age, location, employment status and sector. Creating performance-based Monitoring and Evaluation System of the social protection sector was performed by a national consulting firm. The regulation is under approval by MLSP, but the planned training for the sector staff to introduce the new system was cancelled due to COVID-w9 restrictions. Between 2017 and 2020, various IT equipment and software were procured MLSP, SIGO, GOLWS, AFCYD, TVET centers, and other social welfare agencies. The items included network devices, firewall devices, backup and disaster recovery equipment, fingerprint readers, tablets for data collection, financial software, surveillance cameras, hard disks and related devices, copiers, printers, storage servers, projectors with screens, desktop computers, laptops and others. The software and hardware for Rehabilitation and Vocational Education Center were procured in Q 2020. Additional hardware including PCs, laptops, tablets, camera accessories, printers, UPSs, fingerprint readers, barcode scanners and kiosks, and antivirus software, video conferencing devises and etc. were procured for MLSP and its agencies in Q4 2020. Over 1,115 employees of SIGO at central and rural levels attended the regional training in 2018, which were conducted under the project. In total, 50 officials from MLSP, SIGO, GOLWS, AFCYD participated in the experience sharing activities abroad in Vietnam, Singapore, Germany, Sweden, and Australia in 2018-2019, under the project. In Q4 2019, over 3,130 employees of Social Insurance, Social Welfare and Family, Child and Youth Development agencies attended 23 regional training activities supported by the project, and 147 trainers were trained under the project. |
Geographical Location | Nation-wide |
Safeguard Categories | |
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Environment | C |
Involuntary Resettlement | C |
Indigenous Peoples | C |
Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects | |
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Environmental Aspects | The environmental implications were reviewed and no adverse impact was identified. |
Involuntary Resettlement | No involuntary resettlement or adverse impact on indigenous peoples is expected from program and project implementation. |
Indigenous Peoples | No involuntary resettlement or adverse impact on indigenous peoples is expected from program and project implementation. |
Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation | |
During Project Design | For the original project, consultations on the impacts of the food crisis on the poor and the project design have been held with MOF, MOSWL, MOFA, Ministry of Health (MOH), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and NSO during the scoping and reconnaissance missions. Interviews were conducted with other donor organizations such as World Bank, UNICEF, UNDP, EC, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, US Embassy, Japanese Embassy, German Embassy, and the authors of the draft food and nutrition susbsidy law, NGO, and civil society perspectives were solicited from Confederation of Mongolian Trade Union, Mongolian Employers Association, Action Contre la Faim, MercyCorps, World Vision, Centre for Social Development, Asia Foundation, and via a rapid survey of organizations involved in feeding programs focusing on the most poor in Ulaanbaatar. Rapid scoping of the decentralized social welfare system, integration with local government, and operation of livelihood councils was carried out via site visits, focus group discussions, and beneficiary interviews in an urban district of Ulaanbaatar. A series of rapid qualitative consultations with urban/rural communities and local government were carried out for the poverty and social assessment. For the additional financing, consultations with key stakeholders were held during project processing which include focus group discussions with SIGO and GOLWS sta, the ministry sta and management, current project sta and others such as the World Bank who are supporting IT development in the GOLWS. |
During Project Implementation | Under the original project, reports and presentations from the international consulting services. Consultants have completed reports on: (i) food price increases impact assessment; (ii) nutrition monitoring and early disaster warning systems; (iii) food stamp operations and impact assessment; (iv) impact evaluations of (a) subsidy for assistance for disabled and elderly for prosthetic devices; (b) social assistance for caregivers; (c) community based social welfare services and (d) livelihood support activities; (v) fiscal sustainability of social welfare programs; (vi) institutional analysis of the social welfare sector and (vii) a knowledge product titled: Building Blocks of Social Welfare Reform in Mongolia (2002-2012): a synthesis of achievements, key contributory factors, and challenges ahead. Findings from all reports were dissemintated at workshops in November 2013.Under the additional financing, stakeholder communication, participation, and consultation during project implementation are held continuously to ensure the social welfare and insurance services meet stakeholders' (including direct beneficiaries') expectations in terms of timeliness, eectiveness, and transparency. The SIGO, GOLWS and AFCYD staff participated in every stage of capacity building activities by providing feedback to documents and organizing regional training sessions. |
Business Opportunities | |
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Consulting Services | Program Grant A team of 7 national consultants, to be headed by a Team Leader will form the FSOU to undertake the setting up activities and coordinate the implementation of the Food Stamp Program. The team will be complemented by intermittent international assistance (4 person-months). The FSOU will be lodged within the PIU and will also provide technical support, coordination, monitoring and supervision of the work of the consultants under Components 2 and 3. A total of 252 person-months of consulting inputs will be provided by these consultants over 3 years. Government will hire the 7 national consultants and the international targeting specialist before start before starting the Program indicatively from October 2008 to prepare for the implementation of Component 1 of the Program (21 person-months national and two person-months international). These consultants wil be hired by Government under the program. Project Grant The Project will require a total of 74 person-months of international and 224 person-months of national consulting services financed under the ADB grant. The international and national consultants will have expertise in (i) targeting, (ii) impact analysis, (iii) monitoring and evaluation, (iv) institutional capacity building, (v) social expenditure analysis, (vi) development communication, (vii) community/rural development, (viii) social safety nets, and (ix) civil registration. The consultants will be selected and engaged in accordance with ADB's Guidelines on the Use of Consultants (2007, as amended from time to time). Qualtiy and cost-based selection procedure using a cost quality-ratio of 80:20 will be applied. |
Procurement | All procurement to be financed under the program grant will be carried out in accordance with ADB's Guidelines on Procurement. In accordance with the simplified disbursement and procurement procedure for program loans, the grant proceeds may be utilized to procure goods and services (excluding local duties and taxes) produced in and procured from ADB's member countries, other than those specified in the list of ineligible items, which will be provided to the Government at a later stage and those financed by other multilateral and bilateral official sources, and imports from non-ADB member countries. All procurements under the program (component 1) will be done through normal commercial practices for the private sector or the Government's prescribed procurement procedures acceptable to ADB, with due consideration given to economy and efficiency. All procurement to be financed under the project grant will be carried out in accordance with ADB's Guidelines on Procurement. Advance procurement and retroactive financing is being discussed with the Government. |
Responsible ADB Officer | Lonjid, Itgel |
Responsible ADB Department | East Asia Department |
Responsible ADB Division | Mongolia Resident Mission |
Executing Agencies |
Ministry of Finance (formerly Ministry of Finance and Economy) Bayartsogt Sangajav [email protected] 210646 Negdsen undestnii gudamj 5/1, Zasgiin gazriin II bair, Chingeltei duureg, Ulaabaatar, Mongolia Ministry of Finance (formerly Ministry of Finance and Economy) S.Danzangiin Gudamj 5/1, Zasgiin Gazriin II Bair, Ulaanbaatar 15160 Mongolia Ministry of Labor and Social Protection Government Building-2 United Nations Street-5 Ulaanbaatar-15160, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia |
Timetable | |
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Concept Clearance | 20 Aug 2008 |
Fact Finding | 03 Sep 2008 to 12 Sep 2008 |
MRM | 22 Oct 2008 |
Approval | 10 Dec 2008 |
Last Review Mission | - |
PDS Creation Date | 22 Aug 2008 |
Last PDS Update | 30 Mar 2021 |
Grant 0137-MON
Milestones | |||||
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Approval | Signing Date | Effectivity Date | Closing | ||
Original | Revised | Actual | |||
10 Dec 2008 | 17 Dec 2008 | 09 Mar 2009 | 30 Jun 2012 | 30 Sep 2014 | 05 Jan 2015 |
Financing Plan | Grant Utilization | ||||
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Total (Amount in US$ million) | Date | ADB | Others | Net Percentage | |
Project Cost | 3.33 | Cumulative Contract Awards | |||
ADB | 3.00 | 10 Dec 2008 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 100% |
Counterpart | 0.33 | Cumulative Disbursements | |||
Cofinancing | 0.00 | 10 Dec 2008 | 3.00 | 0.00 | 100% |
Status of Covenants | ||||||
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Category | Sector | Safeguards | Social | Financial | Economic | Others |
Rating | Satisfactory | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | Satisfactory | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory |
Grant 0138-MON
Milestones | |||||
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Approval | Signing Date | Effectivity Date | Closing | ||
Original | Revised | Actual | |||
10 Dec 2008 | 17 Dec 2008 | 09 Mar 2009 | 30 Jun 2009 | 30 Jul 2013 | 30 Jun 2013 |
Financing Plan | Grant Utilization | ||||
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Total (Amount in US$ million) | Date | ADB | Others | Net Percentage | |
Project Cost | 9.00 | Cumulative Contract Awards | |||
ADB | 9.00 | 10 Dec 2008 | 9.00 | 0.00 | 100% |
Counterpart | 0.00 | Cumulative Disbursements | |||
Cofinancing | 0.00 | 10 Dec 2008 | 9.00 | 0.00 | 100% |
Status of Covenants | ||||||
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Category | Sector | Safeguards | Social | Financial | Economic | Others |
Rating | Satisfactory | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | Satisfactory | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory |
Loan 3086-MON
Milestones | |||||
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Approval | Signing Date | Effectivity Date | Closing | ||
Original | Revised | Actual | |||
10 Dec 2013 | 06 Feb 2014 | 21 Jul 2014 | 30 Nov 2017 | 30 Nov 2020 | 09 Mar 2021 |
Financing Plan | Loan Utilization | ||||
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Total (Amount in US$ million) | Date | ADB | Others | Net Percentage | |
Project Cost | 23.00 | Cumulative Contract Awards | |||
ADB | 20.00 | 10 Dec 2013 | 17.18 | 0.00 | 100% |
Counterpart | 3.00 | Cumulative Disbursements | |||
Cofinancing | 0.00 | 10 Dec 2013 | 17.18 | 0.00 | 100% |
Status of Covenants | ||||||
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Category | Sector | Safeguards | Social | Financial | Economic | Others |
Rating | Satisfactory | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | Satisfactory | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory |
TA 8544-MON
Milestones | |||||
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Approval | Signing Date | Effectivity Date | Closing | ||
Original | Revised | Actual | |||
10 Dec 2013 | 02 Jan 2014 | 02 Jan 2014 | 30 May 2017 | 30 Jun 2019 | - |
Financing Plan/TA Utilization | Cumulative Disbursements | |||||||
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ADB | Cofinancing | Counterpart | Total | Date | Amount | |||
Gov | Beneficiaries | Project Sponsor | Others | |||||
500,000.00 | 0.00 | 270,000.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 770,000.00 | 10 Dec 2013 | 434,830.20 |
Status of Covenants | ||||||
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Category | Sector | Safeguards | Social | Financial | Economic | Others |
Rating | Satisfactory | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | Satisfactory | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory |
Project Data Sheets (PDS) contain summary information on the project or program. Because the PDS is a work in progress, some information may not be included in its initial version but will be added as it becomes available. Information about proposed projects is tentative and indicative.
The Access to Information Policy (AIP) recognizes that transparency and accountability are essential to development effectiveness. It establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced.
The Accountability Mechanism provides a forum where people adversely affected by ADB-assisted projects can voice and seek solutions to their problems and report alleged noncompliance of ADB's operational policies and procedures.
In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of, or reference to, a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area.
Safeguard Documents See also: Safeguards
Safeguard documents provided at the time of project/facility approval may also be found in the list of linked documents provided with the Report and Recommendation of the President.
None currently available.
Evaluation Documents See also: Independent Evaluation
None currently available.
Related Publications
Title | Document Type | Document Date |
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Social Protection Brief: Social Welfare Support Program in Mongolia | Papers and Briefs | Jun 2016 |
Social Protection Brief: Mongolia’s Community-Based Welfare Services Program | Papers and Briefs | Feb 2015 |
Social Protection Brief: Mongolia’s Programs for Conditional Cash Transfer for Carers and Vouchers for Prosthetic and Orthopedic Equipment | Papers and Briefs | Feb 2015 |
Together We Deliver: 10 Stories from ADB-Supported Projects with Clear Development Impacts | Books | Apr 2014 |
The Access to Information Policy (AIP) establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced in its operations to facilitate stakeholder participation in ADB's decision-making. For more information, refer to the Safeguard Policy Statement, Operations Manual F1, and Operations Manual L3.
Requests for information may also be directed to the InfoUnit.
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Food Stamp Program Focuses Aid on Poorest Families in Mongolia
Mongolia is now better able to identify and assist the poorest people in the country.
Tenders
Tender Title | Type | Status | Posting Date | Deadline |
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IT Consultant for Social Welfare Information System | Individual - Consulting | Closed | 01 Sep 2020 | 07 Sep 2020 |
Develop IT Governance Process Documents | Firm - Consulting | Closed | 13 Mar 2020 | 11 Apr 2020 |
Monitoring and Evaluation of Project | Firm - Consulting | Closed | 22 Feb 2020 | 22 Mar 2020 |
Develop and Implement Data Exchange Middleware with Portal Website | Firm - Consulting | Closed | 11 Feb 2020 | 11 Mar 2020 |
Develop and Implement Centralized Helpdesk for All IT-Related Issues | Firm - Consulting | Closed | 06 Feb 2020 | 06 Mar 2020 |
System Engineer and Developer for Monitoring and Evaluation System | Individual - Consulting | Closed | 01 Feb 2020 | 14 Feb 2020 |
System Analyst and Developer for Monitoring and Evaluation System | Individual - Consulting | Closed | 01 Feb 2020 | 14 Feb 2020 |
Contracts Awarded
Contract Title | Approval Number | Contract Date | Contractor | Contractor Address | Executing Agency | Contract Description | Total Contract Amount (US$) | Contract Amount Financed by ADB (US$) |
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GD-04-02/17: SUPPLY OF OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE L ICENSES | Loan 3086 | 09 Sep 2020 | SUMMIT COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY LLC | SUKHBAATAR DISTRICT, 6 KHOROO, UNIVERSIT Y STREET, AB CENTER, 4 FLOOR, 99157402 MONGOLIA | Ministry of Labor and Social Protection | SUPPLY OF GOODS | 1,213,772.45 | 1,211,612.34 |
PACKAGE CS11/17: DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT DATA EXCHAN GE MIDDLEWARE WITH PORTAL WEBSITE | Loan 3086 | 27 Aug 2020 | ITOOLS JSC | TEL:99998397 MONGOLIA MONGOLIA | Ministry of Labor and Social Protection | CONSULTANCY | 158,047.41 | 158,032.52 |
Procurement Plan
Title | Document Type | Document Date |
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Additional Financing of Food and Nutrition Social Welfare Project: Loan 3086 Procurement Plan | Procurement Plans | Feb 2021 |
Additional Financing of Food and Nutrition Social Welfare Project: Procurement Plan | Procurement Plans | Sep 2019 |
Food and Nutrition Social Welfare Project: Grant 0137 Procurement Plan | Procurement Plans | Mar 2013 |