Tetra Tech’s Decentralization and Local Governance Project (PRODES) team participated in the XX International Congress of the Latin American Center for Development Administration (CLAD, its Spanish acronym) on State and Public Administration Reform Conference that took place in Lima, Peru, on November 10-13, 2015. More than 1,300 public institution representatives from 27 countries participated in this event.

Tetra Tech participated in the “Empowering Citizen to be Allies in Government Oversight” panel, which more than 100 congress participants attended. Tetra Tech’s Decentralization and Local Governance Project (PRODES), funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), presented innovative institutional experiences in local governance and decentralization. Representatives from the Peruvian General Comptroller’s Office and the German Cooperation Agency also presented.

Violeta Bermúdez Valdivia, Tetra Tech’s Chief of Party of the PRODES project, presented the Barometer of Public Administration, which is an effective tool that promotes citizen oversight and participation in initiatives, such as participatory budgets and public reporting, to account for public resources. Overall this tool has been successful in increasing informed participation in the decision-making process. This tool, originally developed by USAID’s PRODES project, has been adopted and maintained by Peru’s General Comptroller’s Office to showcase data along a series of indicators for individual local governments to evaluate and compare their results with other local governments in Peru. The barometer is a useful tool for public administrators as it contributes to the design of best practices as well as transparent and accountable public policies. 

Additionally, Tetra Tech had the opportunity to share its successful experiences that have helped improve decentralized public administration and public services in education, health, and solid waste management in Amazonas, Loreto, Madre de Dios, San Martín, and Ucayali Departments in Peru. All of PRODES’ products (in Spanish) can be viewed at www.prodescentralizacion.org.pe.

Learn more about our work under the USAID-funded PRODES project in Peru here.