Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction | Lessons Learned

Initiatives IIGC IAWG Lessons Learned High-Risk Factors Corporate Governance Security and Insurance Lessons Learned / High-Risk Factors The Lessons Learned/High-Risk Factors (LL/HRF) team continues to gather key lessons learned and identify high-risk factors in Iraq relief and reconstruction. The SIGIR will use this knowledge to refine audit strategy to provide the most efficient oversight of the $18.4 billion IRRF. Also, the SIGIR will make this information available to enhance the economy, efficiency, effectiveness, and planning for a wide range of organizations involved in relief and reconstruction. The LL/HRF team’s initial efforts have identified many preliminary areas of interest in the successful planning and execution of Iraq relief and reconstruction operations, including: Personnel : What staffing levels, training, and personnel management and administration policies are required for successful relief and reconstruction operations? Logistics management : What changes in policy, procedures, and execution are required to effectively manage transportation, supplies, and equipment? Organizational coordination : What are the requirements for effective coordination within and between organizations? Contracting procurement and oversight : How should organizations refine their approach to acquisition planning, execution, and administration of contracts? Financial management : What modifications in financial management organization, policy, and procedures will provide for more flexible and timely distribution and execution of funds, while ensuring proper administration and accountability of funds? Knowledge of the country : What do organizations need to know about the infrastructure, political system, and culture? Security : What security measures and policies are necessary to ensure success? Strategic communications : How can organizations enhance their communication strategies to gain support from the local population? The LL/HRF team is leveraging the unique capabilities and resources of the SIGIR to accomplish these specific objectives: serve as a repository and coordination vehicle for future U.S. government-sponsored reconstruction efforts provide planning guidance for SIGIR oversight activities identify and prioritize lessons learned and high-risk factors identify areas of interest that require further research develop recommendations and best practices in selected areas of interest The LL/HRF team is assembling a repository of information on Iraq reconstruction and nation-building, primarily from these sources: internal and external interviews individual data collection (IDC) articles and reports The LL/HRF team is interviewing key personnel involved in Iraq reconstruction and gathering interviews conducted by the CPA historian and the United States Institute for Peace (USIP). In addition, the team began a comprehensive IDC effort to gather the knowledge and experiences of people involved with Iraq relief and reconstruction. The team has also collected and reviewed articles and reports on Iraq reconstruction from government and non-governmental organizations, including the Congress, the CPA, contractors engaged in reconstruction operations, the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of State (DoS), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), coalition partners, and others. The SIGIR has begun to factor the initial results of the LL/HRF initiative into current and future audit and strategic planning. The SIGIR will compile a master list of lessons learned-successes and challenges-based on the IDC, interviews, reports, and articles, as well as input from issues addressed by CPA regulations, orders, and memorandums. The LL/HRF team will then provide a comprehensive prioritization and a detailed assessment and quantification of the impact of each issue. To direct future information gathering for those areas of operations not being reviewed by other government entities, the SIGIR will use the master list of problem areas to conduct a gap analysis. Based on the information gathered and analyzed during the LL/HRF initiative, the SIGIR will make recommendations and suggest best practices to guide future stabilization and reconstruction operations. The SIGIR will also use this knowledge to direct future audits and initiatives.