PACS management
IFIRST Consortium
DFID has appointed the IFIRST Consortium as the management consultant for PACS.
IFIRST designs and implements the programme. It processes applications for grants and is accountable for all PACS funding. IFIRST has its national office in Delhi and state offices in each of the seven areas covered by PACS.
National Advisory Board
The implementation of the PACS Programme is overseen by the National Advisory Board (NAB). NAB provides policy and strategic direction, as well as oversight of the delivery of project's outputs.
In addition the NAB:
- Sets our priority themes, strategies and the areas of policy for advocacy and engagement.
- Approves PACS guidelines and the grant selection criteria and process - it does not approve grant applications
The members of the NAB are drawn from the Government of India, Indian civil society, media, academia, the private sector, DFID and the IFIRST Consortium.
Regional Project Selection Committees
Two Regional Project Selection Committees (RPSCs) have been constituted to assess and select PACS projects. The RPSCs assess proposals according to recommendations made by the IFIRST Consortium, based on DFID's pre-approved selection criteria.
The RPSCs ensure that each project selected for funding contributes to the aim of the PACS programme and helps to reduce the gap in wellbeing status between socially excluded groups and the rest of the population. To ensure that the projects are on track, the RPSCs regularly review progress reports supplied by the IFIRST Consortium.
The two RPSCs are:
- The Eastern Regional Project Selection Committee (ERPSC) for Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, and West Bengal.
- The Central Regional Project Selection Committee (CRPSC) for Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
The membership of both RPSCs includes representatives from state governments, civil society, media and the academia.
The IFIRST Consortium serves as a secretariat to the two RPSCs and the NAB.
