Activity Reporting
Annex C - Inception reports
An inception report is an opportunity for the individual or team contracted by NZAID, once they have been mobilised, to specify organisational or methodological details that were not in their terms of reference (see the NZAID Terms of Reference Guideline). It is also a chance to point out anything in the terms of reference that would cause problems if followed to the letter, such as insufficient budget or time, inconsistent objectives, etc.
For many Activities there is no need for an inception report. They are not generally needed from in-country partners (e.g. partner government agencies or NGOs) commencing an Activity.
Inception reports are often prepared by teams or agencies early in an Activity or contract. This can mean individual advisors, researchers, or technical assistance teams and individuals. For example, an inception report is often the first milestone in the terms of reference for a contractor doing research commissioned by NZAID; or an in-country advisor helping a partner government on technical issues.
The consultant or team undertaking a review or evaluation is generally asked to prepare an evaluation plan, which is a special sort of inception report with detail such as how data will be collected and analysed, the approach to ethical issues, how samples will be decided and who will be interviewed. See the Guideline on Developing Terms of Reference for Reviews and Evaluations.
If NZAID accepts the inception report, it effectively replaces the terms of reference as the key document against which the contractor’s performance is judged. It is important that any changes to budget, method, or objectives are carefully considered and advice is sought from SAEG or contract advisors as necessary.
The content of an inception report will depend on the type of Activity or contract that is being implemented.