BULGARIAN
PARTICIPANT TRAINING PROGRAM
LEGACY ASSESSMENT
Prepared for:
USAID/Bulgaria
Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade (EGAT)
Office of Education
U.S. Agency for International Development
November 30, 2004
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ACRONYMS
AUBG American University of Bulgaria
BARDA Bulgaria Association of Regional Development Agencies
BIA Bulgarian Industrial Association
BIIA Bulgarian Institute of Internal Auditors
BJA Bulgarian Judges Association
CSD Center for the Study of Democracy
CI Counterpart International
ECESP Eastern & Central European Scholarship Program
EU European Union
FLGR Foundation for Local Government Reform
HAPI Hungarian-American Partnership Initiative
IBI International Banking Institute
ICT Information and Communication Technologies
IPAEI Institute of Public Administration and European Integration
ISPA Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-Accession (EU) 
LGI Local Government Initiative
MSI Management Systems International
NACC National Association of Court Clerks
NAMRB National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
NIJ National Institute of Justice
OSI Open Society Institute
PAO Public Affairs Office (U.S. Embassy)
PHARE Poland Hungary Assistance for Reconstruction of the Economy (EU)
PI Performance Improvement
PTP Participant Training Program
SAPARD Special Accession Programme for Agriculture and Rural
 Development (EU)
SEED South East European Development (Act)
SJC Supreme Judicial Council
SO Strategic Objective
TA Technical Assistance
TCT Third Country Training
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
USAID United States Agency for International Development
USG United States Government
UST United States Training
VEG Volunteers for Economic Growth
WB World Bank
WL World Learning, Inc.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Executive Summary
II. Background
III. Purpose of Assessment
IV. Impact of the Participant Training Program
V. Objectives of a USAID Training Legacy Institution
VI. Criteria for a Sustainable Legacy Institution
VII. Options for Legacy Mechanisms
VIII. Stakeholders
IX. Conclusions
X. Recommendations
XI. Summary and Next Steps
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A Assessment Methodology 
APPENDIX B Impact of the Bulgaria Participant Training Program
APPENDIX C Organizations Contacted
APPENDIX D Statistics on Bulgarians Trained
APPENDIX E Scope of Work
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I. Executive Summary
The Participant Training Program (PTP) in Bulgaria has been a vital component of the 
USAID country program since PTP was initiated eleven years ago. This assessment 
reviewed the PTP impact and sets forth potential options for maintaining the legacy of a 
very successful training program after Bulgaria graduates from USAID assistance in 
2007.
With nearly unanimous feedback from former participants, institutions served and 
USAID technical assistance contractors and grantees, the PTP appears to have been 
successful in most respects. Most importantly, the PTP has had a measurable beneficial 
impact on Bulgaria’s development toward a market-oriented, democratic society as it 
moves toward membership in the European Union (EU). 
During the course of its presence in Bulgaria, USAID has assisted in the establishment 
and strengthening of several institutions with a capacity to train and administer training 
programs. These organizations will remain and provide services that foster Bulgaria’s 
development transition. They represent an outstanding legacy of the USAID program. It 
is recommended that the mission undertake initiatives to improve the performance of a 
select number of these institutions so as to further enhance their capability and 
sustainability after the USAID program ends.
Four potential legacy approaches were considered: (1) alumni association; (2) NGO: 
foundation or association; (3) for-profit organization; and (4) autonomous university 
affiliate. A USAID alumni association appears to lack sustainability as a service 
organization, in part because its broad and diverse pool of former participants tends to
counter focused objectives. However, the Georgetown scholarship program (ECESP) is 
attempting to establish a sector-based alumni association, which warrants monitoring as a 
possible model. Also, the modest cost of updating the foreign trained participant 
database and supplying this data to the Embassy for public diplomacy purposes is 
worthwhile.
Affiliation of the training contractor capacity with an indigenous training NGO or 
university is the best course of action for a sustainable legacy organization that will 
continue to serve multisectoral training abroad. It could provide value added to any 
training organization by bringing quality in international training planning and 
methodology, networking, processing and support to the affiliate, and possibly establish 
working relationships with training organizations other than its base partner. Such an 
organization could emulate the successes of the Hungarian-American Partnership 
Initiative (HAPI), but would need to address shortcomings noted in the HAPI structure. 
A for-profit legacy organization has some limitations in the Bulgarian marketplace and 
development sphere, making it a less desirable approach than an NGO or university 
setting. There is significant complementarity between university training programs and 
the skills potentially offered by the USAID training contractor. On the other hand, any 
relationship between the two needs to ensure autonomy from the university system.
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II. Background
USAID began its program of assistance to Bulgaria in 1991. As the new country 
programs in Bulgaria and the region evolved, USAID/Washington engaged a training 
contractor, World Learning (WL), to support the increasing training needs. WL opened 
its Participant Training Program (PTP) in Sofia in 1993 to support country program 
training needs across all Strategic Objectives. PTP was designed to support Bulgarian 
institutions, professionals and leaders by providing access to new ideas, knowledge and 
skills that help meet development objectives in the USAID portfolio.
In the eleven years of PTP presence in Bulgaria, approximately 4,430 persons have been 
trained in the United States, in third countries and in Bulgaria. Approximately one￾quarter received training in the U.S. and one-half in third countries. The participants are 
nearly equally divided by gender, with slightly more women than men trained under the 
program. In recent years a higher proportion has been trained in European countries, 
reflecting Bulgaria’s needs to prepare for accession into the European Union, which is 
planned for 2007. Other details and statistics concerning the training location and subject 
matter can be found in Appendix D. 
At one stage, Bulgaria served as the Third Country Training (TCT) office for the region. 
The PTP has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and contacts in the region as it has 
matured, and is a model training support program that can and should be emulated 
elsewhere. This assessment focuses on the potential for preserving Bulgaria’s training 
experience after the country graduates from USAID development assistance in 2007. 
III. Purpose of Assessment
The purpose of this assessment is twofold: (1) to analyze the overall impact of the 
Participant Training Program (PTP) in Bulgaria for the period 1993–2003; and (2) to 
assess the prospects of a legacy training organization that can provide ongoing training 
services in the post USAID-presence years. 
The examination of impact will determine to what extent the program goals and 
objectives have been met, identifying program successes and lessons learned. 
The consideration of a legacy training organization entails an analysis of anticipated 
future demand for training and training support services of the nature now being provided 
by the USAID training contractor, opportunities for improving collaboration with other 
donors, and recommendations for improving the sustainability of indigenous training 
organizations prior to USAID’s planned departure in FY 2007. 
The rationale for this assessment hypothesizes that the large and diverse pool of 
Bulgarian participants trained under USAID programs can serve as the basis for a USAID 
legacy in Bulgaria. It also seeks to identify a possible organizational arrangement that 
might maintain the USAID training experience.
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IV. Impact of the Participant Training Program
Training has been an integral part of the USAID development program in Bulgaria for 
over eleven years. Inherently cross-cutting, the training program has contributed 
significantly to USAID’s initiatives in every Strategic Objective (SO). Since training is 
a vital component of nearly every mission activity, its results have a direct bearing on 
achievement of planned results. Overall, PTP training has contributed substantially 
toward Bulgaria’s economic, social and democratic transition. 
According to TraiNet, the Agency’s training data repository, 4,430 Bulgarian participants 
have been trained since 1993, in such diverse fields of study as agriculture and natural 
resources, democracy and governance, rule of law, economic growth, management skills, 
and civil society (See Annex D). However, measuring the number of participants trained 
does not begin to convey the true impact training has had in Bulgaria. Through its 
training delivery mechanisms, including technical assistance (TA) contracts and the 
Participant Training Program implemented through World Learning, USAID has 
transferred new skills, knowledge and attitudes to individual trainees in their various 
professional fields; but perhaps of greater importance for those who have had training in 
the U.S. is the exposure these participants have had with U.S. business and government 
culture, which is characterized by innovative problem-solving, analytical acumen, 
practicality, openness, interactivity, exchange and transparency. These distinctly 
American qualities are introduced by participants to others through their personal and 
professional connections to other Bulgarians. Thus, the “American experience” becomes 
a shared experience from which other local people may benefit. 
A direct product of the training, as identified by former participants, is the benefits from 
relationships created among individuals working in different agencies and at different 
levels brought together through training. Several instances were cited of participants who 
had developed relationships and networks with colleagues that, prior to the training event, 
did not exist. Through these newly established bonds, it became possible to modify 
legislation and regulations or jointly initiate development activities. Training has 
fostered national unity by joining participants in common goals and objectives leading to 
short-term and long-term results and accomplishments. In addition, a large number of 
former participants have opened and maintained a dialogue with European and U.S. 
counterpart organizations, providing ongoing opportunities for exchange of ideas and 
approaches to both regional and domestic development issues. Training has produced 
many success stories on local and national levels, and has provided an opportunity for 
Bulgaria to begin offering its model programs as roadmaps for success to other Eastern 
European and Eurasian countries, as they follow Bulgaria in their accession to the 
European Union.
A more detailed discussion of the PTP impact in Bulgaria can be found in Appendix B.
V. Objectives of a USAID Training Legacy Institution
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The primary objectives of a PTP legacy institution are to continue to promote and 
disseminate the training methodologies and processes introduced through USAID 
development programs and to establish and maintain networks of institutions and 
individuals who have received U.S. sponsored training. Exposure from U.S. trained 
individuals now working in Bulgaria’s government, business, civil society and the 
community will help convey a knowledge of American concepts and management 
systems, which should lead to increased effectiveness and efficiency in national 
development. Moreover, it is intended that a USAID legacy will continue to generate a 
favorable image of the United States, its policies, principles and culture with the 
Bulgarian people for years to come.
The prospects of a viable legacy institution depend upon operating on sound business 
objectives and underlying sustainable principles.
A. Business Service Objectives
Optimally, a USAID training legacy institution will be a sustainable indigenous 
organization whose operating service objectives would include the following:
1. The coordination and facilitation of domestic and international training 
events, offering both administrative and logistical training support 
services for in-country training, third-country training, and U.S. training. 
These services would be available to Bulgarian organizations, 
governmental and non-governmental, to send Bulgarians abroad, or to 
promote model Bulgarian domestic programs on a multisectoral basis;
2. The capacity to identify and coordinate with the most effective training 
providers worldwide in order to meet the specific training needs of 
Bulgaria, including requirements for EU accession and conformity with 
membership stipulations;
3. The capacity to provide performance improvement consulting services to 
both develop and refine training requests and analyze these requests in the 
context of overall performance needs of organizations;
4. The development and maintenance of a database for training consulting 
services, identification of appropriate training organizations and 
individual consultants to satisfy training and associated requests, and to 
provide consulting services to the extent the expertise is available from 
the legacy institution staff;
5. The capacity to plan and design results-oriented training programs to 
meet the needs of the requesting organization;
6. The capacity to plan, conduct and facilitate conferences as requested; and 
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7. The capacity to host potential USAID training alumni associations.
Compensation would be received for all of the above-listed business service objectives, 
aimed at sound operational and management principles and at fostering sustainability. 
B. Sustainability Considerations
A cardinal aspect of sustainability for the legacy institution is to effectively market its 
services and expertise to potential training clients, both domestic and international. 
Accordingly, such an organization must be able to plan, design and manage training 
programs that may be both complex and geographically dispersed. In an increasingly 
competitive and global marketplace, the long-term sustainability of a legacy institution 
also will depend upon its international networking capabilities. With accession to the EU 
placing increasing demands on Bulgaria and its regional neighbors, excellent prospects 
exist for sharing the Bulgarian transition experience with those countries facing 
comparable challenges in the near future. Consequently, the legacy institution’s ability to 
identify and research regional needs and to develop attractive proposals that meet those 
needs will be critical in maintaining a robust training business strategy. The recognized 
expertise of the organization’s in-house staff will be paramount in developing and 
maintaining a reputation of excellence in training and human performance improvement, 
as will a targeted service focus and excellent management practices.
Financial sustainability of a legacy institution necessitates an adequate stream of income, 
based on demand for services. Sole dependency on uneven and unreliable donor support 
for specific events does not provide a suitable foundation for long-term stability. 
Compensation for services and a business approach are essential elements of a 
sustainable institution.
One consideration for enhancing sustainability might be for USAID to establish a trust or 
endowment fund to provide a base for long-term financial support to the legacy 
organization. A clear strategy and a sound business plan would be required for the legacy 
institution. USAID/Bulgaria has positive experience in participating in a trust managed 
as an endowment to help fund the safeguard of Bulgaria’s protected areas. Establishment
of a fund as an endowment would be attractive to partnering with an affiliate 
organization, since it helps assure self-sufficiency as an autonomous unit in the 
organization. The preferable approach would be to link the legacy institution to an 
existing organization that served former USAID participants. 
Currently, USAID supplies the demand for needed training in targeted areas, and 
provides resources for training through its activity grants and contracts, including the 
PTP contract. In order for the training capacity developed through USAID programs to 
become sustainable, there will have to be a demand from within the country to identify, 
develop and conduct ongoing training.
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Once Bulgaria has graduated from USAID support, indigenous organizations and 
government agencies will have to recognize the value of training to their organizations 
and make the investments needed to engage appropriate training advisors.
Post-USAID support for training in development programs will be primarily through the 
European Union pre-accession and post-accession funds. This European assistance will 
be provided directly to the government, which will be responsible for managing the funds 
and identifying implementing organizations.
The government, ideally, will need to become more receptive to the idea of conducting 
organizational assessments and training needs assessments of local institutions, which in 
turn should help sustain the training capacity that has been developed through USAID 
(and other programs).
Another area of future training needs will be support for non-Bulgarians, who come to 
Bulgaria to receive guidance from the Bulgarian development experience. Several 
countries in Europe and Eurasia look to Bulgaria as a learning model in the transition
process. This training would be provided by USAID missions and other donors in the 
region. In addition, some opportunities may exist for private sector training of non￾Bulgarians on a fee-for-service basis.
VI. Criteria for a Sustainable Legacy Institution 
In analyzing the prospects for a legacy institution, a number of critical factors must be 
carefully considered, regarding both the institution itself and Bulgaria’s development 
environment. 
A. Financial sustainability: The institution must be able to generate sufficient 
revenue to fund ongoing operations. It is generally accepted that the large 
increases in EU funding, especially in 2005 and 2006 will supply adequate 
resources for carrying out the national development plan, which involves 
much training.
B. Sufficient demand for services: Concern is being expressed about the serious 
shortfall in skilled people across most sectors, which has limited the 
absorptive capacity of Bulgaria to meet its transition requirements. 
Consequently, there should be continuing strong demand and opportunities for 
an appropriate training organization. Marketing of services is an essential part 
of creating demand.
C. Targeted focus: Successful training providers target their efforts toward 
discrete subject areas. However, a training service provider would need to 
maintain a range and depth of contact networks across sectors and 
internationally to fulfill training needs as they occur. At the same time, 
services need to be focused on training and training-related activities.
D. Management capacity: An indispensable criterion for a legacy institution will 
be its responsiveness to clients, service orientation and quality of work. Well￾managed experience and quality output will, to a great extent, attract and 
sustain business relationships. 
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Other criteria to be considered in selection of a legacy institution include knowledge of 
Bulgarian and regional donors, public and private training programs; collaborative 
experience with other donor training programs and activities implemented in Bulgaria; 
experience in maintaining past trainee and partner networks; and visibility as a local 
training service provider, including on the Internet.
As part of this assessment, a review was made of the experience of the Hungarian￾American Partnership Initiative (HAPI), a USAID legacy organization. Created in 2000 
by a USAID competed cooperative agreement, HAPI is implemented by a Hungarian 
foundation (NGO) with the goal of using the pool of human and organizational talent 
generated by the USAID program to assist other countries in the region through their 
economic, political and social transition process. HAPI services focus on training, study 
tours and a scholarship fund that supports regional training. HAPI receives strategic 
direction from an Advisory Council of Hungarian government and non-government 
representatives. The USAID grant provided for two years of start-up expenses and 
scholarships. While it is too early to judge HAPI’s long-term sustainability, it appears 
that more effort at marketing its services in the region is necessary. Observers have noted 
that HAPI has not given sufficient emphasis to business management and income 
generation activities. Also, by not providing in-country training services, it is possible 
that potential business is forgone; however, this may be seen as competing against HAPI 
members that are local training providers.
VII. Options for Legacy Mechanisms
The assessment team considered a number of possible institutional options for retaining 
the outstanding services made available by the USAID training services provider 
following the closure of the country program. Categories of potential legacy institutions 
include an: A. alumni association; B. NGO: foundation or association; C. for-profit 
organization; and D. autonomous university affiliate. To ascertain viability, each must be 
measured against the criteria identified in the Section VI above.
A. Alumni Association 
The establishment of an alumni association for all Bulgarians who have received training 
through USAID projects conducted by technical assistance (TA) implementers, the PTP 
program implemented by World Learning, the Georgetown University Eastern and 
Central European Scholarship Program (ECESP), and U.S. Embassy training programs 
could provide a forum for continuing professional relationships. Such an association 
could also create a unified embodiment of the “American Experience” and serve to 
reinforce American values and approaches to training and organizational development 
that have been transferred to Bulgarians through the USAID development assistance 
program as well as other USG training initiatives. In the event the U.S. Embassy decides 
to support an alumni association in the post-USAID era, it likely would attract the interest 
of a nucleus of former participants. Through an alumni association, former participants 
may continue to network with other Bulgarian professionals working in similar or related 
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fields, and take advantage of a national cadre of experts to advance common causes, 
acting together as agents of change to meet the challenges facing Bulgaria in its EU 
accession aspirations and nation-building efforts. 
While offering the potential for the opportunities described immediately above, an alumni 
association would require ongoing promotion and support by an indigenous organization 
to be sustainable. To incur the cost and exert the administrative effort to maintain an 
alumni organization, the hosting organization would need to derive some value-added 
benefit from such an initiative. The goals and objectives of maintaining an alumni 
association would require a direct tie to the organizational goals of the host for it to be a 
meaningful and, therefore, sustainable initiative.
The assessment team is unaware of a successful, self-supporting alumni association 
outside of the university community. Interviewees suggested, and the team agrees, that 
an alumni association cannot be sustainable unless it is energized and motivated by a core 
group of alumnae. Further, it requires an unambiguous set of objectives that sets a course 
both for direction and ongoing revenue to maintain itself. This may be particularly 
difficult in the case of former participants of U.S. supported training programs because of 
their wide subject area diversity and lack of sectoral focus. Indications are that the single 
underlying commonality of being trained under U.S. programs is insufficient to sustain an 
alumni association without outside institutional affiliation.
One of the primary actions of an alumni association of USG-trained participants would 
be to establish and maintain a personnel database. This entails staff and associated costs. 
For example, the Embassy has one person working nearly full time on its training and 
exchange programs database. Consequently, even serving the function as a forum as 
suggested above necessitates an income base. Beyond this, it is obvious that long-term 
sustainability will be affected by normal attrition in the absence of significant continuing 
U.S. training activities. 
The Embassy PAO office indicated interest in the possibility of establishing a single 
database that includes USAID-trained participants. While having value for public 
diplomacy, and possibly commercial, purposes, it is not clear that such a database would
serve national development needs, as Bulgaria increasingly moves toward EU integration. 
Nevertheless, the proposition of Embassy maintenance of the database overcomes the 
cost issue and helps ensure continuity.
A precautionary note is signaled by the experience in the prestigious Fulbright 
Commission exchange program. Some 600 Bulgarians have participated in the program 
since its inception in Bulgaria in 1993. Fulbright alumni have established and registered 
an alumni association. It has about 100 members, 20 to 30 of whom are active. The 
Commission does not have a comprehensive database of its former participants; rather it 
maintains contact with the association membership through quarterly newsletters and its 
web site, as well as the core active group. This underscores the necessity for a member￾level demand driven approach to an alumni association.
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The assessment team believes that there is an opportunity for the USAID training 
contractor to create a database of foreign trained former USAID participants over the 
coming year and to call them together to determine if there is genuine interest in 
establishing an alumni association. The model of sector-level units, being considered by 
the USAID-sponsored Eastern & Central European Scholarship Program (ECESP) could 
be examined, while recognizing that ECESP is attempting to set up a regional alumni 
association with country level member associations. The Bulgarian association has been 
registered and created three sector-level groups. 
B. NGO: Foundation or Association 
Since Bulgaria encompasses foundations and associations under a single law and they 
have NGO status, they are discussed as one. The differences between foundations and 
associations are mainly in their founding and governance structure, e.g. associations are 
established by three or more legal persons, while in the case of foundations there is a 
single founder. According to the legislation, NGO goals are focused on non-economic 
activities and societal needs including civil society, health, education, culture, sports, 
human rights, environmental protection, etc.
Irrespective of their founding principles, most NGOs compete for the limited funding 
opportunities that come from donor programs in Bulgaria. All NGOs face the challenges 
associated with Bulgaria’s forthcoming accession to the EU and the related withdrawal of 
bilateral donors from the country. The situation appears more difficult for NGOs active 
in the area of civil society, while others closer to business and government needs or 
involved in specific economic services find greater funding prospects. At the same time, 
Bulgarian legislation does not provide a framework for donor funding of NGOs, and does 
not provide incentives for business donations for societal needs. Nevertheless, there is an
increasing trend for business donations to NGOs, especially in smaller towns. A lack of 
transparency also is considered a serious obstacle for access to funding. NGOs often find 
it easier to apply for funding abroad, rather than from Bulgarian donors. With regard to 
consulting services offered by NGOs, the business community generally prefers to hire 
an individual consultant instead of engage an NGO for its expertise. 
Bulgarian NGOs have successfully established public-private partnerships with ministries 
and public bodies. An example is the Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA), an 
association of the business community. BIA conducts vocational and educational 
training throughout the country for the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy and its local 
Employment Agencies with the aim of reintegrating unemployed into the workforce. 
This model could be pursued by USAID-assisted training organizations, especially in the 
area of local government.
Through its development program, USAID has helped create and strengthen numerous 
indigenous NGO foundations and associations. They, indeed, represent legacy 
institutions of the USAID country program, and most will likely endure long after 
USAID presence is gone. In many cases these organizations have made great strides 
toward sustainability and have developed promising marketing strategies for seeking 
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funding from other donors and developing clientele in the Bulgarian economy, including 
government and non-government organizations, some of which are for-profit. These 
organizations exist in several critical sectors including government administration, 
banking, justice, local governance, water and sanitation, and broadcast and media. A list 
of some of these organizations is in Annex B. 
Some NGOs active in the area of local government training have found a particular niche 
that complements the training activities of the state-owned Institute of Public 
Administration and European Integration (IPAEI). NGOs have targeted specific needs of 
the municipalities for practical and legislative skills, increased citizen participation and 
local economic development. The networking of such indigenous NGOs with several 
municipalities is helping to build the necessary human capacity at regional and local 
levels. More mature structures like the Foundation for Local Government Reform 
(FLGR) have invested in training-of-trainers programs, resulting in a large pool of 
trainers. FLGR is addressing sustainability through multiple funding sources, actively 
submitting proposals on development initiatives and establishing close relationships with 
local governments. As EU integration increasingly puts huge demands on stakeholders at 
the local level, training such as that provided by FLGR on future needs in areas like 
planning, management, budgeting, accounting and the legislative process is necessary for 
the changing role of local government. 
Another group of USAID partners is dedicated to helping establish an efficient, qualified 
and fair judiciary that supports democratic processes and combats corruption. The 
Judicial Development project established a National Institute of Justice (NIJ), which has 
responsibility for training clerks, judges and prosecutors throughout the country. 
Although still a young institute, NIJ has developed an effective training capacity and 
soon will be in a position to provide required regular training of courts members. Study 
tours and in-country training are key tools used by NIJ to build the necessary capacity. 
There is space, however, for regional partnerships between universities and courts to 
further develop the capacity of judicial human resources.
In several NGOs, the marketing strategy comprises regular publication and dissemination 
of newsletters or information bulletins to partners, members, former and potential clients. 
Other marketing and promotion channels are the broadcast media, interviews or paid 
advertisements in the newspapers and exhibits at public meetings and business 
exhibitions. Internet also is seen as an increasingly valuable tool for marketing training 
activities and services. 
Most of the USAID-assisted NGO foundations and associations are sector-specific legacy 
organizations and individually would not be able to establish a fully representative 
embodiment of the total USAID legacy. Several provide a full package of training 
services—curriculum and training module development, training of trainers, training 
consultancies and logistics and administrative support (see Appendix B). However, none 
are as proficient or thorough as World Learning in international training planning, 
networking, processing and support throughout the training event. 
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Should the skill base produced by the training contractor decide to remain intact after 
2007, one option for it to consider is to affiliate with a training-oriented NGO that is well 
established and provides quality services. This new affiliate could serve as an umbrella 
organization to offer its training services, methodologies, partner network and other 
assets generated through training contractor experience. Possibly this unit could establish 
formal working relationships with NGOs and others that serve sectors other than its base 
partner. Obviously, competition will exist among all existing NGOs for specific training 
and for funding opportunities. Sustainability will depend upon the organizational 
arrangement and the ability of its staff, without USAID financial support, to develop its 
portfolio and offer unique, highly demanded training services. 
A further option could be for the residual WL contract staff to establish its own stand 
alone NGO for training support services. Although the core of expertise would exist, the 
idea of creating a new organization and all that entails would be a higher risk venture 
than partnering with an existing training support NGO, and offer fewer advantages. It is 
the opinion of the assessment team that the stand alone NGO option should not be 
pursued, or if so it should be accorded a low priority among choices.
A potentially more viable variation of this legacy option would be for World Learning to 
consider investing in a long-term, independent presence in Bulgaria by building on its 
experience with a comprehensive, competitive array of training support services for 
Bulgaria and the region. Services could include coordinating a consortium of sector￾based training entities, similar to the HAPI approach. The assessment team did not 
discuss this option with World Learning, so is not aware of the extent of their interest in 
this possibility.
C. For-Profit Organization 
Numerous for-profit indigenous service organizations exist in the Bulgarian economy. 
These organizations would be able to provide most of the training support and consulting 
services identified as requisites for a legacy organization. Further, by their for-profit 
nature, these organizations likely have the marketing expertise to develop an ongoing 
enterprise centered on these services. 
The business community in general probably would not make an important source of 
clientele for a legacy institution. Larger enterprises including many former state-owned 
enterprises have internal business and management training capacity, many of them with 
links to successful, well-operated foreign companies. It is unlikely many would seek 
training from a legacy training institution. Smaller businesses probably need access to 
more training, but this demand is being supplied by existing for-profit consulting and 
training firms. It should be noted that small and medium enterprises trying to survive in 
the marketplace probably are not inclined to invest in much training of their staff.
The BIA mentioned above as an association has a membership comprised of for-profit 
businesses. Its strong training capacity in ICT and business-related topics puts it in a 
position to provide this type of training to the business community.
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One consideration for a legacy organization would be to establish an affiliate relationship 
with the American Chamber of Commerce and create its own profit center. The 
advantage to such an arrangement would be closer access to a business clientele base and 
identification more directly with an American image. On the other hand, as Bulgaria 
moves more closely to the European stage, this affiliation could be somewhat limiting. 
Also, EU funds being managed by the government may be less easily available to a for￾profit training institution, since NGOs might be more favored. 
In principle, the assessment team found little advantage for a USAID legacy institution to 
be formed as a for-profit business. 
D. Autonomous University Affiliate 
There are two types of universities in Bulgaria, private and state-owned. The state￾owned are established by a legislative act and receive an annual state subsidy, which 
ensures the necessary financial resources for the educational process and respective 
scientific activities. For private universities a chief source of income is student tuition, 
whereas tuition is only symbolic at state-owned universities. In both types of 
universities, international programs and projects constitute an important source of 
income. Also, both obtain additional income from scientific projects, consultancy work, 
sponsorship and training activities.
An important aspect of the Bulgarian university system is academic autonomy, which 
involves academic freedom, academic self-governance and independence. This provides 
a framework for entrepreneurial activities, especially at state-owned universities. Despite 
the conservative and complex administrative structures at universities, specially 
established research departments in state-owned universities have a certain level of 
flexibility in undertaking supplementary activities, such as additional training courses, 
educational or consultancy services and contracts with the business community and other 
legal entities. However, development of these supplementary activities in state-owned 
universities depends upon the entrepreneurial, innovative and managerial skills of their 
staff. In comparison, private universities are characterized by greater initiatives and 
innovative approaches to educational and training processes. Some even go beyond 
national borders and attract students from neighboring countries to develop as important 
regional educational institution in the Western Balkans. The financial, administrative and 
policy autonomy of a legacy organization associated with a university would need to be 
carefully examined. 
Whereas private universities meet educational demand and ensure high quality courses to 
position themselves on the training market, in state-owned universities the initiative for 
developing new courses or training courses in response to development and societal 
needs is an exception. Opinion surveys of employers do not paint a positive picture of 
universities. They highlight the emerging necessity to develop functional skills and 
respond to actual labor market needs by the educational institutions.
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Nevertheless, Bulgaria has much to offer in the academic universe. A number of 
universities have departments with keen insights into the human capital needs of Bulgaria 
as it moves toward global competitiveness following EU accession. Recognizing the 
inter-dependency of the academic, business, and government communities, these 
departments are actively anticipating the future academic needs of the country and 
developing course modules in areas of national interest. In many instances these courses 
are expanded into Bachelor, Master, and/or PhD programs. For example, the dynamic 
development of ICT requires constant updating of courses to follow the pace of change. 
Partnerships with businesses and other ICT user stakeholders regarding demand for skills 
and competencies increase the employability of graduates. Sofia University and some 
other universities have established ICT centers of excellence recognized by business, 
government and others. They also offer internationally recognized IT certification 
courses. 
Universities recognize the opportunities arising from the EU accession process. They 
actively participate in EU programs like Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and the Sixth 
Framework for Research and Technology. Yet large categories of stakeholders affected 
by EU accession are not reached and inadequately trained human capital is expected to 
result in a shortfall in absorptive capacity to meet transition needs. Only a few 
universities, e.g. American University in Bulgaria (AUBG), have established a prominent 
capacity to support EU integration through coursework, certification courses and 
consulting services focused on EU funding, project development and management.
Both state-owned and private universities have highly-skilled professionals with 
experience and knowledge for training course design and conducting quality training. 
There is some difference in cost for services, however. Courses at state-owned 
universities are lower cost, but private universities use donor support to reduce such costs 
to trainees. The daily rate of trainers from state-owned universities is less, as a rule, so 
their services are often preferred for training courses.
Although Bulgarian universities do not offer study tours in the format of WL, they have 
much experience in receiving and sending guest lecturers to and from other countries, and 
organizing student exchange programs in the framework of the Erasmus program, other 
EU programs and bilateral agreements. The mobility of students and professors is an 
important tool for knowledge transfer within Europe, and for building skills. WL legacy 
skills would appear to be highly complementary with university competencies.
An important requisite of a legacy institution is the availability of linkages with other 
institutions in the country and abroad. Networking with international partners and 
national organizations is quite well developed in many universities, especially those 
working on international research or educational programs. Alumni networks are 
relatively unknown at Bulgarian universities. An exception is the AUBG.
In order to fully meet the requisite needs of a legacy institution, an independent 
department or affiliate would have to be created within the university structure to ensure 
the integrity of the legacy objectives and provide a clear separation to protect the funding 
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and operation of this initiative from other wider university demands. If such an 
arrangement can be assured, a legacy training institution in affiliation with a university 
could be a mutually acceptable partnership. Affiliation with a center of excellence at a 
university might offer substantial advantages in regard to flexibility and autonomy. Two 
such centers for consideration are the:
· Center for European Programmes and Elieff Center at the American University in 
Bulgaria; and
· Center for Information Society Technologies at the Sofia University.
VIII. Stakeholders 
Given that training is a vital element of nearly all USAID-assisted development 
programs, the spectrum of stakeholders extends across a large portion of Bulgarian 
society. Not only the thousands of individuals trained, but also the numerous institutions 
that directly benefited from training during the thirteen years of USAID assistance 
represent major stakeholders affected by the training experience. This includes people 
and institutions in government, business and civil society involved in many sectors.
Former USAID participants form the foundation of a training legacy of the U.S. 
development assistance program in Bulgaria. Some 2,800 Bulgarians that have been 
trained in various U.S. Embassy public diplomacy, democracy and media programs 
complement this core group. 
With regard to a post-USAID legacy, the key stakeholders will be local institutions 
established and supported through the development program and their clients and users. 
A test of a legacy institution will be its sustainability in terms of financial viability and 
demand for its services. Recipients of services will become downstream stakeholders to 
the training efforts of USAID.
Similarly, partner organizations, government and the donor community that use local 
institutions, such as those identified in Annex B, for meeting development objectives 
become stakeholders by benefiting in the results of USAID trained and supported 
organizations. 
In summary, there is potential for an enormous number of beneficiaries and stakeholders 
to gain from the well-placed training and associated institutional support that has 
originated from USAID.
IX. Conclusions
A. Impact
1. The training program has had a significant impact on USAID/Bulgaria’s
 development program. USAID’s Participant Training Program has had an 
 important role in Bulgaria’s transition and nation-building, both in short-term 
 actions and longer-term incremental development changes.
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2. Training has been a contributing factor for meeting USAID program
 objectives, not an end in and of itself.
3. USAID has established strong legacy institutions that provide training 
services, which will remain after USAID departs.
4. The training contractor, World Learning, has demonstrated unique qualities, 
especially for international training.
5. The impact of USAID’s legacy in training in Bulgaria is multi-faceted. It 
includes:
· A trained cadre of experts in business, civil society and all branches of 
government including local government;
· A vast network of former USAID training participants contributing to the 
development of the country;
· Institutional development of training organizations and trainers in various 
sectors;
· Introduction and effective use of adult training methodologies; and
· International professional networks permitting exchange and transfer of 
ideas and knowledge. 
6. While the impact of training and these legacy outcomes are already 
established and should be further strengthened during the remaining years of 
USAID presence, their identity with USAID likely will become increasingly 
blurred over time.
B. Alumni Association
1. Alumni associations do not have an established model of success outside of the
 university environment. Sustainability would be a challenge to such an 
 organization.
C. Training Support Institution Options
1. NGOs (foundations and associations) have demonstrated an ability to carry out 
 training functions effectively on a sectoral basis. 
2. NGOs and universities have a capacity for meeting a wide variety of 
 in-country training needs.
3. The best alternative for retaining USAID training contractor expertise and its 
special capabilities after the USAID country program is completed appears to 
be an operating partnership with a local training services NGO.
4. A totally new stand alone institution to fulfill the current USAID training 
contractor function does not appear to be a preferred or viable option, in 
comparison to partnering with another organization.
5. A second choice as an alternative could be affiliation with a university as a 
partner. USAID training contractor expertise could be beneficial to both 
parties, but needs to be approached with a careful analysis of the university
relationships to ensure that the training function is not stifled.
6. Opportunities for a partnership with a for-profit organization appear to be 
limited and less preferable than with an NGO or university affiliation.
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X. Recommendations
A. Alumni Association
1. The USAID training contractor should be tasked with updating and 
consolidating data from all U.S. training participants as a legacy of the 
USAID training program. Data may be provided to the PAO to further U.S. 
diplomatic goals, as appropriate.
2. Utilizing the updated alumni database, a meeting of alumni or series of 
meetings on a sectoral basis should be held to determine the sincere interest of 
a member driven alumni association. If commitment is genuine with a clear 
understanding of purpose, activities, obligations and effort, then former 
participants could consider formation of an alumni association. (As stated 
earlier, the assessment team found no example of a financially viable, 
sustainable alumni association outside of a university setting.)
3. The Georgetown University ECESP is currently in the early stages of 
establishing an alumni association of participants in its training program, 
which warrants USAID observation as to the association’s approach and 
viability.
B. Training Support Institution
1. USAID should select 3 to 5 institutions that it has created and/or strengthened 
that provide sector-specific training services, conduct an organizational 
assessment, and based on the results, consider providing assistance to close 
any critical performance gaps that may inhibit long-term sustainability as an 
institution. (This would require only a modest investment and further enhance 
the organization’s chances for sustainability.)
2. Should the WL-generated staff skills, possibly with the support of WL, desire 
to retain its nucleus of institutional expertise after 2007, it should initiate 
discussions on potential partnership with selective NGOs and universities in 
order to weigh the possible interest, benefits and issues of such relationships.
3. USAID should stimulate the formation of sector-specific training networks 
through a set-aside of small grant funding accessible through the PTP contract 
or its follow-on contract.
4. USAID should monitor the HAPI model to assess its strengths and 
shortcomings as a possible approach to a legacy training institution. If there is 
interest in pursuing a modified HAPI legacy organization in Bulgaria, USAID 
would need to commit financial resources, either as a grant or an endowment, 
for startup support to help ensure that it is viable. Since the mission stated it 
is not interested in establishing a new institution, the best approach is to seek a 
“home” institution, along the lines of HAPI. 
XI. Summary and Next Steps
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The assessment team considered a number of options for a training legacy institution, 
which are summarized in Section IX above. However, it is the view of the team that the 
best approach for an ongoing training support legacy is that the expertise, knowledge and 
network of the USAID training contractor become affiliated with an existing Bulgarian
training NGO or, if appropriate, a university. Not only would this foster synergy between 
them, it would increase the prospects of institutional viability. The unique strengths of 
the USAID training contractor lie in support for training abroad, whereas in-country 
training has become increasingly mature and professional by sector level providers, 
thanks to the USAID and other training programs carried out through respective country 
assistance portfolios. 
As a first step in forming a broad-based training legacy organization, the current 
professional USAID training contractor staff needs to determine their interest in 
affiliating with an NGO or university in the post-USAID era. In the absence of such 
interest, there does not appear to be significant motivation among sector-oriented 
Bulgarian training providers to initiate a multisectoral training support function. This 
step is predicated on the basis of the training contractor’s particularly effective 
methodology and networking capabilities.
If a decision is made to proceed, possible institutional affiliations need to be examined
(see X.B.2).
USAID needs to decide whether it chooses to see the accumulated training contractor 
expertise maintained, or to simply accept the various training entities it has created or 
strengthened during its program presence as its legacy institutions. Presuming USAID 
wants to support the former, the next step is to make a resource commitment (see X.B.4). 
Finally, with respect to a training support institution, if USAID decides to assist 
continuation of the training contractor function as part of its legacy, a design team should 
be engaged to propose the process for implementation of this legacy mechanism. 
Maintaining the USAID training contractor function does not address the broader 
question of preserving a visible organization of former USG trained participants. While 
the assessment team is not confident this can be done in a sustainable manner, steps 
suggested in the recommendations section should be followed to determine if there is a 
realistic basis for an alumni association. These steps can be carried out with minimal cost.
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APPENDIX A 
ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY
The assessment team applied a series of approaches to obtain essential insights and 
information to conduct the overall review and analysis of USAID/Bulgaria’s training 
experience and environment. This led to the projection of possible scenarios after 2007, 
in the period of a post-USAID program presence.
Prior to departure from Washington, a review of program documents, the mission 
Graduation Strategy and training material was conducted. A meeting was held with 
training staff and others to examine the scope of work in greater detail and to consider the 
Bulgarian training experience from a Washington perspective. Time permitted contact 
with only one USAID implementing partner prior to departure.
The in-country methodology involved a range of individual interviews of organizations, 
meetings with focus groups and discussions with development organizations not 
associated with the USAID training program. In order to analyze interview responses 
across organizations and institutions, a set of common questions was developed to ensure 
similar queries were made in individual interviews and meetings.
The various target audiences and contacts included the following:
· USAID Director and Strategic Objective teams
· World Learning, Inc., the USAID training services provider 
· NGOs and foundations supported under the PTP
· USAID technical assistance contractors that utilize the PTP
· U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Office
· Bulgarian university community
· Bulgarian private sector organizations
· Foreign donor community organizations
· Bulgarian government agencies
· Former USAID participants
The SO teams were interviewed as teams, rather than individually. Three focus groups 
were held: (1) a group of NGOs and foundations; (2) a cross-section of former 
participants; and (3) a group of former participants comprised of senior government 
officials. Other organizations were consulted on an individual basis.
This methodological approach allowed the assessment team to receive input from a broad 
representation of stakeholders associated with training in one aspect or another, and to 
gather insights into the Bulgarian training environment as well as its concrete experience. 
Regular briefings and updates were provided to the USAID program officer responsible 
for managing the assessment. A draft report and out briefing was given to the senior 
USAID staff prior to departure. The final report will be completed upon receipt of 
comments from the USAID mission.
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APPENDIX B 
IMPACT OF THE BULGARIA PARTICIPANT TRAINING PROGRAM
Training has been an integral part of the USAID development program in Bulgaria for 
over eleven years. Inherently cross-cutting, the training program has contributed 
significantly to USAID’s initiatives in every Strategic Objective (SO). Since training is 
a vital component of nearly every mission activity, its results have a direct bearing on 
achievement of planned results. Overall, PTP training has contributed substantially 
toward Bulgaria’s economic, social and democratic transition.
Overall Impact
According to TraiNet, the Agency’s training data repository, 4,430 Bulgarian participants 
have been trained since 1993, in such diverse fields of study as agriculture and natural 
resources, democracy and governance, rule of law, economic growth, management skills, 
and civil society (See Annex D). However, measuring the number of participants trained 
does not begin to convey the true impact training has had in Bulgaria. Through its 
training delivery mechanisms, including technical assistance (TA) contracts and the 
Participant Training Program implemented through World Learning, USAID has 
transferred new skills, knowledge and attitudes to individual trainees in their various 
professional fields; but perhaps of greater importance for those who have had training in 
the U.S. is the exposure these participants have had with U.S. business and government 
culture, which is characterized by innovative problem-solving, analytical acumen, 
practicality, openness, interactivity, exchange and transparency. These distinctly 
American qualities are introduced by participants to others through their personal and 
professional connections to other Bulgarians. Thus, the “American experience” becomes 
a shared experience from which other local people may benefit. 
A direct product of the training, as identified by former participants, is the benefits from 
relationships created among individuals working in different agencies and at different 
levels brought together through training. Several instances were cited of participants who 
had developed relationships and networks with colleagues that, prior to the training event, 
did not exist. Through these newly established bonds, it became possible to modify 
legislation and regulations or jointly initiate development activities. Training has 
fostered national unity by joining participants in common goals and objectives leading to 
short-term and long-term results and accomplishments. In addition, a large number of 
former participants have opened and maintained a dialogue with European and U.S. 
counterpart organizations, providing ongoing opportunities for exchange of ideas and 
approaches to both regional and domestic development issues. Training has produced 
many success stories on local and national levels, and has provided an opportunity for 
Bulgaria to begin offering its model programs as roadmaps for success to other Eastern 
European and Eurasian countries, as they follow Bulgaria in their accession to the 
European Union.
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Training Delivery Mechanisms
Each year USAID prepares a training plan that identifies the purpose, nature and other 
details of each implementing contractor and grantee’s training needs for the coming year. 
This serves as the basic document for forthcoming training requirements.
Training is provided to Bulgarian participants through USAID’s implementing technical 
assistance (TA) contractors and grantees and through the Participant Training Program 
(PTP). While TA contractors conduct training activities directly through their ongoing 
technical assistance programs, a significant portion of their training is provided through 
the USAID PTP contract with World Learning, Inc. The combination of these two 
approaches has resulted in a powerful impact on Bulgaria’s development initiatives.
Much, but not all, of the in-country training is handled directly by TA contractors and 
grantees, typically using partner organizations to conduct the training. The approach 
often entails bringing in foreign expertise to prepare training modules and train local 
trainers to conduct the training courses.
The PTP is most often used by implementers to conduct study tours in the U.S. and third 
countries as part of an ongoing technical assistance activity in the context of meeting its 
broader development objectives.
Through PTP the USAID also provides support to selected participants in order to 
implement the action plans developed at the end of each training activity. A competitive 
small grants component of the World Learning task order provides funding for 
participants to build on the training activity by taking the initiative to make changes in 
their organization or in their communities.
The PTP training contractor, WL, is generally acknowledged by the USAID staff, TA 
contractors, former participants and the Bulgarian training community to be highly 
effective in assisting USAID conduct its development program.
WL services include:
ÿ Reviewing training requests
ÿ Providing feedback to USAID, its implementing contractors and recipients 
regarding:
o Content
o Timing
o Venue
o Group composition
o Training provider
o Scheduling (when to do what types of activities)
ÿ Finding training providers, including competing when appropriate between 
countries
ÿ Identifying and selecting interpreters
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ÿ Providing appropriate background, orientation and briefing materials to all 
parties: trainees and trainers and interpreters
ÿ Managing travel and related support
ÿ Coordinating event logistics 
ÿ Follow-up with participant action plans
World Learning has a competitive edge in preparing, conducting and coordinating study 
tours in Europe and the U.S., and finding the most effective training providers. However, 
most TA contractors believe that study tours which are conducted outside of the context 
of an overall development package are expensive and do not have the impact to warrant 
the expense.
Objective post-training evaluations were supported under a separate USAID contract 
(Aguirre), but funding is no longer available. Still, WL staff makes an effort to follow up 
with trainees and maintain contact to the greatest extent possible given staffing 
constraints and willingness of participants to stay in touch.
Sofia previously was the site of a regional TCT training office. In terms of maintaining a 
post-USAID presence, consideration could be given to re-establishing this regional 
function in Sofia. A strong regional networking capability currently exists and could be a 
cost effective way to serve regional training needs, as well as permit the training 
contractor to extend services to Bulgarian organizations and EU resources.
Establishment of Legacy Institutions
USAID already has established a clear-cut legacy through the creation or strengthening of 
indigenous training organizations, which include government entities, NGOs, and 
universities. Examples include:
ÿ 3 Net Association
ÿ American University of Bulgaria (AUBG)
ÿ Broadcast Training Center (BTC)
ÿ Bulgarian Institute of Internal Audit (BIIA)
ÿ Center for Independent Living
ÿ Financial Supervision Commission
ÿ Foundation for Local Governance Reform (FLGR)
ÿ Index Foundation
ÿ International Banking Institute (IBI)
ÿ National Institute of Justice (NIJ), formerly the Magistrates Training Center
ÿ Regional Association of Municipalities
ÿ Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”
Characteristics of these institutions are:
ÿ Most training organizations and organizations that provide training as a key 
function (except universities) conduct training in a specific area of interest;
ÿ Trainers are given training in training methodology as well as subject matter;
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ÿ There is a trend toward training that is relevant for EU accession and post￾accession needs;
ÿ Increasing attention is being given to sustainability issues as bilateral donor 
development assistance programs are winding down in Bulgaria; and
ÿ Few TA contractors and partner organizations have established training ties to 
the academic community, indicating universities do no supply programs for 
their specific development needs.
The assessment team did find increasing flexibility in the universities to adapt to 
changing needs in Bulgaria’s economic and social transition. Certificate and degree 
programs have been introduced in areas such as ICT, EU accession requirements and 
education management. However, a recent survey on the labor market conducted through 
a USAID project found large gaps in education and training, which must become more 
responsive to the evolving labor market in meeting human capital needs of the country. 
Overall, there will be a strong ongoing demand for jobs and development-related training. 
Impact of Training on Participants 
Two focus group meetings were held with former participants, one of which was with 
senior level government and business individuals. Participants gave an exceptionally 
high rating to the PTP, both from the perspective of making a significant impact on the 
lives of individual participants and the program’s contributions to development 
objectives. The former participants gave a number of specific examples; some of the 
generic benefits of the training cited were:
ÿ Training helped give a clear understanding and perspective of the topic;
ÿ U.S. exposure to successful cases gave dedication and persistence to local 
NGO development;
ÿ Catalytic role of the training contractor was crucial in getting the appropriate 
mix of participants in the study tour;
ÿ Following training, joint efforts by participants have resulted in initiatives 
heretofore unattainable;
ÿ International contacts were established and maintained;
ÿ USAID training is designed with priority given to participant professional 
needs and interests;
ÿ Training has a practical orientation;
ÿ Training is approached in a flexible manner to get the best quality and most 
appropriate results; and
ÿ Administration (compared with other training providers) of USAID training is 
relatively simple.
Constraints to Maximum Effectiveness
1. Training is wants-based and dependent primarily upon USAID contractors to
specify the training need. It is not clear that all project training requirements 
are developed in the context of the overall organizational needs, and therefore 
may not be contributing to the maximum possible extent to the organizational
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strengthening of the host country partner organizations. Engaging WL staff 
earlier in the process may lead to greater accomplishments in terms of
organizational effectiveness and growth for these organizations.
2. Due in part to the lack of organizational context of the overall training 
approach, it is difficult to measure the true organizational impact of training. Training is 
a “contribution, not a solution” to an organization’s challenges, and while WL staff have 
done due diligence in conducting evaluations with the limited resources available, it is 
impossible to measure the overall organizational change relating to the partner 
organization’s development objectives and operational effectiveness unless other aspects 
of organizational performance are considered (i.e. job expectations, feedback, motivation, 
environment and tools), and tangible measurable results are identified against which to 
measure effectiveness of the training program interventions.
USAID Training Success Stories
Numerous examples of success stories have been cited where the technical assistance 
contractor and the training contractor have collaborated to obtain observable and 
measurable results through the Participant Training Program. Several are outlined below.
1. Judicial Code of Ethics Training (February 2004)
This study tour was part of the USAID Judicial Development Project and brought
together judges of the Supreme Judicial Council and the Union of Judges to review and 
assess the Austrian and Spanish approaches to the question of ethical conduct among 
judges. This study tour resulted in a closer partnership between these two bodies and 
upon completion of the activity a code of ethics that had been drafted and recommended 
several months earlier was quickly passed. The achievement came from a careful, 
representative selection of participants and the training contractor’s expertise in soliciting 
proposals and selecting the most appropriate organizations and countries to make this 
activity a success.
2. Training in More Effective Municipal Councils (June 2003)
This study tour to Denmark and Poland was organized in support of the Local 
Government Initiative (LGI) to promote effective interaction between municipal councils 
and the public. Participants included representatives of municipal councils and national￾level policy makers, all of whom became strong advocates for an amendment to the Law 
on Local Government and Local Administration that enables citizens to participate 
directly in the work of municipal councils as a result of the training. One enterprising 
participant, a Mayor, decided to make his municipality a model for the country and 
championed the practice of publishing council decisions in regional media. The creation 
of a strong, representative advocacy group is having a gradual, yet positive, impact on 
local development..
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3. Institute of Internal Auditors Training (May 2003)
Following a study tour to Prague to observe and analyze the activities of the Czech 
affiliate of the International Institute of Auditors, the president of the (then) Bulgarian 
Association of Internal Audit Practitioners, who participated in the study tour, 
coordinated the application process for establishing the Bulgarian Institute of Internal 
Auditors (BIIA). The new institute was formally recognized as an affiliate of the 
international organization in June 2003, and will help bring Bulgaria’s auditing standards 
to international norms. It is an example of successfully transferring knowledge on 
organizational qualities, so as to move a national professional group to a level of 
international standards and recognition.
4. Ombudsman Role Training (July 2003)
Under the USAID initiative, Coalition 2000, the PTP arranged a study tour of an 
influential Bulgarian delegation with ombudsmen officials in Madrid and Barcelona, 
which resulted in the introduction of an amendment to the Law on Local Self￾Government and Self-Administration that passed Parliament, within a month after the 
participants returned. This amendment authorized Municipal Councils to elect public 
mediators. A number of local NGOs have since arranged seminars in several towns on 
the subject, and many other towns are seeking guidance and information from the Sofia 
Ombudsman. The training helped convince the Bulgarian delegation of the need and 
value of an ombudsman role associated with local government in Bulgaria.
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APPENDIX C 
ORGANIZATIONS CONTACTED
USAID Mission to Bulgaria
Ms. Debra McFarland
Mission Director
Ms. Nora Ovcharova
Program Specialist
Mr. Gene Gibson
Senior Advisor, Rule of Law and Governance
Mr. Mihail Boyadjiev
Advisor, Rule of Law
Mr. Petar Kovachev
Governance Advisor
Ms. Svetozara Petkova
Commercial Law Specialist
Mr. David Lieberman
Chief, Economic Growth and Restructuring Office
Ms. Rayna Dimitrova
Program management Specialist - Health and Labor Programs
Ms. Ivanina Beleva
Program Management Specialist - Energy and Environment
EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Mr. Matthew R. Lussenhop
Counselor for Public Affairs, American Center
WORLD LEARNING 
USAID E&E Bureau Regional Participant Training Program
Mr. Matt Brown
Bulgaria Country Director
Mr. Kostadin Evstatiev
Program Coordinator
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AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN BULGARIA
Dr. Olga Borissova
Director, Centre for European Programmes and Elieff Center
BEARINGPOINT
USAID Commercial Law Reform Program
Mr. Chris Thompson
Chief of Party
Ms. Ralitsa Petrova
Program Specialist
Ms. Kalina Lazarova
Project Coordinator
BROADCAST TRAINING CENTER 
USAID ProMedia Project
Mr. Anton Tenev
Program Manager
BULGARIAN INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION
Ms. Teodora Borissova
Internet Training Manager
Ms. Elena Tasheva
Expert, Center for VET
BULGARIAN INVESTMENT AGENCY
Ms. Iva Stoikova
Director, Investment Marketing and Analysis
CARANA CORPORATION
USAID Labor Market Project
Ms. Gergana Rakovska
Deputy COP
CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF DEMOCRACY, COALITION 2000
Ms. Zhivka Damyanova
Senior Adviser
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DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO BULGARIA
Mr. Ruud Van Enk
Counsellor
Head of PHARE/ISPA Section
EAST-WEST MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE 
USAID Judicial Development Program
Ms. Virginia Leavitt
Deputy Chief of Party
Judicial Training Specialist
FOUNDATION FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM
Ms. Ginka Kapitanova
Executive Director
Ms. Nikoleta Efremova
Training Team Leader
FULBRIGHT PROGRAM
Bulgarian-American Commission for Educational Exchange
Assoc. Prof. Julia Stefanova, Ph.D.
Executive Director
GABROVO COMMUNITY DONATION FUND 
Ms. Ralitsa Genkova
Executive Director
GLOBAL FINANCE
Sofia Representative Office
Mr. Daniel Tomov
Investment Manager
ICT DEVELOPMENT AGENCY 
Ministry of Transport and Communications 
Mr. Orlin Kouzov
CEO
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INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT
Phone: 359-2-958-2433
Ms. Antoaneta Tzoneva
Ex-Ombudsman of Sofia
INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION 
OF THE GERMAN ADULT EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
Dr. Maria Todorova
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
Mr. Valeri Dimitrov, MP 
Chairman of the Economic Policy Commission 
3 NET ASSOCIATION
Mr. Vladimir Galabov
Ms. Iren Stephanova
Mr. Plamen Dimitrov
OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE SOFIA
Ms. Cveta Petkova
Program Director, Roma
REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MUNICIPALITIES “TRAKIA”
Mr. Ivan Varlyakov, Ph.D.
Executive Director
RTI INTERNATIONAL
USAID Local Government Initiative
Mr. Henry P. Minis, Jr.
Chief of Party
SOFIA COURT OF APPEALS
Mr. Evgeny Staikov
Chairperson
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SOFIA UNIVERSITY “ST. KLIMENT OHRIDSKI”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Roumen Nikolov
Vice Dean, Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics
STARA ZAGORA COMMUNITY DONATION FUND
Ms. Daniela Dimitrova
Executive Director
THE INDEX FOUNDATION
Ms. Ludmila Mincheva
Board Chair
UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
Ms. Maria Zlatareva – Pernishka
Assistant Resident Representative
UNITED DUTCH FOUNDATIONS 
FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE
(Samenwerkende Fondsen Midden- en Oost-Europa)
Ms. Maria Petkova
Coordinator
WORLD BANK
Ms. Boryana Gotcheva, PhD
Senior Social Sector Operations Officer
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APPENDIX D
STATISTICS ON BULGARIANS TRAINED
TOTAL BULGARIA PARTICIPANTS TRAINED 1993-PRESENT 
Bulgarian Trainees By Year of Training and Location
Year IC TC US N/A Total
1993 10 10
1994 15 15
1995 18 223 241
1996 20 1,224 1,244
1997 17 276 293
1998 12 91 116 219
1999 2 25 156 41 224
2000 70 188 258
2001 95 92 193 380
2002 111 97 204 412
2003 420 119 110 649
2004 190 147 97 434
2005 36 12 48
N/A 3 3
Total 818 601 1,106 1,905 4,430
Bulgarian Trainees By Gender and Location
Gender IC TC US Blank Total
Female 184 281 516 130 1,111
Male 193 320 567 252 1,332
Group (M/F) 20 1,476 1,496
Blank 441 3 47 491
Total 818 601 1,106 1,905 4,430
Bulgarians by Major F ield of Stu dy and Location
Major Field of Study IC TC US Blank Total 
Agriculture & Natural Resources 249 38 76 417 780
Arts & Humanities 0 0 0 0 0 
Business Development 218 151 106 117 592
Education 0 60 61 19 140
Management Skills 122 94 381 775 1,372
Not Specified 57 18 0 37 112
Physical & Natural Sciences 1 7 10 2 20
Population, Health & Nutrition 2 10 51 18 81
Social Sciences 167 192 379 509 1,247
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Technical Skills 0 11 17 6 34
Blank 2 20 25 0 47
Total 818 601 1,106 1,905 4,430
Bulgarians by Specific Field of Study and Location
Field of Study IC TC US Blank Total
Accounting 52 0 34 21 107
Administration, Development 0 0 4 0 4
Advertising 0 0 3 5 8
Agribusiness Management 0 0 0 45 45
Agricultural Biotechnology 60 0 2 0 62
Agricultural Business 0 8 18 92 118
Agricultural Cooperatives 0 0 6 0 6
Agricultural Development 150 0 0 0 150
Agricultural Policy 18 0 1 0 19
Agricultural Training 0 0 18 0 18
Agriculture & Natural Resources 0 0 6 0 6
Agriculture, misc 15 0 0 0 15
Banking 46 6 28 28 108
Banking & Financial Training 0 0 7 0 7
Banking, Finance 46 6 3 0 55
Building & Construction Trade 0 0 0 4 4
Building and Construction 0 0 0 1 1
Business 60 16 21 1 98
Business & Labor Law 0 0 6 1 7
Business / Finance General 0 9 10 0 19
Business / Investments and Securities 0 12 15 0 27
Business Advertising 0 0 2 5 7
Business Development 0 0 1 0 1
Business Management 22 14 21 15 72
Business Management & Admin 0 0 2 38 40
Business Marketing 0 0 0 1 1
Business Marketing Research 0 0 0 1 1
Business Policy 0 37 23 121 181
Business, General 0 5 11 6 22
Business/Finance General 0 0 1 0 1
College & University Admin 0 0 5 5
Communications & Broadcasting 0 0 2 9 11
Communications/General 0 11 13 6 30
Communications/Television Journalism 0 0 4 0 4
Community Development 10 0 0 0 10
Comparative Law/Legal Systems 0 0 0 14 14
Computer Maintenance Tech 0 0 0 1 1
Conference Attendance 0 8 0 0 8
Construction & Building Trades 0 0 0 25 25
Construction Regs & Inspection 0 0 0 2 2
Consultation 0 0 0 2 2
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Cost & Financial Management
0
0
1
0
1
Counseling & Guidance
0
0
0
2
2
Court Administration
0
1 34
0 35
Criminology/Law Enforcement 47
0
3
6 56
Dairy
0
0
0 50 50
Development Planning
0
0
0 206 206
Diagnostic Radiology
0
0
0
2
2
Eastern Europe/Russian History
0
0
0
1
1
Econometrics
0
0
0 24 24
Economic Development 49 25 14 148 236
Economic Planning
0
1 11 12
Economics
0
1 13
1 15
Economics/Money and Banking
0
1
0
1
Educ 
- Culturally Disadvantaged
0 14
0
0 14
Education
0
9
0
3 12
Education Development
0
0
1
0
1
Electronic Engineering
0
0
0
1
1
Employment & Unemployment
0
0
0
4
4
Energy
0
7
4
0 11
Energy Regulation
0 10
7
0 17
English Literature
0
0
0
1
1
Entrepreneurial Development
0 24
0
0 24
Environment/Conservation
0 20 24
0 44
Farm Management
0
0 23 23
Finance
0 16 34 11 61
Finance, Accounting
0
0
2
0
2
Finance/Banking
0
0
1
0
1
Fisheries 
- Salt Water
0
0
0
1
1
Food 25
0
1
0 26
Food Processing
0
0
0
8
8
Foreign Policy
0
0
0
2
2
General Agriculture
0
0
0 32 32
General Business
0
0
0 14 14
General Communications
0
0
0
1
1
General Conservation
0
0
0
3
3
General Economics
0
0
0
2
2
General Finance
0
0
1
0
1
General Law
0
0 14
3 17
General Marketing
0
0
0
4
4
General Political Science
0
0
0
2
2
General Public Administration
0
0
0
2
2
General Social Work
0
0
0
1
1
Governance General
0 18
0
0 18
Govt Organization & Mgmt
0 12 17
0 29
Grant
-making
0 10
0
0 10
Health Education
0 11
1
0 12
Health Facilities Administration
0
0
1
0
1
Health Services Delivery
0 10
0
0 10
Home Economics
0
0
1
0
1
Hospital Administration
0
0
0
2
2
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Hotel & Resort Administration
0
0
0
3
3
Human Rights Education
0 10
0
0 10
Information Science & Systems
1
0
0
0
1
Insurance
0
0 21
1 22
International Business Admin
1
0 10
1 12
International Economics
0
0
0
1
1
International Law
0
0
1
1
2
International Trade
0
0
0
1
1
Investments & Securities
2 11 46 147 206
Journalism
0
0
6
1
7
Journalism, Media, Communications
0
0 12
0 12
Judiciary System
0 13 17
0 30
Labor
1 13
1
6 21
Labor Ministry Development
0
8
0
0
8
Labor Organizations
0
9
0
0
9
Labor Relations
0
0
1
0
1
Labor Union Administration
0
0
0
2
2
Law Enforcement
0
0 10
0 10
Law, General 50 31 21
0 102
Law, Legal Administration
0
1
0
0
1
LAW, MISC
0
0 10
0 10
Law/Observation of US Legal Systems
0
0 26
0 26
Legal Education
0
0 24
0 24
Macroeconomic Theory
0
0
0
1
1
Management Skills
0
0 12 12 24
Management Training
0
0 25 128 153
Manufacturing, Industry
0
0
1
0
1
Marketing Economics
0
0
0 102 102
Marketing Research
0
0
0 18 18
Marketing, General
0
0
0
1
1
Media Develpment
1
0
8
0
9
Medical Records
0
0
0
5
5
Microeconomic Theory
0
0
0 25 25
Migration
0
0
1
0
1
Minorities/Minority Relations
3 25
1
0 29
Misc Agriculture
0
0
0 166 166
Misc Architecture
0
0
0
3
3
Misc Law
0
0
0
1
1
Misc Public Admin
0
0
0
4
4
Monetary Policy
0
0
0
3
3
Municipal Associations
1
0
0
0
1
Municipal Governments
6 20
0 119 145
NGO Management
0
1
0
0
1
Observation
-US Courts/Admin
0
0
0
4
4
Observation
-US Government
0
0
0
1
1
Occupation Therapy
0
0
0
4
4
Off-site Bank Supervision
0
0
4
0
4
On
-Site Bank Supervision
0
0
0
6
6
Operations Research
0
0
0 10 10
Optometry
0
0
0
1
1
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Other Special Training 0 0 0 35 35
Peace Corps/Community Devt 0 12 0 0 12
Political Development 0 10 0 0 10
Political Science 0 0 10 0 10
Printing & Publishing 0 0 0 2 2
Production & Marketing 0 0 12 3 15
Public Administration 4 34 108 0 146
Public Finance & Tax Policy 0 0 54 6 60
Public Health 2 0 50 1 53
Public Law 0 0 20 1 21
Public Relations 17 0 24 1 42
Public Welfare 0 0 20 0 20
Real Estate 0 0 0 1 1
Scientific Research 0 0 6 0 6
Small Business Development 0 7 0 31 38
Social Change Issues 0 2 0 0 2
Social Security 0 10 0 0 10
Social Services 4 12 30 0 46
Taxation 0 0 8 10 18
Telecommunications 0 0 29 0 29
Tourism 65 14 1 0 80
Tourism & Travel 0 0 0 8 8
Training, Special Training, Other 57 10 0 0 67
Transportation 1 0 0 0 1
US Elections 0 0 3 0 3
US Political Systems 0 0 0 8 8
Women's Activities 0 8 10 0 18
(blank) 2 20 25 0 47
Total 818 601 1,106 1,905 4,430
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APPENDIX E
SCOPE OF WORK
IMPACT EVALUATION 
OF USAID/BULGARIA PARTICIPANT TRAINING PROGRAM 
AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TRAINING CAPABILITIES
I. Introduction
The focus of this evaluation will be 1) the USAID-funded Participant Training 
Programs (PTP), implemented for the past ten years under contract by World 
Learning Inc (WL), and 2) local alternatives for PTP legacy mechanisms. Over 
the years the PTP program has evolved from a myriad of stand-alone programs 
into a true crosscutting activity, which provides short training interventions in 
support of the long-term strategic objectives of all USAID activities. Currently 
the PTP, in close coordination with USAID and its implementing partners, 
handles the majority of training programs and study tours that take place in the 
U.S., in other countries, or in Bulgaria. Based on the PTP Impact Evaluation, the 
team shall provide recommendations about the appropriate in the local context 
post-USAID legacy mechanism and tools, including, but not limited to local 
partner organization’s capable of hosting PTP-type activities, for consideration 
and ultimate informed decision by the Mission.
II. Background
The PTP program complements the objectives of the ongoing USAID projects by 
providing for the required practical skills, knowledge and attitude to be acquired 
by the prospective local experts, who are seen as the drivers of change. 
Additionally, training programs and observation of successful models abroad 
motivate and empower people to advocate for changes – these are based on the 
principle of “help people help themselves” and focus on facilitating sustainable 
development at local institutions. PTP has proven to be a flexible mechanism for 
quick and efficient response to deficiencies related to learning and attitudinal 
gaps, and/or to any politically tainted requests. 
 The PTP program is expected to run through the USAID Graduation year of 2007 
when Bulgaria is scheduled to join the EU. A formal impact assessment has never 
been conducted for the last 5 years, so USAID is planning to commission an 
independent assessment to validate reports on achievements and to evaluate 
longer-term program impacts. Additionally, during the outer years USAID will 
focus mainly on strengthening local partner institutions in an attempt to leave 
lasting and sustainable legacies behind. As the Mission is currently exploring 
alternatives of PTP legacy mechanisms to continue with 1) implementation of 
training programs as needed, 2) coordination of training capacities and needs in 
Bulgaria and in the region, and 3) maintaining the links among all past and 
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present US trainees (Georgetown ECESP, PTP, Fulbright and Ron Brown 
fellowships, IV Programs, etc.), we ask the team to recommend PTP legacy 
options, incl. but not limited to the option of a local training provider to take 
over/serve as PTP legacy.
III. Objectives of the Evaluation
The evaluation has the following principle objectives: 
1) The evaluation will specifically identify existing challenges to achieving 
long-term sustainability of program outcomes, for consideration and 
appropriate actions under the legacy mechanisms.
2) The team shall further assess the local alternatives for PTP legacy tools 
and mechanisms, incl. but not limited to short-listed local training 
providers, with a view of their capabilities to become legacy partners for 
the following illustrative/non-exhausting list of functions: Implementation 
of training programs as needed, coordination of training capacities and 
needs in Bulgaria and in the region, serving as headquarters of all US￾trained alumni associations, maintaining the links among all past and 
present US trainees (Georgetown ECESP, PTP, Fulbright and Ron Brown 
fellowships, IV Programs, etc.), and as a Third Country Training (TCT) 
provider with extensive knowledge of local and in-country training 
providers. 
3) Based on the PTP efficiency and impact evaluation, the assessment of 
local legacy alternatives and the projected future demand, the contractor 
shall provide USAID with a set of recommendations on how to link PTP 
activities with strengthening the proposed legacy tools. 
IV. Evaluation Questions
The evaluation should address the needs, purpose, and methodologies behind the 
creation and maintenance of legacy partners. 
A. PTP Legacy Alternatives/Capabilities of Indigenous Training Providers 
ß What is the host country HCD environment – number and level of training 
providers?
ß Has local capacity been built through the PTP Program?
ß Are local training providers capable to serve as a TCT office, maintain a 
database of US alumni and serve as a secretariat of a potential Alumni 
association? Suggested criteria (not to be limited to the below)
- HCD and Training as overarching Mission and Goal
- Qualified personnel – logistics providers and training experts
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- Prior training experience
- Extensive knowledge of BG and regional donor, public and private 
programs and potential trainees’ needs?
- Sources of funding? Share of own revenue derived from training￾related services?
ß Have there been any collaboration efforts with other donor training 
programs and activities implemented in Bulgaria, which pertain to legacy 
building? Outside of Bulgaria? If so, what were the outcomes? If no, what 
might be the challenges to establish such relations?
ß What are the lessons learned after 10 years of training in 2 directions:
– has a community of training professionals been built
– have the networks of sector experts been created – if yes: formal or 
informal? 
B. Recommendations re: Improved PTP effectiveness and Legacy tools
ß What are the challenges/obstacles to achieving sustainability and/or 
having long-term impact of HCD training programs?
ß Based on the comprehensive understanding of PTP achievements and 
impact, the host country environment and the projected demand, what 
would be the most appropriate legacy tool?
ß Have the training programs affected the relationships between former 
trainees in a mixed group – consolidated their relations, new bridges, or 
lifetime enemies?
ß How viable is an Alumni association model as a legacy mechanism – as a 
standalone vehicle, or rooted within an existing training provider?
ß What should be the short-term immediate future objectives of the PTP 
program as a balance between traditional programs and support for the 
legacy tool?
ß Assistance in promoting the PTP legacy mechanism in the region, as well 
as to donors.
V. Evaluation Methods
A. Literature/Desk Review 
Desk review of the available background information and report – the WL PTP 
Bulgaria task order, Quarterly reports and success stories, the annual brochures of 
WL training programs.
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After this stage the evaluation team shall draft a plan for the research to be 
undertaken together with an outline of the report – for USAID review and 
approval.
B. Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
ß Rapid Appraisal methods: key informant interviews, mini-surveys based 
on structured open-ended questionnaire, direct observations
ß Non-probability sampling (the sample shall be credible, i.e. there should 
be logical selection of the sample to be surveyed) 
ß Selection Criteria for Trainees and Organizations to be interviewed:
ß Diverse partner institutions size (large, medium, small, VIPS and mid 
level professionals, local authorities, SME businesses and NGOs– across 
SOs, men-women, etc.)
- Trainings implemented in all the fiscal years reviewed (FY98-
FY02, potential comparison between trainings implemented 1-3 
years ago vs. 4-5 years ago as a way to seek longer versus 
shorter-term impact; also:)
- Proportional representation of programs in all USAID SO areas? 
- Maximum variety of implemented activities 
- Feasibility in terms of time and effort
In conducting the assessment a participatory approach will be used to ensure 
stakeholders’ ownership of the results and findings and their commitment to 
follow-up course of action for strengthening the legacy vehicle.
VI. Team Composition 
The evaluation team shall comprise of three to four independent evaluators – an expert 
in HCD and training programs development, and an Evaluations expert with HCD 
experience – two foreign experts and one or two local independent consultants with 
extensive knowledge about PTP-like types of donor programs/their components.
Criteria for the positions:
® HCD and Training Programs expert - at least 10 years 
in development and management of PTP-type of programs, 
experience with donors and overseas development programs is 
required, preferably w/ USAID in the SEE region
® Evaluation Expert: at least 10 years of experience 
evaluating projects. Demonstrated qualitative and quantitative 
research skills. Survey and questionnaire design and data 
analysis/interpretation.
Local experts – Extensive experience (min 5 years) with a mix of the following: 
Bulgarian public administration, educational institutions, donor PTP type of programs, 
civil society and economic think tanks, etc. Familiarity 
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VII. Illustrative Schedule
Preparation for departure /meetings at AID/EGAT/W – 4 days
Fieldwork in Bulgaria Two weeks 
Follow-up in the US One week 
Travel 4 days 
The evaluation is expected to last appr. 4 weeks, 2 weeks in the field (Nov. 11-24, 
2004).
Week 1: Preparatory Work: The team shall spend the first week in finalizing the 
methodology, agenda, evaluation work plan, as well as on conducting a desk 
review of all the available indigenous capacities, annual ceremony brochures, 
success stories and statistical data. During this period, it is also supposed to 
develop a list of interviewees (focus groups), institutions & locations to visit, and 
duration of the site visits. An interview/questionnaire shall also be developed for 
discussion with USAID. A detailed outline of the draft report shall be submitted 
to USAID at end of week One. The remaining time will be spent on collecting 
data and identifying data sources.
Week 2 & 3: Field Work: The team shall conduct site visits and interviews at the 
institutions of the in-country training providers. This phase will include field 
interviews, or focus groups where applicable with USAID staff and partners, as 
well as informational interviews with the PTP Country Director, WL program 
Assistants, USAID TA projects, the local training providers. Upon completion of 
first week of the fieldwork, the evaluation team shall debrief relevant USAID 
officials, and submit mid-term progress report. 
Week 4 : Report Writing: The team shall produce a complete draft of its 
evaluation report within 7 days of completing the field work involved in the 
evaluation. Following internal USAID review, a final report shall be developed 
within another week, reflecting the Mission’s comments and recommendations. 
VIII. Personnel and Level of Effort
Level of effort
Team leader: HCD Specialist – 24 days
Participant Training and Institutional capacity Expert 18 days
Education/Training Spec. 24 days
Local HCD and training experts (2) - 20 days
Total 86 days
IX. Logistics and Technical Direction
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Logistics: Travel and per diem shall be provided for by the Evaluation 
Contractor.
The Mission will provide the team with contact info for short-listed local training 
providers. Translator (if needed) shall be provided for by the Contractor. WL 
office will facilitate contacts with stakeholders and provide logistical support on a 
limited basis. 
Supervision: The Evaluation team will be working under the direct supervision of 
the USAID/Bulgaria Program Officer, Ms Ivanka Tzankova and the 
USAID/Bulgaria Training Officer, Ms Nora Ovcharova. While in USAID/W, Mr. 
Jeffrey Shahan will provide overall background at USAID/EGAT/W.
X. Existing Performance Information Sources
Quarterly and Semi-annual reports on the regional PTP program are submitted to 
the USAID/Wash CTO. A web-based success story page is maintained by the 
Washington offices. The WL Bulgaria office is staffed with of 6 participants who 
work on specific programs. 
Other basic relevant documents include the Bulgaria task order, project proposals, 
reports, and other reports.
XI. Deliverables and Reporting Requirements
- An Evaluation Plan and Outline - based on the desk review, the plan shall 
outline the agenda for filed work and meetings suggested. (The local experts shall 
facilitate scheduling of the meetings, with USAID PTP support for the initial1-2 
days)
- A report outline – at the end of the First week: Quantitative analysis
- A first progress report – end of first fieldwork
- A first draft report – end of second filed workweek
- A complete evaluation report - end of fourth week 
- A final evaluation report – within a week after USAID/Bulgaria comments, to 
include the final evaluation report with findings, conclusions, and 
recommendations in English. The final report shall be submitted to the USAID 
Mission by December 15, 2004.
XII. Annexes:
Definitions of important aspects of the PTP Program, supporting materials in the 
form of samples of stakeholder agreements, action plans, thank-you letter, etc. 
docs re: impact.