REGIONAL PROJECT UNIT

The PROCARIBE+ Project, as a “double-LME”, regional multi (20+)-country, multi-partner project, covering several linguistic and geopolitical subregions and thematically cutting across a variety of ocean-related disciplines, introduces the requirement for, and concept of a strong regional project management and technical coordination/support unit”. 

The term “Project Management and Coordination Unit” (PMCU) combines and at the same time differentiates between, on one hand, the project management responsibilities, and, on the other hand, the substantive project technical support and geographic and thematic coordination responsibilities, assigned to this Unit. 

It is noted in this context how the critical role of a strong PMCU in overall project adaptive management and success has been highlighted in the independent evaluations of the PROCARIBE+'s predecessor projects, CLME (2009-2014) and CLME+ (2015-2023). 

The PROCARIBE+ PMCU is created and operated by the United Nations Office for Project Services, UNOPS, for the duration of the project. 

The PMCU deploys an adaptive project management approach, supported by regular stock-taking and early risk detection based on solid (online, collaborative) progress monitoring & evaluation approaches, following established best practice from the predecessor CLME and CLME+ Projects. 

The PMCU is responsible for the overall day-to-day management and technical coordination of the project, including the mobilization of all project inputs and the supervision of PCMU Human Resources, project responsible parties/co-executing partners, consultants and contractors. 

The PMCU typically presents key deliverables and documents to the PROCARIBE+ Project Board for their review and approval, including progress reports, annual work plans, adjustments to tolerance levels and risk registers.  

The UNOPS Project Manager/Regional Project Coordinator (PM/RPC) is the senior most representative of the PCMU, and is expected to attend all Project Board meetings and support the Project Board processes as a non-voting representative. 

Under its Project Component 1, PROCARIBE+ is expected to support the creation and, subsequently, the continuous operations of the regional "Coordination Mechanism to Support Integrated Ocean Governance" in the CLME+ region/Wider Caribbean (the regional "Ocean Coordination Mechanism", in short "OCM" - see PROCARIBE+ Output 1.1).

In this context, and out of cost-saving considerations, the PROCARIBE+ GEF-funded PMCU is expected to exercise the role of (interim) OCM Secretariat for the duration of the PROCARIBE+ Project - this unless a different (long-term) OCM Secretariat solution would be identified and decided upon by the OCM Steering Group and implemented prior to the PROCARIBE+ project end.  

Throughout its appointment as OCM Secretariat, the PROCARIBE+ PMCU will support the OCM - to the extent that it is enabled to do so through its installed capacity and the financial means at its disposition - by executing tasks in alignment with the specifications included under Article XII (“Secretariat”) of the OCM MOU, and the relevant decisions of the OCM organs. 

Between 2 October 2023 and up and until the commencement, in December 2024, of the MOU that creates the OCM, the PROCARIBE+ has exercised as Secretariat of the CLME+ Interim Coordination Mechanism, ICM - the latter now being replaced by the OCM.