As discussed in Article 1 (Alert: Start Preparing Now for Round 8!), the Global Fund requires each CCM to seek submissions from domestic organizations regarding what they would like the CCM to include in each proposal to the Fund. Accordingly, Aidspan has just published four documents to assist CCMs with this process of soliciting "in-country submissions". These are:

1. A sample "Template for In-Country Submissions"
2. A "Guidance Note for Completing the Template for In-Country Submissions"
3. A sample "Template for In-Country Submissions (Annotated Version)"
4. A "Cover Note for CCMs on the Aidspan Documents for In-Country Submissions"

All four documents are accessible at no charge at www.aidspan.org/aidspanpublications. Versions of the documents in French, Spanish and Russian will be posted by the end of December.

Aidspan has prepared these documents because there are currently no forms or templates available to assist CCMs with this in-country submissions process.

The first two documents - the Template and the Guidance Note - are designed to be used by organisations that are developing in-country submissions. CCMs should adapt these documents and then include them in their calls for submissions. The third document - the annotated version of the Template - is intended to be used solely by CCMs. It contains suggestions on ways in which CCMs can adapt the Template to meet their particular needs. The fourth document - the Cover Note - provides CCMs with detailed information on the purpose and use of the first three documents.

The sample Template is intended to serve two purposes: (1) to enable CCMs to obtain in-country submissions that they can effectively evaluate; and (2) to enable CCMs to obtain the information in a form that they can easily collate into their proposal to the Global Fund.

CCMs will be able to use the Aidspan documents for in-country submissions when preparing their Round 8 proposals to the Global Fund. The Fund will issue its call for proposals for Round 8 on 1 March 2008. The deadline for applications will be 1 July 2008. Aidspan strongly recommends that CCMs issue their calls for in-country submissions well before the Global Fund issues its Call for Proposals. This is because there is not enough time between the Call for Proposals and the deadline date for applications for the CCM to both (a) solicit and review in-country submissions, and (b) do all that is required to develop the proposal (based, in part, on the in-country submissions) and complete the proposal form.

Note: Although the Aidspan documents for in-country submissions have been designed for use by CCMs, they are equally applicable to Sub-National Coordinating Mechanisms (Sub-CCMs), and can be adapted for use by Regional Coordinating Mechanisms (RCMs) and Regional Organisations (ROs).

Aidspan provides additional guidance concerning the in-country submissions process in "The Aidspan Guide to Building and Running an Effective CCM - Second Edition," released in September 2007, and available at www.aidspan.org/guides.