JVI Hosts TADAT Team Leader Training

The TADAT Secretariat, in conjunction with the Training Resources Group (TRG) and JVI staff, conducted the fourth training workshop for TADAT team leaders at the JVI from December 12 to 15, 2017. The four-day intensive course is designed to expose participants to the leadership qualities, and organizational and writing skills that are considered essential for a TADAT assessment team leader.

What is TADAT?
The Tax Administration Diagnostic Assessment Tool (TADAT) is designed to provide an objective assessment of the health of key components of a country's system of tax administration.<link file: srvsfs1 global articles tadat>[1] This framework is focused on the nine key performance outcome areas (POAs) that cover most tax administration functions, processes and institutions. Once a country has requested for an assessment, it is conducted by a team of independent TADAT trained assessors, and evidence supporting the scores is adduced and documented in a Performance Assessment Report (PAR). An assessment team is comprised of at least three TADAT trained assessors, one of whom is designated assessment team leader.

Who participated?
For this course, 12 participants were drawn from the following countries and their respective sponsoring agencies: Comoros (World Bank); Cote d’Ivoire (World Bank); France (Direction Générale des Finances Publiques—DGFIP); France (European Commission); Germany (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit—GIZ); India (Indian Revenue Service); Norway (Norwegian Agency for Development—NORAD); and Sierra Leone. Additionally, Mr. Herbert Mikulasek from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance (Tax and Customs Administration Unit) explained the Austrian tax system in the context of TADAT and served as an evaluator for team performance.

How was the course structured?
Workshop participants engaged in a series of role-play exercises that evaluated their ability to lead teams (including in stressful circumstances), and to put into practice the diagnostic assessment, rating and reporting techniques of the TADAT framework. Participants operated in teams of four to plan a mission, conduct a pre-mission briefing, manage assessment discussions, request the authorities for relevant evidence, score the dimensions and indicators, write and then present the Performance Assessment Report (PAR) to government authorities at an exit meeting. Each participant had an opportunity to lead a work-session and demonstrate his/her leadership skills. The participants also had an opportunity to ask questions and receive responses from the TADAT Secretariat on various TADAT issues.

What is the status of TADAT?
As of December 2017, there have been a total of 50 TADAT assessments, and 1,449 tax experts trained in the TADAT methodology. Of these, 337 are certified TADAT assessors, qualified to conduct TADAT assessments worldwide. Additionally, 53 TADAT assessors have been trained as team leaders, 15 of whom have led assessments.

In addition to providing useful data on the strengths and weaknesses of tax administrations worldwide, TADAT is assisting countries and technical assistance providers in crafting reform plans. For example: Sierra Leone, in refining their strategic and annual work plans; Malawi has included the key TADAT performance elements in staff appraisals using the Balanced Score Card approach; and Rwanda, in revamping the taxpayers register and developing a robust risk management application.

For more information on TADAT, please visit <link http: www.tadat.org>www.tadat.org or email <link>Secretariat@tadat.org.

Drew Waddington, TADAT Secretariat