2.4.36 For the payment mechanism to operate effectively, there must be a mechanism under the contract that enables the public agency to easily and cost-effectively monitor the provider's performance against the availability and performance standards agreed in the contract. Monitoring involves the collection and evaluation of data that should be objective, relevant and quantifiable, and agreed with the provider. There should also be a clear connection between the data collected and the financial penalties for unavailability or sub-standard performance.