Hungarian Evaluation Study Tour

Dublin 8/9 May 2003

External Evaluation: A

Consultant’s Perspective

1

Who We Are

consultancy, specialising in economic, public policy

analysis

very wide experience in EU structural funds evaluation

assisting KPMG Budapest regarding ex ante evaluations

(ECOP and EIOP)

2

Experience in Evaluation of Operational Programmes

2000-2006 1994-99 1989-93 Mainstream

Ops** Community Initiatives

Mainstream OPs

Community Initiatives

Mainstream OPs

Community Initiatives

Prior Appraisals

LEADER + Feoga Rural

Development North-South

INTERREG* Ireland-Wales

INTERREG*

Local Urban and Rural Development*

Tourism

LEADER II

Mid-term Evaluations

Human resources BMW regional

EQUAL Ireland-Wales

INTERREG

Industry* Tourism CSF and the Regions Environment* Agriculture and Rural

Development

LEADER II* Employment and Adapt Small Business

Ongoing External Evaluators

Roads Investment Employment and

Human Resources Development

Industry* Tourism

LEADER II

Ex-post Evaluators

LEADER II* Employment and Adapt

Water and Sanitary Services

Rural Development Farmyard Pollution

STAR Envireg

EU-wide Thematic Evaluations

RTD*

Transport* RTD

STRIDE* (R+D)

*Fitzpatrick Associates acts as a sub-contractor on these projects.

3

Internal and External Evaluations

Features Internal External

Experience Can build internal capacity

Large cumulative experience, also related studies

Expertise Can build specialist evaluation expertise

Can have specialist sectoral expertise e.g. transport, environment

Independence Can be difficult to balance with internal role

Need for caution on conflicts of interest but can have credibility with EUAbility to influence Being internal helps Depends on context

Capacity Ready availability, but ongoing commitment

A flexible resource

Cost Depends on size, ongoing, full cost crucial

High in short-term, but not ongoing

4

Areas to Watch

Terms of Reference Clarity Focus Indicate Scale

Relationships Be open post selection Avoid surprises

Committees Raise particular issues

Commission Views external evaluators as its “people on the ground” Must be kept in the loop

5