Evaluation guidelines for foreign assistance

The intent of these guidelines is limited. They do not in any way substitute for the formal policies and operational procedures which the State Department and USAID have established for evaluation. Nor do they preclude USAID or State from revising or reformulating their existing guidance in response to their emerging needs and future requirements. These guidelines are intended for use by State Department and USAID staff responsible for initiating and managing evaluations of foreign assistance programs and projects. These staffers are described as "evaluation managers" in the following pages; they have responsibility for contracting and supervising evaluations but not for conducting them. It is the responsibility of evaluation professionals, and not managers, to design and carry out evaluations using suitable methodologies and knowledge of the substantive field. The guidelines are divided into two parts. The first part explains the meaning and core issues of evaluation, identifies objectives of foreign assistance evaluations, and discusses different types of evaluations that can be undertaken. It also discusses evaluation principles that should inform foreign assistance evaluations and the various modalities for evaluation. Finally, it identifies institutional responsibilities for evaluations. The second part focuses on managing the evaluation process. It describes the steps involved in planning, contracting, managing data collection and analysis, reviewing the draft report and follow-up. These guidelines are neither comprehensive nor do they cover the technical issues and processes involved in evaluation. Each evaluation should be treated as a distinct research and analytical endeavor, and a standardized approach is neither possible nor desirable. In no way should these guidelines be construed as a manual for conducting evaluations. Finally, the guidelines contain short annexes on legal requirements and on resources for evaluating foreign assistance programs. (Author abstract, modified)