AusAID Bilateral Donor System

• Country Program Evaluations included in Performance Management and Evaluation Policy (PMEP) of the Agency

• Part of Tier 2 of Agency Results Framework• Three identified components to ‘purpose’ –

management, learning and accountability • Builds on and tests self assessed Annual

Program Performance Reports (APPR)

AusAID CPE MethodologyEvaluates three elements of the strategic architecture – Country Situation Analysis – analysis and

policies to inform the ODA approach Country Strategy – a public statement of the

ODA approach Delivery Strategies – how AusAID will deliver

aid in each sector or priority area

AusAID CPE MethodologyEvaluative Criteria – Selectivity and focus – has a clear and informed allocation

rationale Represent whole-of-government interests – means the

interests of various Australian Government departments delivering ODA

Effectively managed – is strategic in nature, takes risks into due consideration and deploys resources efficiently

Produce results – refers to the outputs, outcomes and impacts (intended or unintended) of the cooperation program

Methodological Challenges Explicit versus implicit – strategy acknowledged as

only a small part of what the program does Operational approach entails much wider scale of

ways of working – understanding the link between the two is difficult

Avoiding retrospective strategies – does the strategy drive the program or the program drive the strategy?

Enough structure while not restricting innovation in approach

Choosing CPEsOffice for Development Effectiveness (ODE) responsible for CPEs- Work plan decided by Independent Evaluation Committee

(3 outside members 1 internal) - Largely driven by current internal performance and policy

priorities – Health Checks prepared by Operations to inform choices (set of broad-based program metrics)

- Very few CPEs in last 5 years – huge political opposition internally and little clarity without significant work on strategies themselves

- No mandatory requirement, but have returned to favor given political pressures on spend