Checklist for Reviewing Scopes of Work for Performance Evaluations

This evaluation checklist was developed by USAID to support, review and strengthen scope of work (SOW) during the evaluation planning stage.

"In most cases you should plan evaluations during the project design stage. Use the Checklist at this stage to “rough out” the SOW while adding detail as you get closer to the start date for the evaluation. The eighteen (18) items that are bolded are the most critical factors that should be  addressed in early drafts of the SOW. All forty one (40) factors should be adequately addressed (with a rating of 3 or higher) by the time the SOW is finalized. One of the most critical factors in the SOW is to ensure that the relationship between the number of evaluation questions, level of effort and budget for the evaluation is clear and realistic." (USAID 2011)

Contents

  • Introduction
  • Statement of work checklist:
    • Adherence to general principles in USAID's new evaluation policy
    • Identify the activity, project, or approach to be evaluated
    • Provide a brief background on the development hypotheses and its implementation
    • Identify existing performance information source, with special attention to monitoring data
    • State the purpose of, audience for and use of the evaluation
    • Clarify the evaluation question(s)
    • Identify the evaluation options
    • Specify evaluation deliverable(s) and the timeline
    • Discuss evaluation team composition (one team member should be an evaluation specialist) and participation of customers and partners
    • Cover procedures such as scheduling and logistics
    • Clarify requirements for reporting
    • Include a level of effort and budget
    • Reviewer sense of reasonableness

 

Sources

USAID, Learning, Evaluation and Research (2012). Checklist for reviewing scopes of work for performance evaluations. Retrieved from website: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADU534.pdf

'Checklist for Reviewing Scopes of Work for Performance Evaluations' is referenced in: