Can Devtplan serve as an independent external evaluator?

Yes. We are frequently commissioned as an independent third-party evaluator — separate from the implementing agency — to provide credible, unbiased assessment. Our independence is a core part of the value we provide to funders who require arm's-length evaluation.

What donor reporting formats do you work with?

We are experienced with USAID's ADS-201 Performance Monitoring and Evaluation standards, the African Development Bank's Results Measurement Framework, the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria, KOICA's results reporting requirements, and BMZ programme-evaluation guidelines.

How do you handle an evaluation when there is no pre-existing baseline?

Where a baseline was not conducted before programme start, we use retrospective methods: recall surveys, secondary data analysis (DHIS2, census, administrative records), and matched comparison groups. We present the limitations of these approaches transparently in the evaluation design.

Do you conduct process evaluations as well as impact evaluations?

Yes. Process evaluations assess whether an intervention is being implemented as designed and identify implementation barriers. We combine document reviews, observation, and qualitative interviews with programme staff, beneficiaries, and community stakeholders.

Can you train our staff to maintain an M&E system after you leave?

Capacity strengthening is part of how we work. We can design and deliver workshops on M&E principles, indicator tracking, data quality assessment, and DHIS2 or KoBoToolbox platform operation for client and government counterpart staff.

Monitoring & Evaluation Consultants in Ghana

01

Devtplan Consult delivers the full spectrum of monitoring and evaluation services for donor-funded programmes in Ghana: evaluation design, baseline and endline data collection, experimental and quasi-experimental impact evaluation, M&E framework development, and project management support. Our assignments have been commissioned by the African Development Bank, KOICA, BMZ, the Gates Foundation (via RTI), and multiple implementing NGOs and government agencies.

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What it involves

What is a baseline, midline, and endline evaluation?

A baseline study measures the situation before an intervention begins, establishing the benchmark against which change will be assessed. A midline evaluation, conducted partway through implementation, tests whether early progress is on track and surfaces corrective-action signals. An endline evaluation measures the situation after the programme closes and compares it to the baseline to estimate the magnitude of change. Together, the three studies constitute a panel that documents programme performance for donor reporting and learning.

What is a randomised controlled trial (RCT) in development research?

A randomised controlled trial assigns beneficiaries to a treatment group (which receives the intervention) and a control group (which does not) through a random process. This randomisation isolates the causal effect of the programme from other confounding factors, producing the highest-confidence evidence of impact. Devtplan has managed RCT data collection for a KOICA maternal and child health programme, coordinating matched comparison groups across multiple districts of Ghana.

What does an M&E framework look like?

An M&E framework defines the programme's results chain (inputs → activities → outputs → outcomes → impact), the indicators used to measure each level, the baseline values, targets, data sources, collection methods, frequency, and responsibilities. We develop results frameworks aligned with USAID's Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Standards, the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria, and donor-specific requirements.

What project management services does Devtplan provide?

Beyond evaluation, Devtplan provides technical project management for donor-funded assignments: work-planning, sub-contractor oversight, milestone tracking, donor reporting, and adaptive management facilitation. This is most relevant for multi-year, multi-region programmes where the funder requires an independent management function alongside implementation.

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Methods & approaches

Evaluation design: experimental (RCT), quasi-experimental (DiD, PSM, RDD), and descriptive
Baseline, midline, and endline data collection at national and regional scale
Results-framework and M&E plan development (USAID, AfDB, EU, DFAT formats)
Performance indicator tracking and data verification
Impact evaluation using STATA, R, and Epi Info
Qualitative evaluation: FGDs, KIIs, most-significant-change interviews
Donor reporting and learning-event facilitation
Project management: work plans, milestone tracking, adaptive management

Who this service is for

Development partners requiring third-party evaluations; implementing NGOs and government agencies needing M&E framework design; bilateral and multilateral programmes commissioning impact studies.

Related work

01 / 2022

PASEWAY (BMZ)

Endline Evaluation — BMZ PASEWAY Programme

Employment & Youth — Multi-region

02 / c. 2021

KOICA

Baseline, Midline & Endline — KOICA Maternal & Child Health Impact Evaluation (RCT)

Health — Multi-region

03 / c. 2021

RTI International

Baseline & Midline Data Collection — Right to Play "Learning through Play" (LtP) P3

Education — Multi-region

View all assignments →

Frequently asked questions

Can Devtplan serve as an independent external evaluator?: Yes. We are frequently commissioned as an independent third-party evaluator — separate from the implementing agency — to provide credible, unbiased assessment. Our independence is a core part of the value we provide to funders who require arm's-length evaluation.
What donor reporting formats do you work with?: We are experienced with USAID's ADS-201 Performance Monitoring and Evaluation standards, the African Development Bank's Results Measurement Framework, the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria, KOICA's results reporting requirements, and BMZ programme-evaluation guidelines.
How do you handle an evaluation when there is no pre-existing baseline?: Where a baseline was not conducted before programme start, we use retrospective methods: recall surveys, secondary data analysis (DHIS2, census, administrative records), and matched comparison groups. We present the limitations of these approaches transparently in the evaluation design.
Do you conduct process evaluations as well as impact evaluations?: Yes. Process evaluations assess whether an intervention is being implemented as designed and identify implementation barriers. We combine document reviews, observation, and qualitative interviews with programme staff, beneficiaries, and community stakeholders.
Can you train our staff to maintain an M&E system after you leave?: Capacity strengthening is part of how we work. We can design and deliver workshops on M&E principles, indicator tracking, data quality assessment, and DHIS2 or KoBoToolbox platform operation for client and government counterpart staff.