RE: Neutrality-impartiality-independence. At which stage of the evaluation is each concept important?   | Eval Forward

Dear colleagues,

This discussion has already been an insightful and reassuring of the standards in the evaluation profession.

It would be great to unpack the issue of 'indepedence', to contextualize based on an example not previoulsy highllighted.  For those members who have consulted for independent evaluation offices , i.e. of Rome-base agencies, AfDB, IEG, GEF, any others, and those members who work in those evaluation offices- what does 'indepedence' mean between evaluation office and a consultant/team hired to implement an evaluation.

- How 'independent' is a consultant/consultant team from a commisioner (aka indeedent evaluation office)?

- Is there a point at which technical guidance and quality assurance by the commisioner (aka indeedent evaluation office)  threatens indepedence of the evaluaton consultant/team?

- What about collected evidence (interview notes): is commisioner entitled to obtain them, to be able to 'fall back' on, once the evaluation consultant/team is no longer under contract?  

In pondering about the issue, let us all be reminded that independent evaluation arrangaments do not report to management by design of the governance and assurance structures. 

I am looking forward to hearing from all of you, on both sides.

Cheers,

Svetlana Negroustoueva

Lead, Evaluation Function

CGIAR Advisory Services Shared Secretariat (CAS) Rome, Italy