Monitoring and evaluation

1. MONITORING & EVALUATION CAPABILITY STATEMENT
2011
7-9 North St David Street Edinburgh
United Kingdom EH2 1AW
Tel: +44(0)131 524 9640
Web: www.upperquartile.co.uk

2. Monitoring & Evaluation Capability
Upper Quartile Upper Quartile is an international management and economic development
consultancy based in Edinburgh. We specialise in providing creative advice
in the most challenging business and economic environments. All of our
partners are experienced international development and management
professionals who have worked at senior level in the public and private
sector. Our clients include international NGOs, the UN, government agencies
and global companies. Our scope of work embraces economic reconstruction
in hostile regions, advice on economic development and reform, and business
strategy and benchmarking.
The common theme is our ability to deliver clear, pragmatic solutions to
problems that are complex, highly uncertain and, occasionally, chaotic. We
have three main areas of expertise: post-conflict reconstruction; economic
development and reform; and business strategy.
Upper Quartile has worked extensively in several conflict-affected and fragile
economies, advising international donors and agencies and helping to build
local government capacity. Our work has included monitoring and
evaluation, strategic development, project design, FDI and trade promotion.
In addition, we currently have staff embedded in DFID addressing aspects of
poverty and post-conflict reconstruction.
Our Partners are accustomed to working alongside the military, to
coping with uncomfortable working conditions and to supporting national and
regional governments to build their own skills. They have been trained for
working in hostile environments and have security clearance to do so. As
conflict-affected economies recover, livelihoods, trade and investment
opportunities begin to develop. With our local knowledge and network of
contacts, we are able to advise small companies and global companies on
doing business in these economies and are currently working with Business
Development Service (BDS) providers as well as energy, logistics and
engineering companies.
You can find out more about Upper Quartile by visiting our website at
www.upperquartile.co.uk
M&E Capability Statement 2011

3. Our M&E Team
Upper Quartile’s M&E practice is led by three of our partners: Dr Ken MacTaggart, Chris Boyd and David Crichton.
Dr Ken MacTaggart
Dr Ken MacTaggart is a Partner in Upper Quartile with more than 20 years experience in economic
development work, both as a public agency economist and strategist, and as a private sector
consultant.
With a doctorate in economics, Ken specialises in measurement and evaluation, aligned with a
pragmatic approach to project implementation. Ken has implemented best-practice approaches in the
UK and abroad for development agencies. He was formerly chief economist in charge of monitoring
and evaluation at Highlands & Islands Enterprise, a rural development agency in the UK. In his
consultancy work over the past 10 years, he has undertaken development and project/programme
evaluation work in Afghanistan, Pakistan, The Maldives, India, Caribbean, Zambia, Egypt, Morocco and
elsewhere.
Ken has been a director of several consultancy companies and an editor in business publishing. He has
excellent investigative, analytical and writing skills, and is highly familiar with evaluation, identifying
lessons learned, providing supportive feedback to projects and writing up persuasive and instructive
case studies.
Regarding economic sectors, Ken’s experience includes agriculture, infrastructure, rural development,
higher education, training, energy, food products and the creative industries. He has also worked on
infrastructure projects including business parks and transport networks.
Ken has a BA (Hons) in Economics, Public Policy and Statistics, and a PhD in the Economics of Industrial
Innovation. He is a member of the Scottish Economic Society and the Scottish Council for Development
and Industry. He has given evidence in person to committees of the UK and Scottish Parliaments on
industrial innovation, the knowledge economy, and the importance of infrastructure to business growth.
M&E Capability Statement 2011

4. Our M&E Team
Chris Boyd
Chris Boyd is a Partner in Upper Quartile and an experienced economic development practitioner with
more than 12 years experience in the public and private sectors. Chris specialises in appraising and
evaluating economic development interventions. He has undertaken over 60 project and programme
evaluations in his career to date in sectors such as enterprise support, learning and skills, and regional
development.
Chris is adept at undertaking economic and social impact assessments. He worked on behalf of Regional
Development Agencies (RDAs), UK Local Authorities and Central Government departments to design
research which gathers primary data from project beneficiaries before distilling it into gross and net
impacts. Chris has considerable experience of describing the qualitative impacts of programmes in cases
where quantitative data is poor or unavailable. He is competent in undertaking impact assessments in
accordance with the guidance issued by DFID, HM Treasury, the EU and the World Bank.
In addition, Chris has expertise in assisting clients with the development and implementation of
monitoring and evaluation frameworks. He has advised RDAs, Urban Regeneration Companies and other
public sector bodies on the suite of indicators required to best demonstrate how their activities contribute
to output targets. Chris holds an MSc in Local Economic Development from the University of Glasgow and
a first-class BA (Hons) in Social Sciences from the University of the West of Scotland. He recently
completed Hostile Environment Security Training (HEST).
David Crichton
David Crichton is a Partner in Upper Quartile with over 30 years experience in economic development
both in the public sector and as a commercial consultant. He has held senior management positions in
economic development agencies and private sector companies. Prior to joining Upper Quartile, David was
Global Director of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Custom Research Business which worked on behalf of
national governments, multilateral organisations, NGOs and global companies.
David is currently specialising in economic reconstruction in conflict-affected regions advising on voca-
tional skills and education, economic strategy, infrastructure investment, programme design and moni-
toring and evaluation. He has worked extensively in Afghanistan and undertaken projects on behalf of
USAID, DFID, CIDA, ISAF and the Afghan Government. Recent examples include: an impact evaluation
of an Afghan local procurement programme run by the Peace Dividend Trust; the design of a $300m jobs
and income programme for Southern Afghanistan; and design and appraisal of the c$40m DFID Helmand
Growth programme.
David holds an MA (Hons) in Economics and Sociology and has completed the World Bank Executive
Development Programme. He is trained to work in hostile environments.
M&E Capability Statement 2011

5. Relevant Experience
The Upper Quartile M&E team have undertaken a range of M&E projects. The following are summaries of our work in the UK and
overseas.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Appraisal in Developing Countries
Review of Peace Dividend Trust Helmand Growth Programme Economic
Afghanistan Appraisal
The Peace Dividend Trust is contracted by CIDA and DFID to Upper Quartile undertook the economic appraisal of a range of
operate a market place development programme in rural developments in Helmand for DFID. These covered basic
Afghanistan. The programme promotes local procurement infrastructure (irrigation, feeder roads, hydro
from the Afghan private sector by the international donor, electricity), training for agriculturalists on improving yields
diplomatic and military communities. Upper Quartile reviewed and new types of crops, establishing downstream value-chain
the impact of the programme, looking at additional revenue industries based on rural products, such as canneries, food
and job creation as well as value for money. processing, marketing. The likely benefits were assessed and
Recommendations were made on the future direction and quantified, measurement tools devised, and realistic targets
funding of the programme. set.
Options Appraisal for TVET Investment
Appraisal of Projects in IT Skills and
in Afghanistan
Infrastructure
Upper Quartile was commissioned to explore options for
Upper Quartile provided economic advice to the Maldives NCIT
DFID’s investment in TVET in Afghanistan. A key element in
for a suite of projects in its sectoral development programme.
this work was economic appraisal of the proposed options.
These included the innovative use of young people to teach
Upper Quartile developed a bespoke impact model, gathered
basic IT and mobile phone skills to older people within village
Afghan specific economic data and estimated the likely
situations, and the use of SMS technology to aid illiterate
economic returns over a range of time periods. This
fishermen. Mobile telephony running new applications was
complemented a wider desk research and stakeholder
the approach chosen over landlines as appropriate for an
consultation programme and will be used by DFID to inform
archipelago with limited infrastructure. Pre-project
its internal decision making process.
benchmarking and subsequent monitoring were established
and implemented.
Economic Appraisal of the Bost Industrial
Park in Helmand Province Evaluation of Tourism, Environment and
Trade Facilitation Programme
Upper Quartile carried out an appraisal of a combined airport
and agricultural park in Southern Afghanistan. The projects
The European Union committed project expenditure of €
considered the Net Present Value of the investment and the
15 million under the 2002 Tourism. Environment and Trade
wider employment and supply chain benefits it would bring to
Facilitation Programme in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone
the largely rural Lashkar Gha district.
Area (ASEZA) - in southern Jordan. The Free Zone was a
significant step to build trade between Jordan and Israel and
International Oil & Gas Hub build the regional economy through the introduction of a free
Southern Iraq zone covering the southern half of Jordan and attracting over
$1 billion of investment.
Upper Quartile completed a full financial evaluation of a $200
million oil and gas hub in Southern Iraq for a private client.
M&E Capability Statement 2011

6. Relevant Experience
Monitoring, Evaluation & Appraisal in Developing Countries
Evaluation of EU / China Managers Trade Enhancement Programme
Training Programme North Korea
Evaluation of the EU-China Managers Training Programme Upper Quartile was part of a mission to North Korea to design
and Identification of Future Areas of Intervention were made and develop a trade enhancement programme introducing the
on the future direction and funding of the programme. mechanisms governing foreign relations, international finance
and trade and economic policy.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Appraisal in the UK
Development of a Monitoring and Evaluation of Yorkshire Forward’s
Evaluation Framework Investment in Key Account Management
(KAM)
Clyde Gateway URC is a body tasked with the regeneration of
Glasgow’s East End. This project baselined the
The evaluation of Yorkshire Forward’s KAM programme which
socio-economic conditions in the area using a range of
worked with ‘important to the economy’ companies in
indicators linked to employment, economic activity, health
Yorkshire. This was defined as companies employing over 250
and culture. These were then used to develop a
people. The evaluation assessed the current delivery model
comprehensive M&E framework which linked the data
and the impact of support on larger employers. This involved
available to the longer-term strategic objectives of Clyde
extensive consultation with senior executives in supported
Gateway URC. The framework has provided a tool for the
businesses as well as wider stakeholders. The evaluation made
URC to measure its impact on key economic and social
recommendations on how the model could be developed in
variables over the next 20 years.
future, including where the programme should focus its efforts
to maximise impact.
Economic Impact Evaluation of the
Account Managed Programme Evaluation of Business Mentoring Activity
in the East Midlands
An evaluation of Scottish Enterprises main business support
programme. The work programme which involved a number
Completion of a high profile evaluation on behalf of East
of components. First, the design and delivery of a large scale
Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) was completed.. The
survey involving 740 beneficiary companies. Second, analysis
business mentoring programme matches experienced business
of this quantitative data to assess the economic impact of the
mentors to SMEs in the East Midlands. The project involved
programme. And third considerations of the findings to make
in-depth consultation with mentees, mentors and relevant
recommendations regarding the future delivery and
stakeholders and offered conclusions around three main areas.
monitoring of the programme.
The effectiveness of mentoring as a means to stimulate
business growth; the need for a subsidised mentoring business
service in the East Midlands; and the most appropriate model
for future delivery and monitoring of the programme. The
findings were used to structure mentoring delivery over the
next three years.
M&E Capability Statement 2011

7. Relevant Experience
Monitoring, Evaluation & Appraisal in the UK
Monitoring of Economic Progress in Rural Hebrides Rocket Range
Region
An economic impact evaluation of the MOD’s decision to close
the Defence Rocket Range at Benbecula. Upper Quartile
Monitoring and evaluation of the rural development agency prepared an economic impact assessment of the range and the
in the Scottish Highlands & Islands, helping track the impact impact its closure on the local economy. The range remains
over five years of their development activities in several fields open and supports 350 jobs.
– skills and vocational training, infrastructure, small business
development, community cohesion, employment and
unemployment. Different data sources from different time
periods were combined to achieve best estimates of the
benefits from projects and programmes of different types,
addressing a variety of issues and target groups.
What we can offer?
This statement has provided an overview of Upper Quartile, key members of our M&E team and relevant projects our team has
undertaken. Our four key areas where we can add value are:
Access to a team of senior economic development professionals – who interpret the findings from
research and translate these into policy.
Technical expertise in monitoring and evaluation – the ability to design and manage technically
sound evaluations which provide the robust impact data it needs to make decisions.
Experience of working in developing countries, including hostile environments – our M&E team
have worked all over the world including post-conflict countries like Iraq and Afghanistan.
A commitment to building a long-term partnership – by demonstrating our professionalism and
commitment to quality, we will help you achieve its objectives and in doing so, aim to become your M&E
partner of choice.
M&E Capability Statement 2011