Ex-post evaluations (EPEs) are used to assess whether a project has achieved its objectives or not, what worked well and what worked less well and why. The Lessons Learned contribute to improving the FC projects and the EPEs also serve to ensure accountability towards the federal government and the public. Since the 1960s, the impact of the projects has been assessed, and since 2000, evaluations are carried out by the independent unit FC Evaluation, that reports directly to the Executive Board of KfW.
FC Evaluation draws a random sample, stratified by sector, from the population of completed projects each year. With adequate time, costs and personnel expenditure, an expert judgement is made within the framework of a "Rapid Appraisal". The ex-post evaluation report presents the main results of the evaluation in a user-friendly manner (focus assessment). The OECD-DAC evaluation criteria provide the framework for the evaluation of the project.
We carry out ex-post evaluations ourselves and cooperate with external experts as well as secondments from the operational departments of the KfW Development Bank. We work closely with our partners in the preparation and on-site surveys. We take their interests into account in the design, conduct detailed discussions on site, discuss and sign the preliminary findings with the project executing agency and provide them with the final report in the relevant language after completion.
