SQW has managed many international programmes over the last two decades. Most of these have involved a combination of internal staff and trusted associate consultants, with whom we have forged close relationships. Some of these management contracts are undertaken in conjunction with other consultancies elsewhere in Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific and the Americas. Whatever the resourcing structure, we strictly adhere to our quality processes and procedures to produce excellent and reliable outcomes.
Examples of SQW projects
Financial Management Agency for the Malawi National AIDS Commission
In consortium with De Chazal Du Mée and GID International, SQW was commissioned by the Malawi National AIDS Commission to set-up and manage a World Bank-funded Financial Management Agency (FMA) entrusted to manage a Grants Facility (funded by various bilateral and multilateral donor agencies through a Global Fund). The FMA Grants Facility provided direct financial support to local implementing agencies involved in increasing the utilisation of prevention, care and impact mitigation services concerning the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Malawi. SQW’s tasks included:
- screening and processing of applications submitted for grant support;
- budgeting and disbursing of funds available to grant beneficiaries;
- providing organisational and management capacity building services to the National AIDS Commission and implementing agencies; and,
- collecting and monitoring performance-related information from grant beneficiaries on the results of FMA-supported interventions.
SME Linkages programme review
SQW was commissioned by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to undertake a review of the SME Linkages programme. As part of the review, SQW produced a summary paper on Linkages best practice and reviewed three IFC Linkage programmes in depth (involving fieldwork in Azerbaijan, Mozambique and Peru) and five others through desk research. The aim was to compare and contrast the various programmes, identify best points and lessons learned, draw conclusions on effectiveness and provide recommendations on how to incorporate best practice into future Linkage programmes.
Evaluation of the Global Corporate Governance Forum
The Global Corporate Governance Forum was established in 1999 by OECD and the World Bank, to promote initiatives aimed at improving the institutional framework and practices of corporate governance in developing countries. Eight donor countries provided funding for the start up phase. SQW was asked to review the operations of the Forum, and its effectiveness to date in achieving its objectives. The evaluation involved a number of case studies of initiatives supported by the Forum, and an assessment of the overall cost effectiveness of the programme.
European Development Fund programmes in Netherlands Antilles
In association with FINORG, we were commissioned to manage and monitor over a five-month period all European Development Fund (EDF) programmes in the Netherlands Antilles (composed of the Caribbean islands of Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius and St Maarten). Our primary activities included the provision of technical backstopping and advisory services to enhance the performance of the Territorial Authorising Office in adhering to EDF procedures and Project Cycle Management. This included the design and implementation of a project status reporting system to enforce organisation-wide discipline with project and programme management and compliance with EDF reporting, monitoring, financial, technical and procurement procedures and objectives.
INNOVEX – Review of Technology Transfer and Technology Validation Programmes
On behalf of the European Commission, SQW undertook a systematic evaluation of around 150 projects from the Technology Transfer and Technology Validation Programmes within Framework 4. We then analysed a sample of these projects and identified examples of best practice as well as projects which had resulted in significant benefits to some or all of the participants, the host nations, or the EU as a whole. The final stage involved the setting up of a database accessible by a dedicated web-site which disseminated information about relevant technology projects and advice on setting up and implementing similar projects.