Services

Norcon work with evaluations, methods development, capacity building, re- search, statistics and associated analysis. We offer services in a wide range of areas including data collection, analysis and visualization.

We adopt a results-oriented and participatory approach and we constantly act to improve and facilitate the impacts of our clients’ results and performance. We believe development patterns and trends to be the fabric against which policy and expectations can be set. It is in this context that performance information can advise strategic priorities in any sector or field of operation and allow promotion of good governance.

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Conducted Assignments and Projects (in selection)

Core team member in Niras Result-based Management Framework Agreement for Sida and its partners – 2019-2025

Norcon was and is part of Niras team that is contracted to give advisory RBM services, including adaptive management, to Sida stakeholders. The initial contract covered the period 2019-2023. The current contract covers 2023-2025. Niras contracts have been first ranked each period.

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Central Evaluation of Sida’s approaches to democratisation in different country contexts – 2023-2024

Norcon was procured to give data science support to the evaluation team during this large and strategic evaluation.

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Advisory services to Swedac, SIS and MEU for design of the project Strengthening of Ukraine’s Quality Infrastructure 2023-2023

Norcon was contracted to give RBM advice and help design the project together with SWEDAC, SIS and key Ukrainian stakeholders. The consultancy also include design of various monitoring components for the project.

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Team Coordinator for Sida’s helpdesk for digitalisation in international development cooperation – 2023-2024

Norcon is included in a Niras team to lead and coordinate the call-offs under this helpdesk. The contract is planned to run between 2023-2024.

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End-term evaluation of SCB and SSO project Increased availability and use of official statistics in North Macedonia – 2023

Norcon was contracted as an evaluator in a Niras team that conducted the evaluation in accordance with OECD/DAC evaluation criteria.

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Advisory services to Fojo and its Impact unit – 2023

Norcon was procured to practically assist an internal impact team to design and operationalise a new monitoring approach. The assignment included mapping and refinement of key performance indicators and development of a standardised approach to use online surveys to collect data across all of Fojo’s projects.

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Advisory services to SPIDER (Stockholm university) and PTS for project design of regional ICT capacity programme in SSA – 2022-2023

Norcon was procured to facilitate the design of the project, and develop a Theory of Change together with key stakeholders, in accordance with RBM, Sida requirements and EU guidelines for Team Europe Initiatives (TEI).

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Advisory services to the BSI, NIRAS and IBNORCA for standardisation and capacity development project in Bolivia – 2022-2024

This project aimed to strengthen the capacity and use of standards within the Bolivia. Norcon was procured for a two-year period to deliver strategic guidance and to deliver monitoring and evaluation services during the course of the implementation of the project.

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Advisory services to the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Climate Breakthrough Project – 2022-2024

Norcon was part of a NIRAS team assigned to assist the the project to develop an adaptive monitoring approach that could capture the project’s results and effects in a complex global context.

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Formative Evaluation of Normative Dialogue at Sida between – 2022-2023

Norcon was contracted to deliver data science services to a NIRAS team commissioned to conduct this strategic evaluation for Sida. Delivered data science services include refactoring and statistical analysis of Sida data, web scraping and analysis of social media communication, as well as design and deployment of an online repository for collection of qualitative data.

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Advisory services and monitoring support to UNIDO and the 4IR programme in Tunisia and Cote d’ivoire - 2022

The assignment had bearing on design and development of a monitoring system and training of UNIDO staff for continues monitoring of this programme aiming to bring jobs and better working conditions within the 4:e industrial revolution (4IR) sector in the two countries.

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Midterm Learning Evaluation of the Swedish Workplace Programme – 2022

Norcon was part of a NIRAS team to conduct this learning evaluation with the aim to assess and validate progress of conducted operation within four different hubs on equally many continents. The evaluation held a mixed methods approach and outcome harvest for identification of unexpected outcomes within the programme.

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Data science and artificial intelligence training session to the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2022

Norcon was procured to give the MFA evaluation unit insight into how data science can be used in evaluation within the realm of international development. The trainings included various sessions with practical and real time demonstrations of how to use data science approaches and AI techniques in evaluations.

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Core team member in Niras team for Sida’s helpdesk for Risk-, Results-based- and Adaptive management – 2020-2023

Norcon is part of Niras team that is expected to give advisory services to Sida’s stakeholders relating to risk management, RBM and adaptive management during 2020-2023.

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Advisory services and RBM support to UNIDO and the ARAC programme – 2021

The assignment had bearing on facilitation of a design and development of an extension phase of the Sida funded programme. Norcon was assigned to facilitate support for the UNIDO team in Vienna.

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Sida inquiry for development of new secondment programme – 2021

Norcon was procured to lead a NIRAS team to conduct the inquiry and survey stakeholder interest in a new Sida lead secondment programme. The inquiry had a special aim to contemplate the design of the programme in order to optimise peer engagement, policy alignment as well as operational effectiveness.

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End-of-projects Evaluation of International Civil Society Centre’s 2018-2020 extension programmes: “Dynamic Accountability for a Resilient Civil Society” (2018-2019) and “Resilient Civil Society in Times of Scrutiny” (2019-2020) – 2021

Norcon was procured to be part and support the evaluation team with data collection. The main service provided was design of web crawler that had the capacity to crawl 1500 webpages and extract and record data with bearing on content of relevance for the evaluation questions.

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Advisory services and RBM support to ECOWAS and the project Initial Activities of the Strategic Programme on Reduction of Vulnerability and Adaptation on Climate Change in West Africa – 2021

Norcon was procured as team leader with the ambition to facilitate the design of a draft theory of change and the strategic documentation for a second phase of the project. This project is a key component in ECOWAS national as well regional efforts to combat and mitigate climate change effects. The national determined contributions (NDC) is, for instance, a key component of the projects objectives.

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Data Science Methods in Development Cooperation: Exploring the Potential – 2020-2021

The digital development has provided new possibilities to generate information and insights through machine-based analysis. Evaluators have raised questions relating to the need for a broadened analytical toolbox if increases in the volume, velocity and variety of data are to be handled and taken full advantage of. The purpose of this study is to explore the potential of data science and natural language processing methods for use in evaluations within international development cooperation. The final report can be found here.

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Advanced Internet Search for Ford Foundation’s BUILD Programme – 2021

Norcon was procured by NIRAS to give analytical assistance and advisory service in setting up a web crawler that could record and extract references with bearing on Ford grantees communication about results and impacts. This analysis included extractions and counting of relevant key words, extraction of text paragraphs where key words were embedded as well as hyperlinks between the assessed grantee organisations.

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Mapping and evaluation of Sida’s Partner-led Evaluations 2019-2020 – 2020

The purpose of the evaluation was to identify and map partner-led evaluations and assess their quality as well as the utility they bring. Norcon was procured as an evaluator and data scientist. During the assignment a tailor-made data collection system was developed that collected data from multiple stakeholders for each identified partner-led evaluation.

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Advisory services to the Swedish Standards Institute (SIS) and IBNORCA for standardisation and capacity development project in Bolivia – 2018-2020

This project aims to strengthen the capacity and use of standards within the Bolivian Water sector. Norcon is procured to deliver strategic guidance and to deliver monitoring and evaluation services during the course of the implementation of the project.

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Design and development of a monitoring system for Union to Union’s international operations – 2020

Norcon was contracted by Union to Union to assist in their development and digitalisation of their monitoring system for their international operations. The assignment entailed development of a web-based reporting portal for all of Union to Union’s international partners.

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Advisory RBM services to Universitets och Högskolerådet (UHR) – 2020

Norcon was contracted by Niras to participate in a team that gave support to UHR in their development and design of a three year multi-programmatic budget-request to Sida.

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Advisory services to Union to Union on RBM and Outcome Harvesting – 2020

Norcon was contracted by Niras to assist Union to Union with strategic advice for their two Sida programmes. The consultancy incorporated advice on how to frame, launch and compile performance indicators; how to aggregate performance data; and to show case various and suitable approaches for data collection. The assignment also held the planning and execution of a one day workshop with focus on RBM and Outcome Harvesting for all HQ staff.

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Evaluation of Sida’s Resource Base Programmes – 2019

The purpose of the evaluation was to assess the relevance and results of eleven resource base programs – including MFS, JPO, BAE, SARC, UN and EU secondments – and give recommendations on how the programs’ alignment with the new Swedish strategy for capacity development, partnership and methods for supporting the Agenda 2030 could be improved. Norcon was part of a NIRAS team commissioned to undertake the evaluation.

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Evaluation of Sida’s Risk Management Contributions – 2019

Norcon was procured to assist with data gathering and statistical analysis, in a NIRAS evaluation team, that was commissioned to undertake the evaluation by Sida.

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Evaluation of the International Disability Alliance (IDA) – 2019

Norcon was part of an international team that conducted an independent evaluation of IDA. Norcon was procured to oversee data management during the evaluation. Primary data was collected through a web-based survey and a tailor made web-crawling approach. Collected data underwent network analysis for deeper connectivity insights of the network per se. The evaluation was commissioned by Sida.

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Mid-term review of the Sida-funded programme SwedBio at Stockholm Resilience Centre – 2019

Norcon was part of NIRAS evaluation that was commissioned to undertake the review in accordance to OECD DAC evaluation criteria and produce recommendations for the current (2016-2020).

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Evaluation of IBON International and the CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness (CPDE) Project – 2018-2019

Norcon was part of an international evaluation team assigned by Sida. The evaluation set out to evaluate the project and its ambition to foster effective development cooperation, as well as its ability to serve as an international platform for non-governmental organisations.

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Evaluation of Sida’s International Training Programmes for Quality Infrastructure in support of World trade (ITP 304) and Food safety (ITP 305) – 2018

Norcon was part of an evaluation team, procured by Niras AB, that evaluated the ITPs which had been implemented by the Swedish Board for Accreditation and Conformity Assessment (Swedac). Norcon was assigned to reorganise available data from 10 years of operations, conduct statistical analysis as well as to compiled the portfolio analysis.

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Evaluation of the Swedish Leadership for Sustainable Development (SLSD) network – 2018

Norcon was part of an evaluation team assigned by Sida to evaluate the network’s past performance in accordance with OECD/DAC standards, as well as to document conducted activities and the network’s story per se. The network gathers some of the largest corporations in Sweden with a collective turnover that constitute a large part of Sweden’s total GDP.  The network was and is a novel collaboration modality for Sida with the ambition to find new and alternative ways to collaborate with the private sector and to find common strategies that can contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030.

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Advisory services to the Swedish Standards Institute (SIS) – 2012-2017

Advisory services to the Swedish Standards Institute (SIS). Norcon was procured to convey strategic advice and deliver M&E services for two development programmes in South and South East Asia as well as in the East African region. Both programmes aimed to strengthen the institutional capacity in the countries and their National Standard Bodies for increased active participation in national and international standards development.

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Advisory services to the Swedish Board for Accreditation and Conformity Assessment (Swedac) and the Agadir Technical Unit – 2015-2017

Through the Agadir agreement Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia and Jordan have declared their intention to establish a free trade area between them. This Sida funded project is designed to support the establishment of technical infrastructure in the Agadir countries in an effort to bring down technical barriers to trade. Norcon is procured to convey strategic advice and deliver M&E services for the second phase of the Agadir project.

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Team member of SPMs consultancy group for methodological advisory services to SCB/ICO international development cooperation – 2017-2019

The advisory group is selected to give methodological advice and perform evaluations on Statistics Sweden’s (SCB/ICO) past and current development projects. Norcon is part of a small team that will deliver methodological services (results-based management, monitoring, evaluations, and equality) for the next two years.

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Advisory services to Forum Syd and the unit for Impact and Quality Assurance (IQA) – 2017

Forum Syd is a politically and religiously unaffiliated development cooperation organisation that work with human and civil rights around the globe. Forum Syd has around 160 member organisations from Swedish civil society. Norcon was procured to support the IQA and the consultancy included a range of services within the areas of methods design, planning, monitoring and evaluation within Forum Syd’s fields of operations.

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Fact-finding assignment and facilitation of project design for SIS – IBNORCA collaboration standardisation project in Bolivia – 2017

The assignment set out to gather data and knowledge about the Bolivian context and stakeholders in an effort to design a standardisation project. Norcon was contracted to facilitate workshops, data gathering and to assist in the compilation of a project proposal.

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Independent Evaluation of the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation’s (SDC) System for Results-based Management – 2017

Norcon was procured to structure and administrate an inception phase survey that went out to all SDC staff. Norcon also conducted the statistical analysis of the collected data and designed the results reports.

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GAP analysis for the Swedish agency for accreditation (SWEDAC) with bearing on the results framework for Agenda 2030 – 2017

Norcon was contracted to conduct a gap analysis on SWEDACs operations and its potential contribution to Agenda 2030 and sustainable development. The objective was to map the agency’s current operations to specific objectives and targets within the Agenda 2030 results framework. The assignment also included recommendations on appropriate actions, including limitations and (focus) strategy, that were deemed to strengthen Swedac’s potential contribution to different target areas.

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Advisory services on survey design to the Swedish Civil Contingency Agency (MSB) – 2016

Norcon was part of a Niras/Indevelop team that gave advise and practical support in the development of a digital survey for MSB’s program for sending resource persons to various place on the globe. Two different surveys were design based on a satisfied customer model. One targeted resource personnel and the other on institutional partner organisations.

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Design and development of workload tracker tool for the Humanitarian Leadership Academy (HLA) – 2016

The assignment set out to create an interactive data driven workload tracker tool that enable HLA to accurately and proactively plan and track human resource allocations for on-going and upcoming projects.

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Statistical and analytical services during an external review of AfDB’s Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Initiative (RWSSI) and Trust Fund – 2016

Norcon conducted a portfolio analysis of the initiatives various programmes and projects that had been or was planned to be implemented between 2003-2020. Norcon was procured as an external analyst in this assignment commissioned by the African Development Bank (AfDB).

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Team leader for the East African Community (EAC) and the Swedish Standards Institute’s (SIS) joint development programme in the EAC region – 2015-2016

The programme aimed to strengthen standardization bodies as well as private sector institutions in the EAC region (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda). The programme was funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and stretched between 2012-2016. Norcon was procured to lead a regional team and facilitate the programme.

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Process evaluation of UNCHR Sweden and Clowns without Boarder’s education project Back to School – 2015

The project aimed to fill gaps in the education services for refugee children in Lebanon. Through the combination of Clowns without Boarder’s methods and UNHCR Sweden’s outreach, it was expected that the project would reach the most vulnerable children and give them education and trauma reduction. Norcon was contracted to evaluate the project per se and to assess the cooperation between the two project partners.

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Portfolio analysis of Sida’s support during 2010-2015 to the MENA region – 2014

The assignment’s main purpose was to present the portfolio’s thematic content and disbursements over time. The analysis was furthermore part of an inception phase of a larger strategic and forward-looking assessment for Sida support to the MENA region (beyond 2015). Norcon was procured as an external analyst and private sector specialist in an international team assigned by Indevelop AB.

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Review of IM’s International Department – 2014

IM is a Swedish aid organisation that fights and exposes poverty and exclusion. Norcon was procured to conduct a perception-based survey in order to assess organisational strengths and weaknesses. Norcon was part of a company consortium composed of Sebas AB and Eir-partner.

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Evaluation of Sida’s challenge fund Innovation Against Poverty (IAP) - 2014

The IAP was a pilot challenge fund that was launched by Sida in 2011 and administrated by Swedish consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers. The programme was and is a risk sharing mechanism for innovative business ventures with the potential to reduce poverty in developing countries. Norcon was part of an evaluation team assigned by Indevelop to conduct the assignment for Sida.

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Assessment for the Palestine International Business Forum (PIBF) – 2014

Assessment with focus on programme relevance, effectiveness and efficiency during 2012-2014. The Palestinian International Business Forum (PIBF) is a joint initiative by Palestinian, Swedish and Israeli business leaders that provides insight and acts to foster economic development in Palestine. Norcon was commissioned to conduct the assessment and collect data in a mixed method approach in order to single out operational recommendations for optimization of future operations.

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Needs assessment for the Institute of Standards of Cambodia (ISC) – 2013

Norcon has been assigned to oversee the assessment and convey advice to local consultants. Collected data was analysed and a capacity development plan drafted. The overall and long-term objective with the project was to promote trade through standardisation in the South and Southest Asia.

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External review of Sida/UTV’s project Indicators in Development Aid – 2013

The assignement set out to review and estimate the quality of retrieved data from Sida’s varoius units under the project ”Indikatorer i biståndet”. Norcon was procured to assist Sida with hands-on analysis of the compiled data and to draft recommendations for on-coming phases of the projects.

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Advisory services to the International Council of Swedish Industry (NIR) – 2013

Norcon was procured to deliver analytical services and methodological assistance for NIR’s projects and programmes.

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Strategic review of Spider at Stockholm University - 2013

Spider is a resource center for ICT for Development (ICT4D) at Stockholm University. Norcon was procured to collect evidence and compile a report on organisational strengths and weaknesses, as well as to identify areas for future improvements. The assignment was administrated by Sebas AB.

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Strategic workshop to the Swedish Workplace HIV/AIDS Programme (SWHAP) – 2013

The Swedish Workplace HIV/AIDS Programme (SWHAP) supports over 100 workplace programmes on HIV in twelve countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Norcon was procured to convey strategic advise and facilitate a workshop in Harare/Zimbabwe for SWHAP management and regional coordinators.

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Review of SymbioCity Academy pilot programme in Iraq – 2012

Norcon, in collaboration with Sebas, was procured to provide an independent review of SymbioCity and its subcomponents within the sectors of electricity as well as water and sanitation. The programme has been administrated by the Swedish Trade Council (STC) and the Swedish Energy Research Institute (IVL). The review set out to estimate programme performance; how the programme has promoted Swedish business; and ultimately how it can contribute to business development in Iraq.

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Advisory services at the Swedish Standards Institute (SIS) – 2012

Norcon was procured to convey strategic advice and deliver analytical services within a programme that aimed to facilitate implementation of a standard setting in the SESA region.

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Evaluation of the International Council of Swedish Industry’s (NIR) development programme in North Korea – 2012

NIR’s programme have set out to increase knowledge and capacity for business management and international trade amongst North Korean stakeholders during the last ten years 2002-2012. Norcon was procured to evaluate the programme in a participatory process as well as to give recommendations for NIR’s coming operations.

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Evaluation of multi-stakeholder initiatives Better Aid and Open Forum - 2012

The global initiatives were designed to improve aid effectiveness by supporting Civil Society Organisation (CSO) working to enhance CSO effectiveness, donor engagement, and mutual CSO learning. Norcon was part of a multi-national team assigned by Indevelop AB to conduct the assignment for Sida.

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Advisory services to the International Council of Swedish Industry (NIR) – 2012

Norcon was procured to give advisory services and methodological consultancy for NIR’s operations in general and the department for Evaluation and Methodology in particular.

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Assessment for the Swedish Trade Council on the Swedish-Iraqi Business Development Forum (SIBDF) – 2012

Evidence-based data was collected through a survey carried out amongst Forum members. Statistical base data and graphics were delivered.

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Monitoring and evaluation assignment for the Swedish Trade Council (STC) on a pilot programme for facilitation of selected private sector development activities in Iraq – 2012

Norcon, in collaboration with Sebas AB, was procured to convey strategic advice, strategic communication as well as to deliver analytical services that facilitated the implementation of the programme.

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Evaluation and drafting of strategy for labour market programme in Colombia – 2012

The assignment and evaluation set out to deliver recommendations for how the established Colombian network could secure its sustainability and improve the network’s future competitiveness on the Colombian labour market. Norcon was procured as an external analyst and evaluator by NIR, LO and TCO.

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External advisor to the International Council of Swedish Industry (NIR – Näringslivets Internationella Råd) – 2011

Norcon was procured to give technical support in the construction of monitoring systems for NIR operations and its programmes. The overall purpose was to improve the results-oriented culture and establish an evidence-based management structure in accordance with Results-Based Management (RBM).

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Advisory services to the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (SORS) – 2011

Strategic advice was conveyed in order to strengthen SORS capacity for performance management. Norcon was procured as a subcontractor to SPM Consultants to facilitate a work shop in Belgrade on Result-Based Management and other OECD/DAC guidelines.

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Advisory services on results frameworks for the Swedish Standards Institute (SIS) – 2011

The focal points of the consultancy were the intervention logic and monitoring possibilities for a specific development project in the EAC region. All recommendations given were derived from the results-based management apparatus and other guidelines from OECD/DAC. Norcon was procured in affiliation with Indevelop AB.

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Assessment for the Swedish East African Chamber of Commerce (SWEACC) – 2011

Evidence-based data was collected through a survey carried out amongst SWEACC’s members. Valid decision support documents were delivered with strategic information for future adjustments of SWEACC’s operations.

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Midterm review 2011 of a NIR programme in Zimbabwe – 2011

The assignment included a results-oriented assessment with focus on programme outcomes at the beneficiary level.

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External advisor to the International Council of Swedish Industry (NIR – Näringslivets Internationella Råd) and the department of Evaluation and Methodology – 2010

The overall purpose is to improve the results-oriented culture and establish an evidence-based management structure in accordance with Results-Based Management (RBM). The assignment has different stages with both theoretical and operative phases. Norcon was procured in affiliation with SPM Consultants.

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Portfolio analysis of Sida’s support to democracy and human rights during 2006-2009 – 2010

The assignments main purpose was to present the portfolio’s thematic content and significant changes over time. In addition, the evaluation included breakdowns of several sector codes and mapping of the composition of Sida’s support to democracy, human right and public administration. Norcon was procured as external analyst in affiliation with SPM consultants.

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Evaluation on national public vaccination programmes for the Ministry of Health and Social Health – 2010

A national study within the Swedish health care system was conducted to conclude how public vaccination programs should be decided, organized and financed in the future. The evaluation was part of the bigger assessment SOU 2010:39 (Ny ordning för nationella vaccinationsprogram – betänkande av Vaccinutredningen 2010). Procured as external analyst in affiliation with ARS Research.

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Review on Swedish support for political party development and democratic governance through organizations affiliated to parties represented in the Swedish parliament (PAO) – 2009

The assignment included a thematic assessment and an evaluation in accordance with Results-based management.  Norcon worked as external analyst in cooperation with SPM consultants for Sida.

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Assistant advisor to Sida on increasing results orientation (RBM) in management, implementation and evaluation of the International Training Programmes – 2008

Norcon was procured as external analyst and sub-consultant to SPM consultants in this short time assignment for Sida.

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