Evaluating the evaluators: What have we learned from “neutral assessments” of the Canadian federal evaluation function?

Abstract

Most Canadian federal government departments and agencies are required to conduct a “neutral assessment” of their evaluation function every five years. Such assessments should focus on the capacity of the evaluation units to produce high-quality evaluation reports which serve the needs of organizational decision-makers. Our study sought to analyze neutral assessment reports produced over a ten-year period. Overall, our review suggests that the neutral assessments consistently conform with central-agency requirements as well as indicate evolving evaluation capacity and utilization. We provide recommendations for improving the function and its impact.