Approach Paper: Evaluability Review of Bank Projects 2012

In 2011 OVE began using the DEM and the self-evaluation system as a way to assess the evaluability of the Bank's portfolio by validating the DEMs of a sample of projects. The first exercise was used as pilot to set the standards OVE would use and to inform the Board and Management of the new approach. Since the DEM's criteria and process had just been revised in early 2011, OVE also used this pilot exercise to assess the DEM as an evaluability tool. The main findings of the first validation exercise were that OVE's evaluability scores were similar to Management's scores for sovereign-guaranteed (SG) operations, while OVE was unable to validate the scores of non-sovereign-guaranteed (NSG) projects. OVE recommended a full revision of the NSG DEM, and some refinements in the SG DEM. Management has worked on OVE's recommendations; as a result, a few changes will be implemented in the SG DEM in January 2013, and a new DEM is being developed for NSG projects. Since the NSG DEM is under development, OVE will wait until the new instrument is implemented to include NSG projects in the evaluability review exercises and be able to describe the evaluability of the Bank's overall portfolio. The new tool is expected to be launched in the second quarter of 2013.