In a recent Social Impact White Paper we address the complexities and concerns surrounding organizational conflict of interest (OCI) and the potential impact on evaluation. Funders, implementers, and evaluators have long embraced the significance of accurate and independent evaluations to determine the impact of development assistance around the world. However recent trends in mergers and acquisitions between implementers and evaluation firms have given rise to real and perceived potential conflicts of interest. Current safeguards in place are inadequate to fully address the issues and new policies and guidance are needed. In “Independent Evaluation: An Endangered Species in U.S. Development Assistance?” we identify the main causes of OCI, review the current evaluation landscape, and offer recommendations to preserve the integrity of development evaluations.
