Services & Sectors
- Baseline Studies 40
- Capacity Building 12
- Commercial Services 1
- Consumer Survey 3
- Economic Research 58
- Education Safeguards 14
- Enterprise Survey 28
- Gender Analysis 9
- Health 6
- Household Survey 32
- Human Resources 1
- Impact Measurement 67
- M&E 71
- Market Studies 55
- Policy Research 43
- Project Management 48
- Project Support 2
- Social/Environmental Safeguards 68
- Strategy Development 45
- Training 20
- Value Chain Analysis 10
Lux-Devevelopment - Final evaluation of projects VIE/433 – Climate Adaptation and Resilience in Thua Thien Hue Province and VIE/401 – Energy Efficient Lighting NAMA Pilot in Hue City - 2022
Description of Project:
The evaluation aimed to provide a summative and formative appraisal of the results achieved within the framework of the projects VIE/401 and VIE/433 and identify findings and lessons learned that fed into the subsequent phases of the projects and/or complement existing studies or initiatives. Specifically:
● Analysing the results and the specific objectives reached at the time of the evaluation;
● Analysing the implementation modalities deployed by the projects;
● Analysing the results achieved in terms of capacity strengthening;
● Analysing the programmes’ management and monitoring;
● Analysing the programmes using OECD DAC evaluation criteria, considering cross-cutting aspects;
● Establishing lessons learned and provide recommendations for the continuation of the project/programme
Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment:
MKE implemented the following tasks:
● Conducted desk review of project documents to understand the status and design of the projects;
● Developed data collection tools including key informant interview (KII) and focus group discussion (FGD) guide & templates;
● Developed an Inception Report which presented a detailed methodology, evaluation framework, and implementation plan;
● Conducted KIIs, FGDs in Thua Thien Hue province;
● Conducted data cleaning and analysis;
● Prepared two reports on the two projects and presented the findings with stakeholders.
OXFAM - Gender Transformative and Responsible Agribusiness Investments in Southeast Asia – Phase 2 (GRAISEA 2) - 2022
Description of Project: Gender Transformative & Responsible Agribusiness Investments (GRAISEA 2) in South-East Asia is a 5-year project from 2018 to 2023 to in South-East Asia to promote women’s economic empowerment, inclusive business and climate resilience for marginalised community in shrimp and rice value chains. The project has been being implemented by Oxfam and partners in Kien Giang, An Giang, Soc Trang province (for rice value chain) and Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau province (for shrimp value chain).
GRAISEA 2 works simultaneously at three levels (i.e. producer, private sector, and government), and across three thematic priorities (i.e. women’s economic empowerment (WEE) and promoting women's rights and addressing unequal power relations; strengthening climate resilience (CR) and reducing related vulnerability; and collaboration with, and influencing of, the private sector on inclusive business (IB) practices and models).
Oxfam aims at having in-depth insights and proposing systemic solutions to address gender related issues in upcoming project phase, document transformative changes and gender business cases achieved in previous project phase by the project in shrimp and rice value chains.
Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment:
Mekong Economics’ input was to follow the mid-term review of GRAISE 2 and complement the gap in analysis and solution the mid-term review had not addressed by conducting a gender situation analysis, gender mainstreaming, document stories of change, and propose solutions for the project’s next phase to address direct and systemic causes identified during the gender analysis stage.
· MKE carried out an in-depth literature and document review to gain comprehensive understanding how GRAISE 2’s work promoted IB practices, strengthens CR and promotes WEE in shrimp and rice value chains in Mekong Delta.
· We conducted a qualitative research through focus group discussion, key informant interview and most significant change study to have in-depth insights at gender transformative changes and gender business cases achieved in selected value chains, gender motivation, direct/structural issues and recommendation from different beneficiaries and stakeholders for WEE solutions for the project’s next phase.
· We also produced and submitted a report and held a workshop to present the top-line findings and recommendations including the gender mainstreaming plan development for the project’s next phase
DAI - The Enterprise Survey Under Provision Of Consultancy Services Relating To The National Content Plan For The Papua LNG Project - 2022
Description of Project:
Mekong Economics Ltd. (“Subcontractor”) will conduct an Enterprise Survey in coordination with DAI Global, LLC (“Contractor”) to gather data on local enterprises in Papua New Guinea (PNG). This survey will be conducted as part of Contractor’s market research to assess local and national capacity against current and anticipated demand for goods, services, and labor and identify the greatest opportunities and constraints within the Papua New Guinean industrial supply base.
This research will allow foreign investors and companies to better understand PNG industries and thus allow them to conduct business more readily with local companies. The intended outcome of this research, therefore, is to increase the number of business opportunities available broadly to local businesses in PNG.
Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment:
As part of this project, Mekong Economics team have conducted the following services:
● Call-back of the 220 enterprises from DAI’s 2019 PNG Enterprise Survey
● Post-screening survey of a maximum of the 40 ‘top’ enterprises from the original sample frame
● Research in the Gulf Province, which will consist of the following components:
o Survey of all relevant firms
o Case study report, consisting of 10-15 pages
UNICEF/SPRI Global - The socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 on children and their families in selected cities and provinces in Vietnam - 2022
Description of Project: The purpose of this study is to undertake an in-depth analysis of selected critical socioeconomic dimensions to assess the impacts of COVID-19 on children and their families in selected cities and provinces in Viet Nam to inform short-, medium- and long-term policy making with an ultimate goal of sustaining the well-being of children. The main research questions the study plans to answer are:
- What is the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 in Viet Nam; and how children and their families, particularly the most vulnerable groups (children from poor families in both rural and urban areas, those with disabilities, from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, migrant children, and adolescents, etc.) in selected cities and provinces in Viet Nam have been impacted by COVID-19 and what are their coping strategies?
- What are the specific strategic and practical recommendations for mitigating the
socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 on children and their families in short, medium,
and long term?
Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment:
· Input during the inception phase of the project including but not limited to:
o Review and input in the inception report, including literature identification and review
o Methodological guidance and input, including sampling strategy while ensuring that selection criteria of respondents in the methodology note are fulfilled.
o In collaboration with the SPRI team and UNICEF Viet Nam prepare and submit the application for ethical clearance.
· Input during the data collection phase of the project, including but not limited to:
o Coordinating and carrying out all stages of data collection (both remote and in-person modalilties) in Ha Noi, Da Nang, Bac Giang, and Ho Chi Minh City
o Audio recording of all focus group discussions and interviews, note taking, and other tasks for the fulfilment of fieldwork
o Liaise with SPRI and/or UNICEF Viet Nam during fieldwork
o Clean and prepare the qualitative data for analysis, including transcription and translation of material from the interviews and discussions
o Transcription and translation of audio recordings of focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and key informant interviews
o Prepare a brief report on fieldwork implementation summarizing the processes and any issues faced during data collection.
· Input during the analytical phase of the project, including but not limited to: o
o Coding and analysis of transcripts using MAXQDA in cases where decisions are made about limiting the number of transcripts to be translated into English (TBD)
o Reporting on findings from analysed transcripts
o Review and input in final report and briefs to be submitted to UNICEF
GGGI - Forest Finance and Investment Incubator (FFII) - Development of Financial Investment Plans (FIPs) in Vietnam - 2022
Description of Project:
The FFII project is an agreement between the Global Green Growth Institute and the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and the Office of Global Change of the U.S. Department of State and Conservation International (CI). The overall goal of the FFII project is to identify, develop and facilitate new investment opportunities: in the three sectors: long-rotation timber plantations, coffee/nuts agroforestry, alternate wetting and drying rice via developing an Action Plan and a Financial Investment Plan. The Plans should make clear the barriers and analyse the opportunities for investment and identify a pipeline of investments. They should align with country national or sub-national climate and land use action plans that: 1) support U.S. and developing country climate goals and outcomes; 2) result in downstream project pipelines that make use of in-country resources; and 3) garner funding commitments for necessary project plans to achieve climate goals related to sustainable landscapes.
Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment:
MKE implemented the following tasks:
● Arrange a kick-off meeting with relevant parties to discuss and agree upon the scope of work, approach, methodology, timelines, deliverables
● Develop final method and research tools for the assessment including selection of the ten investment projects (PIF component) and the three most promising opportunities for each sub-sector (RAR component)
● Conduct desk-based secondary research including case study review, policy alignment description, industry & market analysis, analysis of financing flows, description of an investment road map for each sector
● Produce the agreed deliverables: the Action Plan (with components of the general business enabling environment report, the sector-specific report, the PIFs report), the RARs report and the final report
● Capture lessons learnt, and provide forward-looking recommendations to ensure that the project can effectively capture optimal opportunities for investments.
The University of Chicago on behalf of its Booth School of Business - International Enterprise Survey Pilot - 2022
Description of Project:
The pilot aimed to test the feasibility of an academic cross-country, cross-industry enterprise survey built to measure the extent and quality of corporate transparency at the firm level. The pilot was implemented by conducting online/phone in-depth interviews with target respondents. The pilot findings helped the University evaluate the quality of the current survey methodology.
Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment:
MKE implemented the following tasks:
● Commented on the research instruments;
● Translated the survey instruments and endorsement letters;
● Designed data collection templates;
● Conducted screening to secure interviews from the contact list provided by the client;
● Reported on the screening results and made recommendations on the recruitment process;
● Conducted 25 online firm interviews;
● Reviewed obtained data for any discrepancies;
● Identified and recorded issues of each question as well as report on challenges, feedback, and any issues arising during the entire interview process, and recommendations on the research design, tools and implementation
● Made follow up call to each firm interviewed and reported on the results;
● Wrote up reports and presented key findings.
AFD - Technical Assistance Mission for the Coordination, Communication And Visibility of the Warm Facility - 2022
Description of Project:
The WARM Facility aims at improving the resilience of populations and economic activities to water related hazards through more resilient cities and territories to climate change and natural hazards, improved and integrated water management and/or integrated coastal zone management. It will support local authorities in the preparation (Component 1), implementation (Component 2), and financing (Component 3) of more efficient projects in the fields, and support policy and strategic dialogue through capitalization and policy dialogue (Component 4).
Under Component 4, the consultant is mobilised to assist AFD in administering the Facility. The Consultant will be in charge of the overall coordination, monitoring and accountability of the WARM Facility towards both AFD and the EU. The Consultant shall manage and carry out tasks and obligations related to administration, finance and contracts supervision associated with the financing agreement of the WARM Facility. The consultant will also be in charge of the implementation of the Communication and Visibility Action Plan.
Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment:
The Facility Coordinator will be in charge of the overall supervision and coordination of the WARM Facility. Exclusively for the activities under AFD direct contracting and implementation, the Facility Coordinator shall manage and supervise all the contracting and administrative aspects of WARM facility implementation.
● The Facility coordinator will be in charge of the overall supervision and coordination of the WARM Facility. Exclusively for the activities under AFD direct contracting and implementation, the Facility coordinator shall manage and supervise all the contracting and administrative aspects of WARM facility implementation. Tasks include but not limited to (i) Supervision, monitoring and evaluation and reporting; (ii) contract and financial administration; and (iii) Procurement support for WARM Facility activities under AFD direct implementation;
● The Communication Officer shall design and implement the external communication strategy of WARM Facility under the supervision of the Facility coordinator and AFD Regional office in Bangkok. Communication and visibility activities shall be in line with the contractual obligations of AFD in the framework of the EU Delegation Agreement, as well as AFD’s requirements. Tasks include but not limited to (i) Elaborate and execute an effective Communication Outreach and Visibility Strategy and Action plan; (ii) Create, disseminate and edit communications content and ensure Visibility of the WARM Facility Programme; (iii) Design, supervise and assist in the organisation of WARM Facility-related events; (iv) Establish and maintain relationships with the press and the public; (v) Elaborate and monitor communications budget for the overall Action; and (v) Reporting on Visibility & Communication.
International Financial Consulting LTD - Data collection phase of End-Term Evaluation of the SECO – World Bank Group Global Financial Infrastructure Program (GFIP) in Vietnam - 2022
Description of Project:
To collect data of the evaluation for the GFIP projects in Vietnam. The research company will support the IFCL Evaluation Team in conducting telephone interviews with beneficiaries of the local GFIP project (MSMEs). There will be a maximum of 16 interviews. The list of MSMEs to be interviewed and their contact details will be provided by IFCL.
Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment
- Organizing the interviews with identified MSMEs
- Conducting interviews following guidance provided by IFCL
- Preparing transcripts of interviews
- Compiling interview findings and analysis into a brief report
- Submitting transcripts, coding tool, and report to IFCL
M-CRIL - Due Diligence (DD) support of a financial services provider in Vietnam - 2022
Description of Project:
The project aimed to support one of MKE’s clients in conducting the due diligence of a financial services providers in Vietnam. The client would participate virtually and lead the discussions with the financial services provider with support from MKE.
Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment:
Planned and prepare due diligence (DD) trip to Financial Institutions (FI) along with M-CRIL
Participated in on-site Due Diligence and facilitated client discussions if there was any communication in local language.
Collected, organized, analyzed and reported information and data obtained during the DD trips
Visited the selected two branches and performed interviews with the branch staff, along with review of selected loan files (10-20 files per branch)
Participated in the meeting with one of the BOD members of the FI
Reviewed the Board Minutes for the last two Board of Directors meetings of the client; Finalized DD meeting notes
Reviewed required report and Audit Committee meeting minutes
Reviewed the MIS system, including but not limited to the client’s report generating capabilities, collateral tracking, loan payment schedule, restructured loan tracking
Resonance - Investing in Women to Strengthen Supply Chains: A Global Development Alliance (GDA) - 2022
Description of Project:
The purpose of project is to design country specific interventions, the project conducted supply chain and gender assessments in target countries to understand farmer and supplier dynamics in PepsiCo supply chains, with an emphasis on current roles men and women have on-farm and in the home; perceptions of women in the supply chain; and, heard directly from women on the barriers and opportunities in achieving economic empowerment.
The Vietnam Gender and Supply Chain Assessment is the first step to identify constraints and opportunities in current supplier networks and growth geographies that could benefit from improved engagement and support. The assessment will report on opportunities, constraints, and preferences of farming communities (and women in particular) and provide recommendations for culturally appropriate improvements suitable for Vietnam’s specific context. The analyses were practical, and field focused to highlight the realities and nuances of farmers and their relationship with PepsiCo.
Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment
The assessment covered two different regions in Vietnam: the Central Highlands and the Red River Delta. Given these considerations, the participants for interviews and group consultations are PepsiCo lead farmer, PepsiCo aggregator, PepsiCo Household, Governments, Private sector, Financial institution and Gender expert.
· Adapted existing interview and group consultation guides to the local country context considering country-specific gender and agricultural concerns.
· Translated the guides into the local language appropriate for the assessment.
· Conducted key informant interviews, in-depth interviews, group consultations, and observations with stakeholder groups outlined in the target participants above.
· Conducted debrief session with local PepsiCo team following completion of all data collection.
· Prepared detailed notes from all interviews, consultations, and observations in the provided template.
· Provided summary of key findings and activity recommendations.
· Gendered supply chain map.
· Reviewed and commented on preliminary slide deck to PepsiCo.
· Reviewed and commented on final report.