Assignments

The Good Financial Governance (GFG) Programme III supports Zambia in addressing fiscal challenges due to insufficient public revenues and a lack of budget credibility and strengthening public financial management following the country’s IMF agreement. Funded by Germany and the EU, the programme works with key institutions, including the Ministry of Finance, Zambia Revenue Authority, and Zambia Public Procurement Authority, to improve transparency, accountability, and efficiency.
PEM was commissioned by GIZ to assess the programme’s long-term impact and sustainability, considering previous modules and synergies with broader public administration reforms and EU co-financing.
Medium contract value between 50,000 and 150,000€.

PEM was appointed to conduct a mid-term review of the SADC Transfrontier Conservation Areas Financing Facility (SADC TFCA FF), a grant-making facility managed by IUCN and funded by Germany (BMZ via KfW). The facility supports conservation projects in transboundary landscapes, focusing on habitat connectivity, improved protected area management, and enhancing livelihoods for communities living alongside wildlife. Elephants and large carnivores are flagship species of the initiative.
The review aimed to support learning and accountability by assessing the effectiveness, efficiency, and relevance of the facility’s institutional structures and processes. It also examined fundraising capacity, growth potential, and convening power, while identifying lessons learned and providing recommendations to key stakeholders.
The evaluation was based on stakeholder consultations through interviews, focus group discussions, site visits in Mozambique and Zimbabwe, online surveys, and document reviews.
Small contract value under 50,000 €.

The programme People Partner with Nature for Sustainable Living – Phase III (PPN III) ran from January 2022 to December 2025. It was implemented by DOF BirdLife Denmark in partnership with Nature Kenya, Nature Uganda, and Bird Conservation Nepal.
PPN III aimed to conserve forest ecosystems while generating sustainable benefits for biodiversity, local communities land use and livelihood, and the climate. The programme focused on strengthening climate-resilient livelihoods, improving forest conservation status, and promoting participatory forest management.
PEMconsult was commissioned to carry out a midterm review of the programme, assessing the first two years of implementation, including the programme’s strategic approach, progress towards results, and budget performance, and provided recommendations for adjustments.
Small contract value under 50,000 €.

Launched in 2019 with Danish support, the OECD Clean Energy Finance and Investment Mobilisation (CEFIM) Programme helps emerging economies attract finance for renewable energy, energy efficiency, and industry decarbonisation. The programme initially operated in Colombia, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, and now also includes Egypt, the Philippines, and South Africa.
Denmark has contributed to CEFIM from 2019–2023 and will continue support through 2028, focusing on grid-scale renewable power and energy efficiency.
PEM was commissioned by Danida to strengthen existing programmes, expand Danish cooperation to new countries, and enhance knowledge sharing and capacity development.
Small contract value under 50,000 €.

Denmark supports water resource management in Kenya as a key climate change adaptation strategy, including investments in nature-based solutions such as reforestation and conservation. Denmark supports Kenya’s water sector in several ways, especially since 2002 working directly with the Kenyan government through Kenya’s Water Act (2002), the Water Sector Trust Fund and the Team Europe Initiative. Future efforts will focus on restoring water catchment areas, strengthening groundwater governance, and promoting transboundary water management in the Horn of Africa.
PEM was commissioned to formulate a programme on integrated water resource management and reforestation. The work involved a participatory, stakeholder-driven process, including a desk review, interviews, and a field mission to Kenya. It also developed a Theory of Change and a results and risk framework.
Small contract value under 50,000 €.

The Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) programme, established in 2001, aims to harmonise the assessment of public financial management systems across development partners.
It was developed as a joint initiative by the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the governments of France, Switzerland, Norway, and the United Kingdom, later joined by Slovakia and Luxembourg.
PEM was selected to evaluate the French Development Agency’s contributions to PEFA from 2018 to 2023. The evaluation focused on strengthening communication of results, drawing lessons to inform future engagement, and ensuring transparent and accountable use of public funds.
Small contract value under 50,000 €.

Danida has supported the introduction of wind energy in Ethiopia, allocating DKK 28 million from the Climate Envelope for a three-year programme (2017–2019) in cooperation with Ethiopian energy authorities, the World Bank Group, the Danish Energy Agency (DEA), and Energinet.
PEM was commissioned to support DSIF and EEP in overcoming obstacles to the Assela 1 Wind Farm Project, including analysing challenges and proposing solutions for issues such as the import of equipment for construction.
Medium contract value between 50,000 and 150,000€.

Danida Sustainable Infrastructure Finance (DSIF) is supporting the Wakiso West Water Supply and Sanitation Project. The project includes a water intake at Lake Victoria, a water treatment plant, water pipes and storage tanks, a faecal sludge treatment plant, and a solar energy plant.
As part of this support, the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) is currently undergoing the approval process with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MOFPED) and requires support to strengthen its loan application.
Then, PEM was commissioned to support NWSC in meeting MOFPED’s requirements and advancing the approval process.
Small contract value under 50,000 €.

In 2022, AIDS-Fondet launched a four-year programme, “HIV Prevention, Resilience & Well-being among Key Populations in Malawi & Uganda”. The programme aims to reduce HIV infections among key populations (KPs) and strengthen the welfare and well-being of people living with HIV. Key populations include sex workers, men who have sex with men, and transgender individuals, who face a disproportionate burden of HIV/AIDS. AF works closely with local civil society organisations to implement the programme.
PEM was commissioned to conduct a midterm evaluation of the first three years. The evaluation assessed the programme’s effectiveness for civil society, the integration of income-generating activities, and the potential for incorporating climate considerations. It included stakeholder interviews, focus group discussions, and a field mission to Uganda.
Small contract value under 50,000 €.

PEM was appointed to conduct a mid-term review of the UNEP-DHI Centre on Water and Environment, which has been co-funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and DHI since 2001. The centre specializes in water management, climate adaptation, and supports UNEP’s work on SDG 6—clean water and sanitation. It provides technical expertise, decision-support tools, and climate adaptation assistance to countries, focusing on water monitoring, ecosystem protection, and addressing challenges like pollution and water scarcity.
The mid-term review assessed the centre’s performance and alignment with the strategic goals of UNEP and the Danish MFA. It focused on four key areas: the centre’s strategic direction, effectiveness in meeting objectives, activity formulation and progress measurement, and management arrangements, including financial performance.
Small contract value under 50,000 €.

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency tasked SALAR International and Avfall Sverige to develop a multi-year programme supporting reforms in Ukraine’s municipal solid waste (MSW) sector.
As part of a seven-month preparatory design phase, the study mapped financial institutions active in Ukraine’s MSW sector, including their financing instruments, project sizes, criteria, and past experience. It also explored alternative funding channels, such as bilateral donors, in the context of Ukraine’s National Reconstruction Plan, EU accession agenda, and the EU Green Deal.
PEM was appointed to conduct this part of the development of the multi-year programme for Swedish support to reforms of the MSW sector in Ukraine.
Small contract value under 50,000 €.

Aktion Amazonas (AKAM) is a Danish nature conservation NGO supporting local organisations and Indigenous Peoples in South America. Its work focuses on protecting more than 2 million hectares of tropical forest in Bolivia and Peru through strong local partnerships with local nature conservation organizations.
As part of its strategic development, AKAM aims to become a CISU (Civil Society in Development) programme organisation and strengthen its long-term impact as a nature conservation organization.
PEM conducted an Organisational Capacity Assessment (OCA) to evaluate AKAM’s readiness for its 2025/2026 programme application. The assessment included stakeholder interviews in Denmark, Peru, and Bolivia, as well as a field visit to the Bajo Paraguá protected area in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. It also examined the added value and programme readiness of the South American Forest Conservation Alliance (SAFCA).
Small contract value under 50,000 €.

In 2003, the management of Danish bilateral development cooperation was decentralised, giving embassies responsibility for programme formulation and implementation. The goal was to enhance the quality and effectiveness of Denmark’s development cooperation.
Twenty years later, a new evaluation examines how development cooperation is managed at both central and embassy levels, considering the evolution of modalities, instruments, and practices.
PEM was commissioned to evaluate four key themes: the main developments in Danish development cooperation since 2009; alignment of these changes with the decentralisation goals; adherence to adaptive management principles; and lessons to guide future improvements in aid management.
Large contract value above 150,000 €.

Denmark prioritises expanding climate, nature, and environmental initiatives within its development cooperation, supported by dedicated funding from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Ministry of Environment (MoE).
PEM was commissioned to support the formulation of two projects under these ministries, as well as a third initiative under the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Working closely with the MoE, PEM led the overall process of identifying and shaping three projects aligned with Danish priorities in environment and development.
Small contract value under 50,000 €.

PEM was commissioned to evaluate the Vocational Skills Development (VSD) programmes of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. The evaluation assessed strategic steering, programme results, good practices, and opportunities for international policy dialogue. It focused on private sector involvement, VSD system development, and the effectiveness of SDC’s decentralised structure following the 2022 reorganisation and whether there has been a changes compared to the pre-reorganization structure.
The evaluation combined portfolio analysis, document reviews, interviews, focus groups, surveys, and case studies across nine countries, including fieldwork in Egypt, Nepal, Serbia, and Tanzania. Findings highlighted successes, challenges, and lessons, with recommendations to strengthen SDC’s strategic and operational approaches.
Medium contract value between 50,000 and 150,000€.

Africa, Asia, and Latin America are rich in the metals and minerals essential for digital technologies and the green transition. However, mining in many of these regions is challenged by weak governance systems, limiting environmental protection and respect for human rights.
In response, Sida and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) launched the Environmental Governance Programme (EGP) in 2014 to strengthen the integration of environmental and human rights standards in the mining sector. Phase 1 (2014–2019) focused on Kenya, Zambia, Mozambique, and Mongolia, while Phase 2, launched in 2020, expanded the programme to 10 countries and introduced a revised approach.
PEM, together with NIRAS Sweden, was selected to evaluate Phase 2 of the programme, assessing its effectiveness, results, and areas for improvement.
Medium contract value between 50,000 and 150,000€.

PEMconsult East Africa in association with WEMA Consult conducted a poverty and social impact assessment for the Sustainable Management of Mineral Resources Programme (SMMRP) with the aim of informing the project on the poverty reduction effectiveness of sector reforms and SMMRP implementation. The PSIA examined the assumptions underlying mineral sector reforms, evaluated the potential poverty and social impact of the 2009 Mineral Policy on mining communities, assessed the short and the long-term implications of the Mineral Policy of 2009, and provided policy options for maximization of the benefit of the Mineral Policy. The study involved a broad range of stakeholders in a debate on the reforms that were being considered.