Assignments

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€.

Denmark, through the Danish Energy Agency, engages in a range of bilateral energy partnerships with developing, emerging, and developed countries. Some of these partnerships are combined under the multi-country Danish Energy Partnership Programme (DEPP).
DEPP IV (2025–2030) will build on lessons from previous phases and mid-term reviews, supporting countries such as India, Kenya, and Brazil in developing climate change mitigation strategies and policies to achieve their Paris Agreement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
PEM’s role is to assist in the formulation of DEPP IV, developing the framework programme and three country-specific programme documents, including all required annexes, for government-to-government collaboration.
Medium contract value between 50,000 and 150,000€.

The Cool Coalition, initiated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), brings together governments, cities, businesses, and civil society to accelerate the transition to efficient and climate-friendly cooling. As a global multi-stakeholder network, it promotes knowledge sharing, advocacy, and coordinated action, with more than 100 partners, including 23 countries.
The Coalition promotes a holistic “reduce-shift-improve-protect” approach, addressing cooling needs through better urban planning, energy-efficient buildings, renewable energy, thermal storage, and the phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in both industrialized and developing nations.
PEM was commissioned to quality-assure the project documentation for Danish support to the Coalition. This included assessing the robustness of its operational and financial management and its alignment with Denmark’s development cooperation strategy.
Small contract value under 50,000 €.

The Government of Rwanda aims to increase its development by digitalising the economy and society, including investments in digital infrastructure, public services, and digital skills.
The programme supports responsible public institutions, primarily the Ministry of Information Communication Technology and Innovation (MINICT) and the Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA), in leading this digital transition.
Key objectives include ensuring equitable access to digital benefits for all, particularly disadvantaged groups such as women and people with disabilities, and fostering community engagement. The project also prioritises machine translation, providing Kinyarwanda language sets and training to expand digital inclusion.
Medium contract value between 50,000 and 150,000€.

PEM conducted the final evaluation of the Farmer Field Schools (FFS), a four-year FAO/UN Women project established in Abkhazia and Samegrelo, Georgia. FFS serve as farmer-to-farmer learning platforms, demonstrating upgraded technical practices, enhancing food safety in dairy production, and developing networks of farmer groups.
The schools aim to empower up to 1,000 women dairy farmers by providing better income-generation opportunities through improved produce quality and skills for self-employment, facilitated by connections with local dairy shops.
The evaluation documented the project’s key results, achievements, challenges, and lessons learned, highlighting its impact on rural women’s livelihoods. By the time of the evaluation, 58 FFS had been established, and a field visit to Georgia was conducted for data collection.
Small contract value under 50,000 €.

The Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), established in 1983 as an umbrella trust fund under the World Bank, is a global partnership of 24 donors supporting low- and middle-income countries in reducing poverty and boost growth through sustainable energy solutions. The programme has worked in more than 130 countries.
Denmark has contributed to ESMAP since 1998 through both core funding and targeted support to specific priority areas. As ESMAP prepares its new Business Plan for 2025–2030, Denmark has indicated continued support, alongside a focus on more strategic and consolidated funding.
PEM was commissioned by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the World Bank to support this transition. The assignment focused on advising how Danish contributions can be streamlined, aligned with the upcoming Business Plan, and concentrated into fewer, larger engagements for greater impact.
Small contract value under 50,000 €.

PEM was appointed by the European Union to evaluate its cooperation with Western Balkan countries, focusing on waste management and urban wastewater sectors during 2016–2020, specifically under pillar 3 of the GAWB, , specifically on the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) and IPA bilateral and regional operations.
The evaluation provided an independent assessment of EU investments and programmes and identified lessons and recommendations to improve current and future strategies. It followed EuropeAid methodology and OECD DAC criteria, while also considering cross-cutting issues such as human rights, gender, and climate.
Large contract value above 150,000 €.

Danish support to Georgia’s energy sector began in 2016 with the “Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy” project and continued in 2020 with the “Enabling Environment for Sustainable Energy” programme. The initiative promotes renewable energy use, energy efficiency, and alignment of Georgia’s legislative and regulatory framework with the EU Energy acquis. It also strengthens stakeholder capacity, advances energy labelling and eco-design, and further develops TIMES Georgia, a policy analysis tool for the country’s National Energy and Climate Plan.
PEM was commissioned to evaluate the “Enabling Environment for Sustainable Energy” project in Georgia. The evaluation aimed to inform future support to the country’s energy sector while examining synergies, coordination, and potential overlaps with other ongoing initiatives. Conducted following a Human Rights-Based Approach, it included a field mission as well to Georgia.
Small contract value under 50,000 €.

PEM was selected to provide strategic and technical quality assurance of the Danish Tropical Forests Initiative’s Strategic Framework and its initial portfolio of projects.
The appraisal assessed whether the Strategic Framework and its four projects align with overall objectives and strategic priorities. It also evaluated the rationale for project selection and their technical robustness, including management structures, monitoring systems, and risk management.
The Strategic Framework covers the period 2024–2027, with an overall budget of approximately DKK 1 billion. The assessed projects include the Amazon Fund, the Central African Forest Initiative, the EU–Uganda Forest Partnership, and REDD+ Investment Programme II in Ethiopia.
As part of the assignment, PEM conducted a field visit to Ethiopia to support on-site data collection.
Large contract value above 150,000 €.

Pakistan’s textile and fashion industry (primarily located in Punjab) is the country’s largest economic sector, yet productivity remains low and sustainability challenges are significant. High water, chemical, and energy use, poor working conditions, especially for informal workers and women, and weak enforcement of labor and environmental laws limit the industry’s competitiveness. With global buyers increasingly demanding sustainably produced textiles, the sector urgently needs modernization with sustainable production as a crucial success factor.
PEM was assigned to support this transition by promoting sustainable production practices and strengthening productivity, competitiveness, and resilience across the industry. We worked with both public and private stakeholders to encourage the adoption of economic, environmental, and social standards.
Medium contract value between 50,000 and 150,000€.