The EPSDS seeks to satisfy the growing demand for supplementary and specialist technical advisory services on the part of DFID’s 100 Economists and 30 PSD Advisers, although the service is open to other users within DFID and other donor agencies. It provides additional expertise to supplement in-house resources and enable DFID advisers to meet surges in demand for the services of technical specialists. The EPSDS is poised to mobilise specialists to hostile and post conflict environments, manage the attendant security and risk requirements, and operate in disaster/post-disaster situations.
This website is designed to explain how to use the service and contact the EPSDS management team. It also enables DFID staff to access information and learning generated by the EPSDS and the Economist Resource Centre (the predecessor to the EPSDS) through the Document Library.
Responding to Requests
Since October 2007, the EPSDS has handled over 100 requests for assistance. The list below shows the range of requests to be highly varied:
COUNTRY |
PROJECT |
UK |
Review of DFID Multilateral Resources DFID’s Investment Committee, a sub-committee of the Management Board, is responsible for advising the Management Board/Ministers on resource allocation priorities ensuring that DFID’s mix of investments is aligned with its strategic vision. In 2008/09 the Committee is prioritising work on DFID’s systems. This includes a focus on the systems and processes used to allocate funding across countries and institutions. Consultants were commissioned through the EPSDS were commissioned to undertake a paper on approaches that could be developed to inform allocations to multilaterals. This paper proposed approaches to systematising the way in which these and other factors are considered in the process of allocating resources to multilateral organisations, and assessing the efficiency of those allocations. Status: Active |
Uganda |
Support to DFID in the Design of a Joint Budget Support Framework The Budget Support Development Partners in Uganda are in the process of preparing a framework for a joint approach to budget support that will improve the existing collaborative arrangements. This will enable a closer link between budget support disbursement and results on the ground. Its objective is to increase the impact of public spending on the lives of poor people while maintaining macroeconomic stability and economic growth. The purpose of this consultancy was to assist with finalising the design of the Joint Budget Support Framework in Uganda and to draft a DFID programme memorandum and logical framework which summarise the key issues. Status: Active |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Aid Co-ordination and Effectiveness (ACE) Project Coffey provided a team of consultants to support the development and capacity of the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina to co-ordinate international assistance in line with the principles of the Paris Declaration, comprising the Sector for the Co-ordination of International Aid (SCIA) in the Ministry of Finance and Treasury BiH (MoFT), Ministry of Finance FBiH (MoFFBH), Ministry of Finance RS (MoF RS), Ministry for Economic Relations and Coordination RS (MoERC RS), and the Board for the Co-ordination of International Aid (BCIA). The project provided integrated training, management support and development tools, linked to other resource planning processes, including the preparation of the Country Development Strategy and the development of sector-based strategic planning Status: Active |
Zambia |
Technical Support to Develop a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework The Government of Zambia is embarking on a second phase of its Private Sector Development Reforms to reduce the cost of doing business in Zambia. The objective of this assignment is to develop a robust and practical Monitoring and Evaluation framework for the second phase of Zambia’s PSD reform programme 2009-2014. In developing the M&E framework the consultant is acting as a facilitator presenting options and advice to ensure the framework meets the needs of the Government and other PSD stakeholders. Status: Active |
Afghanistan |
Project Completion Report for Economic Management Projects (AFG0809E) Coffey International Development was engaged to fulfil an internal Project Completion Report (PCR) requirement for four DFID Economic Management Team (EMT) projects in Afghanistan. The reports assessed the value for money rating of the programmes and provided an assessment of the extent to which planned outputs have been achieved, and whether this has been done within the timescale planned in accordance with the project logframes. Status: Completed |
Pakistan |
Af/Pak Economic Literature Review The EPSDS was commissioned to source a consultant to provide a literature review on the economic situation across the Af/Pak Border. The purpose of this project was to create a better understanding of how the local population is currently linked to this economy and their access to cross border livelihoods. The consultant provided an analysis of current markets which included key trading goods, income levels, job creation, labour market and barriers to trade in the form of a 15 page summary document. The information for this was gathered using existing economic surveys and other information Status: Completed |
Sierra Leone |
Annual Review of Project Support to the Audit Office The EPSDS provided a consultant to carry out the annual review of DFID’s support too Sierra Leone’s Audit Office. The purpose was to evaluate the progress made by the DFID funding programme which provides technical assistance to the audit service and assess progress against DFID criteria. The consultant was responsible for conducting the assessment and coordinating all inputs, and to make recommendations for the future of the programme. Status Completed |
Iraq |
Basra International Airport Programme Management and Business Planning Coach 316 Days Providing leadership and coaching in programme management, process improvement and business planning to tackle the managerial, financial and technical obstacles to the commercialisation of Basra International Airport (BIA). Status: Completed |
UK |
DFID Economist Retreat and PSD Retreat 30 Days/30 Days Researching and visiting potential venues, inviting and registering participants, booking the venue and liaising with the venue regarding accommodation and conference facilities, attending the retreat, and post-retreat logistics. Status: Active |
UK |
Review of DFID Financial Sector Development 20 Days Reviewing the Financial Sector Team’s experience/achievements to date, analyzing recent trends in promoting improved access to financial services to the poor in developing countries and making recommendations on the way the FST should engage with this agenda in the future. Status: Active |
DRC |
Trading for Peace Phase II: Financial Flows and Banking Related to Natural Resource Trade
51 Days Conducting field research in DRC, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Zambia on natural resource value chains as well as access to and usage of financial services as part of Phase 2 of the Trading for Peace Program. Status: Active |
Palestine |
Deputy Director of the Palestine Investor Conference 53 Days Deputy Director for the Palestine Investment Conference (PIC-Palestine) scheduled for 21 to 23 May 2008 in Bethlehem to report directly to the Conference Director and provide day to day management and leadership, ensuring work progress in line with the conference management plan. Status: Completed |
Ukraine |
Presentation on Managing Spatial Aspects of Public Policy Design Using GIS 5 Days Presenting what GIS is and how it can help with public/social policy (with relevant examples from countries in Eastern and Central Europe) to Ukrainian policy makers. Status: Completed |
UK |
Assessing the Impact of Demographics and Climate Change on Migration 30 Days Reviewing the existing literature and evidence relating to the future impact of demographic and climate change on migration patterns in developing countries, mapping the likely scale of movement within and between developing countries and explaining the different types and causes of migration. Status: Completed |
Cameroon |
Fiduciary Risk Assessment of Support to the Forestry Reform Programme 10 Days Working with the World Bank Country Economist to complete a comprehensive update of the Statement of Progress for DFID’s targeted budget support to Cameroon’s Ministry of Forests. Status: Completed |
Sierra Leone |
Review of the Business Development Initiative 10 Days Reviewing this initiative which provides technical assistance to enterprises in Sierra Leone, and is linked to an investment fund for which the assisted businesses may or may not be eligible. Status: Completed |
To make a request, register as a consultant, or obtain further information about the EPSDS, please contact An Hutton, EPSDS Manager on: an_hutton@coffey.com, or call +44 (0) 118 956 6066
