Undertaking PEFA Assessments

Undertaking PEFA Assessments takes participants through the techniques for quickly mapping the PEFA performance measure indices to the appropriate institutions in a given country, and establishing triangulation maps for assessing the quality and reliability of data. It examines approaches for surveying the key features of the Public Finance Management legal and regulatory framework. It outlines approaches for explaining the purpose of a PEFA assessment to government and donor officials to ensure that the right people are met and furthermore in meetings are prepared to respond to questions. The course introduces effective interview techniques through presentations as well as simulated interview sessions.  This course develops in-depth techniques for assessing and analyzing data received on all 31 PEFA indicators and identifies a number of traps to avoid.  Further, it provides guidance on key features to review in order to assess the effectiveness of the institutional arrangements in place to manage a PFM reform program.  It also reviews the basic elements that are a prerequisite to successful PFM reform.

The course introduces very powerful methods for performing internal consistency checks on the ratings ascribed that can serve as a very useful basis for identifying errors in the assessment.  It also identifies places where inaccurate or unreliable data has been employed to arrive at a particular rating and so may require additional data or the use of other sources.  The limits and limitations of the PEFA methodology are also explored to ensure that any biases introduced into the assessment may be understood and adequately addressed within the narrative.

The course concludes with techniques for the preparation of the PEFA report with emphasis on the preparation of the Summary Assessment.

By the end of the course participants will:

• Be equipped with practical methods for mapping the PEFA Performance Measurement Framework to a country’s institutional framework to serve as a basis for effective engagement with a country on the assessment of its PFM systems;

• Be equipped with techniques to identify the key features of the Public Finance Management legal and regulatory framework;

• Be able to plan effectively actual field interviews to complete a PEFA Assessment;

• Learn effective interview techniques and triangulation methods for assuring an accurate understanding of PFM systems and procedures, and obtaining fair and balanced results in the assessment of the PEFA indicators;

• Appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of the Performance Measurement Framework tool and so avoid an over simplistic extrapolation of indicator scorings to a measure of the status of PFM activities in a given country;

• Learn effective methods for checking PEFA scorings based upon internal consistency checks;

• Be equipped with techniques for preparing PEFA reports including the Summary Assessment

The learning methods will include the following

• Introduction to key concepts through the “teaching and discussion” methods;

• The use of original source material of key writers/thinkers in this area;  

• The use of extensive examples from many different countries with different experiences to illustrate the points put across;

• The use of exercises (in particular short "buzz-group" sessions) to provoke and consolidate certain points raises;

• The use of major case studies–to illustrate in more detail some of the key points of the course;

• The use of simulated interview session with invited government officials.