Evaluations
RPA is a leading expert in policy and strategy evaluation. We have extensive experience of working with government agencies and the European Commission, designing and delivering process, impact and value-for-money (economic) evaluations / frameworks, of legislation, policies, programmes and projects. Many of these are associated with long-term outcomes, multi-causal drivers and involve challenging attribution exercises and counterfactuals. Our team is well versed with the practical application of different guidance documents such as the EU’s Better Regulation Guidelines, and the UK government’s Magenta Book (including supplementary guidance on Evaluating Complexity) and Green Book.
At RPA, our expertise lies in helping policy makers develop and implement policies and regulations that enhance the lives and economic well-being of citizens while protecting and enhancing the environment. We specialize in providing comprehensive socio-economic evaluations for our public sector clients across the UK, Europe and beyond, with a view to identifying whether interventions have worked as expected, what impacts they have had (and on who and why), assessing their cost effectiveness, and learning from past experience in order to improve performance and outcomes. We understand the importance of ensuring that policies and regulations and their implementation have minimal negative impacts on businesses, jobs, competitiveness, and other vital aspects of the economy.
Our socio-economic evaluations help policy makers make informed decisions by identifying the best options available and targeting specific concerns while maximizing net social, economic, and environmental benefits at the least cost.
The interplay between different aspects of a policy, programme or project and its associated legislative and administrative frameworks can be complex and conflicting. Factors such as technological advancements and changing consumer demands further complicate the situation. At RPA, we have extensive experience in reviewing and evaluating policies and programmes across their full lifecycles. Our evaluation expertise covers inter alia:
- Review (and retrospective development where required) of Theories of Change and logic models
- Development of counterfactuals against which to assess the impacts of different interventions
- Assessment of the role of governance, implementation structures and processes
- Analysis of inputs, activities, results/outcomes and impacts of interventions
- Extensive stakeholder involvement in evaluations through surveys, interviews, focus group discussions and case studies
In addition to evaluating specific legislation, policies, programmes and projects, RPA is also experienced in developing overall evaluation frameworks and supporting their implementation over a period of years for a number of UK government departments.
Our deep evaluation experience extends across an expanding range of fields, including chemicals regulation, flood and coastal erosion risk management, grant funding programmes, economic and social policies. We apply evaluation theory, techniques, and tools to analyse the activities, policies, and programs of international institutions and have applied different approaches, including theory based evaluation, developmental evaluation and realist evaluation in accordance with the expressed needs of our clients.
Our systematic approach to regulatory and policy evaluation/appraisal includes
- Evaluating legislation effectiveness: We assess the ability and effectiveness of legislation to achieve its objectives, providing insights into its strengths and areas for improvement
- Measuring costs and benefits: We assess the results attributable to legislation, analysing the associated costs and benefits to provide a comprehensive understanding of its impacts.
- Analysing relevance and sustainability: We evaluate the relevance, utility, and sustainability of legislation in light of changing geographical, economic, technological, and regulatory environments.
- Scenario development and case studies: We develop scenarios and case studies to extrapolate impacts and anticipate future developments, enabling policy makers to make forward-looking decisions.
- Quantitative and qualitative analysis: We utilise various analysis techniques, including cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, multi-criteria analysis, and ranking, to provide robust information for decision making.
Our socio-economic evaluations culminate in comprehensive recommendations on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of legislation or policies. We help policy makers refine their approaches, ensuring optimal outcomes while considering the evolving needs of society and the economy.
At RPA, we are dedicated to providing high-quality socio-economic evaluations that inform decision making and drive positive change. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can assist you in developing impactful policies and regulations for a sustainable future.