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EVALUATION CONTRACTS CHECKLIST
pdf

Daniel L. Stufflebeam

February 2001

This checklist was designed to help evaluators and clients identify key contractual issues and make and record their agreements for conducting an evaluation. Advance agreements on these matters can mean the difference between an evaluation's success and failure.  Without such agreements the evaluation process is constantly subject to misunderstanding, disputes, efforts to compromise the findings, attack, and/or withdrawal—by the client—of cooperation and funds.

INSTRUCTIONS: Mark each item as important and incorporated with a checkmark or not applicable (na) or leave it blank, indicating not agreed to though important.
1.  BASIC CONSIDERATIONS
_____ Object of the evaluation
_____ Purpose of the evaluation
_____ Client
_____ Other right-to-know audiences		 _____ Authorized evaluator(s)
_____ Guiding values & criteria
_____ Standards for judging the evaluation
_____ Contractual questions
2. INFORMATION
_____ Required information
_____ Data collection procedures
_____ Data collection instruments & protocols 
_____ Information sources
_____ Participant selection
_____ Provisions to obtain needed permissions to collect data		 _____ Follow-up procedures to assure adequate information 
_____ Provisions for assuring the quality of obtained information
_____ Provisions to store & maintain security of collected information
3.  ANALYSIS
_____ Procedures for analyzing quantitative Information _____ Procedures for analyzing qualitative Information
4. SYNTHESIS

_____ Participants in the process to reach judgments
_____ Procedures and guidelines for synthesizing findings and reaching judgments

 _____ Decisions on whether evaluation reports should include recommendations
5.  REPORTS
_____ Deliverables & due dates
_____ Interim report formats, contents, lengths, audiences, & methods of delivery
 		  _____ Final report format, contents, length, audiences, & methods of delivery
_____ Restrictions/permissions to publish  information from or based on the evaluation
6. REPORTING SAFEGUARDS

_____ Anonymity/confidentiality
_____ Prerelease review of reports
____ Conditions for participating in prerelease reviews

_____ Rebuttal by evaluatees
_____ Editorial authority
_____ Final authority to release reports 
7.  PROTOCOL
_____ Contact persons
_____ Rules for contacting program personnel		 _____ Communication channels and assistance
8. EVALUATION MANAGEMENT
_____ Time line for evaluation work of both clients and evaluators _____ Assignment of evaluation responsibilities
9.  CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES
_____ Access to information
_____ Services
_____ Personnel
_____ Information
_____ Facilities		 _____ Equipment
_____ Materials 
_____ Transportation assistance
_____ Work space
10.  EVALUATION BUDGET
_____ Payment amounts & dates
_____ Conditions for payment, including delivery of required reports
_____ Budget limits/restrictions		 _____ Agreed-upon indirect/overhead rates
_____ Contracts for budgetary matters
11.  REVIEW AND CONTROL OF THE EVALUATION
_____ Contract amendment & cancellation provisions
_____ Provisions for periodic review, modification, & renegotiation of the evaluation design as needed		 _____ Provision for evaluating the evaluation against professional standards of sound evaluation
 
This checklist is being provided as a free service to the user. The provider of the checklist has not modified or adapted the checklist to fit the specific needs of the user and the user is executing his or her own discretion and judgment in using the checklist. The provider of the checklist makes no representations or warranties that this checklist is fit for the particular purpose contemplated by user and specifically disclaims any such warranties or representations.