Perhaps, like the rules for auditors established after accounting scandals, funders should adopt a policy requiring changes in the M&E provider at certain intervals, maybe with some random selection of interval? Knowing that next year’s assessment may be done by a different firm may create a disincentive for gaming the system (and a pathway for easier detection of any gaming). That may only work for projects with longer-term M&E efforts though.
Perhaps, like the rules for auditors established after accounting scandals, funders should adopt a policy requiring changes in the M&E provider at certain intervals, maybe with some random selection of interval? Knowing that next year’s assessment may be done by a different firm may create a disincentive for gaming the system (and a pathway for easier detection of any gaming). That may only work for projects with longer-term M&E efforts though.