Building Sustainable M&E Systems and Professional Capacity in Liberia: A PERT Consultancy Success Story (2019–2024)

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Between 2019 and 2024, PERT Consultancy, Inc. established itself as a leading national firm in the design and delivery of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems and capacity development services in Liberia. Through sustained engagement with government institutions, civil society organizations (CSOs), and donor-funded programs, PERT supported a gradual but decisive shift from fragmented and ad hoc monitoring practices toward institutionalized, sustainable M&E systems that strengthen accountability, learning, and results-based decision-making.

 

PERT’s work in M&E system strengthening began in May 2019, when DAI Global contracted the firm under the USAID-funded Local Empowerment for Government Inclusion and Transparency (LEGIT) Activity to implement the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting Capacity Building Activity for the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA). The seven-month assignment focused on strengthening the Ministry’s institutional M&E and reporting capacity. PERT Consultancy conducted a comprehensive M&E capacity assessment, which informed the development of the Ministry’s M&E Policy, M&E Manual, and standardized tools. In addition, the firm delivered structured staff training and supported the development of an M&E framework to guide implementation of Liberia’s Local Government Act. This assignment marked a critical transition for the Ministry—from fragmented monitoring practices to a structured, policy-backed M&E system embedded within its institutional processes.

 

Building on the success of this engagement, DAI Global re-engaged PERT Consultancy to strengthen planning, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting (PMER) systems at the subnational level under the same USAID LEGIT Activity. Through a participatory approach, PERT supported Bong, Nimba, and Grand Gedeh Counties to develop County Resolutions Implementation Plans and corresponding M&E plans, improving counties’ ability to track implementation progress and report on development priorities. The firm also produced a PMER Guide and delivered targeted PMER training to county officials and staff, strengthening subnational planning, accountability, and reporting mechanisms.

 

As PERT’s reputation for M&E system and capacity strengthening grew, the firm was engaged by the USAID Liberia Accountability and Voice Initiative (LAVI) to support the M&E capacity of civil society organizations. Over a two-year period, PERT strengthened the M&E systems of 15 CSO partners through the development of M&E standard operating procedures (SOPs), data collection tools, and reporting frameworks, complemented by structured training, mentorship, and coaching. This work enabled CSOs to generate more reliable evidence, improve reporting quality, and engage more effectively with donors and government counterparts.

 

PERT Consultancy subsequently supported similar efforts for Oxfam Liberia, which contracted the firm to strengthen the monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems of 12 local partner organizations. Following consultative assessments of existing MEL practices, PERT worked with each organization to develop tailored MEL plans and tools and delivered training to support effective implementation and learning. These engagements further reinforced PERT’s systems-oriented approach to MEL strengthening across the civil society sector.

 

In October 2020, under contract with the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), PERT Consultancy conducted an M&E capacity assessment across six counties in Liberia. The assessment revealed significant demand for M&E knowledge and skills, alongside limited and inconsistent institutional capacity, inadequate logistics, and the absence of standardized systems and tools. Drawing on these findings, PERT developed a County M&E Capacity Strengthening Strategy, outlining priority results and interventions required to improve M&E performance at the subnational level. This assignment strengthened PERT’s evidence base and informed the continued refinement of its system development approach.

 

Recognizing that institutional M&E systems are only as strong as the people who operate them, PERT Consultancy launched its M&E Internship Program in June 2021 to address the limited pool of trained M&E professionals in Liberia. The program combined technical M&E training with strategic planning, soft skills development, and proposal writing. The first cohort, comprising four interns, completed the program in August 2021, with all four subsequently employed by PERT Consultancy, contributing directly to the firm’s growing technical capacity.

 

Building on this model, International Business Initiatives (IBI) contracted PERT Consultancy to implement the USAID Data, Evaluation, Learning, and Technical Assistance (DELTA) Activity Internship Program. This multi-year initiative aimed to build a national pool of MEL professionals by annually recruiting and training cohorts of 20–30 interns placed with reputable host organizations across six counties. The program combined comprehensive onboarding, nine-month placements, refresher trainings, structured mentorship, and career readiness support. Although the program was terminated early in March 2025 following the global closure of USAID, it achieved strong outcomes prior to closure, with 90% of Cohort 1 and 75% of Cohort 2 interns securing employment within two months of graduation. Despite early termination, the program demonstrated the effectiveness of PERT’s workforce development model and informed the design of subsequent national capacity-building initiatives.

 

Alongside workforce development initiatives, PERT Consultancy continued to strengthen M&E systems across government institutions and CSOs. The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) contracted the firm to build the capacity of county officials and ministry staff in results-based planning, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting. PERT designed and delivered PMER training to officials from eight counties, as well as MFDP M&E staff, supporting improved planning, monitoring, and reporting across national and subnational levels. The firm also provided tailored M&E training and mentorship to the M&E Unit of Liberia’s National Elections Commission (NEC) under contract with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

 

Between 2023 and 2024, under the USAID Civil Society Activity, PERT Consultancy further strengthened M&E capacity in 11 civil society organizations, delivering targeted training and mentorship and developing customized M&E manuals and tools to support consistent data collection, reporting, and learning.

 

These cumulative engagements informed a deliberate shift from project-based delivery toward scalable, institutionalized solutions. Building on this body of experience, PERT Consultancy has designed three structured flagship initiatives to scale up its M&E system and capacity strengthening services. The first is a comprehensive and scalable framework for M&E system and capacity development applicable to government institutions, NGOs, CSOs, and private-sector entities. The framework begins with institutional diagnostics and capacity assessments, followed by system design, standardization, digitalization, and staff capacity strengthening, ensuring context-responsive solutions that deliver value for money and long-term sustainability.

 

PERT Consultancy has also designed the Young Evaluators Fellowship Program (YEF) as a next-generation initiative to consolidate and scale its contribution to national evaluation capacity development. Building on over five years of experience implementing M&E internship and workforce development programs, PERT Consultancy designed YEF as a structured pathway to build a sustainable pipeline of competent, ethical, and work-ready young evaluators to support evidence-based decision-making and accountability in Liberia.

 

In addition, PERT Consultancy has established the PERT Training Academy as a dedicated platform for delivering high-quality, short-term professional training for development and business practitioners. The Academy will offer paid, practice-oriented courses including Foundations of Monitoring and Evaluation, Advanced Evaluation Practice, Digital Tools and Technology for M&E, and Policy and Operational Research. Complementing these offerings, it will deliver applied professional skills courses such as Entrepreneurship and Consulting Practice, Project Management for Development and Business Professionals, Proposal Development and Report Writing, and Organizational Strategic Planning.

 

Through these initiatives, PERT Consultancy continues to position itself as a national leader in institutional M&E systems, workforce development, and applied learning in Liberia, while laying the foundation for expanded national and regional engagement.