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Audits and Evaluations

Results-based Management and Accountability Framework

For Making the documentary heritage
known and accessible for use
Activity 1.3 of the Program Activity Architecture

4.2 Evaluation plan

The five-year evaluation cycle for Activity 1.3 spans from the fiscal years 2009-2010 to 2013-2014. A formative evaluation of Activity 1.3 will be conducted in 2010-2011 to assess the performance measurement strategy, identify any issues that may arise, and assess data availability for the summative evaluation of Activity 1.3 to follow in 2013-2014.

The summative evaluation will be conducted to assess overall progress in reaching the goals and objectives for Activity 1.3. This evaluation will fully incorporate findings from ongoing performance measurement and will follow the Evaluation Standards presented in the Treasury Board Evaluation Standards in the Government of Canada (TBS, 2004). There are three primary areas that will be considered:

Relevance - Does the policy, program or initiative continue to be consistent with departmental and government-wide priorities and does it realistically address an actual need?

Success - Is the policy, program or initiative effective in meeting its objectives, within budget and without unwanted outcomes?

Cost-effectiveness - Are the most appropriate and efficient means being used to achieve objectives, relative to alternative design and delivery approaches?

Time frame

The formative evaluation of Activity 1.3 will be conducted in the fiscal year 2010-2011; the summative evaluation of the program will occur in the fiscal year 2013-2014. Table 4 summarizes the time frame applicable to evaluation activities.

Table 4: Evaluation activities time frame
2008-2009		2009-2010	2010-2011	2011-2012	2012-2013	2013-2014
	Develop RMAF
				Formative evaluation
						Summative evaluation

Table 5 (page 13) is the evaluation framework that will guide the formative and summative evaluations for Activity 1.3. The framework addresses the three primary areas of relevance, success and cost-effectiveness, and contains a total of seven questions that will help to guide and focus the evaluation. For each evaluation question, the framework describes the indicators and data sources that will be used to address the question. The framework also links the questions to the formative and/or summative evaluations.

See Table for explanation

Expenditure review committee questions

The evaluation plan incorporates the Expenditure Review Committee policy test questions. Table 6 below demonstrates how these questions are addressed under the evaluation issues of program relevance, success and cost-effectiveness.

Table 6: Crosswalk between Expenditure Review Committee questions and evaluation Issues
Expenditure review questions	Relevance	Success	Cost-effectiveness
Public interest - Does the program area or activity continue to serve the public interest?	X
Role of Government - Is there a legitimate and necessary role for government in this program area or activity?	X
Federalism - Is the current role of the federal government appropriate, or is the program a candidate for realignment with the provinces?	X
Partnership - What activities or programs should or could be transferred in whole or in part to the private/voluntary sector?		X	X
Value-for-money - Are Canadians getting value for their tax dollars?	X	X
Efficiency - If the program or activity continues, how could its efficiency be improved?			X (formative and summative evaluation)
Affordability - Is the resultant package of programs and activities affordable? If not, what programs or activities would be abandoned?			X

Source: TBS, 2005

Evaluation costs

The estimated costs for the formative and summative evaluations are provided in the table below.

Table 7: Evaluation costs
Study	Year / timeline	Total O&M costs
Formative Evaluation	2010-2011	$25,000
Summative Evaluation	2013-2014	$75,000
Total		$100,000

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