What We Do
Forcier is inseparable from the countries in which we work. With 85% local staff, our mission is to invest in people, and provide high-quality data in some of the most challenging locations in the world. Our research informs programming for government agencies, NGOs, and the private sector alike - all designed and conducted from our offices in Africa and the Middle East.
Research Design
Forcier's staff methodologists design complex quantitative surveys, qualitative tools, and sample frames alongside our teams in our countries of operation.

Data Collection
From our in-country offices, Forcier Consulting's national and international researchers conduct data collection with an in-depth understanding of the local context.

Analysis & Report Writing
Our in-house team of analysts and statisticians provide rigorous and insightful analysis on qualitative and quantitative data, and elicit key findings and recommendations.

About Us
Our Mission
Forcier Consulting was founded in response to the overwhelming demand for data, research and information in some of the most challenging environments in Africa. While we aim to produce reliable and high-quality research in these complex settings, we also make long-term investments in building the capacity of national staff to serve as researchers and consultants. Through this approach, not only do we ensure that today's decision-makers are able to create evidence-based policies and programs, but we also establish a research legacy and sustainable technical services industry within each country we work in.

Natalie Forcier began working as a research consultant in pre-independence South Sudan in 2009, at which point the majority of research projects were conducted by international consultants. Ms. Forcier noticed the need for a locally based and locally staffed company rooted in the communities it worked in. Shortly thereafter, South Sudanese researchers were recruited as part of an intense training and on-the-job professional system with great success. In 2013, we accomplished the first ever nationally representative survey in South Sudan using smartphone technology, which set the standard for our data collection moving forward. Leveraging our experience in fragile environments in Africa, we expanded into Sudan in 2013 to provide the same kind of localized research capacities. We now maintain full-time offices and representative staff in Juba, Amman, Cairo, Nairobi, Kinshasa, Kampala, Maputo, and Washington D.C. In the past eight years, Forcier has grown to a staff of more than 100 individuals, dedicated to offering high-quality research in the most logistically challenging environments. Forcier's world-wide staff has accomplished more than 700 research projects to date across 39 countries worldwide, with plans to reach even more. Our investments in innovative technologies, and most importantly in people, allow for unparalleled access and research in the hardest to reach places.

Our Story
Forcier's proven approach is founded on the interplay between capacity building of our staff, and adherence to stringent quality assurance procedures. Our full-time national research staff do not operate on a project basis, but rather learn and and grow from each experience in the field, as permanent members of our country teams. Our researchers are trained to implement a variety of on-site, real time quality checks, while our in-country project management staff employ a second level of near real-time checks utilizing our remote data analysis capabilities.

As a local entity, Forcier has the unique capability to provide this level of continuous support, oversight, and mentorship to our researchers before, during and after fieldwork. As such, each research project is an opportunity to continue to build our staff, so as to improve performance over time and to raise the overall standard of our data quality. In general, Forcier accomplishes this in three innovative ways.

Our Approach
Check
Forcier provides real time (daily) quality reviews for all incoming field data.

Correct
Next, we leverage real time data to spot and fix data while field teams are still on location.

Coach
Finally, Forcier uses field mistakes to improve understanding and performance.

Our Technology
Forcier is able to achieve this real-time flow of information and communication through our innovative digital data collection technologies. We have utilized smartphone data collection for more than 500 projects to date - and our stock of 500+ smartphones and tablets allow us to ensure data quality in some of the most difficult areas for research in the world.

Want to learn more about Forcier's unique approach to research? Contact us at one of our country offices to speak with a team member.

Services
Market Assessments
A market assessment is a rapid snapshot of which goods and services are available, and an idea of how satisfied consumers are with those goods and services offered in markets. Forcier conducts market assessments at the grassroots level, as well as in-depth market research and labor studies for private sector clients in major market locations.

Example of Past Projects
American Refugee Committee/UNHCR, Labor Market Study in High Growth Sectors, 2016, Somalia
Oxfam, Market Analysis in Sofala Province, 2016, Mozambique
CARE, Market Assessment and Value Chain Analysis, 2017, South Sudan
IOM, Market Survey for the Socio-Economic Reintegration of At-Risk Youth and Ex-Combatants, 2016, Somalia

World Bank, Market Assessment, Skills Gap Study, and Youth Needs Assessment, 2014, South Sudan
Concern Worldwide, Market Mapping and Analysis in Zambezia and Manica Provinces, 2016, Mozambique
ILO, Opportunity Mapping in Mogadishu, 2013, Somalia
PWC, Survey with Small and Medium Companies, 2017, DRC

What We Do
Project Evaluations
Market Research
Media & Audience Research
Needs Assessments
Opinion Polling
Third Party Monitoring
Bespoke Consultations & Trainings
Project Evaluations
Forcier provides baseline, midterm, and end-line assessments for INGOs as well as governmental agencies, in both urban and rural settings across our countries of operation. This includes evaluations with a focus on livelihoods and food security, agriculture, water, sanitation, and hygiene, health, gender based violence, education, and media, amongst other sectors.

Oxfam, Community WASH & Protection Endline Evaluation, 2016, DRC
UNFPA, Evaluation of Mozambique's National Sexual & Reproductive Health Programme (MoBIZ), 2017, Mozambique
Save the Children, Endline Evaluation for the Integrated Shelter, WASH, and Child Protection Program, 2016, Lebanon
ICEP, Evaluation of the SWEAR Program, 2017, Uganda and Kenya

Example of Past Projects
Plan International, Endline Evaluation of the Girl's Education Challenge (GEC) Project, 2016, Sierra Leone
Cherie Blair Foundation, External Evaluation of the "Advancing Palestinian Women Entrepreneurs" Project, 2017, Palestine
Mercy Corps, Measuring the Effectiveness of WASH Committees in Darfur Camps, 2017, Sudan

Media & Audience Research
Media & audience research provides invaluable insight into reach & recency metrics, audience profiling, listening/viewing habits and preferences, and information needs assessments for static and vulnerable populations. Forcier Consulting is a member of the Conference of International Broadcasters' and Audience Research (CIBAR) and is active in helping to shape industry standards for audience research. In addition, Forcier partnered with Internews on the five-year USAID-funded iSTREAM project, which sought to strengthen a free and independent media in South Sudan.

Example of Past Projects
Population Media Center, Elembo Project Radio Study, 2017, DRC
USIP, "Sawa Shabab" Season 3 Impact Study, 2017, South Sudan
UNESCO, Evaluation of the Implementation of a Somalia Media Support Group Strategy, 2016, Somalia
Internews, South Sudan National Audience Survey, 2013, South Sudan
Gallup Inc., Somalia Media Attitudes and Usage Survey, 2014, Somalia
Population Media Center, Evaluation of the "Pambazuko" Radio Program, 2017, DRC
JICA, Institutional Capacity Development of Radio & TV, 2013, South Sudan
Breakthrough Media, Suuqa Year Two Media Evaluation, 2017, Somalia

Needs Assessments
A needs assessment takes place before program implementation and design, and looks at the community in which an agency is situated to help organizations understand the interests, attributes, and needs of different populations and people in the community. Forcier's staff of local researchers allows for in-depth assessments in challenging locations, without the need for translators.

Example of Past Projects
Handicap International, Study on the Conditions of Pregnant Women and Mothers with Disabilities in Health Centers, 2017, DRC
Finn Church Aid, Needs Assessment in Awerial County, 2016, South Sudan
Norwegian Refugee Council, Programmatic Needs Assessment, 2016, Somalia
IOM, Migrant Health Assessment, 2013, South Sudan

Concordis International, Water Research and Market Assessment, 2015, South Sudan
UNICEF, Survey on Basic Social Service Needs, 2017, Somalia
World Vision, Education in Emergencies Needs Assessment, 2014, South Sudan
Oxfam Intermon, Water Quality, Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Assessment, 2013, South Sudan

Opinion Polling
While typical research assessments may focus on various factors and indicators, opinion polling focuses exclusively on the views of the people. Forcier Consulting conducts opinion polling to gauge popular perceptions in our areas of operation using local researchers and enumerators. As well, Forcier Consulting is the partner of Gallup Inc. in the implementation of the Gallup World Poll in Swaziland, Mozambique, Zambia, Lesotho, and Sierra Leone (2019).

Example of Past Projects
Gallup, Gallup World Poll, 2015 - Present, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, Zambia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Angola
International Republic Institute, Public Opinion Survey, 2014, South Sudan
Farsight Africa, Opinion Survey for Radio in a Box Program, 2017, Somalia
UNICEF, Youth Voices Situational Analysis, 2015, South Sudan
Internews, Rapid Response Poll on Media Consumption and Access to Information, 2014, South Sudan
UNICEF, Survey on Basic Social Service Needs and Public Perceptions Towards UNICEF, 2017, Somalia

Third Party Monitoring
Example of Past Projects
Third party monitoring and verification allows organizations to increase quality assurance of programming and meet standards set by donors, as well as providing beneficiary feedback mechanisms to improve accountability to communities. Forcier provides these services in a variety of formats including on-going monitoring and periodic data collection.

UNICEF Sudan, Third Party Monitoring Services, 2017, Sudan
UNICEF South Sudan, Third Party Monitoring Services, 2017, South Sudan
UNICEF Somalia, Third Party Monitoring Services, 2017, Somalia
World Food Programme Sudan, Third Party Monitoring Services, 2017, Sudan
World Food Programme South Sudan, Third Party Monitoring Services, 2017, South Sudan
FAO/Transtec, Third Party Monitoring for Cash Transfer Verification Services, 2017, Somalia
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands), Third Party Monitoring and Evaluation Agent for the Civil Society Fund, 2017, South Sudan
IMC, Monitoring & Evaluation Services for BRACE II, 2017, South Sudan
SomRep, Somalia Resilience Program Third Party Monitoring, 2017, Somalia

Bespoke Services
Forcier Consulting offers custom tailored research services in the areas of full-service research, research design, methodological design, data collection, research training, and analysis. Forcier's diverse and qualified technical team can enhance your organization's capacity to succeed through custom research and analysis.

Example of Past Projects
World Bank, South Sudan Indigenous Peoples Study, 2015, South Sudan
UNDP, Somalia Community Security Index, 2014
SaferWorld, STATA Quantitative Support, 2016, Somalia
TANGO, EVELYN Fieldwork Support, 2017, DRC
Handicap International, Disability Training Manual, 2012, South Sudan
Clingendael Institute, Political Economy Analysis of the Private Sector, 2016, Somalia
PAX for Peace, Training on Kobo Toolbox, 2016, South Sudan
Economic Research Forum, Labor Survey Data Collection Support Services, 2017, Jordan

Where We Work
Our Reach
In the past eight years, Forcier has worked in more than 39 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and South East Asia. Our main research offices serve as regional hubs, allowing us to conduct projects in neighboring countries with ease of access and linguistic & cultural understanding. Our smaller offices and locations with representative primarily serve support functions, with limited staff performing a variety of important activities.

Our Projects
Our Work
From audience research in South Sudanese protection of civilian camps, to opportunity mapping in Mogadishu, we have completed projects for governments, development agencies, and private sector clients alike. While Forcier's more than 700 projects have covered a wide variety of thematic areas, we have chosen a few common sectors of experience below.

Education
Forcier has conducted numerous education assessments across the world. Our on-the-ground capacity has allowed us to effectively locate, track, and survey targeted school children, their teachers, and their households in some of the most remote and insecure areas.

Stability & Governance
The vast majority of Forcier’s work takes place in conflict-affected states in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Northern Africa - where improving stability and governance is a priority for growth.

Job Creation
Forcier has worked with youth, women, and men, globally to provide partners with up to date data on potential opportunities within agriculture markets, job creation, and vocational education. Economic empowerment begins with gathering foundational data to inform policy.

Food Security & Livelihoods
Food security is essential to growth at both the individual and national level. Our work within this sector has ranged from drought resilience to farmer fielding techniques, and large scale anthropometric measuring.

WASH
Forcier has operated within the sector of WASH since its inception, providing project evaluations including water quality testing to assessing sanitation practices in schools.