Computer assisted personal interview with a nomadic women in Ghazni Province
Why ORCA
Based on the lessons we learned from conducting more than 1,625,300 successful interviews in 576 survey research projects, over one and a half decade in Afghanistan, we managed to achieve:
- Practically tested efficient and effective manuals for field interviewers, field monitoring and validation teams, coders and data entry operators.
- A pool of nearly 1,500 experienced, multi-ethnic and gender-balanced interviewers, managed by 68 field supervisors, and
- A network of over 100 local monitoring and validation agents (half males and half females) managed by 34 monitoring supervisors in all provinces of Afghanistan.
Governance
The governing composition of ORCA comprises of the board of directors, the senior management, field researchers and support staff. The board of directors formulates policies to improve ORCA’s research capabilities through constant search for new ways to advance our heritage of innovation. The senior management team members are accountable for the smooth implementation and day-to-day running of research projects.
Our field teams are highly trained in research techniques and methods, both in-country and overseas, with regular training updates and survey specific training when needed. They are not only long-timers, but also have a deep and hard-earned experience of the Afghan context, from the national, provincial, and village, down to the household level. They are well-prepared for outstanding performance even in the most challenging and hostile regions of Afghanistan.
With the above-mentioned extensive field force and a focus on delivering high quality and credible research, we are known to many of our clients as the preeminent researchers in Afghanistan.
Our headquarters are located centrally in Kabul equipped with computer networks, in-house data entry and analysis. Our regional offices are located in Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Jalalabad, and Kandahar Cities.
We also have a licensed branch office located in Virginia, USA.
Comparative Advantages
All under one-roof
Survey designing, Programming, Data collection, Data processing, Analytics and reporting/charting.
Grade of excellence
Quality is at the heart of everything we do. We understand the importance of maintaining the highest industry standards, because your ability to make informed decisions depends on the information we deliver.
Unmatched geographical coverage
We have a track-record of completing successful nationwide studies in all 34 of the 34 provinces, including areas outside the government control (with support of local tribal leaders). We have access to almost every village in Afghanistan.
The largest field team in Afghanistan
Having had the opportunities to run some of the largest nationwide multi-wave surveys over a decade, we had to recruit and train more and more interviewers to keep up with the demand of our clients. Many of our international clients chose to train our interviewers and supervisors in-person in Afghanistan and abroad to make sure they meet the industry standards.
Flexible approach
We understand that no two requirements are alike. Aligning with client goals, we offer our clients the option of multiple methodologies, timelines and budget.
24 by 7 Responsiveness
We benchmark ourselves on our promptness in our communication and response to your requests.
We are competitive
Cost advantages of minimum 15%
Social responsibility
Our goal is to implement small sustainable projects based on the community needs identified by our field research teams. These small development projects, such as digging water wells and providing stationary to school kids, are implemented out of the 10% of our profits and community contributions.
