Call for MIDP Reviewers | Global Development Awards Competition 2021

Call for MIDP Reviewers (Consultants)

A. Background

The Japanese Award for Most Innovative Development Project is a competitive grant program under the umbrella of the Global Development Awards Competition, administered by the Global Development Network and funded by the Ministry of Finance, Government of Japan. The award program invites non-profit Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to submit project proposals supporting (in particular) improved service delivery, and innovative approaches that may be scaled-up through a grant. The Award targets projects currently at the stage of implementation, and which have a high potential for impact targeting exceptionally marginalized and disadvantaged groups located in developing countries.**

B. Scope of the call

The aim of the call is to identify 3 consultant teams (reviewers) to conduct the review of applications received under each of the three themes of the 2021 MIDP Awards, through desk-based work and site visits. GDN invites teams of individuals, represented by a lead applicant which will submit the application, capable of providing the consulting services to submit an application. Applicants will have to demonstrate professional experience in developing countries (up to lower-middle-income countries) and a mix of international, regional and local exposure.

C. Profile of applicants

GDN is expecting reviewers to demonstrate the following:

• Have demonstrable experience in reviewing and assessing social development projects as part of granting program (for at least 5-6 years), including project design, staffing, budgets, financial and institutional capacity;

• Have previous experience assessing World Bank Environmental and Social (E&S) compliance and familiarity with the World Bank’s current Environment and Social Frameworks’ (ESF) and associated Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs) and be willing to undergo E&S training including an online self-paced training.

• Demonstrate appropriate regional representation within the team: no more than 40% of the team for each review stage should be from the same geographic region.

D. Application structure

To apply, interested applicants, each team to be represented by a single application through the leader of the team, must submit their Expressions of Interest (EoI) with the following information:

• Indicate the theme of the 2021 MIDP Awards the application relates to.
• Detailed background of the applying team of individuals sustained by the submissions of comprehensive CVs specifying all relevant professional affiliations and demonstrating experience in conducting reviews of development projects, including details of reports produced, etc.

• A note (not more than 5 pages) detailing the proposed review methodology for the multi-stage assessment detailed in the Terms of Reference (ToR). The applicant may use this note also to:

  • propose improvements to structure of the review (see details in the ToR attached);
  • propose changes and/or addition to the standard list of review criteria proposed by GDN;
  • describe which dimensions will be assessed through desk review, and which ones will require site visits;
  • define the quality threshold justifying site visits to projects; and
  • detail the grading scales to be used and justify the choice of qualitative and quantitative grading.

• A detailed budget for the assignment.

• A list of social development projects handled/completed during the last three years.

• Contacts of three references that can support the applicant’s qualifications for undertaking the review process.

• Contact information of the two leading team members (full names, full postal address, telephone numbers, email addresses, professional website) who will act as contact points with GDN, if selected.

• If applying to be reviewer for more than one theme of the 2021 MIDP Awards, a justification regarding the capacity to undertake the reviews in parallel.

E. Selection Criteria

Applications will be reviewed against the following weighed criteria:

Quality of Application (60%)

• Quality of proposed process for undertaking multi-stage review (including criteria to be used for selecting projects)

• Feasibility of work plan and proposed review process based on overall task timeline

• Appropriateness of proposed budget

Capacity of Applying Team (40%)

• Experience of Lead Team Member(s)

• Relevant expertise of team in conducting a review of social development project in different developing countries (no. of cumulative years)

• Appropriateness of the composition of the team to cover the different aspects of the review process

NOTE: Applicants who wish to be considered as a reviewer for more than one theme of the 2021 MIDP Awards are required to submit separate applications and justify their capacity to implement the contracts in parallel.