Understandably when responding to a ToR it is simply not advisable to complain about the poor quality of the ToR…. You just do your very best possible to respond in line with what is requested …, however, you see the ‘mess’ and you are amazed that this is not stopped by the hierarchy before the ToR is being published….
What is your current competence about this topic?
As an example we see ToRs with numerous Project Purposes instead of one, as is being advocated in their own training manual. Some of those purposes are either results or even activities or just a silly statement like ‘implement the project’. Results are mostly activities and assumptions are supposed to have been checked and confirmed before the launch, like: ‘farmers willing to cooperate’. The intervention logic is often difficult to comprehend or has never been intended to be logical…. The elements of the project design are often mixed up and activities vague, simplistic or over estimated, like: ‘stimulate enterprises’. Moreover the execution capacity of the implementing agency is rarely properly assessed or even asked to assess …
You may think ‘lets not bother’ because once you have won the tender you may get a chance anyhow to fundamentally modify and negotiate the proposal during the Inception Phase, which sometimes even seems to be true…. Sounds weird isn’t it? What is the point of tendering this way?
When not complaining actually the author of the ToR and the organization are not even pointed at the weaknesses and will just continue producing poor quality ToRs.
Maybe you have an idea on how this problem can be addressed?
The dependency of the consultant on the administrator and on the typical tendering procedure does inhibit a frank and open discussion on the ToR and I guess you are not ventilating such ‘wise’ observations in the chapter ‘Comments on the ToR’? So where could one drop such complaints?
Lets gather ideas on how this problem can be highlighted, pin-pointed and hopefully corrected… How can we accept such flaws while our proposals are being judged for proper application of all the principles of the guiding planning instruments that must be followed….
Please provide your comments and suggestions at the bottom of this page
Leave your name and email and tick the right box of your interest and we will get back to you as soon as possible!
‘Standard format’ of a Terms of Reference
When you would like to test your ToR you could consult the following format which tries to cover most chapters and sub-chapters that should show up somehow in a Terms of Reference.
We have divided the ToR into two main components:
- The WHAT should happen part dealing with the project under study and
- The HOW should it happen part dealing with the organization of the mission, which actually can be considered as a project too.
Then on the content and methodology you can expect either instructions or questions.
Please use the following check-list to verify and compare your ToR and identify possible weaknesses in your ToR. As noted in the discussion above you may develop an approach on how to respond to that ToR.
Format of a Terms of Reference
for an (identification) mission and indicating aspects for a (formulation / monitoring / evaluation) mission
THE MISSION (instructions)
Chapter A: Justification of the ( identification) mission
- Request
- Relevance of the mission in relation to donor policy / sectors / themes
- Description of formulation of the request
- Description context of the request
- Justification proposed location of the proposed intervention
Chapter B: Objectives of mission
- Delivery of a qualitative proper document
- Verify the reliability of the given data
Chapter C: Scope of the mission
- Present decisions on geographical areas, beneficiaries and sectors decided upon.
Chapter D: Role of the organisations in mission
- Lead partner!
- National experts!
- Legal framework and mandate!
- Office and secretarial support to the mission.
Chapter E: Method to be applied
- Method(s) of data collection (workshops, interviews, PRA, etc.
- Contacts / institutions to consult
- Own suggestions?
Chapter F: Expertise required
- Positions and roles of members in the mission
- Local expertise
- Expatriate expertise
Chapter G: Duration of the mission
- Duration
- Phases
- Steps plan
Chapter H: Budget mission
- By component
Chapter I: Reporting mission
- Rapport: when, form, length, language, copies, abbreviations, content, style, chapters, ToR and CV’s of the members of the mission
Chapter J: Products
- Identification report on project
- ToR of Formulation mission
- Memorandum of Understanding with partners
- Report on the mission
THE PROJECT (questions to be answered)
Chapter 1: Background information
- Verify the location of the proposed intervention?
- Check reliability of the data mentioned in the request
- General motivation- why this request – to us?, at this moment ?
Chapter 2: The intervention (WHAT should happen to satisfy the beneficiaries)
- Who are the beneficiaries / ‘end-users’ and why were they selected?
- Description?
- Diagnosis using the problem analysis
- Logical Framework
– Overall Objectives?
– Project Purpose + OVI’s?
– Results + OVI’s?
– FORMULATION: Activities? - Options or alternatives: justification of the choice
- FORMULATION: indicators of Results, Project Purpose and Assumptions
- FORMULATION: modifications to the Logical Framework
- FORMULATION: Feasibility of choices
Chapter 3: Hypotheses and risk factors to the WHAT matrix
- Define assumptions / hypotheses
- What could be possible negative side effects?
- Assess the coherence with other donors
- What is the flexibility of the project design with respect of the occurrence of possible risk factors
Chapter 4: FORMULATION: Institutional strengthening (HOW should it happen)
- Who are the actors and implementing agencies and why were they selected?
- Description?
- Diagnosis using the problem analysis
- Management matrix:
– Management Purpose: Professional functioning
– Management Results?
– Management activities? - Options or alternatives: justification of the choice
- Indicators of Management Results, Management Purpose and Assumptions
Chapter 5: Hypotheses and risk factors to the Management matrix (HOW)
- Define assumptions / hypotheses
- What could be possible negative side effects?
- Assess the coherence with other donors
- What is the flexibility of the project design with respect of the occurrence of possible risk factors
Chapter 6: Sustainability
- Test project design on sustainability criteria
- Government policy?
- Legal framework?
- Ownership?
- Technological aspects / maintenance?
- Social factors?
- Gender specificities?
- Environmental concerns?
- Management and organisational capacity. Expected organisational capacity of the implementing agencies in future
- Financial sustainability?
- Economic embedding?
Chapter 7: Execution / co-operation modalities
- How will the beneficiaries be involved
- What will be the contribution of the recipient country / organisation / beneficiaries?
- What is the commitment of the involved parties?
- What is the type / modality of the assistance?
- Formal structures / Memoranda of Understanding
- What would be the scope of the Technical Assistance?
- Procurement procedures and organisation?
- FORMULATION: How is or will the capacity of the implementing agencies be strengthened ?
Chapter 8: Project Management
- Organisational structure?
- Inter-organisational relations?
- Staffing (expatriate vs national)?
- Tasks & Job descriptions?
- Internal strengthening (Support matrix)
- and operational budget?
- Monitoring & Evaluation modalities?
- Handing-over plan?
Chapter 9: FORMULATION: Monitoring & Evaluation Plan
- Participatory M&E processes?
- Objectively Verifiable Indicators of Results, Project Purpose, (Overall Objectives) and Assumptions?
- Monitoring plan: Data collection and analysis
- Learning: Who reports what, when and to who?
Chapter 10: Duration project
- What will be the expected duration of the project?
- What phases can be identified?
- FORMULATION: More details on phases.
Chapter 11: Budget
- Rough budget
- FORMULATION: Budget check and details
- FORMULATION: Financing plan
Chapter 12 References
- List of consulted evaluation report
- publications
Chapter 13: ANNEXES
- ToR Formulation (and scope of mission)
– Results + OVI’s
– Activities
– Financing plan
– Budget of the Formulation mission
– etc. - FORMULATION: ToR Technical Assistance
- FORMULATION: Proposal for the agreement / contract
Score this ToR test
Please do send your document (Terms of Reference) in case you would like us to review and comment on it.
Leave your name and email and tick the right box of your interest and we will get back to you as soon as possible!
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