The external review will provide a high-level assessment of WRI progress in implementing the 2018-2022 Strategic Plan. The effectiveness, relevance, coherence, and efficiency of WRI’s implementation of the programmatic work will be assessed. The findings of the review will inform WRI’s ongoing implementation of the 2018-2022 Strategic Plan as well as the development of the upcoming 2023- 2028 Strategic Plan. The review will include the following components, with indicative level of effort in parentheses:
1. A high-level assessment of WRI’s progress implementing its 2018-2022 Strategic Plan: (80%) including programmatic strategies for delivering on the seven global challenges, covering work undertaken by WRI’s Programs, Centers, International Offices and delivery Platforms; programmatic results to date against the Outcome indicators and targets specified in the Results Framework of the 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, with particular attention to how and to what extent the Platforms contribute to the targets and Outcomes in the Results Framework; an assessment of the inclusion of the cross-cutting issues of poverty and gender; and recommendations on improving programmatic and implementation effectiveness in achieving Outcomes. Further, included in this assessment will be a review of the effectiveness and efficiency of WRI’s Core Functions (Communications, Development, Human Resources, Managing for Results, Operations, and Research, Data and Innovation) in contributing to and supporting delivery on the seven global challenges. Where appropriate, comparisons with peer organizations may be helpful.
2. An in-depth review of the Africa Strategy: (20%) an assessment of progress implementing “WRI in Africa,” its 5-Year Strategy; including the cross-cutting themes of poverty and gender; and how effective the Global Programs, Centers and other relevant WRI-hosted Platforms were in contributing to WRI Africa’s Outputs and Outcomes.
In the above components, the review will provide an assessment of WRI’s response to and progress made against the recommendations outlined in the 2016 External Review with special attention to the inclusion of the cross-cutting issues of poverty, gender, and rights.
In the above components, the review will provide an assessment of WRI’s response to and progress made against the recommendations outlined in the 2016 External Review with special attention to the inclusion of the cross-cutting issues of poverty, gender, and rights.
COVID-19 Implications: With the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, WRI has embarked on a serious effort to shift and adjust to the new realities and ways of working to achieve our objectives. While the overall transformations that need to take place remain the same, the strategy to achieve those transformations is different. COVID-19 implications should be taken into account in the external review, where possible, including assessing WRI’s response and agility in shifting strategy to meet new realities.
With uncertainty surrounding business-related travel due to COVID-19, it is anticipated that much of the review will be conducted virtually with limited in-person interaction at WRI’s global office in Washington, DC. This will require working across multiple time-zones. This may change as the circumstances unfold in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The consultants will start by producing an Inception Note setting out proposed methods and a work plan for the conducting the review according to the agreed upon terms of reference, including articulating key questions, approaches to measuring progress and learning, approach to review implementation, data management and informational needs. The consultants, in coordination with WRI and bilateral donor agencies providing institutional flexible funding, will develop the list of individuals and organizations they will approach as part of the external review process. To the same group, the consultants will do a mid-term presentation indicating progress status and list of external stakeholders met. The final report will highlight strengths and weaknesses, issues for consideration, and recommendations for improvement for each of the components listed above. The report will include an executive summary. The consultants will provide WRI and above referenced donor partners with an advance draft of the report for review and comment before submitting the final report, however the consultants will have final authority on what is included in the final report.
The consultants will be responsible for designing robust review methodologies to achieve the Scope and Deliverables described above, collecting data and analyzing information obtained.
The external review should conform to OECD/DAC’s Quality Standards for Development Evaluation. It is expected that the external review team describes and justifies appropriate evaluation approaches/ methodologies and methods for data collection in the Inception Note. Limitations to the chosen approaches/methodologies and methods shall be made explicit and the consequences of these limitations discussed. In the Inception Note, mitigation measures to address limitations shall also be presented. The consultants’ Inception Note will be approved by WRI, with input from WRI and bilateral donor partners (in April 2021).
WRI will establish a small team to support the review process; provide information on WRI systems, strategies, and outcomes; and identify partners and other stakeholders familiar with WRI’s work that the consultants can contact. WRI will manage the administrative components of the review and will be responsible for issuing the contract with the consultants, as well as processing payments.
For additional details on timeline, budget and deliverables please consult the RFP attached to the bottom of this listing.
GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
Requirements
The selected consultants are asked to demonstrate capacity through successful experience demonstrating the following:
Preferred:
About the World Resources Institute
Founded in 1982, WRI is a global research organization that seeks to turn big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. Its more than 1,000 experts and staff work closely with governments, private sector, and civil society to drive ambitious action based on high-quality data and objective analysis. WRI’s mission is “to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of present and future generations.” With its partners, WRI has demonstrated the success of breakthrough ideas and scaled up these solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact. In recent years, WRI has expanded its presence in major emerging economies by opening offices in China, Brasil, Europe, India, Indonesia and Mexico, as well as a growing presence in Colombia and Africa.
Since its founding, the World Resources Institute (WRI) has received significant support from bilateral development agencies of OECD countries. This support has been crucial to enabling WRI to take a strategic, focused, and long-term approach to addressing environmental and development challenges and to expand its presence and influence in the developing world where the bulk of WRI’s work is concentrated. As part of WRI’s commitment to institutional excellence and to accountability towards its core bilateral partners, a comprehensive External Review of WRI is conducted every 3-4 years.
