6 tips on how to succeed in ADB-financed consulting contracts

The Asian Development Bank’s push for more infrastructure investments means more consulting opportunities. Given the available opportunities, the next question is: how does one succeed in securing a consulting contract with the multilateral institution? There are no hard and fast rules, but Keiko Koiso, procurement specialist from ADB’s operations services and financial management department, has some tips and advice on how firms and individual consultants can better their chances of winning a consulting contract with the development bank. Here’s what Koiso shared with Devex: 1. Know the basics. First-timers or those new to the ADB should familiarize themselves with ADB’s consultant management system, which features the bank’s consulting opportunities for firms and individuals. This information can be accessed through the bank’s consulting services recruitment notices page, which is filtered by region or country, sector, eligibility, type of consultancy, length and amount. The bank also publishes information on the implementing and executing agencies, the contact information of the project officer in charge, and deadline for applications. While there isn’t a set schedule for when ADB updates the page, interested parties need to register in the bank’s CMS page to be able to participate in consulting opportunities. 2. Broaden your search. Consultants often rely on sectors when looking for opportunities, but Koiso says it would help to broaden their search beyond specific sectors. “It is possible that even under the transport project, you may find other types of experts needed in the team, like a health specialist,” she said. In addition, during the project preparation stage, it’s quite typical for a team to require a social or environmental safeguards specialist, she noted. 3. Familiarize yourself with ADB’s project cycle. ADB requires consultants throughout a project’s lifecycle, not just during the implementation stage. Here’s a snapshot of the bank’s project cycle, complete with information about when firms and consultants are needed: This is also helpful for suppliers looking to sell or offer their innovations or latest technology. Some complain about being excluded from ADB tenders or that the bank continues to use low technology in its projects. Koiso said ADB is not entirely opposed to trying out these products, but suppliers need to engage early with the bank for such technology to be considered. “It’s during the concept and preparation stage that contracts and actual technology to be used are [considered and] and developed,” she said. “If you wait for the business opportunity [until it has been advertised] and that’s the time you comment [that the] tech specification is not good enough, then it’s too late.” Koiso advised that companies looking to convince ADB to adopt their improved technology for a particular project should reach out before the implementation stage. 4. Capitalize on your expertise. The bank remains on the conservative side when it comes to choosing firms and consultants to work with, often looking at previous experience with ADB projects. “Of course we need to ensure that our fund goes to the consultant who has experience in a similar assignment and established experience in the specific area, to ensure [the] contract will be executed properly,” Koiso said. However, there are entryways for individuals with established expertise in a given field of work. Koiso said most ADB projects nowadays include positions for both international and national experts, so there are now more opportunities for local consultants to engage with ADB projects. Consultants can partner with firms with established track records or previous experience working with ADB. Given the wide array of experts ADB requires, especially as it expands to new sectors requiring the latest innovations and technology, even shortlisted firms will likely look for external experts to join their teams, Koiso said. “As ADB moves into new areas of innovation and high technology, of course we may not have the pool of consultants with previous ADB experience,” she said. 5. Know your competition. Speaking of opportunities, there are specific countries where competition for ADB consulting work is low, either because of the local situation – fragile environments like Afghanistan where there’s high security risk, for example – or there’s a limited pool of consultants meeting ADB’s standards and requirements. Koiso identified these countries as: Afghanistan, Cambodia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and other Pacific island states. “If you already have experience working in these countries or have a strong [local] partner, you may have an advantage,” she said. 6. Remember: every action counts. It may not seem like a big deal, but sending in a proposal with the wrong header or a proposal that contains almost identical information as indicated in the terms of reference or TOR of the project leaves a not-so-good impression on the project officer receiving them. “Maybe it’s simple, but it’s showing they are replicating the technical proposal from the previous one,” Koiso said. “They may say, ‘but this is similar to the activities we did with another project,’ but still we’d appreciate if the firm would spend more time working and learning [the specifications of the project] … and describing their own methodology rather than just repeating what is in the TOR.” And for those who have secured contracts in the past, make sure to leave a good impression. Bank staff, Koiso said, sometimes receive poor quality draft reports that require project officers to fill in gaps. “When that happens, we assess: is it coming from lack of information from the executing agency, or were they given too short a time [to complete the report],” she said. All these actions build into a firm’s or consultant’s performance record, and could serve as reference point for bank staff when considering who to hire for future projects. Devex delivers cutting-edge insights and analysis to the leaders shaping and innovating the business of development. Make sure you don't miss out. Become a Devex Executive Member today.