Global Development Awards Competition 2025 - Call for MIDP (development projects) Reviewers

Scope of the call

The aim of the call is to identify a team of reviewers (consultants) to conduct the review of applications received under the MIDP category of the 2025 edition of the Global Development Awards Competition, through desk-based work and site visits.

Applicants will have to demonstrate professional experience in developing countries (up to middle-income countries[1]) and a mix of international, regional and local exposure.

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

Application structure

Each team through their representative (Team Leader) must submit the following information:

1. Detailed background of the applying team
2. Submission of comprehensive CVs specifying all relevant professional affiliations
3. Specify past experience in conducting reviews of development projects, including details of reports produced, etc.
4. 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:
5. Propose improvements to structure of the review (see details in the ToR attached);
6. Propose changes and/or addition to the standard list of review criteria proposed by GDN;
7. Describe which dimensions will be assessed through desk review, and which ones will require site visits;
8. Define the quality threshold justifying site visits to projects; and

e. Detail the grading scales to be used and justify the choice of qualitative and quantitative grading.

1. A detailed budget for the assignment.
2. A list of social development projects handled/completed during the last three years.
3. Contacts of three references that can support the applicant’s qualifications for undertaking the review process.
4. 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.

Selection Criteria

Applications will be reviewed against the following weighed criteria:

1. Quality of Application (60%)

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

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

C. Appropriateness of proposed budget

1. Capacity of Applying Team (40%)

D. Experience of Lead Team Member(s)

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

F. Appropriateness of the composition of the team to cover the different aspects of the review process

[1] Press here to visit the list of countries which are recognized as low- and middle-income countries by the World Bank

[2] Press here to visit the list of geographic regions as classified by the World Bank

1. Background Japanese Award for Most Innovative Development Project

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 (GDN), funded under the Policy and Human Resources Development Fund (PHRD) trust fund managed by the World Bank, and generously supported by the Ministry of Finance, Government of Japan.

1. Objective of the assignment

GDN is seeking to recruit a team of reviewers (consultants) to assess proposals received under the MIDP category of the 2024 edition of the Global Development Awards Competition, in close coordination with GDN. Each team of reviewers will be expected to conduct both desk-reviews (proposal and business review) and field visits (on-site review). The task involves travel to developing countries to visit applying organizations. Based on their review, the team of reviewers will issue a reasoned recommendation regarding the top proposals (ranked), for consideration by GDN.

1. Review criteria of MIDP applications

GDN proposes the following list of criteria to be used in the review process. The applicant(s) may also propose additional criteria.

⮚ Innovative Approaches

• How is your project different from other existing approaches?
• Is it proposing to pilot alternative approaches or to reach the target groups not reached by other programs?
• Does this approach come from bottom-up partnerships engaging NGOs/CSOs, community associations, or local governments as implementing agencies?
• Does it reflect a participatory design and consultation process with the targeted beneficiaries?

⮚ Clear Development Objective, Activities and Measurable Results

• Does the project have a clear and measurable results framework?
• Does it utilize participatory monitoring and evaluation to help beneficiaries address their vulnerability and to ensure ownership and sustainability?
• Does the project have a realistic plan with steps/activities that build concretely towards achieving the project’s objectives, and that can do so within a year of implementation after receiving the Award?
• Has the project designed a way to use monitoring and evaluation for learning and measuring outcomes and, ultimately, impact?

⮚ Sustainable Social Impact

• Does the project contribute to poverty alleviation and social development in the short and long term?
• Is the development impact sustainable in the long run?
• Has the project generated local ownership?
• Is there a plan to transfer ownership?
• Has the targeted population demonstrated an increase in skill development or an increased willingness to learn new skills?
• Does the project help strengthen capacity of the targeted population to continue with the work themselves in the long run?
• Does the project support Community-Driven Development by Empowering the Poor at the local community level, to participate in society and government and to affect their development and learning by doing?

⮚ Expansion

• How easily can the project be replicated and adapted to other countries, regions, sectors and cultures?
• What are the prospects for the project's expansion using the resources obtained from the award?
• Does the project have potential to have a large-scale development impact?

⮚ Cost Efficiency

• Is the cost of the project justified in terms of measurable impacts/outcomes?
• What are the measurable impacts/outcomes (performance) of the project in comparison to the cost of the program?

⮚ Thorough Risk Assessment

• Are there any significant risks associated with the project?
• How well prepared is the project team in mitigating these risks?

⮚ Efficient Management of Financial and Human Resources

• Are policies in place within the organization to ensure effective utilization of financial and human resources for implementation of the project?

⮚ Transparency and Accountability in Operations

• Does the project work in a way that allows gathering information on an ongoing basis and disclosing all appropriate information on the implementation, in particular to the project’s direct stakeholders?

⮚ WB Environmental and Social Framework’s Environmental Social Standards

• Does the project comply with the WB

Environmental and Social Framework’s (ESF) including the Environment Social Standards (ESS).[1] Are there any E&S risks and impacts associated with the project and how is the project team planning to mitigate these risks and impacts?

• Does the project comply with the exclusion list

[2] of ineligible activities?

Priority will be given to projects to be implemented in low-income countries followed by low-middle-income countries as per the classification given by the World Bank.

Every step of the assessment will be done in close collaboration with GDN. GDN will have the possibility to request more information from the team of reviewers, if needed.

1. Finance and Budget

A budget of USD 18,000 is available for this assignment inclusive of all expenses. The payment schedule will be agreed with the consultant.

[1] List available on the Call for MIDP Projects.

[2] See Annex 2 for the Exclusion list