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consultant To Help Develop The Business Plan For The CGIAR Research Program On Water, Land And Ecosystems (CRP5)

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Search for a consultant To Help Develop The Business Plan For The CGIAR Research Program On Water, Land And Ecosystems (CRP5)

Title of Assignment: Developing the business plan for CRP5.
Background
The CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (CRP5) (www.iwmi.org/crp5/) is a large, complex research-for-development program harnessing the activities of 15 partner organizations to bring about a radical transformation in the way water, land and natural systems are managed. The vision of this program is one of agriculture thriving within ecosystems, which thereby provide the range of services – water, food, energy – that growing populations will need to develop through to 2050 and beyond, while also recognizing and protecting vital ecosystem functions that maintain life for future generations.
CRP5 started in early 2012 after a two-year consultation process amongst partner centers and other stakeholders. The proposal presents a detailed case for investment in research on water, land and ecosystems. It fills over 200 pages and provides a solid basis for the program strategy. The objectives of this consultancy are to prepare a business plan that will:
  • define how the research activities will deliver development outcomes, through refinement of theories of change described in the proposal; and
  • demonstrate the additional value delivered by the program, in terms of partnerships, regional implementation, cross-program integration, communication and funding strategies.
Proposal
Key components of the work will:
  • Identify the theories of change of research activities in order to clearly show the anticipated impacts and how we expect them to be achieved. These research activities include:
    • activities with clear and relatively short-term objectives (e.g., Irrigation strategic research program (SRP));
    • activities not yet organized within a clear framework (e.g., Rainfed SRP); and
    • activities emerging but the potential impact of which is still unclear (e.g., River Basin SRP).
  • Specify key activities for CRP5. These comprise processes the program must follow to achieve its goals. Activities are dominated by research-for-development, but should also include communication and engagement.
  • Clarify the specific advantages of the program to donors, participants and partners. This requires analysis of our operating environment and the value added by the program.
  • Identify patterns, risks and opportunities associated with the program’s method of resourcing.
Scope of work
Starting with the existing proposal and activity plans for 2012, the consultant will work with the CRP5 Program Director and SRP leaders to develop a business plan. This will include:
1. The value proposition of the program, indicating how this adds to individual center activities and what the major potential gains are in improving natural resource management and development offered by the CRP.
2. How research activities enable specific outcomes, using examples from the program.
3. Key partners in the program, why they are essential to the success of the program and how they are engaged, maintained and, if necessary, separated from the program.
4. The resourcing pattern for the program, identifying modalities of funding, risks associated with these and opportunities for different methods of resourcing.
5. How research outcomes are developed, delivered and propagated.
6. Methods of evaluation, learning and change within the program.
Outputs and deliverables
  • A written business plan to be presented to the steering committee of CRP5. This should provide details for the overall program and to the SRP level. It should clearly identify how the program improves on existing activities in CGIAR centers that contribute to CRP5.
  • A brief analysis of theories of change of SRPs [sub-programs] within the current proposal. This should be a consistent logical framework across all SRPs. Analysis should evaluate the nature and likelihood of system-level outcomes (SLOs).[1]
Qualifications and experience
The successful consultant will possess:
  • Proven expertize of developing business models and business plans for multi-institutional programs.
  • Sound understanding of development issues and of the role of research to support development.
  • List of previous clients (please include two references).
  • Demonstrated skills to analyze the impact pathways of research for development.
  • Facilitation and communication skills to enable strong dialogue with multiple stakeholders.
  • Excellent writing skills.
Duration of the assignment
The duration of the assignment will be 30 working days prior to mid-September, 2012. A report must be presented in draft format by the end of August, 2012, and the final report by September 15, 2012.
Location of the assignment
The assignment will be home-based, but with the requirement to travel to the headquarters of IWMI in Pelawatte, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka, at the beginning of the consultancy and on submission of the draft report. Interviews and consultations with senior researchers and other stakeholders will be conducted remotely.
Submission of Expressions of Interest (EOI)
Interested consultants should provide a detailed curriculum vitae, a covering letter outlining their suitability for the consultancy and a brief proposal explaining how they intend to carry out the assignment to Himani Elangasinghe (h.elangasinghe@cgiar.org) by close of business on 14th July, 2012.
For further information contact:
Dr. Simon Cook, Director, CRP5. Email: S.cook@cgiar.org

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