World Bank RFP: Strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation for Climate Adaptation Projects

The World Bank's Request for Proposals (RFP) titled "Strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation for Climate Adaptation Projects" is a high-urgency, high-value opportunity for organizations to lead the design and implementation of M&E systems across multiple developing countries. The RFP is part of the World Bank's Climate Change Action Plan (2021-2025), which aims to integrate climate considerations into all development projects and scale up climate finance. With a deadline of July 10, 2026, the procurement seeks to identify a lead implementer (or consortium) capable of building or enhancing M&E frameworks that track adaptation outcomes, improve accountability, and inform evidence-based policy. The total budget is estimated at $15-20 million over a 3-5 year period, covering activities in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. Eligible organizations must have at least 10 years of M&E experience in climate adaptation, financial turnover of $10 million+, and operational presence in target regions. The RFP places strong emphasis on innovation, gender-responsiveness, and local capacity building. This overview provides a comprehensive analysis of the call's background, objectives, and key requirements. The RFP emerges from the urgent need to demonstrate the effectiveness of climate adaptation investments. With climate-related disasters increasing in frequency and severity, donors and governments demand rigorous evidence on what works. This RFP aims to fill the gap by creating standardized M&E systems that can compare outcomes across contexts. The World Bank expects the successful bidder to not only design but also implement these systems, train local stakeholders, and ensure data use for adaptive management. The call is open to international NGOs, consulting firms, research institutions, and private sector entities, with a preference for consortia that combine global expertise with local knowledge. The scope includes developing indicator frameworks, data collection tools, databases, and reporting mechanisms. The project will also require managing a large team of M&E specialists, logisticians, and trainers. Given the complexity, the World Bank encourages early engagement and pre-bid partnerships. Organizations responding to this RFP must demonstrate a deep understanding of climate adaptation indicators, such as changes in vulnerability, adaptive capacity, and resilience. They must also show experience in conducting baseline surveys, mid-term evaluations, and impact evaluations using rigorous methodologies like difference-in-differences or randomized control trials. The World Bank values proposals that integrate geospatial data, community perceptions, and remote sensing. Additionally, the proposal must include a detailed budget, risk matrix, and sustainability plan. GSLI's training in M&E, Project Management, and Proposal Writing can help organizations structure a winning submission. By investing in GSLI courses, teams can enhance their technical skills and demonstrate commitment to quality. This RFP is a career-defining opportunity for organizations to shape climate adaptation M&E globally.

Strategic Overview

The World Bank's Request for Proposals (RFP) titled "Strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation for Climate Adaptation Projects" is a high-urgency, high-value opportunity for organizations to lead the design and implementation of M&E systems across multiple developing countries. The RFP is part of the World Bank's Climate Change Action Plan (2021-2025), which aims to integrate climate considerations into all development projects and scale up climate finance. With a deadline of July 10, 2026, the procurement seeks to identify a lead implementer (or consortium) capable of building or enhancing M&E frameworks that track adaptation outcomes, improve accountability, and inform evidence-based policy. The total budget is estimated at $15-20 million over a 3-5 year period, covering activities in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. Eligible organizations must have at least 10 years of M&E experience in climate adaptation, financial turnover of $10 million+, and operational presence in target regions. The RFP places strong emphasis on innovation, gender-responsiveness, and local capacity building. This overview provides a comprehensive analysis of the call's background, objectives, and key requirements. The RFP emerges from the urgent need to demonstrate the effectiveness of climate adaptation investments. With climate-related disasters increasing in frequency and severity, donors and governments demand rigorous evidence on what works. This RFP aims to fill the gap by creating standardized M&E systems that can compare outcomes across contexts. The World Bank expects the successful bidder to not only design but also implement these systems, train local stakeholders, and ensure data use for adaptive management. The call is open to international NGOs, consulting firms, research institutions, and private sector entities, with a preference for consortia that combine global expertise with local knowledge. The scope includes developing indicator frameworks, data collection tools, databases, and reporting mechanisms. The project will also require managing a large team of M&E specialists, logisticians, and trainers. Given the complexity, the World Bank encourages early engagement and pre-bid partnerships. Organizations responding to this RFP must demonstrate a deep understanding of climate adaptation indicators, such as changes in vulnerability, adaptive capacity, and resilience. They must also show experience in conducting baseline surveys, mid-term evaluations, and impact evaluations using rigorous methodologies like difference-in-differences or randomized control trials. The World Bank values proposals that integrate geospatial data, community perceptions, and remote sensing. Additionally, the proposal must include a detailed budget, risk matrix, and sustainability plan. GSLI's training in M&E, Project Management, and Proposal Writing can help organizations structure a winning submission. By investing in GSLI courses, teams can enhance their technical skills and demonstrate commitment to quality. This RFP is a career-defining opportunity for organizations to shape climate adaptation M&E globally.

Who is it For?

This RFP is targeted at a wide range of organizations, including international NGOs, consulting firms, research institutions, and private sector entities with demonstrated expertise in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for climate adaptation projects. Eligible organizations must have a minimum of 10 years of experience in designing and implementing M&E systems in developing countries, with a specific focus on climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, or environmental management. The World Bank encourages consortia that combine local and international expertise, particularly partnerships that include local civil society organizations and government agencies. Preference will be given to applicants that have prior experience working with World Bank-funded projects or similar multilateral development banks. Organizations must have a proven capacity to manage large-scale, multi-country programs with budgets exceeding $5 million. Additionally, they should have established offices or operational presence in at least two of the target regions: Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, or Latin America. The ideal lead organization will have a strong research and data analytics unit, expertise in capacity building, and a track record of publishing peer-reviewed M&E methodologies. Women-led organizations and those from developing countries are strongly encouraged to apply. Financial stability, audited accounts for the last three years, and a clean record of compliance with donor regulations are mandatory. The RFP also requires that the bidding entity has a valid UNGM (United Nations Global Marketplace) registration or equivalent.

Priorities

The World Bank's top priorities for this RFP are threefold: (1) Strengthening the evidence base for climate adaptation by establishing rigorous M&E frameworks that measure both process and outcome indicators, including resilience metrics and economic co-benefits. (2) Enhancing local capacity through training and knowledge transfer to government officials, community leaders, and partner organizations, ensuring sustainability beyond the project lifecycle. (3) Promoting innovative data collection methods, such as remote sensing, mobile surveys, and participatory geographic information systems (GIS), to improve data quality and timeliness. The donor also prioritizes gender-responsive M&E, requiring that indicators be disaggregated by sex and age, and that women's participation in adaptation planning be tracked. Another key priority is alignment with national adaptation plans (NAPs) and nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. Proposals must demonstrate how their M&E system will feed into national and global reporting frameworks, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The World Bank emphasizes value for money, expecting detailed budgets that link costs to specific outputs and outcomes. Additionally, the donor seeks innovative use of technology, such as artificial intelligence for predictive modeling or blockchain for transparent data management. Finally, the RFP prioritizes adaptive management: the M&E system should include real-time feedback loops that allow project managers to adjust strategies based on emerging data. Successful proposals will show a deep understanding of these priorities and how their approach maximizes development impact.

Eligibility

Eligibility for this RFP is governed by strict legal, financial, and operational criteria. Legally, the bidding entity must be a legally registered organization in its country of origin, with a minimum of 5 years of continuous operation. It must submit registration certificates, proof of tax compliance, and audited financial statements for the last three fiscal years. Organizations with any history of fraud, corruption, or blacklisting by the World Bank or any other donor are automatically disqualified. Financially, the entity must demonstrate an average annual turnover of at least $10 million over the last three years, with a current ratio (current assets/current liabilities) of at least 1.2. The proposal must include a detailed budget not exceeding $20 million for the full project duration, with no single grant exceeding 30% of the total award. Spatially, the organization must have operational capacity in at least two of the target regions: Africa, Asia, or Latin America. This includes having a physical office or a registered branch in at least one country per region, with staff who are fluent in English and at least one other local language (e.g., French, Spanish, Portuguese). The organization must also have a proven track record of working with national governments and local communities in these regions. Additionally, the entity must have a clear policy on environmental and social safeguards, including a gender policy and a child protection policy. Organizations must also demonstrate that they have adequate insurance coverage (e.g., professional liability, workers' compensation) and a system for managing sub-grants to local partners. For consortia, the lead partner must meet all eligibility criteria, and each member must submit separate eligibility documents. The World Bank reserves the right to request additional documentation and to conduct background checks at any stage.

Path to Success

To successfully win this RFP and implement a high-impact M&E system for climate adaptation, organizations should follow a strategic roadmap that leverages GSLI's specialized training. Step 1: Build Institutional Capacity. Before submission, ensure your team has advanced M&E skills by enrolling key staff in GSLI's "Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)" short course. This course covers results-based management, indicator design, and data quality assurance. Additionally, enroll project managers in GSLI's "Project Management for Development" course to align project planning with M&E frameworks. Step 2: Develop a Strong Technical Proposal. Use GSLI's "Writing Winning Proposals" course to craft a compelling narrative that addresses the RFP's priorities. The course provides templates for logical frameworks, risk matrices, and sustainability plans. Include a detailed M&E design that integrates innovative technologies, local capacity building, and gender-responsive indicators. Step 3: Form Strategic Partnerships. Collaborate with local NGOs and research institutions that have on-ground presence in the target regions. Establish a consortium agreement that clearly defines roles, data sharing protocols, and financial management. GSLI's "Grants Management" course can help you design a robust financial system for multi-partner budgets. Step 4: Ensure Compliance and Risk Management. Develop a comprehensive risk mitigation plan covering political instability, staff turnover, and data security. Use GSLI's "Financial Management for NGOs" course to set up internal controls and audit trails. Also, complete a due diligence checklist aligned with World Bank procurement standards. Throughout the bid process, maintain regular communication with the World Bank procurement team through pre-bid meetings and clarifications. After submission, prepare for a possible presentation or interview by demonstrating how your M&E system will achieve the desired outcomes. Offer to pilot a small-scale M&E activity to prove your methodology. Finally, if awarded, immediately launch a training program for local stakeholders using GSLI's certified trainers. This holistic approach, underpinned by GSLI's expert knowledge, positions your organization as a credible and capable partner.

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Deadline: 2026-07-10

Persona: General

Urgency: Normal