CGIAR institutional improvement (Recent Alliances & Multi-Consultant Coordination)

What we are seeking: 

We are seeking an experienced individual consultant to undertake a concise analytical study of past mergers, alliances, and major institutional improvement / transformation processes across CGIAR. The study will systematically examine the drivers, processes, outcomes, and lessons from these experiences, with the aim of extracting insights to inform future strategic directions and organizational models. Regular check-in points with the strategy team will be organized.

The goal and target audience: 

The goal of the assignment is to generate concise, decision-oriented insights to inform CGIAR’s Strategy 2040 development process, including implications for future institutional development and organizational models. The primary audiences are the CGIAR strategy team and the System Council (through the interim emerging-insights progress update). 

Scope of work:

The consultant will: 

• Identify and document key mergers, alliances, and major institutional restructuring events across CGIAR. 
• Analyze the context and drivers behind each event (strategic, financial, governance, and external pressures). 
• Assess implementation processes, including governance arrangements, integration approaches, partnerships, and stakeholder management.
• Evaluate outcomes against intended objectives (e.g. efficiency gains, critical scientific mass, scientific impact, synergies, complementarities, collaboration effectiveness, enhancement of partnerships). 
• Identify success and failure factors, common challenges, and unintended consequences. 
• Synthesize cross-cutting lessons and implications for future organizational models. 
• Provide forward-looking insights to inform CGIAR Strategy 2040, including potential scenarios and principles for future partnerships and structural evolution to be fit for purpose in 2040. 
• Lead and coordinate a team of two additional consultants. 
• Integrate inputs and findings from the other consultants into a consolidated final report. 
• Ensure consistency and coherence of the study approach across all consultants’ work. 

The following indicatives cases will be analysed:

• Alliance CIAT–Bioversity (2019) 
• CIFOR–ICRAF (2019) 
• TSBF–CIAT (2001) 
• CGIAR Consortium approach with CRPs (2010–2021), incl. system-wide initiatives and ecoregional initiatives (till 2010, as a precursor to the CRPs) 

Deliverables

Following an inception discussion with the strategy team, the consultant is expected to deliver: 

• Inception note (methodology, case selection, workplan). 
• Initial emerging insights (to be shared with System Council as progress report). 
• Draft report for review. 
• Final report with scenarios / options (concise, decision-oriented, including executive summary and key lessons). 
• A guidance note for senior managers of CGIAR on future integration and improvement efforts based on the lessons and insights gained. 

Consultant profile

The consultant should demonstrate: 

• Proven experience in institutional analysis, organizational development or transformation, and/or mergers and alliances. 
• Deep, long-term familiarity with CGIAR, with at least 20 years of experience as a scientist and/or manager within CGIAR Centres, System organizations, or closely related entities. 
• Strong knowledge of historical CGIAR consolidation, integration, and restructuring processes. 
• Ability to draw on relevant networks and resource persons involved in past CGIAR transformation efforts. 
• Ability to lead a team of consultants.

Timeline: 

• Short inception report (2–5 pages max): May 9, 2026 
• Initial progress report with emerging insights: May 31, 2026 
• Assignment completed by July 31, 2026

How to submit a quote: 

Interested consultants should submit by email: (i) a brief personal profile reflecting the consultant profile criteria; (ii) a short proposal on approach and steps towards delivery in the given time frame; and (iii) a simple budget proposal outlining the proposed number of days and the consultant’s daily rate per deliverable.

Evaluation criteria

Proposals will be assessed based on: 

• Quality and relevance of experience and expertise; 
• Value for money; 
• Ability to deliver within the proposed timeline. 

Submission details 

Proposals should be submitted to emd-support@cgiar.org, by May 4, 2026 at 9 am CEST.