Find a Consulting Assignment with Short-Listed Firms
My previous post introduced readers to the Asian Development Bank, its organization, Bank activities and different ways to engage with the ADB. My focus last time was how consultants could find and apply for consulting assignments in their areas of expertise and the ADB’s area of need. I hope you were able to take some time to explore the agency’s elaborate web site and find assignments of interest.
Did you join the ADB consultant database? If you did, I would like to hear about your effort. You can add a comment at the bottom of this post. It does take time to get all your details added, but once done, it’s relatively easy to apply for a consulting assignment by sending in your EOI.
However, now let us move on to another way of getting that consulting assignment – by checking with short-listed firms, that is firms that are short-listed on a particular project which may require them to find outside consultants. And that could be you!
Click this link to take you to the page titled: Shortlisted Firms
https://www.adb.org/business/how-to/where-can-i-find-list-shortlisted-consulting-firms
Notice that the tab highlighted in the picture below is “Ongoing Requests for Proposals” so the list of projects shown are all those currently seeking Expressions of Interest from firms. You can filter the list by making country or sector selections to narrow your search. This page is a bit clunky in responding but eventually your filtered list will appear. To see the short-listed firms for a particular project, simply click the corresponding button in the right-hand column.
Depending on your selection, you will then see a screen like the one below that shows those firms that are short-listed for the project. The example below is not complete because the whole list was cut off but the illustration reveals the type of useful information provided. Details such as company name, contact person and position, contact information including phone, fax and email. The example below shows firms from Ireland, France, Singapore and Germany.
What next?
If you are interested in such a project and have the required qualifications and experience, you could write to one or more of the firms listed to inform them of your interest. Make sure you attach to your email a copy of your CV including contact information. Also, stress in your email how your background would be helpful in the upcoming project.
Now the firm may already have some consultants penciled in, but often project start up is delayed and sometimes a firm needs to replace a consultant. Even if this is not the case, your CV is now with this firm and can be added to their consultant database.
You can also mention in your email that you would be interested in future similar projects should they arrive.
NOTE: Although it is a good idea to share your CV with different firms, be careful not to be included on a proposed project team by different firms. The ADB frowns on such situations and can disqualify both firms if they see the same consultant in both bids.
Expand your search
Another strategy is to search for short-listed firms on projects that are now closed to EOIs. If your field is say, education, you can filter using that category, and others. To do this, just follow the above procedure but select the TAB “All Selections” as shown below.
Depending on your filters, you should get a longer list of short-listed firms that work in your area of expertise and in the country where you would like to work. (Just click “Reset” after each search to start again.)
Accessing the information through the website is free and you may want to try several filter combinations to check, for example, what companies in your country are bidding on projects, what companies are most active in a particular sector or country, and so on.
ADB provides a list of awarded contracts
You can explore which companies were awarded contracts. Why not continue your explorations and determine how to find this information on the ADB site yourself. Good luck.
Weekly Notice of Consulting Opportunities
Weekly notifications on consulting opportunities are available for registered users of the Consultant Management System (CMS).
PS. Don’t forget to check out my recently published memoir “Overseas Adventures – From Afghanistan to Zambia and Points In-Between”. It is available from AMAZON in many countries and from my website: www.northstarskillsfordevelopment.ca
If you have trouble finding the book, email me directly. aeshears@northstarskillsfordevelopment.ca
