Consultants Section

This form is only for DCO and Regional Offices

This guidance provides detailed instructions on how to fill out the Consultants Form for requests related to external expertise that is not available in-house within the Secretariat. It ensures compliance with policies and alignment with the annual workplan.

Step 1 of 3: Add a request for consultant

Step 2 of 3: Input required details for a consultant

*SAVE after every input to avoid loss of data

Detailed instructions and examples on how to use the form (Step 2 of 3)

Field Name	Steps for Input	Best Practices	Example
Description of Expertise	Provide a brief summary of the required expertise for the consultant.	Be specific about the skill set required (e.g., "Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist").	"Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Specialist with experience in SDG reporting and data analytics."
Justification for the Request	Explain why the consultant is required and how their expertise contributes to the workplan. Also include why in-house can not be utilized.	Ensure the justification aligns with the objectives of the DCO and RCOs. Be concise and focus on the value added by the consultant.	"This consultancy is essential to enhance monitoring and evaluation of national SDG implementation strategies. The consultant will support data analysis, reporting frameworks, and provide hands-on guidance to national partners on building M&E systems."
Certification Status	Enter the certification authority and status (e.g., "Certified by Regional Director").	Ensure certification is obtained before submitting the request.	"Certified by Director, Asia and Pacific Regional Office"
Alternative Funding Arrangements	Mention if there are any alternative funding arrangements to the consultancy.	-Include details about any alternative funding arrangements, such as corporate strategic priorities - Mention “None” if none applies, and it’s expected to be subsumed as a part of authorized spending limit	"None"
Importance to Unit Workplans	Indicate how critical the consultancy is to the workplan objectives.	Ensure alignment with the DCO and regional priorities. Mention specific deliverables the consultant will contribute to.	"This consultancy is critical to completing the 2025 Asia-Pacific SDG progress report and building national M&E capacity."
Cost per Month/Unit (USD)	Provide the estimated or agreed monthly or unit-based cost in USD.	Use fees from previous experiences or refer to standard consultancy rates. Ensure the rate aligns with the expertise required.	"$7,000" per month or per deliverable
Number of Months/Units	Enter the duration of the consultancy in months or other units such as number of deliverables.	Ensure the duration matches the scope of the assignment. Avoid unnecessary extensions.	"2 months" or “2 reports”
Total Cost (USD)	Calculates the cost per month/unit times the number of months/units.	Verify the total aligns with the request. Double-check calculations for errors.	"$14,000" (2 units x $7,000/unit)

*Ensure to assign one or multiple AWP activities and the total of all weightages adds up to 100%.

Step 3 of 3: Assign one or multiple AWP activities*

AWP Activity Sub Section