CMS2 (Modernised CMS)

CMS2 is the modernised successor to the Asian Development Bank's original Consultant Management System, being rebuilt on a commercial SaaS e-procurement platform to deliver improved usability, better integration with ADB's project cycle, and the potential for programmatic data access for qualified stakeholders.

What is CMS2?

The original cms has served as ADB's dedicated consultant database since the bank's early digitisation efforts, but its architecture predates modern procurement platforms. CMS2 replaces it with a commercial SaaS foundation, which brings standardised workflows, better mobile support, and structured data fields that enable more precise matching between consultant profiles and assignment requirements. The modernisation is consistent with ADB's broader adb-e-procurement-guidance direction of moving procurement interactions onto digital platforms.

From a supplier perspective, CMS2 maintains the same core logic as its predecessor: firms and individual experts register profiles, describe their technical and geographical expertise, and are matched or notified when relevant consulting assignments arise under adb-procurement-policy. The critical change is that a commercial platform typically provides more structured fields, version-controlled profiles, and potentially public or partner APIs, which could allow consulting firms to manage their profiles programmatically rather than through manual web forms.

Why CMS2 matters for bidders

The transition from CMS to CMS2 represents a migration event that every registered consulting firm needs to manage proactively. Profiles do not automatically carry over with full fidelity when a system is rebuilt; firms that wait for prompts risk having incomplete or missing profiles at the moment when ADB task teams begin searching for shortlist candidates. Early registration in CMS2 also positions firms to benefit from any API access that opens once the platform stabilises, enabling automated profile updates and opportunity monitoring. The practical step is to follow ADB's official CMS2 migration notices closely and re-verify your profile completeness immediately after migration.

FAQ

When will CMS2 replace the original CMS?

ADB has not published a fixed go-live date publicly; the modernisation is ongoing. Firms should monitor ADB's official communications and the CMS portal for migration announcements.

Will existing CMS profiles transfer to CMS2 automatically?

ADB intends to migrate existing data, but firms should verify their profiles after transition since commercial platform migrations sometimes truncate or restructure legacy fields.

Does CMS2 change how ADB evaluates consultants?

No. The evaluation criteria for consulting assignments, including qcbs scoring rules and shortlisting procedures, are governed by ADB's procurement policy and are independent of the platform used for registration.