Individual Consultant Selection

Individual Consultant Selection is a streamlined method by which multilateral development banks, UN agencies, and other international institutions engage a single independent expert rather than a consulting firm, evaluating candidates primarily on their curriculum vitae, qualifications, and relevant experience.

What is Individual Consultant Selection?

Unlike firm-based methods such as qcbs or cqs, Individual Consultant Selection targets assignments that can be performed by a single person working independently without the support structure of a firm's team. Typical uses include short-term technical advisory roles, peer reviews, training delivery, economic analysis, and project evaluations where depth of personal expertise matters more than organisational capacity.

The process is comparatively light. The client defines the assignment through a tor and identifies a pool of candidates, either by advertising on platforms such as the ungm or ADB's Consultant Management System, or by direct approach where the assignment value is very small. Candidates submit CVs and sometimes a brief technical note. The client scores candidates against qualification and experience criteria and enters into contract negotiations with the highest-ranked individual. Because there is no separate financial envelope, remuneration is agreed during negotiation based on the consultant's daily rate and the assignment duration. Most banks permit the method up to defined value thresholds and require prior-review approval above those thresholds.

Why Individual Consultant Selection matters for bidders

For independent experts, this method is the primary route into international development work. Winning depends on a CV that maps precisely to the tor criteria, because evaluation is almost entirely qualification-based. Experts should maintain profiles on UNGM, ADB CMS, and agency-specific rosters, and keep their CVs updated with project-specific outcomes rather than generic job descriptions. Positioning in a niche, such as water regulation in Sub-Saharan Africa or public debt management in small island states, produces far better hit rates than broad generalist profiles. Repeat engagement on successive assignments within the same project is common, so first-assignment performance is effectively an ongoing evaluation.

FAQ

What is the typical contract type for individual consultants?

Most development banks use a time-based arrangement paying a daily or monthly fee plus reimbursable expenses, with the total capped at the negotiated contract value.

Can a firm principal bid as an individual consultant?

Yes, provided the firm is not simultaneously submitting as a firm for the same assignment. Most banks require the individual to confirm they are acting in a personal capacity and not as a representative of a company.

How is an individual consultant different from a staff consultant hired under a firm?

An individual consultant contracts directly with the client and bears personal professional responsibility for the deliverables. A staff consultant engaged through a firm is the firm's employee for the duration and the firm holds the contract.