ToR- Strengthening Implementation and Impact of Policy Reform Projects

Global Gateway Investment Climate Reform Facility- Terms of Reference 

Project: Beyond Technical Advice:
Strengthening Implementation and Impact of Policy Reform Projects

1. About the Global Gateway Investment Climate Reform Facility

The Global Gateway Investment Climate Reform (GG ICR) Facility contributes to the development of a conducive, inclusive and sustainable investment climate for the implementation of the European Union’s Global Gateway Strategy in INTPA partner countries. Through targeted advisory services, it enables partner countries to attract investments, while enabling local and European businesses to grow and invest with confidence.

The GG ICR Facility is jointly co-financed by the European Union (EU), the Federal Ministry of Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ) and the Ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires Étrangères (MEAE) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Expertise France (EF) and SNV (Netherlands Development Organisation).

The Global Gateway strategy of the European Union covers five areas: Digital, Climate and Energy, Transport, Health and Education and Research. It allows EU partners to develop their societies and economies and create opportunities for the EU Member States’ private sector to invest and remain competitive. The GG ICR Facility is part of the ‘soft’ measures to materialise the Global Gateway strategy. Through this programme and across all its results, the EU aims at supporting green investments and a transition towards low-carbon circular economies, in line with the ambition of the European Green Deal and with the Paris agreement objectives. It is integrated into the European Consensus on Development ‘our world, our dignity, our future’, specifically with its priorities of promoting inclusive and sustainable growth and jobs. Lastly, it reinforces the EU’s leadership in promoting gender equality and social inclusion, in full alignment with the transformative approach of the Gender Action Plan III, while contributing to the 2030 Agenda’s SDG 5 (gender equality).

Based on partner proposals, the GG ICR Facility flexibly supports public and private actors in optimising regulatory reforms, institutions and economic policy frameworks. Technical assistance is delivered by local or international experts that can be deployed for up to 100 days within a year. Eligible requests must be part of a wider strategy or reform process contributing to the EU’s Global Gateway priorities as well as partners’ regional and national priorities. More information about who can request expertise can be found here: https://www.icr-facility.eu/partner-with-us/request-expertise/

1. Context of the intervention

Problem Statement

The ICR Facility (2019-2025), predecessor of the GG ICR Facility, completed 110 projects across African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. The Facility monitored whether these interventions led to the intended policy reforms (outcomes) as part of their M&E system.  

Projects are implemented under time pressure, and last 6-8 months on average. GIZ, EF or SNV does the project management for each intervention. The eligible regions for projects for GG ICR are Latin America, Asia and Africa.

In the new phase of the GG ICR Facility (2025-2029), we aim to add to the technical support by also strenghening the actual change management process to help partners move from outputs to outcomes.

What does the GG ICR Facility want to achieve?

We want every GG ICR Facility project to deliver a clear outcome. An outcome is a concrete change that occurs in practice as a direct result of the project intervention: something that would not have happened had the intervention not taken place. Examples of outcomes include: a new regulation or law in force, improved services of a chamber of commerce to its members, or the implementation of a public private dialogue platform.

Outcomes in a project are usually the result of a combination of available factors:

• The capacity and commitment of the requesting entity pushing for a reform/change
• The viability of the reform (“ease of implementation)
• The technical and management capacity of the team internally designing and implementing the reform
• The cost of the reform and the availability of budget
• Political approval, buy-in or support for the reform
• The ecosystem and stakeholders supporting the reform (and lobbying for it)
• Timing for the reform (fiscal budget cycle for funds or elections)

What does the GG ICR Facility currently do to boost project outcomes?

GG ICR Facility projects consistently produce high-quality technical deliverables. These are developed by subject-matter experts who draw on global good practices, engage in consultations with relevant stakeholders, and tailor recommendations to the local context. All proposed solutions are validated with local stakeholders to ensure relevance, ownership, and practical applicability.

Based on the lessons learnt from the ICR Facility (2019-2025), the projects of the GG ICR Facility (2025-2029) integrate a set of measures designed to maximise the likelihood of reaching outcomes. These measures include:

• Thorough assessment of entities requesting technical assistance to ensure they have capacity, leadership, traction and budget to move reforms forward.
• Setting up projects in phases, when useful, so they can be stopped or adapted if there are indications the project might not be completed appropriately or reach outcomes.
• Projects have a consultation process with relevant public and private stakeholders.
• Projects have a validation process once reform recommendations are drafted.
• Projects incorporate a SWOT analysis to understand the local situation.
• Reform recommendations include details that anticipate the requirements for them to be implemented. For example: budget needed, feasibility, impact, responsible entity/person, short/long term.
• Involve other donors, implementing partners and the EU Delegation in project implementation (in consultation, validation and/or follow up meetings), as they might be able to follow up on reform recommendations.
• Projects are structured in a flexible manner to be able to adjust the deliverables based on the known local capacity and feasibility within the ecosystem, once the project is being implemented.
• Some time (expert days) is allocated for the consultant after the deliverables are completed for ‘handholding’/coaching and follow up with the requesting entity on the implementation of recommended reforms.
• Align the objectives of the consultant and the GG ICR Facility, so that completing the deliverable is not the only objective but also attaining outcomes. This is done through the selection, working repeatedly with good consultants, and induction for consultants.

Still, some enabling factors for reform might not be present in the ecosystem. This creates an opportunity to further refine how GG ICR Facility projects are designed and implemented, with the aim of increasing the likelihood that policy recommendations translate into tangible, lasting results.

1. Objective of this assignment

The objective of this assignment is to optimise the GG ICR Facility’s approach to achieving outcomes by integrating additional measures, processes, and practical tools into project implementation. The Facility aims to maximise the likelihood that reforms are effectively advanced once GG ICR interventions are completed.

To achieve this, the Facility seeks the support of an expert or team of experts who can:

• Optimise the GG ICR approach to reaching outcomes by identifying and integrating additional measures, processes, or practical tools (e.g. trainings).
• Introduce practical “change management” tools and methods that can be applied by the GG ICR team.
• Systematise the GG ICR approach, while keeping it flexible depending on the local conditions.
• Empower all GG ICR staff to be able to lead projects with better tools to maximise outcomes (to support the requesting entity, the expert consultants, and other stakeholders throughout the intervention).
• Equip GG ICR staff to be able to on-board new team members to adopt the same approach or mindset.

We are not looking for an overview of theory, desk research, or an evaluation of past projects. Instead, the Facility is looking for a hands-on practical approach and concrete tools for change management that can be used in real project conditions.

1. Expected deliverables

For this assignment, we seek an expert (or team of experts) who will work closely with the GG ICR Facility team. The expected deliverables are:   

• Deliverable 1: Review of existing processes at GG ICR Facility and first recommendations on how to improve expected results – Powerpoint presentation of review and proposed improvements to the GG ICR Facility team.
• Deliverable 2: