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How to find international development consulting opportunities

Where consultants and firms find international development consulting opportunities — the funders that hire consultants, how selection works (EOI and shortlists), and how to track new assignments.

A large share of development work is delivered by consultants — individuals and firms hired to design, manage, advise on and evaluate programmes. Development consulting opportunities are published as tenders and expressions of interest by the same funders that finance the projects, but they are easy to miss if you are only watching one portal.

Who hires development consultants

Nearly every major funder procures consulting services: the World Bank, the UN agencies, and the regional development banks — the ADB, AfDB, IDB, EBRD and AIIB — along with the EU and bilateral donors. Assignments range from short individual expert contracts to large multi-year advisory programmes for firms.

How consultant selection works

Consulting procurement usually starts with a Request for Expressions of Interest (EOI). Funders use EOIs to shortlist a handful of qualified firms, who are then invited to submit full technical and financial proposals. Selection often weighs quality heavily — the development banks commonly use quality-and-cost-based selection — so demonstrable relevant experience and a strong methodology matter as much as price. Acting at the EOI stage is essential; miss it and you are usually out of the running.

Individual experts vs firms

Many opportunities are for individual consultants rather than companies — short assignments where a single expert's CV and track record decide the award. Others require a firm, or a consortium combining sector expertise with local presence. Knowing which you can pursue, and lining up partners in advance, turns more shortlists into wins.

Where to find consulting opportunities

Because EOIs and consulting notices appear across every funder's portal, the reliable way to catch them is one aggregated feed. Browse the live tenders on MangoFetch, filter by the sectors and countries you work in, and create an account to save those filters and get alerts so new assignments come to you. Reviewing contract awards also shows which firms win the work you target — useful for benchmarking and finding partners.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find international development consulting opportunities?

They are published as tenders and expressions of interest by funders such as the World Bank, the UN and the development banks. Because they are spread across many portals, an aggregated feed you can filter by sector and country is the most reliable way to find them.

How are development consultants selected?

Consulting procurement usually starts with a Request for Expressions of Interest (EOI) to shortlist qualified firms, who then submit full technical and financial proposals. The development banks commonly use quality-and-cost-based selection, so relevant experience and methodology weigh heavily.

Are there opportunities for individual consultants, not just firms?

Yes. Many assignments are for individual experts, decided largely on the consultant’s CV and track record, while others require a firm or a consortium. Knowing which you can pursue — and lining up partners early — improves your win rate.

Track these opportunities as they publish

MangoFetch brings together tenders from the World Bank, the UN and every major development funder — updated daily and searchable by funder, country and sector.

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