Contracting and managing consultants

Certification Programme on Procurement Management for Selection and Recruitment of Consultants
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Online

Contracting and managing consultants

6 October–14 November 2025
The course is available in English, Français

This professional certification programme is part of the Diploma in public procurement management 

***A limited number of partial fellowships is available for this course to participants with a proven interest in the topic. 

Please inquire at least four weeks before the commencement’s date to get the opportunity to attend a Certification Programme organized by ITCILO***.

Introduction to the course

Have you yet to discover various approaches, methods and arrangements used for selecting consultants? How those do influence the way you craft your contract and the performance aspects of it? Would you like to acquire knowledge of how to design Terms of Reference and of which evaluation criteria to use and how to score them? What about different types of contracts used for consultancy assignments and works-related consulting services? Are you familiar with the selection of construction engineers as consultants with focus on supervision tasks? Are you interested in gaining hands-on experience of how to assess proposals and negotiate contracts with engineering companies - all in accordance with MDB and FIDIC procedures? This online certification programme takes you on a learning journey through out all the stages of the selection and contract management process for consultancy services. . As construction projects inherently involve complex components, necessitating proficient management of consultancy services a specific focus is placed on consultancy for works. Through this Professional Certification Programme you will gain full-fledged expertise on the selection and contract management process for consultancy services.

Who attends this course?

National and international public procurement practitioners; procurement staff of national agencies; project directors and procurement staff of projects funded by International Financial Institutions (World Bank, Asian, African, Islamic and European development banks, etc.); United Nations, European Union and NGOs personnel; other officers involved in the financing, control and monitoring of national procurement operations for contracting and managing consultants. Staff of consulting firms and individual consultants might also find the course useful.

Prove your skills with a Diploma

This course is part of one Diploma programme:

Why a certification programme on contracting and managing consultants?

Consultancy services are invariably required at various stages of programme and project development, even more so in the current world-changing pandemic crisis when we need adapt to the change and be even more agile and efficient.  Although the cost of consultancy services is typically less than 10% of a project’s budget estimates yet it has a significantly larger impact on the quality and final cost of the development project/investment and now even more than ever. Therefore, it is vital to the project that professional judgement and detailed procedures are followed for safeguarding the interests of the Client in contracting and managing consultants who is deemed to be the best qualified to provide the services, especially in the current crisis situation.

What will I be able to do?

Competently plan and carry out procurement management functions for contracting and managing consultants in accordance with the standards of best professional practice to ensure value for money is achieved and services are rendered with due quality. 

What certification will I get as a successful candidate?
  • You will obtain an ITCILO certificate of achievement once you have completed successfully the programme requirements
  • This certificate will demonstrate that you possess the right knowledge, skills and attitudes to plan and execute the entire procurement process including contract management
  • This certificate could be a first brick to build your future ITCILO Diploma in Procurement Management!  https://www.itcilo.org/resources/diploma-public-procurement-management
Why should I join?

This course is delivered through distance learning and deployed on the ITCILO e-campus. It frees you from the classroom and gives you the flexibility to complete the learning modules at your own pace while still providing interaction with international experts and professionals.

What are the programme objectives?

At the end of the Programme, you will be able to:

  • efficiently design your contracting strategy 
  • assess and mitigate risks
  • competently prepare well-balanced procurement documents 
  • set evaluation criteria
  • conduct proposals evaluation, contract award and contract administration procedures
  • handle procurement-related complaints
  • manage consultancy contracts in an efficient and adaptive manner
  • prepare contract management plan
  • verify quality of deliverables
  • manage relationships
  • understand how to improve sustainability in consultancy
What does the programme contain?

M1 PUBLIC PROCUREMENT: INTRODUCTION

  • Main principles
  • Procurement Cycle
  • What is consulting?
  • Differences between Services and Goods
  • Global view on consulting services

 

M2 CONTRUCTING STRATEGY AND PLANNING

  • Contracting strategy and planning
  • Selection Methods, Arrangements and Market Approaches
  • Types of contracts
  • Consulting services cost estimation
  • KPI’s
  • Sample Consulting Services Procurement Process

 

M3 STANDARD PROCUREMENT DOCUMENTS AND SELECTION PROCESS

  • Development of Terms of Reference 
  • Advertising and shortlisting
  • Setting evaluation criteria
  • Request for proposals 
  • Forms and Conditions of Contracts

 

M4 EVALUATION

  • Submission of Technical and Financial proposals 
  • Evaluation of Proposals 
  • Opening of Financial Proposals and Combined Evaluation 
  • Negotiation and Award of Contract
  • Hands on Expanded Implementation Support by the Bank and Complaints Management

 

M5 CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

  • Introduction to Contract management
  • Responsibilities and Key Risks
  • Contract Administration and Management
  • Relationship management
  • Review by the Bank

 

M6 ENHANCING INCLUSIVENESS AND SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH PROCUREMENT

  • Introduction to Sustainable Development and Sustainable Public Procurement
  • Gender Considerations in Procurement
  • Promoting Innovation, Inclusiveness and Sustainability

 

M7 SELECTION OF CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERS AS CONSULTANTS

  • Selection methods and types of contracts applicable to selection of construction engineers as consultants
  • Cost estimation for Supervision services 
  • Terms of reference for supervision
  • Key aspects of conditions of contract to be included at RFP stage
  • Qualification criteria suitable for selection of construction engineers as consultants
  • Evaluation of technical proposals for supervision
  • Key issues subject to negotiations with the selected consultant
  • Contract management during construction project and distribution of responsibilities
What approach and methodology is used to deliver the online course?

This Certification Programme is delivered by senior procurement staff, advisors and consultants from ITCILO. The programme is conducted using interactive self-guided learning modules, knowledge checks, live webinars and final examination.

  • For each module, you first acquire knowledge through an interactive self-guided learning module that contains readings, questions, quizzes, case studies, videos, lectures and tools
  • You will be required to take knowledge tests after each module and throughout the course to ensure that you have grasped the core elements of the learning modules
  • Your acquired skills will be assessed through the assignments graded by your tutor
  • Live webinars with the experts will be conducted as follows: 1 introductory and other 4 webinars to respond to your questions and provide feedback or additional content.

The tutor is available for consultation via the e-campus forum or “Talk to your Tutor” mailbox and throughout the webinars.

Conditions to participate

WHAT ARE THE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS NEEDED?

For a smooth learning experience, participants need to have basic computer skills and a computer with a reliable internet connection and speakers.

Candidates are expected to have previous experience in public procurement practice as well as a sound knowledge of the English language.

 

 

The main reason I chose to follow the training is to add value to my professionalism and become even more specialized in what I’m doing every day. It helped me to understand a lot of processes.

Elvira Agovi
Project administrator/Procurement officer
 

After having taken this course, I feel confident when I carry out procurement management functions for the selection and recruitment of consultants. Now I can professionally process the selection of consultants in accordance with the standards of best practice.

Lin Lin Oo
Senior Operations Officer, ILO Yangon

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