Develop a CGIAR Investigations Manual-Consultancy

Project Title**:** Develop a CGIAR Investigations Manual and undertake the feasibility review of a shared CGIAR EBC Case Management System

**Project Length:**Start Date: 08 July 2026, End Date: 08 November 2026

**Deadline for Applications:**01 July 2026, 11:59 PM CET

The CGIAR EBC Function operates within a federated governance model where Centers maintain autonomy for management of allegations while adhering to system‑level safeguards, escalation pathways, and confidentiality requirements. Variations in maturity, capacity, and workflows across Centers create complexity.

To address this, the Integrated Partnership Ethics and Business Conduct (EBC) Function is seeking to develop a comprehensive CGIAR Investigations Manual and undertake the feasibility review for a common case management system.

**Phase 1 (est. 6 weeks)**Key responsibilities:

The Consultant will support the EBC Function in designing and operationalizing a system-wide investigations Manual:

• Develop a comprehensive CGIAR Investigations Manual (final version)
• Produce:

o practical, user-oriented operational templates and procedural guidance notes for Centers and the System

Organization

o benchmarking note (good practices and recommendations)

o summary note highlighting key risks, gaps and implementation considerations

• Ensure alignment with the CGIAR EBC Escalation Framework, applicable policies, and international best practice

Deliverables:1. Development of an Investigations Manual

• Develop a structured CGIAR Investigations Manual covering:

o Investigation lifecycle (intake, assessment, investigation, reporting, closure)

o Roles and responsibilities across Centers and system-level functions

o Use of external investigators

o Evidence standards and documentation

o Reporting requirements and link to escalation pathways

• Ensure the Manual is:

o Practical and implementable

o Adaptable to different legal jurisdictions

o Consistent with CGIAR governance architecture

2. Development of Operational Tools and Templates

• Design a toolkit to support consistent application, including but not limited to:

o Investigation plan template

o Interview template (witness/subject)

o Evidence log template

o Investigation report template

o Case classification and decision tree

o Case closure checklist

3. Alignment with Policy and Governance Frameworks

• Ensure alignment with:

o EBC Escalation Framework

o Whistleblowing and safeguarding policies

o Data protection and confidentiality requirements

• Map how investigations interact with:

o Reporting obligations to AFRCs, Boards, and System-level governance

o Funder reporting obligations (where applicable)

4. Benchmarking and Best Practice

• Benchmark CGIAR approach against:

o IFIs and multilateral organizations

o UN agencies and federated organizations

• Integrate relevant best practices

Methodology: The Consultant will:

• Review existing CGIAR Integrated Partnership Ethcs and Business Conduct Policies, documentation and practices
• Engage with EBC Function stakeholders i.e EBC Leads through structured consultations
• Ensure outputs are:

o Clear, practical, and user-oriented

o Suitable for a multi-jurisdictional environment

**Phase 2 (est. 8 weeks)*Key responsibilities: To undertake a feasibility review to assess a solution for a common case management system that can be implemented in a way that:

o Protects Center autonomy

o Preserves data protection, confidentiality and due‑process safeguards

o Supports the Escalation Framework

o Enables non‑identifying, system‑level visibility

o Accommodates maturity differences

o Avoids unintended access or governance overreach

• To conduct a comprehensive feasibility review of options for a common case management system suitable for a federated environment, and to recommend viable pathways, prerequisites, and decision points for CGIAR.
• The consultant will:

o Assess