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Project Terms of Reference Template
Provide an overview of the history behind the proposed project
1. Background Clearly state why perform the project, and also refer to a programming
context
State the general role of stakeholders in doing project activities
Write a brief explanation of the need behind the project
State the major objectives of the proposed project
2. Objectives Describe the intended achievements to be gained at different stages of
the project lifecycle
Provide an overview of the resources required
Clearly identify and define what is expected from the project and who
the target audience is
Highlight the key issues to be studied and disputed at every stage of the
3. Issues project lifecycle
List the criteria (including Efficiency, Relevance, Effectiveness, Impact,
Sustainability) against which the issues will be analyzed and evaluated
Define the key phases of the project implementation process
4. Methodology Specify the required level of stakeholder involvement
Describe the content and duration of project activities
List the information collection tools necessary for monitoring purposes
Provide data analysis rules
Specify the type of work involved in the proposed project
5. Expertise Describe the type of skills and abilities required
Define the exact number of individuals involved
Point at the period of engagement of each team member
Describe the duties and responsibility per teammate
Identify the relationships between the team members
Provide the Table of Contents for project reports
6. Reporting Define rules for composing annexes
Add report templates
Set submission dates
List the computer software programmes to be used for report writing
Refer to people responsible for reporting and approving
Provide other sufficient information such as number of copies to be
created, responsibilities for report production and presentation, etc.
Provide a summary of the anticipated work
7. Work plan Describe the activities and necessary resources required for achieving
the project’s results and purpose
Provide the activity schedule template
Describe The finance resources allocated to the project
Read a more detailed description of the template here:
http://www.mymanagementguide.com/terms-of-reference-tor-template
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Definition and Purpose of TOR
Terms of Reference (TOR) are a strategy-level document that defines the tasks
and duties required of a project contractor, and highlights project background and
objectives at high level. The document also states the planned activities, expected
inputs and outputs, project budget, working schedules, and job descriptions. It is used
to judge about the performance of contractors, consultants, experts, and other project
stakeholders.
The purpose of TOR is to specify the amount and type of work to be accomplished by
the project. It is a governance document that establishes and determines the
relationships between all project stakeholders. Terms of Reference are developed once
a project has been identified, defined and planned.
TOR of a project provides a clear description of the following critical information:
The rationale behind undertaking the project
The proposed methodology of project management along with work plans and
activity schedules
The expected resource requirements, primarily regarding personnel
Reporting rules and requirements
Content of TOR
The development of Project Terms of Reference is required for making the
decision on whether or not to allocate necessary funds to a proposed project. It is the
result of the project proposal process, and TOR serves as the primary report of this
process. TOR is usually required for:
Pre-feasibility and feasibility analyses
Appraisal activity
Implementation contracts designing and monitoring
Evaluation studies
Reporting and audit
Other advisory work required at any project stage
Considering the listed items, the content of Project Terms of Reference should include
business-critical information necessary for starting, implementing and monitoring
project activities. Meanwhile, the exact content of TOR varies from project to project
and significantly depends upon the scope of a proposed project.
A generic content format of Project Terms of Reference is suggested below:
Project Background
Project Objectives
Issues to be explored and analyzed against certain criteria
Implementation Methodology to be applied
Expertise required
Reporting requirements
Work plan, including activity schedules
Please note these are the common sections of a TOR template. They can be
changed or omitted, depending on the scope of a particular project. The following below
description of the TOR sections is general and provided as an overview for guidance
purposes. It means a particular project will require a deeper analysis of the content to
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be included in a TOR template. When you plan for your project, you must first analyze
and define the work that needs to be contracted out, and then proceed with the
development of Project Terms of Reference.
1. Background
The background of a project provides an overview of the history behind the project. It
should clearly state why perform the project and refer to a programming context. The
purpose is to provide the reader with a brief explanation of the need behind the project.
The Background section of a TOR template usually includes several paragraphs which
address the following issues:
Describe the project in the context of a related business need
State the general role of stakeholders in doing project activities
Highlight a brief overview of the project to date
2. Objectives
The objectives of a project are those desired accomplishments that can be reasonably
delivered upon project completion, with consumption of available resources and within
an expected timeframe. They should clearly identify and define what is expected from
the project and who the target audience is.
The Objectives section of a Terms of Reference template should describe desired
achievements at different stages of project lifecycle. It should also state the primary objectives of the
project, which must be achieved upon success project completion. Here’s an example of how it should look like.
Work Type/Project
Generic Objective
Stage
Project Completion To increase sales of product “A” by 15% over a 3-month
To provide decision makers with sufficient information necessary for acceptan
– Feasibility study
project
To provide decision makers with sufficient information necessary to make info
– Monitoring
performance of the project
– Audit To ensure the project remains relevant and reasonable in legal, econom
3. Issues
Any project involves a number of issues and problematic areas that must be addressed
in order for the project to be implemented smoothly. The issues are the points of
discussion or dispute throughout the project lifecycle. They cover any concern, query,
request for change, or anything else that requires a resolution during the project.
Unresolved issues may cause project failure.
The Issues section of a TOR template should highlight key issues to be studied and
disputed at every stage of the project lifecycle. Usually TOR includes a range of
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evaluation criteria to be used for issue analysis and solving. Here are generic
issue evaluation criteria for most projects:
Efficiency – this criterion determines how well a given activity transforms
available resources into desired outputs in terms of quantity, quality and time
Relevance – it help analyze whether a given activity is being performed with the
desired benefits
Effectiveness – it concerns how far the project’s outputs have been utilized and
whether the project’s purpose has been realized
Impact – this measure helps figure out the extent to which the project’s benefits
received by the target audience have an overall effect on larger numbers of people
concerned
Sustainability – this criterion identifies whether the project’s positive outcomes will
continue after funding ends.
4. Methodology
The implementation methodology of a project provides a set of broad principles and
rules from which specific procedures will be derived in order to define how to carry out
the project in a cost-effective way. It describes the main methods of project
implementation.
The Methodology section of a Project Terms of Reference template should therefore
include a description of the following items:
Key phases of the project implementation process
The required level of stakeholder involvement that ensures smooth
implementation
The content and duration of project activities and tasks
The information collection tools to be used throughout the project for monitoring
purposes
Data analysis rules
5. Expertise
The expertise needed for doing a project defines a set of professional requirements for
the individuals and teams involved in project implementation. It will be the basis for
team building, including training and skill assessment.
The Expertise section of a Project Terms of Reference template should identify the
following:
The type of work involved in the project
The type of skills and abilities required to do project work
The exact number of individuals involved, including a description of their
qualifications, experience, and other professional attributes
The period of engagement of each team member
A description of the duties and responsibility per teammate
The relationship between the team members, including leadership roles
6. Reporting
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Reports provide valued information about project performance over a certain period.
Reporting is a process that starts once a project is launched and continues until the
project is completed and its product is handed over. Reporting requirements will define
how to write and submit project reports and what information to include.
The Reporting Requirements section of a Terms of Reference template should clearly
specify the requirements for the reporting process, and might include the details of:
Table of contents for project reports
Rules for composing annexes
Report templates
The language to be used in reports
Computer software programmes to be used
Submission dates
People responsible for reporting and approving
Other sufficient information, such as number of copies to be created,
responsibilities for report production and presentation, etc.
7. Work Plan
A work plan is a kind of strategy that aims to help solve problems throughout a project
and boost employee drive and focus. It determines what actions need to be taken to
start, implement, and complete the project within a specified time period and under
defined budget. It is often used as a general guide for developing a project
implementation plan.
The Work Plan section of a Project Terms of Reference template should set out the
activities and necessary resources required for achieving the project’s results and
purpose. It should therefore include a summary of the anticipated work and time
schedule, which are based upon the following:
An analysis of the issues, in terms of the evaluation criteria
The proposed implementation methodology
The reporting requirements
The finance resources allocated to the project.
