Reform Agenda

Bunching

ADB reduced bunching (defined as the disproportionately large number of projects being brought to ADB's Board for approval during the fourth quarter of each year).

Management has become more directly involved in the oversight and control of project scheduling, setting priorities for projects based on readiness balanced with the needs of borrowing countries for timely approvals.

Activities to limit bunching include:

• provision of periodic reports to Management on the emerging status regarding the scheduling of project approvals in the fourth quarter
• inclusion of bunching issues in the Management Committee meetings on operations
• adoption of a checklist to monitor the status of each project-readiness filter before each project-processing stage by regional departments
• rescheduling of items for Board consideration to the following year when needed to manage the Board calendar

In 2007, 17 items initially scheduled for Board discussion during the last quarter, including one country partnership strategy and 12 loans, grants and private sector operations were postponed to the first quarter of 2008.

View more initiatives under Refined Organizational Process and Structure.