AIRSA Resources
Download tools, templates, datasets, and guides to accelerate AI work across Africa.
Consultancy Terms of Reference (ToR) Template (Microsoft Word)
This is a ready-to-use Word template for organisations that hire consultants, such as government agencies, NGOs, development partners and companies. Consultants can also use it to understand or help draft assignment requirements. It sets out exactly what a consultancy must deliver, when, how it will be managed and paid, and how proposals will be judged. It includes: Cover page and quick summary: an “Assignment at a Glance” summary on the first inner page. The assignment: background and rationale purpose, objectives and key questions scope of work, showing what is in and out of scope expected methodology Work and deliverables: key tasks with indicative consultant days a deliverables table with due dates and the payment linked to each deliverable duration, location and travel management and reporting arrangements, and the support the client will provide Contract terms: required qualifications and experience, payment terms, and proposal submission instructions. Proposal evaluation: a weighted technical and financial scoring table with a scoring formula. Ethics: confidentiality and intellectual property. Annexes: A: financial proposal template B: week-by-week work plan to shade in C: key reference documents D: declaration of no conflict of interest The template helps clients write clear and consistent ToRs that attract strong proposals. It also gives consultants a firm basis for pricing, planning and delivering the work. How to use: Set up: replace all text in [square brackets] with the assignment title, client details, reference number, dates and contacts. Describe the need: write the background, purpose and specific objectives, and define the scope clearly. Plan the work: List the key tasks and estimate the days for each. Set out the deliverables, their due dates and their share of payment. Make sure the days, timeline and payments are consistent with each other. Set the requirements: state the qualifications needed, what proposals must contain, the submission deadline, and the evaluation criteria and weights. Adjust and finalise: delete sections that don’t apply and the guidance box, and complete the “Assignment at a Glance” summary last. Issue the ToR: have it approved internally, then advertise or send it to consultants with the financial proposal template (Annex A) and the declaration form (Annex D). Manage the assignment: use the ToR as the basis for the contract, and to review and approve each deliverable before payment.
Partnership and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Template (Microsoft Word)
This is a professionally drafted Word template for universities, government agencies, NGOs, development partners and other institutions. It records the terms of a partnership or collaboration in a formal Memorandum of Understanding. It contains: Cover page naming both parties, plus a one-page Summary of Key Terms for decision-makers. Parties and recitals: who the parties are, and “whereas” clauses explaining why they are partnering. 18 numbered articles: Purpose and objectives Definitions Areas and forms of cooperation Roles and responsibilities of each party Governance through a Joint Coordination Committee Financial arrangements Monitoring, evaluation and reporting Publicity and use of logos Intellectual property Confidentiality and data protection Safeguarding, ethics and anti-corruption Non-exclusivity Liability Legal status, stating which clauses are binding Dispute resolution Duration, amendment, renewal and termination Notices Entire understanding Signature page: blocks for both parties’ signatures, with witnesses and official stamps. Annexes: a Joint Work Plan with indicators, focal persons and contacts, and indicative contributions from each party. Each page footer has space for both parties to initial. The template helps organisations set up clear, balanced and accountable partnerships quickly. How to use: Identify the parties: replace all text in [square brackets] with each party’s full legal name, registration details, address, representative and short name. Define the partnership: complete the recitals, purpose, objectives, areas of cooperation and each party’s roles and responsibilities. Adjust the clauses: Edit or delete articles that don’t apply. Set the duration, notice period and dispute resolution method. Confirm which articles are legally binding (Article 14). Complete the annexes: fill in the Joint Work Plan, focal persons and contributions. Any transfer of money, assets or personal data should go in a separate binding agreement. Fill in the summary: complete the Summary of Key Terms last so it matches the articles, then delete the guidance box. Review and approve: have each party’s legal adviser and management review the draft, and agree final changes. Sign and implement: print two originals, initial every page, and sign with witnesses and official stamps. Then set up the Joint Coordination Committee and review progress against the work plan.
Internal Audit Report Template (Microsoft Word)
This is a professionally structured Word template for internal auditors to report audit results clearly, consistently and in line with the Institute of Internal Auditors’ Global Internal Audit Standards. It suits internal audit functions in companies, public institutions, NGOs and financial institutions. It includes: Cover page: report number, auditee, period covered, overall opinion and a confidentiality notice. Distribution and timeline: distribution list, audit team and an audit timeline from notification to final report. Executive summary: a colour-coded overall audit opinion with its basis, a summary of findings by priority, a key findings table with action owners and dates, and positive observations. Audit details: objectives, scope, approach, conformance with standards and limitations. Rating definitions: four overall opinion levels, from Satisfactory to Unsatisfactory, and High, Medium and Low finding priorities with expected action timelines. Detailed finding cards: each follows the “5Cs” structure (Condition, Criteria, Cause, Consequence and Corrective action), followed by the management response, action owner and target date. A completed example is included. Follow-up and close: status of previous audit recommendations, conclusion and sign-off. Appendices: summary of testing performed, persons interviewed, a consolidated management action plan, and abbreviations. The template helps audit teams produce concise, evidence-based and action-oriented reports for management and the Audit Committee. How to use: Set up: replace all text in [square brackets] with the audit title, report number, auditee, period, team and dates. Write the findings: copy one finding card for each issue and complete all five Cs, putting a number on the condition where you can (for example, “12 of 40 samples”). List findings in order of priority, with High first, and delete the example. Rate: assign each finding a priority, and give the overall opinion using the rating definitions in Section 3. Agree with management: discuss the findings at the exit meeting, issue the draft, and add management’s responses, action owners and target dates. Complete the summary: write the executive summary last, and update the findings summary table and the management action plan to match. Finalise and issue: delete the guidance box, update the table of contents, obtain the Head of Internal Audit’s approval, and send the report to the distribution list. Follow up: track the agreed actions until they are closed, and report their status in the next audit using the follow-up table.
Corporate Governance Manual Template (Microsoft Word)
This is a professionally structured Word template for boards of directors, executives and company secretaries. It documents how a company is directed and controlled, and it follows internationally recognised principles of good governance (G20/OECD) while remaining adaptable to any country’s company law and governance code. It covers: Introduction: purpose, scope, governance principles and the legal framework. Governance framework: the role of each governance body. Shareholders: shareholder rights and general meetings. Board Charter: Board responsibilities and composition a skills matrix independence criteria director appointment and induction the roles of the Chair, CEO and Company Secretary directors’ duties Board meetings: meeting procedures and an annual Board calendar. Board committees: Audit and Risk, Nomination and Governance, and Remuneration. Delegation of Authority: a matrix showing which decisions sit with the Board, committees, CEO and CFO. Risk and assurance: risk management, internal control, and internal and external audit. Ethics: conflicts of interest, related-party transactions, insider dealing and whistleblowing. Remuneration, disclosure and stakeholders: pay principles, stakeholder engagement and sustainability (ESG) oversight. Board evaluation and development, with an evaluation questionnaire. Appendices: a declaration of interests, a director independence declaration, and a committee terms of reference template. The template helps companies strengthen accountability, transparency and investor confidence, and show regulators and lenders that they meet governance standards. How to use: Set up: replace all text in [square brackets] with your company’s details, board size, thresholds, meeting frequencies and approval references. Align with your rules: make sure the manual matches your company’s constitution, the Companies Act, listing rules and any national or sector governance code. The law and the constitution always take precedence. Tailor the structures: adjust the committees, independence requirements and Delegation of Authority limits to suit your company’s size, ownership and risk profile. Review and adopt: have the Company Secretary and legal counsel review the draft. Then submit it to the Board for adoption by resolution, and record the resolution number in the document control table. Put it into practice: Use the annual Board calendar to plan meetings. Collect the declarations of interests and independence from directors each year. Run the annual Board evaluation using the questionnaire. Maintain: delete the guidance box and update the table of contents before issue. Review the manual at least every two years or whenever laws or circumstances change.
Employee Handbook Template (Microsoft Word)
This is a ready-to-use Word template for employers and HR departments to welcome new staff and explain, in plain and friendly language, what it is like to work at their organisation. It is written for employees and complements the more detailed HR Policy and Procedures Manual. The handbook includes: Welcome: a welcome letter from the CEO and a note on how to use the handbook. About us: company story, vision, values and structure. Getting started: a first-week checklist, documents needed and probation. How we work: working hours, attendance, overtime, remote work and communication. Pay and benefits: pay day, payslips, benefits and expenses. Time off: leave entitlements and a public holiday calendar. Performance and growth: reviews, learning and career progression. Conduct: standards of conduct, IT security, speaking up, and how problems are handled. Health, safety and wellbeing: safety rules and emergency contacts. Leaving the company: notice and the exit process. Help: frequently asked questions and key contacts. Acknowledgement: a signature form for each employee. “At a glance” summary boxes and tip callouts make the handbook easy to scan. The template helps organisations onboard staff faster, set clear expectations and answer common questions. How to use Personalise: add your logo, and replace all text in [square brackets] with your company’s details, contacts and figures. Write the welcome: ask your CEO or managing director to write a short, warm welcome letter. Check entitlements: make sure working hours, leave, benefits and notice periods match your employment contracts, your HR Policy Manual and the labour law. Tailor content: add, remove or reorder sections to suit your organisation, and keep the tone friendly and simple. Finalise: delete the guidance box, update the contents page (right-click, then Update Field), and have HR and management approve the handbook. Distribute: give the handbook to every new employee during induction. Have each one sign the Employee Acknowledgement and file it in their personnel record. Keep it current: update the version number and tell staff whenever policies change, and review the handbook at least once a year.
Human Resource Policy and Procedures Manual Template (Microsoft Word)
This is a professionally structured Word template for HR professionals to set out an organisation’s employment policies and the procedures for applying them. Each policy chapter opens with a reference box (policy number, owner, effective and review dates) and a clear policy statement. It then gives the detailed rules, step-by-step procedure tables and examples. The template covers: recruitment, selection, probation and onboarding conditions of employment: working hours, overtime, attendance, remote work and data protection compensation and benefits, including salary grades and allowances leave entitlements performance management and training code of conduct, ethics and whistleblowing health, safety and wellbeing anti-harassment and safeguarding disciplinary procedure, with misconduct categories and progressive sanctions grievance procedure separation, including notice periods and exit clearance Ready-to-use forms for employee acknowledgement, leave applications, grievances and exit clearance are included. The template helps organisations manage people fairly, consistently and lawfully. How to use: Set up: replace all text in [square brackets] with your organisation’s details, policy owners, dates and approvers. Align with the law: fill in entitlements such as leave days, notice periods, overtime rates and benefits so they meet or exceed your country’s labour laws and any collective agreement. Customise: add, remove or adjust policies to fit your organisation’s size, sector and culture. Keep the policy numbering (HR-POL-001, 002, and so on) up to date. Review and approve: have the draft reviewed by legal counsel and senior management, then approved by the CEO or Board. Communicate: delete the guidance boxes, update the table of contents, then issue the manual to all staff. Each employee signs the Acknowledgement Form (Appendix A). Apply and maintain: use the procedures and forms in daily HR practice, record every revision in the document control table, and review the manual at least every two years.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Manual Template (Microsoft Word)
This is a ready-to-use Word template for operations teams to document, standardise and control how work is done. It contains a framework for managing all of an organisation’s SOPs: document control, an SOP register, a numbering system, roles, change control, training records and audit checklists. It also has a standard 13-section format for writing each SOP, covering purpose, scope, responsibilities, safety precautions, step-by-step procedures, records, KPIs and revision history. A worked example and ready-made forms for change requests, deviation reports and SOP reviews are included. The template helps organisations reduce errors, improve safety, train staff faster and show compliance to auditors and regulators. How to use: Set up: replace all text in [square brackets] with your organisation’s details, manual number, approvers and department codes. List your SOPs: record each process in the SOP Register and give it a unique number, such as OPS-WH-001. Write each SOP: copy the Standard SOP Template for each process and complete it, using the worked example as a guide. Review and approve: check each SOP with the staff who do the work, use the Review Checklist, then obtain sign-off. Train staff: train everyone affected and have them sign the training acknowledgement. Maintain: use the Change Request and Deviation Report forms, and review each SOP at least once a year. Finalise: delete the guidance boxes and the example SOP, then update the table of contents before issuing.
Feasibility Study Report Template (Microsoft Word)
This is a professionally structured Word template for entrepreneurs, business consultants, project promoters and investors. It is used to prepare bankable feasibility studies that show whether a business or investment project is viable before money is committed. It suits presentations to banks, private equity and angel investors, development finance institutions and grant funders, and applies to any sector or country. The template covers every part of a complete feasibility study: Front matter: cover page, document control and sign-off, disclaimer, table of contents and abbreviations. Executive summary: a key financial indicators table (total investment, NPV, IRR, payback, break-even and DSCR, each with its decision rule) a summary verdict for each feasibility dimension a clear Go, Go with conditions, or No-go recommendation Market analysis: industry overview, customer segments, demand and supply gap, competitor analysis, pricing, sales projections, the marketing mix and a colour-coded SWOT grid. Technical feasibility: a weighted site selection matrix, production process, capacity and production plan, machinery and equipment, raw materials, utilities, and a shaded quarter-by-quarter implementation schedule. Organisation, legal and environmental: management team and staffing plan, licences and permits, taxes and incentives, and environmental and social screening. Financial analysis: key assumptions, investment cost and financing plan five-year revenue, operating cost, income statement, cash flow and balance sheet tables investment appraisal: NPV, IRR, payback, break-even, DSCR and profitability index sensitivity and scenario analysis Economic and social benefits: jobs, taxes, foreign exchange and contribution to the SDGs, for impact and development investors. Risk register: likelihood and impact scoring with a colour-coded rating, mitigation measures and risk owners. Closing: conclusions, recommendation, next steps, references and a list of appendices. How to use it: Replace all text in [square brackets] with project information. Follow the gold “Guidance for Authors” boxes, then delete them before the report is issued. Prepare the financial figures in a linked spreadsheet model and copy the results into the financial tables. Add or remove rows as needed, and shade the implementation schedule cells to match your timeline. Update the table of contents and page numbers (right-click, then Update Field) before finalising. The template gives investors the information they look for, in the order they expect it. Entrepreneurs and consultants can use it to produce credible, well-organised and investor-ready feasibility studies faster.
Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Report Template (Microsoft Word)
This is a professionally structured Word template for environmental consultants, project developers and industries preparing an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment report. It follows recognised international good practice, including the IFC Performance Standards, the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework, the World Bank Group EHS Guidelines and the Equator Principles. It can be adapted to any country’s national requirements. The template covers the full ESIA report structure: Front matter: cover page, document control (revision history, review and approval sign-off, distribution list), disclaimer, table of contents and abbreviations. Executive summary: a non-technical summary with a table of key impacts and mitigation, suitable for public disclosure. Chapters 1–6: Introduction, ESIA objectives, scope and study team Policy, legal and institutional framework, with a table comparing national requirements against international standards Project description: location, components, activities by phase, resources and emissions Analysis of alternatives, including the no-project option Environmental and social baseline: physical, biological, socio-economic and cultural Stakeholder engagement, consultation records, issues and responses, and the grievance mechanism Chapter 7, impact assessment methodology: criteria tables, receptor sensitivity, a colour-coded significance matrix and the mitigation hierarchy. Chapter 8, impact assessment: a reusable impact assessment card for each impact by project phase, plus positive impacts and climate change. Chapter 9, cumulative impacts: combined effects with other existing and planned developments. Chapter 10, Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP): on landscape pages, with mitigation and monitoring plans showing responsibilities, timing, costs and indicators, plus supporting management plans, institutional arrangements, reporting and budget. Closing: conclusions and recommendations, references and a list of appendices. How to use it: Replace all text in [square brackets] with project-specific information. Follow the green “Guidance for Authors” boxes, which explain what each section should contain, then delete them before the report is issued. Copy the impact assessment card for each impact identified, and carry every mitigation measure into the ESMP tables. Add or remove rows in tables as needed. Example rows show the expected level of detail. Update the table of contents and page numbering (right-click the table of contents, then Update Field) before finalising. The template helps consultants produce consistent, regulator-ready and lender-ready ESIA reports more quickly. It ensures no required section is missed and that impacts, mitigation measures and monitoring commitments are clearly linked. It suits ESIA studies for infrastructure, mining, energy, agriculture, manufacturing and other development projects.
Training Workshop and Facilitation Presentation Pack (PowerPoint)
This is a reusable PowerPoint template for planning, delivering and evaluating training workshops. It gives facilitators ready-made, professionally designed slides for every stage of a workshop, so they can focus on content and engagement rather than slide design. The pack is organised into four sections: Opening: title slide, welcome and housekeeping, introductions and icebreaker, learning objectives, agenda, and working agreements. Session content: section dividers, a detailed session plan, key concept, process or framework, individual activity, group exercise with roles, group report-back, and a reflection slide using “What? So what? Now what?”. Knowledge check: a multiple-choice question with an answer-and-explanation slide, a true-or-false quiz, and a pre- and post-test results chart. Evaluation and close: a participant evaluation form, an individual action plan, key takeaways and next steps, and a closing contact slide. How to use it: Replace all text in [square brackets] with your own content. Duplicate slides as needed, for example one session plan per session or one question-and-answer pair per quiz item. Delete or hide any slides you don’t need. Read the speaker notes, which give facilitation tips for each slide. Edit the chart through “Edit Data” to show your own pre- and post-test scores. Change the footer and add your logo once in the Slide Master, and they will appear on every slide. The template supports adult-learning practice. Objectives are written with action verbs, activities and knowledge checks are linked to those objectives, and the evaluation and action-plan slides measure participants’ reactions and follow up on how they apply what they learned. It suits workshops, capacity-building programmes, staff orientations and short courses.
Organisational Policy and Procedures Manual Template (Word Doc)
The Organisational Policy and Procedures Manual Template gives an organisation a ready-made, standard framework for documenting how it governs its finances, people, procurement, information security, complaints and records. Every policy follows the same ten-part structure. This lets staff find rules, responsibilities and procedures in the same place in each section, and lets managers, auditors and regulators check compliance consistently. To use it, the organisation assigns each section to a policy owner. That person replaces the text in blue square brackets with the organisation’s own details, approved limits, timelines and job titles. The example wording is adapted to the organisation’s actual practice and the laws that apply to it, for example Ghana’s Labour Act, Public Procurement Act and Data Protection Act. The guidance notes are deleted before issue. Staff and management are consulted, and changes are recorded in the version history. The completed manual is approved by the Board, given version 1.0, and published as the single authoritative reference. Every staff member signs the acknowledgement form. The manual is then reviewed at least every two years, or sooner when laws or structures change. New policies are added using the blank template in Appendix A, so the manual stays consistent as the organisation grows.
Annual Procurement Planning Template (Excel)
The Annual Procurement Planning Template is an Excel tool that brings all of a procurement entity’s requirements for the financial year into one plan. For each package or lot it records the description, category, requesting department, quantity and estimated cost, source of funds and budget line, procurement method, review type and approval authority. It also records the planned timeline from specifications through bid invitation, evaluation, award and contract signing to delivery, along with the officer responsible and the current status. Totals, quarters and lead times are calculated automatically. The template flags packages whose cost does not fit the chosen method, whose dates are out of sequence, or which are behind schedule. A Gantt-style timeline and a summary dashboard by category, method, quarter, funding source, department and status support review and approval by the Entity Tender Committee. During the year, the procurement unit updates status, actual contract sums and completion dates. This turns the plan into a monitoring tool that shows progress, delays and savings or overruns at each quarterly review. It supports compliance with Section 21 of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663), as amended by Act 914.