Writing Effective Terms of Reference and Scope Documents

Terms of reference define what committees, consultants, projects and studies are meant to deliver, yet vague versions cause scope creep, disputed invoices and disappointing results across African organisations. A well written terms of reference sets everyone up to succeed. This course teaches delegates to write clear terms of reference and scope documents that define purpose, deliverables and boundaries precisely.

What you will be able to do

Define the purpose, objectives and scope of an assignment clearly.
Specify deliverables, timelines and reporting expectations.
Set boundaries that prevent scope creep and misunderstanding.
State roles, responsibilities and decision rights unambiguously.
Include evaluation and acceptance criteria for the work.
Review a draft terms of reference against a practical checklist.

Course outline

01What a Terms of Reference Must Achieve
02Purpose, Objectives and Background
03Defining Scope and Boundaries
04Deliverables, Timelines and Reporting
05Roles, Responsibilities and Authority
06Evaluation and Acceptance Criteria
07Common Terms of Reference Failures
08Drafting and Review Exercise

Who should attend

This course is aimed at project managers, procurement staff, committee secretaries and managers who commission work and draft terms of reference or scope documents.

Dates, venues and fees

Dates	Venue	Days	Fee
17 to 18 Aug 2026	Kampala	2	US$1,100
24 to 25 Aug 2026	Dar es Salaam	2	US$1,100
31 Aug to 1 Sep 2026	Pretoria	2	R10,000
7 to 8 Sep 2026	Cape Town	2	R10,000
21 to 22 Sep 2026	Online	2	US$900
28 to 29 Sep 2026	Mozambique	2	US$1,100
5 to 6 Oct 2026	Cairo	2	US$1,100
12 to 13 Oct 2026	Accra	2	US$1,100
19 to 20 Oct 2026	Lusaka	2	US$1,100
26 to 27 Oct 2026	Kigali	2	US$1,100
2 to 3 Nov 2026	Nairobi	2	US$1,100
9 to 10 Nov 2026	Durban	2	R10,000
16 to 17 Nov 2026	Johannesburg	2	R10,000
30 Nov to 1 Dec 2026	Mauritius	2	US$1,100
7 to 8 Dec 2026	Dubai	2	US$1,100
14 to 15 Dec 2026	Lagos	2	US$1,100
21 to 22 Dec 2026	Harare	2	US$1,100

Fees are per delegate. South African venues are priced in rand; other locations and online in US dollars. Fees exclude 15% VAT where applicable. Group bookings of three or more delegates from the same organisation qualify for a reduced rate; contact us for a quotation.

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Training a whole team?

We can run Writing Effective Terms of Reference and Scope Documents privately for your team, on your dates and built around your own systems. Group delivery is usually more cost effective from about six delegates.

Run this in-house