Development Information

The DBSA accesses, assimilates, analyses, interprets and disseminates up-to-date development information, and provides advice on a number of dimensions such as demography; labour and employment, national and regional economies, physical household infrastructure; SADC country analysis; public finance and public-private sector projects.

  Research, Analysis and Advice

The DBSA’s research function focuses on applied research that yields knowledge that is applicable to policy, planning and decision-making processes, both within the DBSA and externally to its clients. Research and evaluation work is conducted in terms of the following themes, which underpin the research agenda: governance and finance; human development; macroeconomics and development finance, regional development and spatial economics.  In line with the DBSA’s support for the Nepad initiative, the research function is gradually increasing its scope to encompass issues affecting the region and continent as a whole.

  Technical Assistance

Technical assistance offered by the DBSA includes advice on options for financing and structuring projects, assistance in preparing terms of reference for clients to engage consultants, mobilising grant funding for the appointment of legal, financial or other advisors, facilitation of labour and consumer involvement in project design, evaluation and operation, assistance in preparing bid invitation documentation, assistance in pre-bid discussions, evaluating bid submissions, negotiations with the private sector.

  Research and Evaluation

The DBSA is building up a valuable repository of lessons learnt in the infrastructure development field by undertaking monitoring and evaluation exercises on its current and past development projects, and documenting the lessons learnt.  The DBSA also provides advice and training to its clients in the filed of monitoring and evaluation.