Building a knowledge base on sustainability, ESG and sustainable finance, and AI assistant proof-of-concept for infrastructure and development projects

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in coordination with the National Development Finance Agency (FDN), is calling on consulting firms to submit proposals to design, structure and validate a specialized knowledge base on sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) issues for prioritized infrastructure sectors, accompanied by a minimum functional prototype (proof of concept) aimed at quality assurance and traceability using artificial intelligence tools.

1. Knowledge architecture, taxonomy, and ESG traceability

Catalog and hierarchy of sources: Collect, analyze, and prioritize normative, technical, and methodological sources on ESG and sustainable financing, defining a formal hierarchy of official sources and criteria to resolve contradictions or gaps.

Taxonomy and reusable model: Translate documentary information into a structured knowledge model (categories, decision trees, rules, guiding questions, alerts and minimum evidence) in open and reusable formats, constituting an institutional asset independent of the exploitation technology.

Traceability matrix: Build the matrix that directly links each evaluation criterion, rule or recommendation with the documentary source or regulatory body that gives it technical and institutional support.

2. Governance, lifecycle and quality framework

Governance model: Design the governance structure for the knowledge base, defining roles, responsibilities, decision mechanisms, approval flows, and procedures to resolve discrepancies between sources.

Life cycle procedure: Establish the operational guidelines for the incorporation, modification, version control, periodic updating and withdrawal of normative and methodological contents.

Institutional Assessment Benchmark: Create a structured bank of test cases, representative scenarios, and benchmark questions with their expected answers and indicators to objectively measure knowledge coverage, consistency, and accuracy.

3. Minimum functional prototype and technical transfer

Controlled Validation Environment (PoC): Develop a technological proof of concept (using architectures such as RAG and vector bases) aimed exclusively at performing test queries and verifying the traceability and consistency of the responses, without constituting a productive solution or a final operational agent.

Consistency and regression tests: Apply the test bench on the functional prototype to verify that the responses generated maintain strict alignment with the authoritative sources of the FDN.

Socialization and closing: Present the findings of the exercise, deliver the methodological documentation and carry out technical transfer sessions on the criteria for management and future maintenance of the asset.

Note: Interested companies should review the requirements on the BEO Bidder Portal.

Executing unit: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

IDB project: CO-T1748

Contact: [contact details removed]

Financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).