This series contains primarily letters and memoranda sent and received by the staff of the Vice President, Development Policy (VPD) and by members of the Development Policy Staff and departments. The series consists of two parts: general correspondence and correspondence concerning research on specific subjects (sectors). Much of the general correspondence is from the secretary of the Research Committee (RC) forwarding to committee members meeting agenda, packets of materials to be reviewed in meetings, and minutes of meetings; establishing informal review panels to evaluate research proposals; requesting or commenting on project narratives, status reports, project abstracts, or completion reports from project managers; responding to requests for research funds from non-Bank economists; and transmitting ideas for the World Development Report (WDR) to the WDR staff.

Other correspondence includes letters from VPD Chenery inviting Bank staff to be members of the Research Committee; memoranda from the chairsof review panels reporting the results of the panels' reviews; memoranda from the RC secretary and from other VPD staff outlining procedures for submission and review of research proposals and explaining why a research proposal was not approved by the RC or what changes were required before approval would be granted; letters from Regional economists or from sector staff transmitting research proposals to the RC; and memoranda from the Director, Development Policy, responding to questions from the Executive Directors regarding the Bank's research program. Beginning in May 1978, much of the correspondence consists of copies of letters sent by President McNamara and by VPD staff to members of the General Research Advisory Panel and the Special Research Advisory Panels. Also included is correspondence regarding implementation of the Panels' recommendations. At the end of the general correspondence, there is a folder containing copies of the FY 1977 annual report: World Bank Research Program, January 23, 1978, and a June 19, 1979 Updating Report on the World Bank Research Program.

The second part of the series, which primarily concerns sector research, includes comments on research proposals, review panels' decisions on proposals, Back-to-Office reports from research-related missions, and correspondence responding to GRAP recommendations for research in a sector.