Sector Policy and Research Vice Presidency (PREVP) and the Sector and Operations Policy Vice Presidency (OSPVP)

The Sector Policy and Research Vice Presidency (PREVP), later renamed the Sector and Operations Policy Vice Presidency (OSPVP), was established in May 1987, and reported to the Senior Vice President of Policy, Planning, and Research (PPRSV) or PPR Complex. The PREVP oversaw sector departments that were responsible for policy creation and analysis, support for operations, and sectoral research for emerging priority areas of the Bank. This fonds encompasses only the office of PREVP; see "Related units of description" section below for the location of records related to PREVP's subordinate sector departments.

The PREVP was created as part of the general Bank reorganization in 1987. It assumed some of the responsibilities previously located in the Operations Policy Vice Presidency (OPSVP) of the former Senior Vice Presidency of Operations (SVPOP). OPSVP's responsibilities had included overseeing a broad set of functions related to operations policy, country policy, sector policy, sector research, quality control, liaison, and operational support and advice. However, only the sector departments reporting to OPSVP that were responsible for sector policy creation and analysis, operations support, and sector research were transferred and placed under the oversight of PREVP. The remaining OPSVP functions were absorbed by the Central Operations Department (COD) and the Economic Advisory Staff (EAS) of the new Senior Vice President of Operations (OPNSV).

PREVP's primary functions were to lead, review, and disseminatethe policy and research work of the sector departments. Its responsibilities also included: advising the Senior Vice President, Policy, Planning and Research on Bank-wide sector strategies and objectives; strengthening the effectiveness of the Bank's policy advice to member countries; and maintaining strong links to the Operations Complex to ensure the operational relevance of its outputs.

The following sector departments reported to the PREVP: the Agriculture and Rural Development Department (AGR); the Environment Department (ENV); the Population and Human Resources Department (PHR), which absorbed the functions of the former Population, Health, and Nutrition Department (PHN) and the Education and Training Department (EDT); the Infrastructure and Urban Development Department (INU), which absorbed functions of the former Water Supply and Urban Development Department (WUD) and the Transportation Department (TRP); and the Industry and Energy Department (IEN), which absorbed the functions of the former Energy and Industry Vice Presidency (EIS).

The PREVP was led by Vice President Visvanathan Rajagopalan.

In January 1990, as part of restructuring the PPR Complex, the PREVP acronym was changed to PRSVP. The new PRSVP reported to the renamed Senior Vice President of Policy, Research, and External Affairs (PRESV).

In December 1991, President Lewis Preston's re-organization abolished all Senior Vice Presidencies. As a result, the PRESV and the subordinate PRSVP were terminated. The PRSVP was replaced by the short-lived Sector and Operations Policy Vice Presidency (OSPVP). The new OSPVP absorbed the sector departments responsible for sector policy, research, and operational support from the former PRSVP. It also absorbed some functions of the former Senior Vice President of Operations (OPNSV), including operations policy and procurement policy functions of the Central Operations Department (COD). It also absorbed the Secretariat of the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) from the former PRESV. The responsibilities of OSPVP included:

• ensuring Bank investment operations are guided by a robust and workable framework of guidelines, policies, and procedures;

• ensuring the Bank's sectoral and cross sectoral/functional expertise (e.g. project finance, economics, procurement) remains at the leading edge and incorporates lessons of the Bank's experience;

• supporting the achievement of quality assurance for Bank operations consistent with full accountability of the Regions for all operational decisions;

• enabling the Bank to investigate and evaluate the potential relevance of new lines of sectoral business; and

• ensuring sectoral policies are closely aligned with policies for macro-economic management.

The following departments reported to OSPVP: the Central Operations Department (COD); the Agriculture and Rural Development Department (AGR); the Environment Department (ENV); the Industry and Energy Department (IEN); the Infrastructure and Urban Development Department (INU); and the Population and Human Resources Department (PHR). The OSPVP Front Office included the following units: the Office of the Assistant to the VP (OSPAV); the Sector Library (OSPSL); the Secretariat of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR); and the Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme (ESMAP).

The OSPVP was led by Vice President Visvanathan Rajagopalan and supported by Director David Bock.

On January 1, 1993, as part of a larger initiative to align the Bank's organization with the priority areas of its poverty reduction effort, the OSPVP was terminated. The departments of OSPVP were divided between three thematic vice presidencies: the Human Resources Development and Operations Policy Vice Presidency (HRO); the Finance and Private Sector Development Vice Presidency (FPD); and the Environmentally Sustainable Development Vice Presidency (ESD).