World Bank

WASHINGTON

The World Bank Group comprises five institutions and is the largest Multilateral Development Bank (MDB). The two institutions commonly referred to as the World Bank (WB) are the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Agency (IDA). The WB provides loans to borrowing member countries to achieve specific development objectives.

Procurement Procedures:
Borrowing countries are required to follow the Bank's rules and procedures for the procurement of goods, works, and consultants under Bank-financed loans. Executing agencies in the borrowing country are responsible for all aspects of the procurement process, including preparation of bid documents, public advertisement, prequalification of firms, short listing, bid evaluation, contract negotiation and award, contract supervision and payment.

Procurement of Equipment, Goods, and Works by Borrowers

For the procurement of goods, equipment, and works, the borrower will issue a General Procurement Notice (GPN) in UN Development Business and in at least one national newspaper of the borrowing country. Interested companies should express interest directly to the executing agency. The executing agency will notify those companies that expressed interest when the invitations to bid for specific contracts (Specific Procurement Notice or SPN) are published in UN Development Business (not required) or in a major local newspaper. Contracts are awarded to the lowest evaluated bidder, regardless of nationality, based on the evaluation criteria set forth in the bid documents. The lowest evaluated bid may not necessarily be the lowest priced bid. Other factors such as performance, availability of after-sale services and spare parts, training, maintenance and operating costs are often taken into account. A margin of preference can be granted to bidders from the borrowing country, and for manufactured goods with a minimum of 30% domestic content. The bidding documents will indicate any preference to be granted and the bid evaluation criteria. For more information, review the WB Guidelines for Procurement under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits.

Procurement of Consulting Services by Borrowers

For consulting assignments, the borrower issues a General Procurement Notice (GPN). All contracts above US$200,000 are advertised in UN Development Business and in a national newspaper of the borrowing country. Interested consultants should express interest directly to the executing agency. The normal procedure for selection of consulting services is through a short list prepared by the executing agency. Consultant proposals are evaluated, in the majority of cases, on the quality of the proposal and to a much lesser degree on the cost of the services to be provided (Quality and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS)). Technical and financial proposals must be submitted in separate sealed envelopes and are evaluated in two stages according to a predefined point system. The weight for cost shall not exceed 30 points out of the total score of 100. The firm obtaining the highest total score shall be invited for negotiations. Consulting firms are advised to register in the WB Database on Consulting Firms (DACON) although executing agencies are not required to use DACON. For more information, review the WB Guidelines on the Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers.

Corporate Procurement by the Bank

The internal requirements of the Bank may also lead to business opportunities for interested consultants and goods and equipment suppliers. The Bank procures office supplies and furniture, communications equipment, and information technology, among other goods and services. Corporate procurement opportunities can be found on the Vendor Kiosk on the WB website. The primary goal of Bank corporate procurement is to obtain the best overall value although social, environmental, and labour issues may be a consideration in the awarding of contracts. The Bank will advertise RFPs or IFBs over $USD 200,000 directly on the WB website. Registration is only required for firms that are awarded contracts. For more information, see the WB Vendor Guide.

Canadian Consultant Trust Funds

Canadian Consultant Trust Funds allow CIDA to further dialogue and collaboration with the WB while giving Canadian consultants a valuable opportunity to gain relevant sectoral and country experience. The WB is responsible for the overall management of the Trust Funds including the selection of consultants. Interested suppliers should contact the WB directly as neither CIDA nor OLIFI participates in the selection of consultants. For more information on these funds, contact the OLIFI Washington or visit CIDA's CCTF web page.

Pipeline and Strategies:

Country Assistance Strategies (CAS)
CAS are written by the Bank in cooperation with borrowing countries. They provide a description of the economic, social and industrial state of the borrowing country along with the Bank's 4-5 year development strategy for the country. CAS provide the first indication of the Bank's future activities.

Monthly Operational Summaries (MOS)
MOS provide brief descriptions of the objectives and status of all the projects being considered for financing by the World Bank. MOS track the development of projects from identification to loan or credit approval.

Project Information Documents (PIDs)
PIDs outline a project's objectives, components, financing, and implementation schedule. PIDs are revised and expanded as project preparation proceeds.

Project Appraisal Documents (PADs) or Staff Appraisal Reports (SARs)
Completed prior to Board approval, PADs and SARs are step-by-step blueprints of how and under what conditions a project will be implemented. PADs and SARs are the most comprehensive sources of information on Bank projects and include the first indication of what goods and services will be procured and under which procurement guidelines.

Procurement Notices:

Subscription Services
A variety of companies and organizations offer online access to WB procurement notices and pipeline information. For more information on the services offered and institutions covered by these organizations, and how they compare with what is freely available on the websites of the multilateral development banks, see:
http://www.infoexport.gc.ca/ifinet/resources-e.htm.

Pursuing Opportunities:

Visiting the Bank and Borrower
Visiting the World Bank
Planning a visit to the WB headquarters in Washington is essential if you are interested in consulting business opportunities funded directly by the Bank. Visits are also very valuable if you are pursuing business contracts in borrowing countries, although Bank officers have little influence in the selection process for projects executed by the borrower. Please inform OLIFI Washington of your upcoming visit and consider meeting them first for up-to-date information on the WB and/or projects of interest.

Task Managers are assigned to each World Bank project, and assume a managerial/supervisory role in developing and implementing projects on behalf of the Bank. Task Managers will be more motivated to meet with you if you can offer new expertise and technologies, enhance the effectiveness of their projects, or address problems with specific project elements. In general, Task Managers are identified on project pipeline lists, with their telephone and fax numbers.
Country Officers are responsible for liaising with borrowers and for strategically overseeing the Bank's lending portfolio in a specific country. These officers can provide firms with an overview of the Bank's country assistance strategy and its development objectives in a specific country.
Sectoral Technical Specialist support Task Managers through regional technical departments. These specialists provide advice to Task Managers on technical elements of their projects, and often help Task Managers interpret Bank guidelines.

Visiting the Borrowing Country
Planning a visit to the borrowing country is essential for consulting and engineering firms and should also be considered by exporters of goods and equipment. As soon as you have identified a project of interest, you should contact the executing agency and register the interest of your company

Preparing for Meetings
Whether meeting with Bank staff or with the executing agency, suppliers are encouraged to be well prepared for their meeting with specific topics to discuss. General inquiries about business opportunities or information available elsewhere are not well received. Clearly demonstrate what your company can do or can provide to facilitate the work of the Task Manager or the achievement of the project. You must clearly demonstrate your experience and capabilities, and any solutions you intend to propose.

Finding a Local Partner
Working with a local partner is highly advisable in most cases to ensure a local presence and to facilitate any necessary follow-up. Partnering with a local firm can help reduce costs while bringing in local expertise. Some of the subscription services that provide procurement notices also provide databases of firms interested in WB projects. The WB database of contract awards is also a good place to find potential partners.

Subcontracting
There are opportunities to participate in MDB-funded projects through subcontracting with firms awarded prime contracts. Subcontracts are not governed by WB procurement regulations. Interested firms should contact prime contractors directly. The WB website provides a comprehensive database of past contract awards with breakdowns by sector, project country, and by region.