Public and private organizations rely on external suppliers for a wide variety of goods, works and services they need to run their daily operations. Public and private procurement can be a big and profitable market for your company. Governments, for example, spend millions of dollars in procurement, estimated at 15-20% of a country’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to World Bank data. If you access procurement opportunities, you can increase sales substantially and make your business grow.
Opportunities exist from a wide variety of sectors, including construction, agribusiness, information technology, tourism, telecommunications, education, health, environment, etc. Below are some examples of goods, works, and services often procured by public and private institutions:
• Goods: telecommunications equipment (computers, telephones, etc.), office furniture and stationery, motor vehicles, uniforms, medicines, food and beverages, fuel and lubricants, fertilizers, etc.
• Works: construction of buildings (governmental offices, schools, hospitals, warehouses, etc.) and other infrastructure (roads, water and sanitation infrastructure, etc.)
• Services: activities such as security, information technology support, routine cleaning, consulting services, provision of training, transport and logistics, engineering, marketing and communications, printing services, waste management, etc.
You can find out what type of opportunities may exist from a specific organization by analyzing current and past bid advertisements.
• Private organizations: this category comprises a wide range of international and domestic companies, from big corporations to small and medium enterprises. Private institutions use their own internal procurement rules and regulations, which are not public, but you may be able to obtain them by contacting the company. Sometimes, private companies use bidding processes that are similar to the processes used by public institutions.
• Public organizations: this category comprises the organizations financed and/or operated by the government. It may vary by country, but usually public institutions include national public authorities, such as the Ministries (Education, Agriculture, Health, Public Works, etc.), local public authorities (e.g. City Councils), and public and state-owned companies or institutions (public hospitals, public schools, public port authorities, public water and sewage company, etc.). The procurement processes of public institutions and related bodies are public and regulated by law in each country.
• International organizations and programs: this category includes multilateral and bilateral organizations such as the World Bank Group, the African Development Bank, the United Nations Agencies, the World Food Program, the European Commission, etc. These institutions use their own procurement rules and regulations, which are public, and you can find them on each organization’s webpage.
• Private organizations: Procurement opportunities from private organizations may be difficult to detect, unless they are advertised on the company’s website or major media. You should look at your potential clients’ webpages to find out if a procurement portal or request for solicitations space exists. If no information exists (or the entity does not have a webpage), you should get in touch with the procurement department and ask for further information about where invitation for bids are published and what the procurement procedures are.
• Public organizations: Usually, national procurement laws in each country state where public tenders need to be advertised, including those from state-owned companies and public funded organizations. In general, bids get advertised by law in the official state gazette, journal or bulletin and in the webpages of the procuring authorities. Some public institutions may publish their bids in local major newspapers, and other major media, such as TV or radio.
• International organizations and programs: Generally, international organizations publish their bid notices on their webpages or i