IFAD Administrative Services Division and more specifically, the Procurement Section located in Rome, Italy, is responsible for procuring goods and services that are required for Headquarters operations.

The goal of IFAD’s Procurement Section is to add value to the work and image of the Fund through the execution of the purchase process respecting the principles of fairness, integrity and transparency through competition. To this purpose Procurement Staff are committed to the achievement of the best value for money selecting offers, which represent the best possible combination of factors that meets IFAD’s requirements considering also parameters such as social and environmental sustainability, and provides a cost effective solution

General terms of conditions

The IFAD General Terms and Conditions for procurement, as below, are incorporated in all IFAD contract documents, and shall form an integral part of any commercial contract awarded by IFAD.

• General Terms and Conditions for Procurement of Services  (English | Italian)
• General Terms and Conditions for Goods  (English | Italian)

Vendors are encouraged to take note of the IFAD General Terms and Conditions before registering, as IFAD vendors and all sub-contractors are required to abide by them.

Supplier code of conduct

IFAD vendors and all sub-contractors are required to abide by the UN Supplier Code of Conduct.

Vendor registration

IFAD actively seeks to establish relationships with vendors from IFAD Members States, particularly from the developing countries and from economies in transition.  Vendors wishing to do business with IFAD are required to register through the United Nations Global Marketplace portal.

Access to business opportunities and tender notices

Through UNGM, Vendors have online access to tender opportunities published by IFAD and by other members of the UNGM portal.  

It is important to note that registering with UNGM does not guarantee that a Vendor is invited to participate in tender opportunities by IFAD or other UN Agencies. Vendors should check tender opportunities regularly in UNGM (Procurement Notices menu option). An automatic Tender Alert Service, linked to the UNCCS codes, is also available from UNGM, upon payment of an annual fee.  

Common Procurement Team of FAO, IFAD and WFP

Since 2010, the Rome based Agencies, IFAD, FAO and WFP have formed a Common Procurement Team that conducts joint tenders on behalf of the three Rome based Agencies.  These business opportunities are also accessible through UNGM, under FAO Tender notices.

Competitive Procurement Process in UNGM

With effect from August 2011, the e-tendering systems of IFAD is directly linked to UNGM portal. A similar link is also activated by FAO and WFP.

IFAD will be publishing its formal bidding processes such as: Requests for Expression of Interest (REOI), Request for Proposal (RFP) and Invitation to Bid (ITB) on the UNGM portal. Vendors, fully registered in UNGM, can express interest (EOI) to participate in the competitive process by submitting the requested pre-qualification documentation.

If the Expression of Interest is accepted by IFAD, the registered Vendor will be linked to the  competitive bidding process and given access to the documentation through the UNGM portal, under the menu option “My Tenders”. 

Vendors will be able to keep themselves informed of the status of the competitive process, that they are participating to, through the respective UNGM pages.

Contract awards and contract management

Successful Vendors will receive a contract award notification and will be able to access contract information through UNGM, under the menu options “My Contracts”. 

Regular update of contractual information linked to Key Performance Indicators may be requested from successful Vendors and Contractors.

Procured goods and services

When registering,  Vendors must carefully identify and accurately indicate the products or services offered using the UNCCS coding system.  This will ensure that the Vendor is correctly classified for invitations to tenders that are relevant to their business.

Common goods and services regularly procured by IFAD include the following items:  

Goods

• Computer hardware and software
  
• Computer supplies
  
• Furniture
  
• Maintenance equipment and supplies
  
• Office supplies and Stationary
  
• Printing equipment
  
• Telecommunication equipment
  
• Vehicles
  
• Various Fittings

Services

• Architectural and Engineering Services
  
• Audio-Video Services
  
• Auditing Services
  
• Catering and Hospitality Services
  
• Cleaning Services
  
• Consultancy services in various sectors
  
• Courier and Mailing
  
• Conference Services and Event Management
  
• Facility Technical Maintenance
  
• Financial Services
  
• Gardening
  
• ICT Project Management
  
• ICT Software Development
  
• Insurance  
  
• Investment Management
  
• Moving, Storage and Shipping
  
• Printing and Publishing
  
• Printing Supplies
  
• Procurement Services
  
• Project Management
  
• Refurbishing Works
  
• Rental Services
  
• Security and Custody Services
  
• Training and Staff Development
  
• Travel Services