Project procurement

IFAD’s project procurement applies to the procurement of goods and services needed for the projects financed from the resources of the Fund (IFAD Loans and Grants). This is carried out directly by the borrowers/recipients of IFAD loans and grants.

IFAD’s revised General Conditions for Agricultural Development Financing (April 2009) states that: “Procurement of goods, works and services financed by [IFAD] shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Borrower/Recipient’s procurement regulations; to the extent such are consistent with the IFAD Procurement Guidelines. Each Procurement Plan shall identify procedures which must be implemented by the Borrower/Recipient in order to ensure consistency with the IFAD Project Procurement Guidelines.” In adopting this approach, IFAD is following the principles set out in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the Accra Agenda for Action in respect of the use of existing national procurement systems.

Procurement oversight

Oversight of project procurement activities undertaken by Borrower/Recipient is a key fiduciary responsibility for IFAD. Such oversight ensures that project procurement activities are conducted in a sound and efficient manner and provides assurances that the funding IFAD provides to Borrowers/Recipients is used for the intended purposed. Effective procurement oversight is closely tied to the successful and timely implementation of projects and the achievement of their objectives.

IFAD’s procurement oversight capacity has been strengthened and a team is in place to support project procurement activities at each country where IFAD operates. This team plays a key role in fulfilling IFAD’s project procurement oversight function across all regions.

Working with IFAD Borrowers/Recipients and cooperating with local authorities, we propose fit for purpose customized procurement solutions at Country Strategic Opportunities Programme (COSOP), Country Strategy Note (CSN) development and at Project Design (PD) while supporting capacity building and providing tailored technical assistance as required by the countries.

IFAD's project procurement framework aims to maximize the strategic role of procurement in achieving development effectiveness goals by:

• Modernizing procurement to emphasize fit-for-purpose, choice, quality and greater value for public spending, while enabling adaptation to country contexts.
• Promoting strengthened national procurement systems that are empowered to support sustainable development objectives.
• Promoting the highest standards of transparency and accountability in public spending to ensure that IFAD’s resources reach project beneficiaries in the most effective, efficient and transparent way.