Procurement

How to market your goods and services

Since UNDP procurement is decentralized to the authority of the country office, your first contact is the Procurement Focal Point. After you have done your market research and identified regions or projects that are of interest to you and the business sector you work in, you should introduce your company and present the goods or services you offer.

Marketing yourself means:

• Register at the UNGM
• Respond to expressions of interest, invitations for prequalification etc.
• Contact the procurement focal point
• Introduce your company
• Visit the Country Office
• Organize meetings with the project managers
• Be proactive!

Supplier selection

The first step in selecting Suppliers is often market research, particularly if the product or service has not previously been procured. Business Units may source Suppliers through an expression of interest for commonly procured goods, registration of prospective Suppliers at UNGM and/or business seminars, where applicable.

There are a number of tools available for this initial phase:

• United Nations Global Marketplace, a supplier database available to all UN procurement personnel
• DACON, a database of consulting companies maintained by the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank
• Consultations with other UN organizations or agencies who have purchased similar inputs;
• Thomas Net, a comprehensive online resource for companies and products manufactured in North America
• Kompass System, a widespread database with more than 23 million references to the products and services of over 1.8 million companies
• Trade publications, directories, supplier catalogues and professional journals;
• Other procurement related websites; and
• Yellow pages for local suppliers.