The United Nations (UN) Secretariat Procurement Division on Tuesday held a one-day information sharing session at Otjiwarongo with different Namibian business representatives on how to tender with the UN.
The seminar was facilitated by the UN Chief Procurement Officer, Caterina De Bianchi who is based at the UN support office in Somalia.
De Bianchi in her remarks said the objective of the seminar was to inform Namibian vendors of how they could participate in securing tenders from the different departments of the UN.
She said only a few Namibian suppliers have so far won tenders at the UN, which necessitated the information sharing seminar.
De Bianchi said the UN Secretariat normally advertises tenders where it seeks services to supply members of the UN peacekeeping missions in different countries.
“We normally look for services in areas of air transport, information and communication technology, building and construction, food catering, fuel supply, real estate, vehicle supply, financial and insurance services,” she said.
De Bianchi added that the tenders are normally open to any capable supplier, as long as they are in good standing with the government or governing bodies in the particular country of origin where the tendering company is based.
The UN according to her, does not give tenders to companies banned by any recognised organisations in the country of origin of that company.
De Bianchi further explained to participants how their companies should register on the UN Secretariat’s procurement portal or website.
She said this registration process is key as most of the tenders are normally posted on this website.
Topics on UN procurement requirements, policies, procurement processes, UN supplier code of conduct, peacekeeping procurement challenges, procurement principles and the UN Secretariat procurement by major commodities were also presented.
The seminar was attended mostly by local economic development officers from different local authority councils and some representatives from the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Officials from the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade were also present
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
