Procurement at the United Nations: portals, thresholds and rules

At a glance

Rules: United Nations Procurement Manual
Procurement and oversight: United Nations Procurement Division
Portal: United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM)

Thresholds

UN Secretariat: low value acquisition (informal, no formal tender)	USD 10,000
UN Secretariat: formal solicitation (ITB or RFP) and advertisement on UNGM required above	USD 150,000
UN Secretariat: vendor registration Level 2 needed for awards above	USD 500,000
UN Secretariat: unsuccessful bidders can request a debrief for awards above	USD 200,000
UNDP: formal Invitation to Bid or Request for Proposal from	USD 300,000
UNOPS: formal Invitation to Bid or Request for Proposal from	USD 250,000

Rules and buyers

The UN Secretariat, including field missions and offices away from Headquarters, buys under the Financial Regulations and Rules and the United Nations Procurement Manual (revised 30 June 2024), managed by the UN Procurement Division. Funds, programmes and agencies run their own procurement: UNDP through country offices under its own policies, UNICEF through its Supply Division, based in Copenhagen, UNOPS under the UNOPS Procurement Manual and WFP through its Supply Chain division. All share the principles of best value for money, fairness, integrity and transparency, effective international competition and the best interest of the organization. According to the Annual Statistical Report on UN Procurement, 32 UN organizations together procured USD 22.7 billion in 2025, USD 3.0 billion less than in 2024. Each agency decides on its own tenders, so always read the rules in the specific solicitation.[1][6][13][20]

Where tenders are published

Most UN tenders appear on UNGM, the common procurement portal of the UN system; search the notices daily, because registration does not trigger automatic invitations. Registration on UNGM is free; UNGM Pro is an optional paid alert service. The UN Secretariat requires at least Basic level registration before a solicitation is issued, and Level 1 (awards from USD 150,000) or Level 2 (above USD 500,000) at award. Business opportunities above USD 150,000 must be advertised on UNGM and the Procurement Division website. Submission is increasingly electronic: the Secretariat uses SAP Ariba, UNDP its Quantum supplier portal and notice site, UNOPS its eSourcing system linked to UNGM, and WFP its SmartSourcing platform on Coupa. UNICEF posts its opportunities on UNGM and handles all supplier applications there.[1][3][7][9]

Procedures and thresholds

The UN Secretariat uses four solicitation methods. Low value acquisition covers off-the-shelf requirements up to USD 10,000. A Request for Quotation (RFQ) is the informal method up to USD 150,000, with at least five invitees. Above USD 150,000 a formal Invitation to Bid (ITB) is used for clearly specified needs and a Request for Proposal (RFP) for complex needs; formal lists of invitees normally include at least 10 vendors, or 15 above USD 1 million. Requests for Expression of Interest and pre-qualification often come first. Agencies set their own bands: UNDP uses micro-purchasing below USD 15,000, RFQ from USD 15,000 to USD 299,999 and ITB or RFP from USD 300,000, while UNOPS uses RFQ from USD 10,000 to below USD 250,000 and ITB or RFP from USD 250,000. Long-term agreements and direct contracting exist for specific cases.[1][10][13]

Documents and language

UNGM registration is open to incorporated companies that provide market-ready products or services, and the UN aims for effective international competition. At UNGM Basic level you acknowledge the UN Supplier Code of Conduct, list your countries and UNSPSC codes and sign a declaration of eligibility. Level 1 adds a certificate of incorporation and three client references; Level 2 adds at least three years in business, three reference letters and audited or certified financial statements for the last three years. Documents not in English need a certified English translation. You must declare that you are not on UN Security Council sanctions lists, not suspended by the UN system or the World Bank and not engaged in corruption, fraud or collusion. UNICEF also requires a signed Bidder Declaration Form with exclusion criteria, and WFP rosters require three years of experience. Solicitations and offers are prepared in English and/or official UN languages; the tender states which.[1][8][16][18]

Deadlines, award and challenges

The UN Procurement Manual recommends minimum solicitation periods of 5 calendar days for an RFQ and 21 calendar days for ITBs and RFPs, or 15 days for goods without samples. UNDP normally gives 3 to 10 business days for an RFQ and 10 to 15 business days or more for an ITB or RFP. An ITB is awarded to the lowest priced substantially conforming bid; an RFP uses a cumulative weighted analysis of technical and financial proposals, with a minimum technical pass mark normally of 60% or 70%. Unsuccessful bidders receive a letter of regret. At the Secretariat, for awards above USD 200,000, you can request a debrief within 10 business days and then file a procurement challenge to the Award Review Board within 10 business days of the debrief. UNDP protests go to the procuring office.[1][10][12]

How to win a tender at the United Nations

How a UN tender is decided depends on the method. An ITB goes to the lowest priced bid that substantially conforms to every requirement, so formal compliance and a sharp price decide. An RFP uses a two-envelope, cumulative weighted analysis: only proposals that pass the minimum technical score, normally 60% or 70% of the technical points, and meet all mandatory requirements have their price opened. Write the technical proposal against each published criterion and weight. Ask questions in writing before the clarification deadline and attend the bidders' conference or site visit where offered; answers go to all bidders. Know the buyer: the UN Secretariat publishes awards from formal solicitations above USD 150,000, UNGM lists contract awards, and the Annual Statistical Report and acquisition plans show what each agency buys. Offers fail on missing documents, late or wrong-channel submission, deviations from the General Conditions of Contract and registration gaps. After a loss at the Secretariat, request a debrief within 10 business days for awards above USD 200,000.[1][4][6][13]

Register on UNGM at the right level and keep UNSPSC codes current.
Study past awards, the Annual Statistical Report and agency acquisition plans.
Map every mandatory requirement, criterion and weight in the solicitation.
Send written clarification requests before the deadline and attend bidders' conferences.
Submit a fully compliant offer early through the required e-tendering portal.
Request a debrief within 10 business days if you lose.

Clarification round: clarification requests (written questions before the clarification deadline)

How TenderRender helps you at the United Nations

TenderRender does the work behind each step above. Your team checks and refines.

1
Research the buyer
Brings together the buyer's earlier awards, policies and contracts, so your bid fits this buyer's situation at the United Nations.
2
Ask questions
Finds unclear points and risks in the documents and drafts questions about them for the clarification round: clarification requests (written questions before the clarification deadline).
3
Write per criterion
Drafts a first version per award criterion, in the language of the tender, with citations to your own documents.
4
Review
Scores your bid per award criterion the way an evaluator would, with concrete improvements.
5
Fill in forms
Fills in the declarations, price schedules, questionnaires and Excel annexes from your own data and earlier bids, with a source per answer.
6
Submit
Builds a checklist of everything you need to submit on the portal named in the notice and prepares the documents ready to sign.

Tender search covers the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany; at the United Nations you upload the documents from the portal named in the notice and TenderRender works with them the same way.

Teams writing or reviewing with TenderRender won 49% of their completed tenders. How this was calculated

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Tips for bidders

Register on UNGM at the level that matches the contract values you target and keep your UNSPSC codes, contacts and documents current, because buyers search on them. Since invitations are not automatic, check UNGM daily or use an alert service. Look at what each agency buys: the Annual Statistical Report, the Secretariat's acquisition plan, the UNOPS procurement plans and the published contract awards show demand and prices. Some agencies, such as UNDP, buy decentrally through country offices, so contact the relevant office. Read the instructions to bidders carefully, since non-compliant offers may be rejected, and use the clarification period to ask questions in writing. Submit well before the deadline in the required portal and follow the format exactly. After a loss, ask for a debrief.[5][7][11][14]

Platforms at the United Nations

The portals where this organisation publishes its tenders or awards, from its own sources.

United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM)
Shared UN portal for supplier registration and tender notices; tender invitations are not sent automatically, so search it daily.
How it works →Website
UN Secretariat Ariba E-Tendering
UN Procurement Division runs tenders in SAP Ariba; invited vendors log in from the invitation email, separate from their UNGM account.
How it works →Website
UNDP Procurement Notices and Quantum Supplier Portal
UNDP notices are free to view; bids are submitted in the Quantum supplier portal, which some other UN agencies also use.
How it works →Website
UNOPS eSourcing
Almost all UNOPS tenders require offers through eSourcing, which is integrated with UNGM; Basic level UNGM registration is enough.
How it works →Website
UNICEF Supply Division
UNICEF posts its opportunities on UNGM; filter on UNICEF as UN organization. All supplier applications go through UNGM.
How it works →Website
WFP SmartSourcing
WFP invites only suppliers on its rosters: register on UNGM, express interest to WFP, then complete pre-qualification in SmartSourcing.
How it works →Website

Frequently asked questions

Where are UN tenders published?

Mainly on the United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM), the shared portal of the UN system. UNDP also posts on its procurement notices site, and the UN Secretariat, UNOPS and WFP run the bidding itself in their own e-tendering systems.[7][11][13][21]

Do I need to register to bid?

Yes. You need at least a free Basic level registration on UNGM; the UN Secretariat requires Level 1 for awards from USD 150,000 and Level 2 above USD 500,000. Some agencies add their own step, such as WFP's roster pre-qualification or UNDP's Quantum supplier portal.[3][9][18][22]

What are the main thresholds?

At the UN Secretariat, informal methods apply up to USD 150,000 and formal ITBs or RFPs above that, with low value acquisitions up to USD 10,000. UNDP uses formal methods from USD 300,000 and UNOPS from USD 250,000.[1][10][13]

Who can take part?

Incorporated companies with market-ready products or services that meet the eligibility requirements, accept the UN Supplier Code of Conduct and are not on UN sanctions or ineligibility lists. Higher registration levels and some agencies require at least three years in business and audited accounts.[1][8][18]

In which language must I bid?

Usually English. The UN Procurement Manual allows solicitations and offers in English and/or other official UN languages; the solicitation states which language applies.[1][8]

How much time do I have to submit a bid?

The UN Secretariat recommends at least 5 calendar days for an RFQ and 21 calendar days for ITBs and RFPs (15 for goods without samples). UNDP normally gives 3 to 10 business days for RFQs and 10 to 15 business days or more for ITBs and RFPs.[1][10]

Does registering on UNGM mean I will be invited?

No. Tender invitations are not sent automatically; you have to find opportunities on UNGM yourself, and agencies such as WFP only invite suppliers after their own evaluation.[7][17]