Procurement at the Inter-American Development Bank: portals, thresholds and rules

At a glance

Rules: IDB Procurement Policies GN-2349-15
Procurement and oversight: Project Procurement Division
Portal: IDB Procurement Notices

Thresholds

International Competitive Bidding (ICB) for works applies from this value; the exact amount is set per borrowing country	USD 1,000,000 – USD 25,000,000
International Competitive Bidding (ICB) for goods and non-consulting services applies from this value; set per borrowing country	USD 100,000 – USD 5,000,000
Consulting services: short list must be international from this value; set per borrowing country	USD 100,000 – USD 1,000,000
Consulting contracts expected to cost more than this must be advertised internationally, including on the IDB website	USD 200,000
IDB corporate procurement: direct contracting allowed for small purchases of off-the-shelf goods or simple services up to	USD 50,000
IDB corporate procurement: competitive contracts above this value need authorization by the Corporate Procurement Committee	USD 5,000,000

Rules and buyers

IDB project procurement is governed by the Policies for the Procurement of Goods and Works (GN-2349-15) and the Policies for the Selection and Contracting of Consultants (GN-2350-15), both applying to operations approved after January 2020; older operations follow the 2011 versions, because the version in effect when a project is approved applies. A new IDB Procurement Policy and Procurement Regulations for Borrowers are only drafts, in public consultation from 17 September to 31 October 2026. The borrower is solely responsible for procurement and signs the contracts; the IDB reviews documents and awards, ex ante or ex post, and is not a party. Separately, the Budget and Corporate Procurement Division buys for the Bank under the Corporate Procurement Policy of November 2023, and IDB Invest buys under its own Procurement Manual.[1][7][12][16]

Where tenders are published

Open tenders, upcoming processes from procurement plans and awarded contracts of IDB-financed projects are published on the Procurement Notices pages of iadb.org and in the BID for the Americas app; national tenders also appear on each country's official procurement portal. The policies still name UNDB online as a publication channel, but United Nations Development Business ceased all activity on 31 March 2025. You obtain bidding documents from the executing agency named in the notice, and you can subscribe to email alerts. For the IDB's own purchases you must submit the online Supplier Registration Form first; competitive processes run in SAP Ariba. Consulting firms bidding for Bank-Executed Operational Work register on the BEO Bidder Portal. IDB Invest clients advertise their own tenders.[8][15][17][22]

Procedures and thresholds

For goods, works and non-consulting services the methods are International Competitive Bidding (ICB), as a Request for Bids or Request for Proposals, National Competitive Bidding (NCB), shopping or price comparison, and direct contracting; ICB can include prequalification, two-envelope, multistage, competitive dialogue and best and final offer. Which method applies depends on country thresholds published by the IDB: ICB for works starts between USD 1 million in Belize and USD 25 million in Argentina and Brazil, and for goods between USD 100,000 and USD 5 million. Consultants are selected mainly through quality- and cost-based selection (QCBS) from a short list of five to eight firms, which must be international above country ceilings of USD 100,000 to USD 1 million. Consulting assignments above USD 200,000 must be advertised internationally.[2][3][4][7]

Documents and language

Only firms and individuals from the 48 IDB member countries may take part, and goods must originate in member countries; firms sanctioned by the IDB Group are excluded, and the IDB publishes a list of sanctioned firms and individuals. Typical submissions include a bid or proposal form, technical and financial proposals, legal incorporation documents, qualification data and compliance declarations and, where the borrower requires one, a bid security issued by a reputable bank or financial institution in the format of the standard bidding documents. Borrowers must use the IDB standard bidding documents for ICB. Documents and bids are in English, French, Spanish or Portuguese, as chosen by the borrower. Bidders accept the IDB rules on prohibited practices such as fraud, corruption and collusion, investigated by the Office of Institutional Integrity.[2][6][7][19]

Deadlines, award and challenges

For ICB, bidders generally get at least six weeks from the invitation to bid or availability of documents, and generally at least twelve weeks for large works or complex equipment. Consultants get at least 14 days to express interest after posting and normally between four weeks and three months to prepare proposals. Contracts go to the most advantageous bid based on pre-established criteria, which may include rated criteria such as quality, sustainability and life-cycle cost; in QCBS the cost weight is normally 20 or 30 points out of 100. In international processes a standstill period of ten business days follows the Notification of Intention to Award. Complaints go to the borrower; you can ask the borrower for an explanation and, if unsatisfied, a debriefing with the IDB.[2][3][7]

How to win a tender at the Inter-American Development Bank

In IDB-financed projects you compete for the borrower's contract under the IDB policies and the standard bidding documents, which state every criterion in advance. For goods and works the contract goes to the most advantageous bid: a compliant, qualified bid that wins on evaluated cost, or on rated criteria such as quality, sustainability and life-cycle cost when the documents use them. For consultants, QCBS usually weights cost at 20 or 30 points out of 100, so the technical proposal decides most selections and must pass the minimum technical score. Ask the borrower in writing about ambiguity, contradiction or restrictions within the clarification period, and use pre-bid conferences and site visits for complex works. Study procurement plans and awarded contracts on iadb.org to know the buyer, prices and competitors. Bids fail on missing documents, an invalid bid security, ineligible nationality or origin, and late or non-responsive submissions; prices cannot be changed after submission. After the Notification of Intention to Award you have a ten-business-day standstill; ask the borrower for an explanation and, if needed, a debriefing with the IDB.[2][3][7][10]

Check eligibility and the country ICB threshold for the contract.
Read the procurement plan, awarded contracts and standard bidding document carefully.
Send written clarification questions in time and attend pre-bid conferences.
Map every evaluation criterion and answer it directly in your proposal.
Submit a complete, compliant bid with a valid bid security before the deadline.
Use the standstill period to request an explanation or debriefing.

Clarification round: request for clarification (and pre-bid conference)

How TenderRender helps you at the Inter-American Development Bank

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 Inter-American Development Bank.
2
Ask questions
Finds unclear points and risks in the documents and drafts questions about them for the clarification round: request for clarification (and pre-bid conference).
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 Inter-American Development Bank 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

Read the procurement plans on iadb.org to see planned processes and expected dates months ahead, and check the country threshold table to know whether a contract will be tendered internationally or nationally. Look at awarded contracts to learn prices, competitors and typical winners in your sector. Check which policy version governs the project, since operations approved before 2020 follow older rules, and watch the outcome of the 2026 consultation. Prepare in the bidding language, often Spanish or Portuguese, and partner with local firms where national competitive bidding is likely. For corporate work, register as a supplier before an opportunity appears. Ask clarification questions in writing within the stated period and attend pre-bid conferences and site visits.[1][4][9][10]

Platforms at the Inter-American Development Bank

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

IDB Procurement Notices
Open tenders, procurement plans and awarded contracts of IDB-financed projects; bidding documents come from the executing agency.
How it works →Website
National Procurement System Portals
Links to the official e-procurement portals of each IDB borrowing member country, where national tenders are advertised.
How it works →Website
IDB Corporate Procurement Opportunities
The IDB's own purchases; you must submit a Supplier Registration Form before responding, and competitive processes run in SAP Ariba.
How it works →Website
BEO Bidder Portal
Consulting firms register here to submit expressions of interest for Bank-Executed Operational Work, contracted directly by the IDB.
How it works →Website
IDB Invest Procurement
IDB Invest's own corporate and advisory procurement; its private-sector clients buy under their own procedures, not listed here.
How it works →Website

Frequently asked questions

Where are IDB tenders published?

Tenders of IDB-financed projects are on the Procurement Notices pages of iadb.org and in the BID for the Americas app, and often on the national procurement portal. The IDB's own purchases are listed under Corporate Procurement Opportunities.[8][11][14]

Do I need to register?

For project tenders you obtain documents from the executing agency named in the notice. For the IDB's own corporate tenders you must first submit the Supplier Registration Form, and consulting firms must register on the BEO Bidder Portal for Bank-executed work.[7][15][17]

What thresholds apply?

Each borrowing country has its own thresholds: ICB applies for works from USD 1 million to USD 25 million and for goods from USD 100,000 to USD 5 million, depending on the country. Consulting assignments above USD 200,000 must be advertised internationally.[3][4]

Who can take part?

Firms and individuals from the 48 IDB member countries, with goods originating in member countries. Firms sanctioned by the IDB Group cannot participate.[2][7][19]

In which language do I bid?

In English, French, Spanish or Portuguese, as chosen by the borrower in the bidding documents. Supporting documents in another language need a translation of the relevant passages.[2][3]

How much time do I get?

Generally at least six weeks for ICB and at least twelve weeks for large works or complex equipment. Consultants normally get at least four weeks for proposals.[2][3]

Are the GN-2349 and GN-2350 policies being replaced?

Not yet. Drafts of a modernized IDB Procurement Policy and Procurement Regulations for Borrowers are in public consultation from 17 September to 31 October 2026; until a new framework is approved and in force, GN-2349-15 and GN-2350-15 apply to operations approved after January 2020.[1][12]