World Bank Procurement — Getting Started

Why the World Bank?

World Bank tenders are structurally different from the commercial market: the contracting party is the borrowing country's government or a public agency to which the World Bank has extended a loan. The World Bank supervises the procurement process but does not run it. This distinction is critical, because both the platform where notices appear and the application process are shaped by the borrowing country's own procedures.

For international firms, the appeal of this market is multi-dimensional. Because the World Bank underwrites project financing, payment risk is far lower than in commercial projects. Projects are multi-year and create opportunities for recurring business relationships. More importantly, a successful World Bank reference acts as a gateway to other multilateral development banks such as the ADB, IDB and EBRD, and validates a firm's international competitiveness.

Application Steps

The right sequence is critical: building a profile before choosing a sector, or submitting an EOI before the profile is complete, increases the risk of elimination. The six steps below follow an optimized order from initial research to bid submission.

1. 01
   Define Your Sector & Target Region

   Research which countries and sectors the World Bank is actively financing. The Operations Portal is a useful starting point.

2. 02
   Create a STEP Account

   Open a free supplier account at step.worldbank.org. Complete your company profile and certifications in full.

3. 03
   Prepare Your Documents

   Compile all documents required for registration. Apostilles and official translations must be arranged in advance.

4. 04
   Track Tenders

   Browse active projects on STEP filtered by country, sector and procurement type. Set up email notifications.

5. 05
   Submit an EOI

   Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to begin the shortlisting process.

6. 06
   RFP & Proposal

   Study the Request for Proposal (RFP) in detail. Methodology, work plan and team biographies must be fully aligned.

Required Documents

Preparing documents early provides a decisive time advantage: apostille and official translation typically take 2–4 weeks. Firms that submit incomplete documents may be removed from the shortlist by the contracting authority. The checklist below is based on the most commonly requested documents; additional documents may be required per project.

• Company registration certificate (apostilled)
• Tax certificate and last 3 years' financial statements
• Reference project list (in English)
• ISO or sector certifications (if applicable)
• English company profile / capability statement
• Bank reference letter

Priority Sectors

The World Bank's active project portfolio is concentrated by sector and region. The priority sectors that account for the largest share of the World Bank budget — and where many international firms hold a strong competitive position — are:

Procurement Methods

The World Bank's Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers, in force since 2016, base method selection on risk and value analysis. Knowing the right method shapes your bid strategy and helps you understand how you will be selected in each process.

Main methods for consulting services:

• QCBS (Quality and Cost-Based Selection) — Technical and financial proposals are usually evaluated with an 80/20 or 70/30 weighting. It is the most common consultant selection method; technical superiority is decisive.
• QBS (Quality-Based Selection) — For high-risk or complex assignments, only the technical score is taken as the basis; the financial proposal is requested only from the selected firm. There is no price competition.
• CQS (Consultant Qualification Selection) — A simplified selection for small-budget, routine consultancies; the most qualified firm is invited at the EOI stage.
• SSS (Single-Source Selection) — Applied only in cases of urgency or continuity of service; it requires World Bank approval.

For goods and works:

• ICB (International Competitive Bidding) — Large-budget international tenders; open to participation from all countries.
• NCB (National Competitive Bidding) — Below-threshold local tenders; foreign firms occasionally offer a competitive price advantage in this category.

Frequently Asked Questions