Procurement Principle

The UNU-FLORES procurement process follows the procurement manual of the United Nations Procurement Division, which is set forth in the United Nations Financial Regulations and Rules (UNFRR).

General

As defined by the United Nations, procurement is the overall process of acquiring goods, services, and work till the end of the contract. UNU-FLORES ensures the following principles during procurement activities:

• best value for money
• fairness, integrity, and transparency
• effective international competition
• interest to the United Nations

In this context, UNU-FLORES:

• Encourages suppliers to register with UNGM and UNU to obtain tender notices;
• Sources both internationally and locally from UNU Vendor Roster, UNGM, other Vendor Rosters of the United Nations organizations, government, local industrial bodies, and other sources to ensure internationally effective competition and fairness;
• Procures goods and services through detailed and well-designed specifications and terms of references, and effective evaluation criteria to ensure best quality and best value for money, wherever possible;
• Implements effective contract and supplier relations management;
• Ensures a zero-tolerance policy for unethical behaviour and corrupt practices in the procurement activities and suspends companies that do not adhere to the highest ethical standards.

Ethics & Integrity

UNU implements the highest ethical and fairness policy and all vendors must follow the supplier code of conduct when doing business with UNU. The procurement department serves as the office of oversight for procurement and staff members of UNU are responsible for ensuring and maintaining integrity and ethics when treating suppliers and during the procurement process. All suppliers doing or intending to do business with UNU should follow the highest ethical standards throughout the whole procurement process (bidding till end of contract).

UNU has a zero-tolerance policy for unethical behaviour and corrupt practices, including:

• bribery
• extortion or coercion
• fraud
• collusion

UNU-FLORES will reject and suspend vendors who perform unethical practices.

Sustainability

Sustainable development, as defined by the United Nations in 1987, is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Therefore, in order to mitigate the impact on the future, and to set an effective example as the leader in global sustainability, the United Nations commits to becoming the first climate neutral public organization.

Social Responsibility

All suppliers providing services or delivering goods must follow the United Nations General Terms and Conditions for Contract, which set out regulations to prevent child labour and sexual exploitation, and ensures the rights of workers.

UNU procures goods and services through competitive solicitations. Three standard types of solicitation documents, namely Request for Quotation (RFQ), Invitation to Bid (ITB), and Request for Proposal (RFP) are used. The selection of the type of procurement takes into account prudent commercial practices and considers the use of a competitive selection process appropriate within the particular industry for the goods, services, or work being sought.

Request for Quotation (RFQ) shall be used for the procurement of goods, services, or work with standard and clear specifications and a total estimated value above US$4,000 and up to US$40,000. This is the most flexible and least formal method that is applied for procuring goods, services, and/or work with standard specifications and products, which are readily available on the market.

Invitation to Bid (ITB) shall be used for the procurement of goods with standard and clear specifications and a total estimated value in excess of US$ 40,000. In these cases, the Contract shall be awarded to the “qualified bidder whose bid substantially conforms to the requirements set forth in the Solicitation Documents and is evaluated to be the one with the lowest cost to the United Nations”.

Request for Proposals (RFP) shall be used for procurement of goods, services, or work that cannot be quantitatively or qualitatively expressed in sufficient detail to allow for use of an ITB, such as professional or other complex goods, services, or work. Contracts are awarded “to the qualified proposer whose proposal, all factors considered, is the most responsive to the requirements set forth in the solicitation documents”. In other words, the award is not necessarily based on the lowest cost. The evaluation of the Proposals received from Vendors participating in the solicitation shall be based on the criteria set forth in the solicitation documents.

Practical Tips

The following are some practical tips for preparing and submitting solicitation documents:

• Always respond when invited to submit an offer, even if you should not be in a position to participate.
• Study tender documents carefully and ask for clarification if there is any uncertainty.
• Ensure that your offer meets all requirements, including quality certificates, financial statements, catalogues, submission forms, and so on, in requested format and language.
• If you wish, you may submit an alternative proposal, in addition to the requested proposal, as long as this is accompanied by a brief explanation.
• Meet the submission deadline.
• Attend public bid openings when invited.

New vendors of relevant products and services are encouraged to submit their application for registration at United Nations Global Marketplace and then inform UNU-FLORES by completing the UNU Vendor Form together with detailed information demonstrating experience and qualifications in provision of the relevant commodities/services.

Detailed information requested include:

• relevance of the product/service for UNU-FLORES
• years of experience in the business
• compliance with UN payment conditions
• financial situation

For more information about vendor registration on UNGM please visit the official website or read the information provided on the UNU Procurement page.

Upon acceptance, the company’s data will be added to the UNU-FLORES Roster and be given equal consideration during vendor sourcing for a particular solicitation. First time vendors are kindly asked to return the completed vendor form to

United Nations University Institute for Integrated
Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES)
Ammonstrasse 74
01067, Dresden
Germany

e-mail: Procurement_Flores@unu.edu