The World Bank’s COVID-19 response and its implications on Procurement
As part of the response to the COVD-19 crisis, the World Bank Group has announced that it expects to deploy up to $160 billion over the next 15 months by boosting health spending, strengthening social safety nets, supporting the private sector, and countering financial disruptions. It was announced that World Bank Group emergency operations to fight COVID-19 have reached over 100 developing countries.

The COVID-19 response of the World Bank consists of two phases. Phase one focuses on the immediate response: to stop further transmission and mitigate the impact of the outbreak. The second phase is geared towards economic recovery of the developing countries. Each phase has its own implications on the procurement process.

Presentation: World Bank COVID-19 Response and Procurement

Phase 1:
Enzo de Laurentiis, the World Bank Chief Procurement Officer, wrote this blog post about the importance of client access to critical medical equipment and supplies and the role of the World Bank herein. The immediate response of the World Bank is focused on obtaining Personal Protective Equipment (PPE’s) for their client countries by fact-tracking procurement using emergency procurement systems. A blanket approach was used across countries because the response needs were the same – Bank Facilitated Procurement. Countries were also able to procure directly from suppliers or through the UN agencies.

Phase 1 of the COVID-response is currently slowly merging into the second phase: economic recovery.

Phase 2:
For the next 15 months, the focus will be on working on economic recovery and emergency preparedness. This phase will have more business opportunities for Dutch (also non-health) companies to support the World Bank and developing countries to ‘Build Back Better’.
In this phase the standard (non-emergency) and already existing projects will follow the standard procurement process. Fast-tracking of projects does only apply for emergency response.

For companies it is important to be in direct contact with the WBG. Regular projects are still being published and procurement plans from different countries can still be accessed.

Please keep in mind that regular procurement processes have been affected by the crisis:
– Longer bidding times
– Flexibility concerning using technology (e-bidding even if the process is not in place)
– Bid security contracts
– Longer delivery times
– Disruptions to contract implementation

Additional resources:
– World Bank Group’s operational response to COVID-19: information about approved World Bank projects related to COVID-19 can be found on this website.

– United Nations Development Business website : tender notices for procurement opportunities related to the Bank’s COVID-19 response can be found on this website.

* Please note that tender notices may often be found on the websites of the relevant implementing agencies. If there are projects on the World Bank COVID-19 project list that are of interest to you, please be sure to monitor the websites of the relevant implementing agencies.
For more information about procurement and contact persons at the World Bank Group please see attached PowerPoint.

Presentation: World Bank COVID-19 Response and Procurement