Best Value for Money

By and large the core governing principle of UNDP is to obtain the best value for money. This means selection of the offer which presents the optimum combination of life-cycle costs benefits, which best meet out needs.

Best value for money should not be equated with the lowest initial price option. Rather it requires an integrated assessment of technical, organisational and pricing factors in light of their relative importance (i.e. reliability, quality, experience, reputation, past performance, cost/fee realism and reasonableness).

Fairness, Integrity and Transparency

To ensure that the best value for money is obtained, UNDP maximizes competition in the process of soliciting offers and selecting a contractor. Competition is the basic for efficient, impartial and transparent procurement.

UNDP is committed to protecting the integrity of the procurement process and maintaining fairness in our treatment of Offerors.

Effective Competition

To ensure sound procurement and effective competition, UNDP established and then maintains rules and procedures that are attainable and unambiguous. The objective of competitive processes is to provide all eligible prospective Offerors with timely and adequate notification of UNDP's requirements and an equal opportunity to tender for the required goods and services.

Interest to UNDP

In practice, the specific procurement rules and procedures established for the implementation of a programme are contingent upon the individual circumstances of the particular case. However four considerations consistently guide the UNDP's interest for the acquisition of inputs:

1. The need for economy and efficiency in the implementation of the programme, including the procurement of goods and services
2. The access to procurement opportunities for all interested and qualified Offerors.
3. Giving all eligible Offerors the same information and equal opportunity to compete in providing goods and services
4. The importance of transparency in the procurement process

It is UNDP's policy to manage its business in an environmentally responsible manner. Environmental responsibility or 'green' procurement is the selection of goods and services that minimize environmental impacts. UNDP endeavours to protect the quality and diversity of the environment and continually improve performance in this regards. This means considering the costs of securing raw materials, transporting, storing, handling, using and disposing of products procured.

UNDP's "green" procurement policy promotes the four 'R' strategies:

1. rethink the requirements to reduce environmental impact
2. reduce material consumption
3. recycle materials/waste; and
4. reduce energy consumption