INTERNATIONAL PROCUREMENT

March 10 - April 4, 2008 and September 1 - 26, 2008

tuition fee: $5950

INTENDED AUDIENCE: Policymakers, project managers, legal and financial procurement advisors, project implementing and other professionals involved in the purchasing and contracting for goods, works, and consultant's services internationally and nationally.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: The program covers the institutional, legal, financial, and procedural issues involved in the procurement of goods, works, and services by public entities and discusses reform programs to improve transparency, efficiency and accountability. It provides participants with a detailed analysis of the project-procurement cycle and includes a full presentation of the procurement policies, procedures, and practices of international financial institutions (IFI), such as the World Bank, particularly in the context of development projects supported by external funding.

COURSE OUTLINE:

Role of Public Procurement

National Procurement Laws and Institutions

• Differing approaches under common-law and civil-code systems
• UNCITRAL model law
• Transparency and accountability; ethics and corruption

Public Procurement Reforms

• Reform programs and approaches. Transparency, efficiency, integrity, accountability

Procurement Planning

• Role and objectives
• Policy and institutional aspects
• Project cycle: procurement issues

Selection of Consultants

• Procedures of IFIs
• Terms of Reference, evaluation of proposals
• Contracts - lump-sum, time-based

International Competitive Bidding (ICB)

• Objectives, principles, and key features
• The bid package:  preparation and scheduling
• Bid advertising and prequalification
• Bid examination, evaluation, and award

Other Methods of Procurement

• Limited international bidding, local competitive bidding
• Direct purchase, shopping
• Internet bidding, electronic procurement

Contract Administration

• Principal types of contracts, terms, and guarantees
• Dispute avoidance and resolution