The Bank requires the borrower to develop a Project Procurement Strategy for Development (PPSD) for each project financed under Investment Project Financing (IPF). The PPSD shall address how procurement activities will support the development objectives of the project and deliver the best VfM under a risk-based approach. It shall provide adequate justification for the selection methods in the procurement plan. The level of detail and analysis in the PPSD shall be proportional to the risk, value and complexity of the project procurement. The initial procurement plan shall normally cover at least the first 18 months of the project implementation.

The borrower prepares the PPSD and procurement plan during project preparation, and the Bank reviews the PPSD and agrees to the procurement plan before the completion of loan negotiations. The procurement plan, approved by the Bank during loan negotiations, is incorporated by reference in the legal agreement, making it legally binding on the borrower. The borrower shall submit updates of the procurement plan to the bank for its review and approval.

The borrower may prepare a high level, simplified PPSD in situations of urgent need of assistance because of a natural or man-made disaster or conflicts recognized by the Bank, provided that the simplified procurement arrangements in the PPSD are consistent with the Bank's core procurement principles.

The procurement plan, including its updates, shall include:

1. A brief description of the activities/contracts;
2. The selection methods to be applied;
3. Cost estimates;
4. Time schedules;
5. The Bank's review requirements; and
6. Any other relevant procurement information.

Borrowers may use electronic procurement systems (e-procurement) for aspects of the Procurement Process, including:

1. Issuing Procurement Documents and addenda;
2. Receiving Applications/quotations/Bids/Proposals; and
3. Carrying out other procurement actions

E-procurement is permitted if the Bank is satisfied with the adequacy of the system, including its accessibility, security and integrity, confidentiality, and audit trail features.

Under the Procurement Regulations, timely notifications of procurement opportunities are essential. A General Procurement Notice (GPN) is required for all procurement financed by the Bank that is expected to involve open international competitive procurement (except for operations involving a program of imports). The borrower is required to prepare and submit to the Bank a GPN before beginning any procurement activity under a project. The Bank arranges for the publication of the GPN in UN Development Business online (UNDB Online) and on the Bank's external website.

1. The GPN contains the following information:
1. The name of the Borrower (or prospective Borrower);
2. The purpose and amount of the financing;
3. The scope of procurement reflecting the Procurement Plan;
4. The Borrower's contact point;
5. If available, the address of a free-access website on which subsequent Specific Procurement Notices (SPNs) will be posted; and
6. If known, an indication of the scheduled dates for the specific procurement opportunities.
2. The borrower shall advertise the SPN:
1. On its free-access website, if available;
2. In at least one newspaper of national circulation in the borrower's country; and
3. In the official gazette.
3. For open international competitive procurement:
1. The borrower shall also publish the SPN in UNDB online and, if possible, in an international newspaper of wide circulation; and
2. The Bank arranges for the simultaneous publication of the SPN on its external website.

Firms or individuals from a country—or goods manufactured in a country—may be excluded if:

1. As a matter of law or official regulation, the borrower's country prohibits commercial relations with that country, provided that the Bank is satisfied that such exclusion does not preclude effective competition for the supply of goods, works, nonconsulting services, or for the procurement of consulting services. When the procurement is implemented across jurisdictional boundaries (more than one country is involved in the procurement), exclusion of a firm or individual on this basis by one country may be applied to that procurement across other countries involved if the Bank, and all the borrowers involved in that procurement, agree; or
2. By an act of compliance with a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under the UN Charter's Chapter VII, the Borrower's country prohibits any import of goods from, or payments to, a particular country, person, or entity. When the borrower's country prohibits payments to a particular firm or for particular goods by such an act of compliance, that firm may be excluded.