“HOW TO BID SUCCESSFULLY ON WORLD BANK FINANCED PROJECTS”
A workshop organized by the Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry in:
Athens: Monday March 27, 2006, Divani Caravel Hotel
Thessaloniki: Tuesday March 28, 2006, Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Business opportunities from World Bank financed projects
The World Bank is particularly interesting to the private sector for of its procurement program. Each year an average of $25 billion worth of contracts are awarded through competitive bidding to private sector companies worldwide.
Borrowing countries use World Bank funds to purchase goods and equipment, construct civil works and buy consultant services required for the good implementation of development projects. Each project may involve many separate contracts and business opportunities for suppliers, contractors and consultants worldwide. Contracts range in size from several hundred million dollars (for major infrastructure or industrial plants) to a few thousand dollars (for suppliers of goods and services). Contracts are awarded, with few exceptions, through competitive procedures detailed in the Bank’s procurement guidelines. Large and small companies can benefit from the business generated by World Bank lending.
Some 90% of contracts awarded are below $ 1million in value and 60% are below 500.000 dollars. Contracts refer to the supply of goods and equipment up to 63%, construction of works ,20% and consultant services ,17%.
In 2005 eleven (11) contracts were awarded to Greek companies for the supply of goods and services for a total amount of $ 24.728.789.
The successful participation in the World Bank procurement program is a good opportunity for the development of Greek companies and Greek exports in general due to the credibility of the World Bank and the fact that through the procurement procedures the Greek SMEs will gain experience from operating in a very competitive international environment as well as the prestige that the award of a World Bank financed contract implies.
Objective
The workshop is designed for business representatives primarily interested in learning how they can win contracts under World-Bank financed projects. The workshop aims to familiarize Greek companies with the World Bank procurement procedures, to give practical advice and point out mistakes that should be avoided. The workshop is designed both for companies that have some experience but need to deepen their knowledge as they will be given the opportunity to discuss their particular needs or problems they face with the World Bank procurement specialist as well as for companies that have no experience at all in the procurement procedures.
Time and venue
The workshop will take place on:
-Monday 27 March 2006 at the Divani Caravel Hotel in Athens and
-Tuesday 28 March 2006 at the seminars room of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 29 Tsimiski st., 2nd floor.
Organizers
The workshops are organized by the Thessaloniki Chambers of Commerce and Industry which hosts the Private Sector Liaison Office (PSLO) to the World Bank in Greece on the basis of a Memorandum of Understanding between the World Bank Group and the Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The main speaker will be Mr. Devesh Mishra, Senior Procurement Specialist, an experienced World Bank procurement specialist, while the PSLO will invite representatives of Greek companies that were successful in getting contracts through the World Bank procurement process, to share with the participants their own experience of the procurement procedures.
Language
The workshop will be held in English.
Cost sharing fee
The cost sharing fee per participant including coffee, buffet lunch and seminar materials is EUR 100. The number of participants is limited to 35 for each seminar in order to allow the best possible interaction between participants and the instructor. During the day participants will be offered a lot of opportunities to ask questions and to interact with the World Bank representative.
Workshop agenda
09.00-09.15 Registration Coffee
09.15-09.30 Welcome speech
09.30-10.45 Introduction to World bank procurement rules and principles, description of the project life cycle and sources of information
10.45-11.15 Coffee break
11.15-12.00 Procurement Rules for Good & Works
12.00-12.45 Procurement Rules for Consultants
12.45-14.00 Networking buffet lunch
14.00-15.00 Learning from Greek companies which have been awarded World Bank financed contracts.
15.00-16.30 Questions & Answers with the audience
16.30 Closing of the conference
Registration & deadline
Due to the expected large participation interest and the limited number of participants, applications will be treated on the First-Come-First-Served basis. Interested parties must fill the attached application form and send it by fax to 2310370136 or e-mail by Friday 24 March 2006.
Additional information can be obtained from the Private Sector Liaison Office tel 2310370120 and 2310370132 (fax 2310370136).