How to bid for a government tender in Uganda

1. Be registered before you start

You need a company registered with URSB, a TIN from URA, and registration on the Government Procurement Portal. Some buyers also ask for a trading licence and NSSF compliance. Sort these out before a deadline is in front of you: they take days, not hours.

2. Read the whole notice

The notice states the procurement method, the deadline, whether there is a pre-bid meeting, the bid security, and where documents are obtained. Every one of those can disqualify you if you miss it.

3. Get the bidding document

Some are free downloads; some carry a non-refundable fee paid to the buyer. The bidding document, not the advert, contains the evaluation criteria.

4. Prepare the bid security if one is required

Usually a bank guarantee valid past the bid validity period. Banks need lead time.

5. Submit on time, in the format asked for

Late is late: a bid that arrives a minute after the deadline is returned unopened. Follow the envelope and labelling instructions exactly.

6. Attend the opening

Bids are opened publicly. Attending tells you who else bid and at what price, which is the cheapest market research you will ever do.

Mistakes that end bids

Missing signatures, expired tax clearance, a bid security short of the required validity, prices in the wrong currency, and pages omitted from the technical submission.