The United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM) is the primary procurement portal for the UN system. An understanding of the UN procurement framework is essential for the successful participation of newly registered entities.
To learn more about the UNGM portal and keep abreast of the latest news and updates, follow us on LinkedIn.
1. How many types of registration are available in UNGM?
Accounts eligible to participate in procurement opportunities:
Suppliers
Individual Consultants
Implementing Partners
Accounts ineligible to participate in procurement opportunities:
UN Staff Members
International Organizations
Trade Promotion Organizations
For more information, read the: What are the types of accounts available on UNGM? article.
2. How does the Procurement Process work?
UN procurement is governed by strict financial rules and regulations to ensure fairness, integrity, and transparency. This means:
Active searching is required: Organizations do not send procurement opportunities to new suppliers, individual consultants, or implementing partners directly. Instead, organizations publish open tenders.
Proactive participation: It is the users' responsibility to actively search the Procurement Opportunities section daily and express interest in tenders.
No automatic contracts: Registration makes you visible in the organizations' database, but it does not guarantee a contract. Users must submit a formal bid/proposal for each specific opportunity wishing to win.
While individual organizations maintain specific norms, general guidelines are outlined in the UN Procurement Practitioner's Handbook available in the Knowledge Center.
3. Why are procurement opportunities not received directly via email?
Although it is frequently assumed that procurement opportunities invitations are automatically dispatched upon registration, UN procurement is based on public procurement principles, which require open competition and equal opportunity.
Consequently, tender invitations are not distributed. Instead, procurement opportunities must be actively sought by monitoring and searching the open tenders published daily on the UNGM platform.
4. What is UNGM Pro?
UNGM Pro is a subscription service that automates the monitoring of newly published tenders along with additional features. For more information, read the: How to unlock opportunities efficiently with UNGM Pro? article.
When a profile is configured with specific product and service codes (UNSPSC) and beneficiary countries, customized email alerts are automatically generated and dispatched upon the publication of matching opportunities. This service ensures relevant opportunities are highlighted while reducing the necessity for manual, daily searches.
5. Why is a subscription fee applied to UNGM Pro?
While core registration and search features remain free for all users, the continuous maintenance and operation of the UNGM platform require significant resources.
Although a minor portion of funding is contributed by the organizations, the platform's sustainability is primarily supported by UNGM Pro subscriptions, which directly ensure the system's continued availability for the global supplier community.
For more information, read the: What are the pricing and payment methods for UNGM Pro? article.