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.
1. Learn about the UN market
Before registering, take some time to understand how UN procurement works and how UN Organizations publish procurement opportunities.
Learn more: How to become familiar with the UN market?
2. Create a UNGM account
Choose the account type that best matches your situation. The account type determines which UNGM services and registration processes apply to you.
- Supplier – for companies and other organizations that want to participate in UN procurement.
- Individual Consultant – for individuals interested in consultancy opportunities.
- Implementing Partner – for organizations seeking to work with the UN as implementing partners.
- Other account types – UN staff, International Organization staff and Trade Promotion Organizations can also create accounts for specific purposes. These accounts are ineligible to participate in procurement opportunities.
Learn more: What are the types of accounts available on UNGM?
3. Complete registration
Once an account has been created, complete the relevant registration information and provide the required documents.
Learn more:
- How do suppliers complete the registration form at the Basic Level?
- How do individual consultants complete the registration form?
- How do implementing partners complete the registration form?
- How to register as a Trade Promotion Organization?
4. Search for opportunities
Registering on the UNGM platform does not automatically notify you of procurement opportunities or guarantee invitations to participate.
Contrary to common belief, tender invitations are not sent out automatically. UN procurement follows principles of open competition and equal opportunity, so opportunities must be actively sought by monitoring the open tenders published daily on the UNGM site.
When finding an opportunity, carefully read the notice and follow the instructions provided by the UN Organization.
Learn more: How to access procurement opportunities on UNGM?
5. Contact the relevant UN Organization
UNGM provides access to procurement information, but each UN Organization is responsible for its own procurement processes.
If you have a question about a specific procurement opportunity, contact the UN Organization using the contact information provided in the notice.
While individual organizations maintain specific norms, general guidelines are outlined in the UN Procurement Practitioner's Handbook available in the Knowledge Center.
What is UNGM Pro?
UNGM Pro is an optional paid service that provides additional tools for searching and monitoring procurement opportunities.
A subscription is not required to register on UNGM or access publicly available opportunities, as the basic features remain free. However, the platform’s maintenance relies mostly on UNGM Pro subscriptions.
Learn more:
- How to unlock opportunities efficiently with UNGM Pro?
- What are the pricing and payment methods for UNGM Pro?
Ready to get started?
The basic journey is simple:
Learn → Create an account → Complete registration → Search for opportunities → Follow the instructions in each opportunity
UNGM can help discover opportunities across participating UN Organizations, but finding and pursuing relevant opportunities is the user's responsibility.
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