By: Emma Rumney | 1 Jul 16

The World Bank has launched a new procurement framework today that aims to help countries make the most of their spending and enhance development through effective procurement practice. Approved by the bank’s board in July last year, the framework will govern procurement in bank-financed projects in 172 countries, in total worth around $56bn.

Deborah Wetzel, senior director of the bank’s governance global practice, said the modernised framework will enable the bank to work with partner countries to strengthen efficiency in public spending and procurement systems the world over. “This will help assure that public resources are being well used, and countries can better deliver critical services,” she explained.

The framework aims to be more flexible and offer a greater range of procurement tools, enabling the bank to better respond to the needs of different countries and contexts while preserving robust standards throughout its projects. It introduces a greater use of technology, such as an ICT-based tracking and monitoring tool to make procurement processes speedier and promote transparency and accountability.

The framework will also see the bank step up its approach to resolving procurement-related complaints, while clients can use the procurement arrangements of other international or national partners under the framework in some circumstances. Robert Hunja, director of the World Bank’s governance global practice, said it captures latest thinking in procurement and emphasises greater choice, flexibility, quality and accountability.

Hart Schafer, the bank’s vice president, added that the framework reflects the views, knowledge and expertise of over 5,000 people in 100 countries worldwide after being developed through an “extensive” three-year consultation process.