Invitation for Bids (IFB) Notes on preparing the Invitation for Bids (IFB) for a single-stage bidding process

Invitation for Bids (IFB)

Notes on preparing the Invitation for Bids (IFB) for a single-stage bidding process

Development Business, 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433 U.S.A.;

Telephone: 1-202-458-2397; Facsimile: 1-202-522-3316;

E-mail: dbusiness@worldbank.org; Internet: http://www.devbusiness.com/

If in accordance with the BDS for ITB Clause 12.1 the Bidding Document is issued in two language versions, the national advertisement should be in both languages, while the advertisement in UNDB online and dgMarket may be only in the "international" language of the Bidding Document (English, French or Spanish).

Notification shall be given in sufficient time to enable prospective bidders to obtain the Bidding Document and prepare and submit their responses.

Since the IFB uses information from the Bid Data Sheet (BDS), it will be conducive to customize it only when the BDS reaches near-final status. It is critical that the content of the Invitation for Bids be and remain consistent with the BDS. In particular, the dates, times, and place for bid submission and opening, and any requirement for securing the bid (and in case of Bid Security, its amount), in the IFB must be carefully checked to ensure consistency with the BDS. Also, the IFB should list all the qualification criteria required for prospective Bidders to be responsive, as officially specified in the BDS (e.g., minimum financial capacity, the minimum number of other Information Systems installations previously carried out with substantially similar characteristics).

Invitation for Bids (IFB)

[ insert: Issuing date of the IFB ] ¹

[ insert: Name of Country ]

[ insert: Name of Project ]

[ insert: Brief Description of the Information System ]

[ insert: Loan / Credit Number ]

[ insert: IFB Title ]

[ insert: IFB Number ]

1. This Invitation for Bids (IFB) follows the General Procurement Notice (GPN) for this project that appeared in UNDB online on [insert: date].¹

2. The [insert: name of borrower] [select: has received / has applied for / intends to apply for] a [select: loan / credit] from the [select: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / International Development Association] toward the cost of [insert: name of project], and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this [select:  loan / credit] to payments under the agreement(s) resulting from this IFB: [insert: IFB title and/or number].²

3. The [insert: name of implementing agency] serves as the implementing agency for the project and now invites sealed bids from eligible Bidders for [insert: description of the Information System, including the key information technologies, equipment, and related services to be procured (e.g., installation, integration, training, technical support)].^3,4

4. Bidding will be conducted using the International Competitive Bidding (ICB) procedures specified in the World Bank’s Guidelines: Procurement under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits, edition of [insert: dates of the edition and of any applicable revisions to it (should be the same as specified in the BDS for ITB Clause 1.3)], and is open to all Bidders eligible as defined in these Guidelines,⁵ that meet the following minimum qualification criteria [insert: key qualification criteria relating to previous experience, financial capacity, etc., from the BDS entry for ITB Clause 6.1 (a)].⁶

5. Interested eligible Bidders may obtain further information from [insert: name of agency] and inspect the bidding documents at the address given below⁷ from [insert: office hours].⁸ [If applicable, add: A pre-bid meeting which potential bidders may attend will be held on {insert: date}.]

6. A complete set of bidding documents in [insert: name(s) of language(s)] ⁹ [if the official method for Bidders to receive the bidding documents is hard copy, remove all following passages under these square brackets and continue at "may be purchased by …"; otherwise go on as follows: may be downloaded from {insert: address of web site}. At the same web site, bidders may register for the bidding. {If there is a nominal fee for registration, add: Registration and, as the case may be, download of the bidding documents, require a nonrefundable instant charge of {insert: amount in local or international currency} as provided at the web site.} Prior registration is required for submitting clarification questions on the bidding documents and receiving automatic notice of answers and of addenda to the bidding documents {If the bidding includes the option of submitting bids electronically, add: , and for submitting bids electronically}. The downloadable version of the bidding documents, and any addenda to it, will be the binding one. As an alternative, a hard copy set of the bidding documents] may be purchased by interested Bidders on submission of a written application to the address below⁷ and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee¹⁰ of [insert: amount in local currency] or in [insert: amount in specified convertible currency]. The method of payment will be [insert: method of payment].¹¹ The document will be sent by [insert: delivery procedure].^12,13

7. Bids must be delivered to the address below⁷ at or before [insert: time and date]. [If Bidders must secure bids, enter here the entire text as found in the BDS for ITB Clause 17.1 starting from "Bids need to be secured by…" to, if applicable, "The amount of Bid Security required is…"]. Late bids will be rejected. Bids will be opened in the presence of Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below¹⁴ at [insert: time and date].

8. The attention of prospective Bidders is drawn to (i) the fact that they will be required to certify in their bids that all software is either covered by a valid license or was produced by the Bidder and (ii) that violations are considered fraud, which can result in ineligibility to be awarded World Bank-financed contracts.

[ insert: name of office ]

[ insert: name of officer ]

[ insert: postal address ] and / or

[ insert: street address ]

[ insert: telephone number, indicate country and city code ]

[ insert: facsimile number and/or e-mail address ]

Footnotes to IFB