Dominican Republic - Country Commercial Guide
Selling to the Public Sector
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Selling to the Government

Public procurement in the Dominican Republic is governed by Law 340-06 (2006). This law limits participation in public tenders to Dominican companies except in rare instances.  U.S. companies are able to compete for tenders provided they have a local partner/subsidiary registered in the country. 

Potential opportunities can be found in the new public-private partnership tenders.  In 2020, the Dominican Republic passed a law establishing a modern public-private partnership process headed by a new agency, the Directorate General of Private-Public Acquisitions (DGAPP).  Private companies, including international firms, can submit unsolicited proposals for project that are approved by a council of agencies according to the national interest of the project.  DGAPP promotes approved projects worldwide and handles the process of technical sufficiency and obtaining the economic proposals of interested firms.  A council of agencies must make a unanimous decision in awarding the tender.  The DR awarded its first public-private partnership (PPP) tender in 2023 for a cruise ship terminal on the Samana Peninsula and has announced several forthcoming PPP tenders for 2024.

For more information about selling to the government and opportunities in procurement, contact Sheila Diaz de Andujar, Senior Commercial Specialist: sheila.diaz@trade.gov.

Financing of Projects

The United States Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank) is the official export credit agency of the United States. Ex-Im Bank’s mission is to help finance the export of U.S. goods and services to international markets.  The Ex-Im Bank is open in the Dominican Republic, financing U.S. exports for both the public and private sectors.

For more information, please refer to The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) portal under the Country Limitation Schedule.

The Development Finance Corporation (DFC, previously known as OPIC) facilitates financing and insurance for private sector projects generally and, under limited circumstances, public sector projects.  DFC windows are currently open for the Dominican Republic.

The U.S. Trade & Development Agency (TDA) promotes American private sector participation in developing and middle-income countries, with special emphasis on economic sectors that represent significant U.S. export potential.  This is done through the funding of feasibility studies, orientation visits, specialized training grants, business workshops, and various technical assistance forms.  TDA programs are available in the Dominican Republic.

The Inter-American Development Bank provides funding primarily to public sector entities for the design and execution of projects.  IDB projects provide U.S. suppliers of goods and services significant export opportunities, including the transportation, environmental, health, education, urban development, tourism, agriculture, and energy sectors.  Approved projects in the Dominican Republic can be found at the Inter-American Development Bank portal.

Multilateral Development Banks and Financing Government Sales. Price, payment terms, and financing can be a significant factor in winning a government contract. Many governments finance public works projects through borrowing from the Multilateral Development Banks (MDB). The Guide to Doing Business with Multilateral Development Banks overviews how to work with MDBs. The International Trade Administration (ITA) has a Foreign Commercial Service Officer stationed at each of the five different Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs): the African Development Bank; the Asian Development Bank; the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; the Inter-American Development Bank; and the World Bank.

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