Selling to the Government
Many Haitian government agencies finance public works projects through grants, and in some cases borrowing, from multilateral development banks. Tenders are often used to open bidding on Haitian government contracts and are advertised through newspapers and government websites. Tenders are often exclusive to Haitian companies when the necessary goods and services to complete a project are found in Haiti. However, when the government procures goods and services that are not produced in Haiti and must be imported for the completion of projects, tenders are open to international participation. Every registered economic operator has the right to respond to a call for tenders and to obtain a public contract, whatever its form, size, experience, if its activity is related to the purpose of the contract market. Open tenders from the Haitian government are posted to the website of the National Commission for Public Procurement (CNMP), available only in French, at cnmp.gouv.ht. They are also listed in the newspaper Le Nouvelliste. In practice, bid decisions often take several months, and several businesses have complained about the lack of government transparency when analyzing bids.
U.S. companies bidding on government tenders may also qualify for U.S. government advocacy. Within the U.S. Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration, the Advocacy Center coordinates U.S. government interagency advocacy efforts on behalf of U.S. exporters in competition with foreign firms in foreign government projects or procurement opportunities. The Advocacy Center works closely with our network of the U.S. Commercial Service worldwide and inter-agency partners to ensure that exporters of U.S. products and services have the best possible chance of winning government contracts. Advocacy assistance can take many forms but often involves the U.S. Embassy or other U.S. Government agency officials expressing support for the U.S. exporters directly to the foreign government. Consult Advocacy Center for additional information.
Financing of Projects
Public projects are often financed through multilateral development banks, international organizations, and state actors. Investment projects in Haiti are eligible for consideration of financing from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, known as the DFC.
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). A helpful guide for working with the MDBs is the Guide to Doing Business with the Multilateral Development Banks (PDF). The U.S. Department of Commerce’s (USDOC) 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. Learn more by contacting the Advocacy Liaison for the World Bank or the Advocacy Liaison Website for Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).