The U.S. Commercial Service liaison office will teach you about doing business with the World Bank and keep you informed about World Bank programs. The World Bank lends and invests billions of dollars in developing countries every year. This constant stream of funds is used to buy goods, consulting services, and civil works projects that contribute to economic development in those countries. The process of doing business with the World Bank is similar to government procurement systems in many countries.
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Uzbekistan Sewer and Water Project
Uzbekistan will receive a $55 million loan for a water and sewer project in Bukhara and Samarkand to improve infrastructure and sustainability of wastewater management. Project will include consulting opportunities.
Colombia Mass Transit Project
August 4, 2009 Colombia has been approved for a $300 million loan to develop a Bus Rapid Transit System along strategic transit corridors and improve accessibility to mass transit fof the poor.
Colombia Solid Waste Management Program
August 4, 2009 The World Bank has approved a $20 million loan to Colombia to improve the quality and coverage of solid waste management services.
Bangladesh Renewable Energy Project
August 4, 2009 Bangladesh will receive a loan of $130 million to increase electricity supply in rural areas, including additional financing for the very successful Solar Home Systems program and to improve energy efficiency by introducing Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs).
President Zoellick's Six Strategic Themes
World Bank President Robert Zoellick has listed six strategic themes that will guide the Bank's work into the future.
World Bank Lending Reaches All-Time High
The World Bank Group committed $58.8 billion in fiscal year 2009 to help countries struggling amid the global economic crisis, a 54 percent increase over the previous fiscal year and a record high for the global development institution. In FY09 (July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2009), the Bank Group supported 767 projects to promote economic growth, fight poverty, and assist private businesses, including $20.7 billion in infrastructure financing, a critical sector to provide the foundation for rapid recovery from the crisis and job creation. This support was provided in loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees to help countries and private-sector firms deal with the devastating effects of the global financial meltdown. Click here for more details.
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U.S. firms can successfully pursue many types of World Bank procurement opportunities and U.S. firms have been particularly successful in capturing Bank-funded consulting work. The U.S. consistently ranks among the top ten suppliers of consulting services in Bank-funded projects.
Successful firms tend to have some international experience and previous exposure to a structured procurement system, such as those used by large multinationals or U.S. Federal agencies.
Doing business with the World Bank requires you to learn about the Bank's project cycle and bidding guidelines. A highly recommended training course is available from the U.S. Commercial Service to help you understand the project approval process and identify the types of projects that will produce bidding opportunities for your company. This course is intended for business development staff and capture teams that identify, track, and capture overseas procurement opportunities. Click here to learn more.