Malawi - Country Commercial Guide
Selling to the Public Sector
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The Government of Malawi issues periodic tender notices for supplies and services in local and international publications 15 to 90 days before the bids are due.  The Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA) list most public tenders on its website at PPDA Procurement.  Detailed bid documents are normally obtained from a specific government ministry, department, or agency for a usually low non-refundable fee.  Bids are often opened in the presence of bidders or their representatives.  Most opportunities are in the energy, health, education, infrastructure, agriculture, and ICT sectors.  Malawi is not a signatory to the WTO Government Procurement Agreement.

Most public procurement opportunities are advertised in the print versions of the leading national newspapers – The Nation and The Times.

The U.S. Embassy sends Trade Opportunity (TOP) notices with information on major public bids to the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, DC (https://www.trade.gov/usg-resources-trade-leads)

U.S. companies bidding on Government tenders may also qualify for U.S. Government advocacy.  A unit of 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 bidding on public sector contracts with international governments and government agencies.  The Advocacy Center works closely with our network of the U.S. Commercial Service worldwide and inter-agency partners to ensure 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 agencies expressing support for the U.S. bidders directly to the foreign government.  Consult the Advocacy for Foreign Government Contracts for additional information.

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 Trade Finance Guide.  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.

More information and opportunities also available on the following:

Trade Finance Guide: A Quick Reference for U.S. Exporters, published by the International Trade Administration’s Industry & Analysis team.