The United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) launched United Nations Development Business (UNDB) in 1978 with the initial support of the World Bank, African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, Caribbean Development Bank, and Inter-American Development Bank.
The aim of UNDB was to support transparency and fair global competition in the procurement market. This was achieved through the aggregation and systematic organization of procurement information, ensuring it was readily accessible and beneficial for stakeholders worldwide.
For over 46 years, UNDB played a pivotal role in facilitating global development by providing access to procurement opportunities and contract awards from multilateral development banks, aid agencies, government organizations, other International Financial Institutions, and select United Nations entities.
On 31 March 2025, UNDB phased down its operations and ceased all activity on its website.
Accessing Procurement Opportunities
For ongoing procurement opportunities, please visit the following procurement websites of institutions which are represented in the UNDB database:
With 189 member countries, staff from more than 170 countries, and offices in over 130 locations, the World Bank Group is a unique global partnership: five institutions working for sustainable solutions that reduce poverty and build shared prosperity in developing countries.
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) works to improve lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. Through financial and technical support for countries working to reduce poverty and inequality, it helps to improve health and education, and advance infrastructure. The aim of the IDB is to achieve development in a sustainable, climate-friendly way.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) assists its members, and partners, by providing loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity investments to promote social and economic development. It is composed of 69 members, of which 49 are from within Asia and the Pacific and 20 outside.
The overarching objective of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group is to spur sustainable economic development and social progress in its regional member countries (RMCs), thus contributing to poverty reduction.
The Caribbean Development Bank (CBD) intends to be the leading catalyst for development resources into the Region, working in an efficient, responsive and collaborative manner with their Borrowing Member Countries and other development partners, towards the systematic reduction of poverty in their countries through social and economic development.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) was established to help build a new, post-Cold War era in Central and Eastern Europe. It has since played an historic role and gained unique expertise in fostering change in the region - and beyond -, investing more than €200 billion in a total of over 7,000 projects across three continents.
The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) builds collaborative partnerships between communities and nations, across 57 member nations. They bring together the public and private sectors as well as civil societies and the development sector through Public Private Partnerships and other joint projects.
The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), owned by eighteen Arab countries members of the League of Arab States (LAS), was created for the purpose of strengthening economic, financial and technical cooperation between the Arab and African regions and for the embodiment of Arab-African solidarity on foundations of equality and friendship.
The Central American regional economic integration process
began on December 13th, 1960 with the signing of the General
Treaty on Central America Economic Integration, which
included the establishment of the Central American Bank for
Economic Integration.
CABEI has become the financial arm for the integration and
development of Central America, a unique institution, given
its founding objectives and principles, as well as the ample
scope of its operations.
The EDB plays the unique role of a regional development partner in the countries where it operates, with a focus on projects that have a significant integration effect and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals of its member economies. The key sources of funding for the EDB’s lending and investment activities are long-term borrowings in capital markets and its own resources.
The Green Climate Fund procures goods and services to support its operations and ultimately contribute to the fulfilment of its mandate. As an international organisation entrusted with public funds, GCF’s procurement activities are carried out in strict accordance with its Administrative Guidelines on Procurement.
Created by the U.S. Congress in January 2004 with strong bipartisan support, MCC partners with the world’s poorest countries that are committed to just and democratic governance, economic freedom and investing in their populations.
The Organization of American States is the world’s oldest regional organization, dating back to the First International Conference of American States, held in Washington, D.C., from October 1889 to April 1890. That meeting approved the establishment of the International Union of American Republics, and the stage was set for the weaving of a web of provisions and institutions that came to be known as the inter-American system, the oldest international institutional system.
Founded in response to a global food crisis, IFAD is a
specialized United Nations agency and an International
Financial Institution that tackles hunger and poverty in
rural communities.
Since 1977, IFAD-supported projects have reached hundreds of
millions of people around the world.
The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of
the 55 member states that make up the countries of the
African Continent. It was officially launched in 2002 as a
successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU,
1963-1999).
Its aim is to promote Africa’s growth and economic
development by championing citizen inclusion and increased
cooperation and integration of African states.
The United Nations Global Marketplace - UNGM - is the procurement portal of the UN System. It brings together UN procurement staff and the supplier community. The United Nations represents a global market of over USD 14 billion annually for all types of goods and services.
As the lead United Nations agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries develop policies, leadership skills, partnerships and institutional capabilities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is centred around six core development areas, known as our signature solutions: poverty and inequality, governance, resilience, environment, energy and gender equality.
Thank You
We thank you once again for your trust and collaboration. Your commitment to international development and procurement excellence has been invaluable.
For any questions, please contact us at dbusiness@un.org.