USTDA, Botswana Expand Cooperation on Public Procurement

Arlington, VA - Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency announced that it has awarded a technical assistance grant to the Botswanan Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) that will help facilitate sales of goods and services to the Government of Botswana. The grant, funded under USTDA's Global Procurement Initiative (GPI), will support the working-level implementation of regulations that have decentralized procurement-related decision making to Botswana's ministries.

"More than a quarter of Botswana's GDP derives from public procurement, which is twice the average for middle-income countries. This places outsized importance on having procurement practices that focus on value-for-money principles," said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA's Director. "Through GPI, USTDA's goal is to facilitate high-quality infrastructure development in Botswana. At the same time, we see the country's adoption of these procurement best practices as an investment in its long-term economic growth."

USTDA's technical assistance grant to PPRA will support the Government of Botswana's efforts to implement its Public Procurement Act of 2021 through training to strengthen the enforcement, transparency, and compliance among government procurement officials and contractors, including guidance to carry out their duties effectively. This grant builds on previous USTDA support to the PPRA, which included the creation of guidelines for the Public Procurement Act, as well as the development of an implementation manual and audit procedures for public procurement officials.

Chief Executive Officer of the PPRA Ms. Tumelo Motsumi said, "This second grant from USTDA bears testimony to its long-lasting commitment to assisting the PPRA develop a robust system that ensures improved performance monitoring and compliance of procuring entities."

USTDA's GPI program supports public officials in its 18 partner countries to establish and implement best practices in assessing the lifetime costs and value for money of infrastructure investments. Botswana became the first GPI partner country in 2014.

USTDA's technical assistance supports the goals of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment to support game-changing projects to close the infrastructure gap in developing countries.

U.S. businesses interested in submitting proposals for the USTDA-funded technical assistance should visit www.ustda.gov/work/bid-on-an-overseas-project.

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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.

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