Powerful Relationships

At the OPCW, our suppliers are critical partners, and play a vital role in our mission for a world free of chemical weapons.

The OPCW issues over 500 purchase orders and awards contracts with a value over €20 million for the supply of goods and services every year. These orders range from computers, office equipment and supplies to specialised scientific and technical equipment for the Organisation’s operations in The Hague, the Netherlands.

Winning a contract with the OPCW is easier when you know how we make our buying decisions. Some of our procurement principles and policies include:

Doing business with the OPCW

Procurement Ethics and Code of Conduct

The OPCW has a strict policy against fraud, corruption or related forms of misconduct with respect to its officials. In carrying out its activities, OPCW officials shall adhere to the highest standards of efficiency, competence, integrity, fairness and transparency required from international civil servants. The solicitation or acceptance of any gratuity, gift, favour, entertainment, loan, remuneration, economic benefit or anything of value from anyone who conducts business with the OPCW is strictly prohibited. OPCW officials are expected to separate strictly the performance of official duties from private affairs in order to avoid any real, potential or apparent conflict of interest. Additionally, any official who deals in his or her official capacity with any matter involving a business concern in which he or she holds a financial interest shall at once disclose the nature and extent of that interest to the Director-General. The OPCW acts in compliance with general principles of sound financial and risk management.

Supplier Code of Conduct

Vendors that desire to do business or are already doing business with the OPCW are required to accept and comply with the most current version of theUN Supplier Code of Conduct and any other ethical requirements as may be set forth in the OPCW solicitation and/or contractual documents. Failure to comply with the UN Supplier Code of Conduct may result in a vendor being classified as ineligible for the supply of goods and/or services to the OPCW.

Tips on writing effective proposals

Ask questions

Every solicitation is unique, so read the entire document very carefully. Ensure that you understand the scope, deliverables, eligibility requirements and the evaluation criteria as well as how the responses will be scored to determine the successful bidder.

If you have a question or require clarification, you may only contact the designated person noted in the procurement document. Questions must be asked within a specified number of days before the closing date, so be sure to ask them with plenty of time.

Address mandatory requirements

Mandatory eligibility requirements are evaluated objectively on a simple pass/fail basis. You need to have met all mandatory eligibility requirements for a bid to be considered compliant, and only compliant bids are evaluated further. Address every mandatory requirement directly by providing the evidence to show that you meet the requirement. Non-compliant responses are typically the result of failure to meet the mandatory eligibility requirements.

Describe how you would do the work

Provide a detailed response to the specific evaluation requirements. It is your chance to show that you understand the scope and how your solution differentiates from the competition. It is also where you would describe what and how you would do the work if you were awarded the contract.

Address each and every point

Read the procurement document and respond in the exact terms requested. The OPCW might know what you intended to say, and may know that you have the capability in question, but it will be forced to reject your response if you have not provided the details that were asked for in the procurement document. The OPCW cannot make assumptions about your proposal. It can only evaluate the information you provide.

Current Opportunities