United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN). Its purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through education, science, and culture to further universal respect for justice, the rule of law, and human rights along with fundamental freedom proclaimed in the United Nations Charter. It is the heir of the League of Nations' International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation.

UNESCO pursues its objectives through five major programs: education, natural sciences, social/human sciences, culture, and communication/information. Projects sponsored by UNESCO include literacy, technical, and teacher-training programmes; international science programmes; the promotion of independent media and freedom of the press; regional and cultural history projects; the promotion of cultural diversity; translations of world literature; international cooperation agreements to secure the world cultural and natural heritage (World Heritage Sites) and to preserve human rights, and attempts to bridge the worldwide digital divide. For more information please refer to UNESCO Web Site.

UNESCO procures goods, works and services at estimated USD 125 Million per year. An estimated 90 % of the total procurement expenditures are related to acquisition of professional services.

In addition to the requirements for the implementation of the programme activities under the main themes of Education, Natural Sciences, Social & Human Sciences, Culture, Communication & Information, UNESCO requires goods, works and services for general administration including Information Technology, Building Maintenance & Renovations as well as Conferences, Languages & Documents Services. Please also refer to UNESCO Worldwide, a section presenting the main activities of the Organization country by country. 

UNESCO follows the Common Guidelines for Procurement by Organizations in the UN System. The selection process for contractors is governed by the principles of economy, effectiveness, competition and transparency.

If your company/entity provides goods, works or services of interest to UNESCO and complies with UN procurement policies, you are invited to register your company as a potential supplier with UNESCO via the United Nations Global Marketplace UNGM website.

Although registration on UNGM does not automatically guarantee receipt of any enquiries or tender documents from UNESCO, it is an important procurement tool for UNESCO staff looking for potential new suppliers.

The use of Open International Competition (OIC) is most appropriate and the preferred type of competition at UNESCO for all values equal to or exceeding USD 150,000. However, it is also recommended to use OIC for values below USD 150,000, in particular when procurement is subject to formal methods of solicitation and it is difficult to secure supply.

Procurement opportunities at UNESCO, in the case of open competitions, are announced on the UN Global Marketplace (UNGM).United Nations Global Marketplace: Tender notices.

All UNESCO contractual arrangements are subject to the Financial Rules and Regulations of the Organization and its Administrative Manual.

Yes, therefore the user should be automatically taken to the external website

e-Procurement system used by this UN organization: In-Tend

Contact email of the e-Procurement system: [email protected] 

How to participate in procurement opportunities requiring electronic submission on UNGM?

If a procurement protest needs to be submitted, click on the Procurement | Supplier Protest page by UNESCO.

• Procurement value: 176.12M USD
• Number of countries the organization procured from: 164
• Percentage of total UN procurement: <1%
• Ranking by procurement value: 14th
• Top category: Building and Maintenance Services
• Top region: Europe