Bangladesh at a glance
| Law | Public Procurement Act 2006, amended by Ordinance No. 16 of 2025, Act No. 41 of 2026 and an Ordinance of September 2026 |
| Rules | Public Procurement Rules 2025 (PPR 2025), in force 28 September 2025, replacing PPR 2008 |
| Regulator | Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority (BPPA), successor to the CPTU |
| System | e-GP, eprocure.gov.bd: mandatory, with no manual tendering since 1 July 2026 |
| Foreign bidders | International tenders open to all countries except any named in the data sheet |
| Trade agreements | Not a WTO GPA party; access comes from national law and each tender’s terms |
| Security | Tender security up to 3%; performance security 5–10% |
| Complaints | Procuring entity, then its head, then a BPPA review panel |
Development-partner projects (World Bank, ADB, JICA and others) may follow the partner’s procurement rules. BPPA publishes standard documents for that case too.
A rulebook rebuilt in 2025–2026
- May 2025: an ordinance amended the Act. It added sustainable procurement, reverse auctions, beneficial-ownership disclosure, mandatory e-GP and a test for “significantly low” prices.
- 28 September 2025: PPR 2025 replaced the 2008 rules entirely, with 154 rules and 21 schedules. It also made physical (non-consulting) services a fourth category of procurement.
- April 2026: Parliament enacted the 2025 ordinance as Act No. 41 of 2026, adding a local joint-venture rule for international IT-services tenders.
- 1 July 2026: manual tendering ended.
- 21 September 2026: the Public Procurement (Amendment) Ordinance 2026 was gazetted. As reported by BPPA and the press, it brings:
- rated-criteria evaluation (quality and sustainability, not price alone) for goods, works and physical services;
- an “alternative procurement arrangement” for urgent state needs;
- a show-cause notice before debarment;
- eased experience and turnover requirements;
- a reported local joint-venture requirement for foreign firms in international tenders.
Value bands and price rules
PPR 2025’s standard tender documents set these bands:
| Procurement | Value band |
|---|---|
| Request for quotations: goods | Up to Tk 8 lakh |
| Request for quotations: works | Up to Tk 15 lakh |
| National goods tender | Up to Tk 50 lakh (simplified document), or above |
| National works tender | Up to Tk 5 crore (open or limited), or above |
| International goods tender | Any value |
| International works (one-stage, two-envelope, large and complex) | Any value |
Limited tendering, among pre-enlisted suppliers only, was reported in the draft rules at up to Tk 5 crore for works and Tk 50 lakh for goods and services.
Price rules that reject bids:
- Goods tenders, national and international: a bid more than 10% above the official cost estimate is rejected.
- Limited-tendering works: bids must fall within ±5% of the official estimate. Ties are broken by an e-lottery in the e-GP system.
- Significantly low-priced bids: the system computes a lower limit from the official estimate, a national price index and the responsive quotes. A bid below that limit is rejected. With only one responsive bid, it must be within 20% of the estimate.
- Removed: the old ±10% price cap on national works is gone.
Tender validity is normally 60 to 150 days.
Who can bid, and what foreign firms must line up
- Open to all countries: international tenders are open to tenderers from all countries, and goods of any origin, except countries named in the tender data sheet (TDS). You must be:
- registered and tax-compliant in your home country;
- not debarred by the Government of Bangladesh;
- not sanctioned by a development partner;
- free of conflicts of interest.
- Local agent: where the TDS requires it, a tenderer not doing business in Bangladesh needs a local agent able to carry out maintenance.
- Manufacturer’s authorisation: non-manufacturers need one.
- Local partner for IT services: in government-funded, internationally tendered IT-services procurement, a local firm must be a joint-venture partner (Act No. 41 of 2026).
- A wider local-partner rule may apply. The September 2026 Ordinance reportedly requires foreign firms to form joint ventures with local businesses in international tenders. We haven’t been able to confirm its exact scope and exceptions from the gazette text, so check each tender’s data sheet, and treat a local partner as likely.
- Beneficial ownership: the winner must disclose its beneficial owners (natural persons, and shareholders of 10% or more) for contracts above BDT 10 lakh, and consent to publication.
- Language and currency:
- international tenders and contracts are in English; documents in other languages need English translations;
- local costs are quoted in BDT, foreign costs in USD, GBP, EUR or JPY as the TDS allows;
- evaluation converts at the Bangladesh Bank selling rate on the opening date.
Registering on e-GP and bidding, step by step
- Register as an international tenderer at eprocure.gov.bd:
- verify your email, then upload:
- your incorporation certificate;
- your trade licence and tax number, if applicable;
- VAT or GST registration;
- an authorisation letter for your account administrator;
- the administrator’s passport;
- a photo.
- pay BDT 12,000 through an e-GP member bank (renewal BDT 5,000 a year).
- BPPA asks for attested copies by post or courier before approving the account. It’s worth confirming with BPPA how foreign firms should attest them.
- verify your email, then upload:
- Find tenders in the e-GP search and BPPA notices. Check whether the tender is national or international, and which countries the data sheet excludes.
- Buy the tender document online, paying through an e-GP member bank before the deadline.
- Line up the local requirements:
- an agent, if required;
- a joint-venture partner, for IT services and possibly more under the 2026 Ordinance;
- a manufacturer’s authorisation;
- beneficial-ownership data.
- Arrange tender security through the e-GP system or a scheduled bank in Bangladesh.
- Submit on e-GP before the deadline. Late submission is impossible, and the system opens bids automatically.
- Evaluation: the lowest evaluated responsive tender wins, after the low-price test, domestic preference and post-qualification. Rated criteria are being introduced under the 2026 Ordinance.
- Notification of award, then performance security, then the contract. Deadlines depend on value:
| Estimated value | Performance security due | Contract signed |
|---|---|---|
| Up to Tk 5 crore | 7 working days | 14 days |
| Up to Tk 25 crore | 10 working days | 21 days |
| Above Tk 25 crore | 14 working days | 28 days |
Security and payment
- Tender security:
- up to 3% of the official cost estimate, stated as a fixed amount;
- issued as a bank draft, pay order or unconditional guarantee from a scheduled bank in Bangladesh, or through the e-GP system;
- valid 28 days beyond tender validity.
- Performance security:
| Contract | Performance security |
|---|---|
| Goods, national and international | 10% |
| National works | 5% |
| Limited-tendering works | None up to Tk 1 crore, 5% above |
It can rise to 25% where a bid is far below the estimate or front-loaded. For international goods, it can come from an internationally reputable bank with a correspondent bank in Bangladesh.
- Retention money: 5% to 10%, depending on contract type.
- International goods payment template:
- an advance of up to 10% against a guarantee (generally for aid-funded contracts);
- 80% on shipment by irrevocable confirmed letter of credit;
- 10% within 30 days of acceptance.
- International works: certified interim payments within 28 days.
Evaluation and domestic preference
- Domestic preference, international goods: unless the data sheet says otherwise, goods manufactured in Bangladesh get a 15% margin of preference. To qualify, domestic labour, materials and components must exceed 30% of the ex-works price, and the factory must already make such goods. We found no equivalent clause in the international works documents.
- Reverse auctions are now available for standard goods.
- Sustainable procurement criteria are built into PPR 2025.
- Women-owned, small, micro and new enterprises get easier competition terms. e-GP tags women-owned firms.
- Subcontracting in national goods contracts is capped at 30%.
Complaints and appeals
- Complain in writing to the procuring entity within 7 days of becoming aware of the problem.
- Escalate to the head of the procuring entity, and in some cases to the ministry secretary, if you’re not satisfied. Each stage has short deadlines of a few working days.
- Appeal to an independent BPPA review panel, only after the administrative stages. BPPA issued a new review-appeal application form in June 2026. Fees and deposits under PPR 2025 aren’t yet confirmed, so check BPPA before filing.
- Debarment appeals go to a Debarment Review Board, formed in January 2026. The 2026 Ordinance adds a show-cause notice before blacklisting.
- Courts: review-panel decisions can be challenged by writ in the High Court Division.
What changed in 2025–2026
- March 2025: revised e-GP Guidelines gazetted.
- May 2025: an ordinance amended the Act (sustainable procurement, reverse auctions, beneficial ownership, mandatory e-GP).
- 28 September 2025: PPR 2025 replaced PPR 2008, removing the national works price cap and introducing the low-price test.
- October 2025 to May 2026: a new suite of standard tender documents.
- January 2026: the Debarment Review Board was formed.
- April 2026: Act No. 41 of 2026, including the local joint-venture rule for international IT-services tenders.
- June 2026: the review-appeal circular and form.
- 1 July 2026: manual tendering ended.
- September 2026: the Amendment Ordinance 2026 (rated criteria, eased experience rules, and a reported local joint-venture requirement in international tenders).
Live Bangladeshi tenders
See also which countries can bid on which government tenders.
Questions
Can foreign companies bid for government tenders in Bangladesh?
Yes. International tenders are open to tenderers from all countries except any named in the tender data sheet. You must be registered and tax-compliant at home, not debarred by Bangladesh and not sanctioned by a development partner. Some tenders require a local agent, and government-funded international IT-services tenders require a local joint-venture partner.
Do foreign firms need a local partner in Bangladesh?
For government-funded, internationally tendered IT services, yes: the 2026 amendment act requires a local firm as a joint-venture partner. Press reports say the Public Procurement (Amendment) Ordinance of September 2026 extends a local joint-venture requirement to international tenders more broadly. Its exact scope and exceptions aren’t yet confirmed, so check each tender’s data sheet.
How does a foreign company register on Bangladesh’s e-GP system?
Register at eprocure.gov.bd as an international tenderer: verify your email, upload your incorporation certificate, VAT or GST registration, the administrator’s authorisation and passport, and pay BDT 12,000 through an e-GP member bank (renewal BDT 5,000 a year). BPPA then asks for attested copies by post before approving the account.
How big is the tender security in Bangladesh?
Up to 3% of the official cost estimate, stated as a fixed amount and issued by a scheduled bank in Bangladesh or through the e-GP system. Performance security is 10% of the contract price for goods and 5% for national works, and can rise to 25% for bids far below the estimate.
Is there a domestic preference in Bangladeshi tenders?
Yes, in international goods tenders: unless the data sheet says otherwise, goods manufactured in Bangladesh get a 15% margin of preference, where domestic labour, materials and components exceed 30% of the ex-works price. We found no equivalent clause in the international works documents.
How do I complain about a tender decision in Bangladesh?
Complain in writing to the procuring entity within 7 days of becoming aware of the problem, then escalate to the head of the procuring entity, and finally appeal to an independent BPPA review panel. You can only go to the review panel after the administrative stages, using the application form BPPA issued in June 2026.
Sources
- Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority (BPPA): Public Procurement Rules 2025
- BPPA: Public Procurement Act and amendments
- e-GP: registration steps
- e-GP: mandatory registration documents
- BPPA standard tender document e-PG4 (international goods)
This guide explains the rules in plain English; it isn’t legal advice. Procurement rules change, and each tender document sets its own conditions — it always prevails.