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Caribbean Development Bank

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has been one of the region's most trusted development partners since 1970. Its mission is to reduce poverty and transform lives through sustainable, resilient and inclusive development and there is always a strong focus on the most vulnerable. Canada is a founding member of the CDB and the largest contributor to the bank's Special Development Fund, which provides grants and low-interest loans to the most vulnerable countries in the Caribbean.

The CDB prioritizes environmental, social and economic resilience in its borrowing member counties and is therefore a prime partner for Canada in its endeavors to promote economic growth and reduce poverty in the Caribbean. All the bank's borrowing members are in the Caribbean region.

CDB contract awards 2017-2022 US $883.5 million (Latest available data), average annual US $ 147.3 million

2022 Allocation of Funds by Country (%)
Borrowing Member CountryAllocation of Funds (%)
Anguilla0
Antigua and Barbuda5
Bahamas50
Barbados0
Belize12.0
British Virgin Islands0
Cayman Islands0
Dominica6
Grenada0
Guyana0
Haiti0
Jamaica0
Montserrat0
Saint Kitts and Nevis4
Saint Lucia15.0
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines5
Suriname-5
Trinidad0
Turks and Caicos Islands0
Regional8
2021 Allocation of Funds by Sector (%)
SectorAllocation of funds (%)
Agriculture and rural development5
Manufacturing and industry4
Transport and Communications6
Power, Energy, Water and Sanitation-5
Social infrastructure and services73
Financial, business and other services15
Multisector and others2

Source: Annual Reports, CDB

Procurement processes

Responsibility for procurement management under Bank-financed projects rests with the recipient of CDB financing, while the Bank provides oversight by ensuring that the procurement is carried out in accordance with the Bank's procurement guidelines and the terms of the relevant financing agreement between the recipient and CDB.

Procurement policy, procedures and documents are harmonized with other development banks. CDB General Procurement Notices, Other Procurement Noticesand Contract Awards are available online. Country Thresholds –which are monetary thresholds that determine the most efficient method of procurement to be used in the procurement of goods and works under CDB-financed projects have been set for each BMC.

For more information, read the Procurement procedures for projects financed by the CDB.

Consulting services

Advertising of consultancy contracts is required in all instances, except where the fees and expenses are expected to be less than US$100,000 and where there is no expectation of a subsequent phase of work.

The online Register of Consultants (RoCS) portal provides a self-registration facility for eligible individuals and businesses. For more information, read the Guidelines for Selection and Engagement of Consultants.

Goods, works & non-consulting services

Recipients of CDB financing are normally required to obtain goods, works and non-consulting services through International Competitive Bidding (ICB) which are identified and published under Procurement Plans.

Goods procured using CDB financing must have both their source and origin in a member country. "Source" refers to the country from which an item is shipped, while "origin" refers to the country in which an item is grown, mined or produced. An item is considered to originate in a particular country if 50 per cent of its value was added in that country.

Private sector projects

The goal of the Private Sector Development (PSD) is to contribute to the transformation of the private sector so that it becomes the major driver of economic and social wellbeing in the region. For more information, read CBD's Private Sector Development Policy and Strategy

The CDB's Private Sector Unit is responsible for identifying, appraising and supervising credit and technical assistance to support private sector development. Credit facilities are provided mainly through lines of credit to financial intermediaries.

Corporate procurement

Corporate Procurement is subject to the general CDB procurement policies and opportunities can be identified through CDB's Procurement Policy and Resources.

Assistance for SMEs and woman-led businesses

Direct support is provided for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in the industrial sector, and for accounting, auditing, and advisory services. CDB and Caribbean Export Development Agency collaborate on a program, "Women Empowered through Export" (WE-X port), to support capacity-building for women-owned businesses to facilitate their access to finance.

The Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) is knowledgeable about SME and Women Entrepreneur programs in the CBD and can make introductions to foster business development. Assistance also includes organizing international business delegations, certifications, adapting marketing materials, and search engine optimization.

Frequently asked questions

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), established in 1969, is a regional, multilateral development bank headquartered in Bridgetown, Barbados.

What are the procurement procedures on CDB financed projects?

CDB's Guidelines for Procurement govern the procurement of goods, works and non-consultancy services, and the Guidelines for the Selection and Engagement of Consultants, which govern the procurement of consultancy firms and organizations, as well as individual consultants. The Basic Needs Trust Fund Programme (BNTF) has its own procurement guidelines for goods, works and non-consultancy services.

Who is eligible to bid on CDB-financed projects?

Unless otherwise indicated, eligible firms or organizations which are corporate bodies must:

How can procurement opportunities be identified?

Do companies or individuals have to register with CDB in order to be eligible to participate in procurement on CDB-financed projects?

No, registration is not mandatory, but is encouraged.

Still have questions? Contact the OLIFI responsible for the Caribbean Development Bank.

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