Declaration of Eligibility

A Declaration of Eligibility is a mandatory signed statement in which a bidder confirms that it satisfies the eligibility conditions specified in the bidding documents, including nationality requirements, absence of debarment by the financing institution, legal standing, and compliance with any country-specific exclusions.

What is a Declaration of Eligibility?

International procurement financed by multilateral development banks or UN agencies restricts participation to eligible entities and excludes firms and individuals that are debarred, sanctioned, subject to a conflict of interest, or located in an excluded country. Rather than verifying each of these conditions independently for every bidder, contracting authorities require each bidder to self-certify its eligibility by signing a Declaration. The declaration typically states that the bidder: is not debarred by the financing institution, has not been declared ineligible by any country, is not in a country subject to an embargo or sanctions list that the institution recognises, has no undisclosed conflict-of-interest-declaration issues, and that the information provided in its bid is accurate and complete.

For NATO procurements, the Declaration of Eligibility specifically confirms that the bidder is from a NATO member nation or an approved partner country, as required by alliance procurement policy. The declaration is usually a standard form attached to the bidding documents, and it must be signed by an authorised representative. Missing or unsigned declarations are a material-deviation that disqualifies the bid.

Why Declaration of Eligibility matters for bidders

The Declaration is a legal commitment: submitting a false declaration can result in disqualification, forfeiture of the bid security, and referral to the financing institution for possible debarment. Bidders should verify their eligibility status before signing, particularly if their company has changed ownership, entered into new partnerships, or is operating in a sanctioned jurisdiction. Firms with complex group structures should check each entity in the chain against the relevant institution's debarment list before certifying. The declaration must be signed by a person with documented authority to bind the organisation, since an unauthorised signature is itself a responsiveness issue.

FAQ

Where can bidders check if they are debarred?

Each institution maintains its own debarment list. The World Bank publishes its list at its website; ADB, AfDB, and other MDBs have similar public registries. Cross-debarment among the major MDBs means a listing on one institution's list may apply to others.

Does a parent company's debarment affect a subsidiary's eligibility?

Generally yes, if the parent controls the subsidiary and the debarment was for conduct involving the group. Bidders with complex corporate structures should seek legal advice before submitting a declaration where group-level debarment may be an issue.

Must the Declaration of Eligibility be notarised?

Usually not, though some contracting authorities in certain jurisdictions require notarisation or apostille for foreign bidders. The bidding documents specify the required authentication level.