eSourcing (UNOPS)

eSourcing is UNOPS's dedicated online procurement platform at esourcing.unops.org, through which the UN's specialised procurement and infrastructure agency manages its tender competitions, receives electronic bid submissions, conducts evaluations, and communicates award decisions to the more than 5,000 vendors active in its global supply base.

What is eSourcing?

UNOPS, the United Nations Office for Project Services, is unique in the UN system because it procures on behalf of other UN agencies, donor governments, and development banks, not just for its own operational needs. This role as a procurement agent makes it one of the most diversified procurement entities in the UN system, covering infrastructure and construction, IT systems, health equipment, logistics, and consulting across more than 170 countries. UNOPS's annual procurement volume is approximately $1.5 billion, and it was the largest UN-to-UN service provider in 2024.

The eSourcing platform handles the end-to-end sourcing process for UNOPS-managed tenders. Suppliers must hold ungm registration before accessing eSourcing, because UNOPS uses UNGM as its vendor base. Once registered on both systems, a supplier can log in to eSourcing, find active solicitations in their product and service categories, download bidding documents, upload their technical and financial response, and receive evaluation results and award notifications digitally. The platform supports both open competitive tenders and restricted processes for pre-approved vendor lists.

Why eSourcing matters for bidders

For suppliers targeting large infrastructure, health system, and logistics contracts in development contexts, UNOPS is a critical client to cultivate because a single UNOPS contract can represent work across multiple countries and agencies simultaneously, given UNOPS's procurement-agent role. Accessing eSourcing requires the UNGM prerequisite to be completed first, which is a common gap for suppliers who skip the registration step and then discover they cannot access the platform when a specific tender is posted. Completing ungm-basic-registration early, progressing to Level 1, and then completing the eSourcing account setup before a target solicitation appears is the correct sequence.

FAQ

Is UNOPS eSourcing free to use?

Yes. Registering on eSourcing is free for vendors. Participation in any UNOPS tender through the platform requires prior ungm registration, which is also free.

Does UNOPS post all its tenders on eSourcing?

UNOPS uses eSourcing as its primary bid submission and evaluation platform. Notices are also published on ungm for broader visibility. Some procurement by decentralised UNOPS country offices may also appear on local government portals, but eSourcing is the authoritative system.

Can a supplier use eSourcing without a UNGM account?

No. UNGM registration is a prerequisite for accessing eSourcing. Suppliers must complete at least Basic UNGM registration before they can create an eSourcing account and participate in UNOPS tenders.