Systematic Tracking of Exchanges in Procurement (STEP)

Systematic Tracking of Exchanges in Procurement (STEP) is the World Bank's mandatory e-procurement platform used for all Investment Project Financing, recording procurement plans, notices, bid evaluations, and contract management in a single system that the Bank and its borrowers use throughout the project cycle.

What is STEP?

STEP was introduced by the World Bank to bring the entire procurement lifecycle into one auditable system for every IPF-financed project. When a borrowing country receives World Bank financing, the implementing agency must enter its procurement plan into STEP before any solicitation can proceed. The procurement plan covers an 18-month rolling horizon and is updated quarterly, listing every contract the implementing agency intends to procure, the method to be used (icb, QCBS, shopping, and others), the estimated value, and the expected timeline.

As procurement proceeds, STEP records each stage: the publication of General Procurement Notices and Specific Procurement Notices, reoi notices, ifb postings, bid opening results, evaluation reports, and contract awards. A contract management module was added in April 2025. The World Bank's procurement staff use STEP to conduct prior review for contracts above the country-specific prior-review threshold, and post review for smaller contracts.

STEP itself is not publicly accessible, it requires a login by the borrower or Bank staff. However, the notices recorded in STEP are published to the public World Bank procurement search portal and are available through the free REST API at search.worldbank.org, making the notice data accessible without authentication.

Why STEP matters for bidders

STEP is the authoritative source for World Bank procurement plans, which means that procurement opportunities are recorded in STEP before they become public notices. Intelligence built by tracking project approvals and cross-referencing them with STEP-published notice timelines can predict tender publication six to eighteen months ahead. Understanding STEP also clarifies why the World Bank portal and a national e-procurement portal may both carry the same tender: STEP feeds the Bank portal, while the implementing agency uploads the same notice to its own system.

Example

Kenya's Ministry of Transport, implementing a World Bank-financed road corridor project, enters its procurement plan into STEP showing a USD 45 million civil works contract using ICB and a USD 2 million supervision consultancy using QCBS. The Bank reviews the plan, both notices later appear on the public World Bank portal via the STEP feed, and the civil works contract also appears on Kenya's national e-procurement portal because the implementing agency uploads it there separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can suppliers access STEP directly?

No. STEP requires a login by borrower implementing agencies or World Bank staff. Suppliers access the notices that STEP generates by searching the public World Bank procurement portal or querying the REST API at search.worldbank.org.

What is a prior review contract in STEP?

A prior review contract is one above the country-specific threshold at which the World Bank reviews the procurement process before award. The Bank must clear the bidding documents, the bid evaluation report, and the draft contract. Below the threshold, the Bank reviews a sample of contracts after award, known as post review.

Does STEP cover all World Bank procurement?

STEP covers procurement under Investment Project Financing. The World Bank's own corporate procurement (for its internal operations) uses a separate system. IFC private-sector investments use the World Bank RFx Now portal.