Procurement debriefs and protests

UNHCR also has a linked appeals process, called a procurement protest, for vendors not awarded an order or contract in a high-value Procurement Action, as specified below.

Protests are also allowed for joint procurement exercises with UN entities when UNHCR is the lead organization.

An unsuccessful Bidder shall submit a request for a debriefing to the procurement Function within 10 calendar days of the unsuccessful Bidder’s receipt of notification from UNHCR that it was not awarded the contract.

A Vendor Protest may be filed by a registered UNHCR Vendor who is unsuccessful in an eligible high value UNHCR Procurement Action and who has participated in a Procurement Debrief (the “Complainant”). An eligible high value UNHCR Procurement Action is a UNHCR Request for Proposal or a UNHCR Invitation to Bid in which the contract award amount exceeded USD 250,000 or its equivalent in another currency. The Vendor Protest must be received by UNHCR no later than 15 calendar days after the date of the Procurement Debrief.
It should be sent by mail or email to:

Head, UNHCR Supply Management Service (SMS)
UNHCR Global Service Centre
Ipoly utca 5b
1133 Budapest
Hungary
E-mail address: [email protected]

with a required copy to:

Head, UNHCR Legal Affairs Service (LAS)
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
94 Rue Montbrillant
1201 Geneva
Switzerland
E-mail address: [email protected]

The protest letter must contain the following minimum information in order to be receivable, and hence proceed to an inquiry and decision on the merits:

• Complainant’s name and contact details.
• A copy of the notification issued by UNHCR to the Complainant of an unsuccessful proposal or bid in an eligible high value UNHCR procurement exercise.
• The procurement exercise reference, the name of the contracting office/UNHCR business unit and the name of the responsible UNHCR procurement officer.
• Detailed statement of all factual and legal grounds for the Vendor Protest.
• Detailed statement of how the Complainant was prejudiced.
• Detailed statement of the costs incurred by the Complainant in making the bid.
• Copies of all relevant documents supporting the Complainant’s claims, allegations, statements and costs incurred.

UNHCR will initially perform a review of the Vendor Protest to determine whether it was timely and correctly submitted and complies with the minimum requirements set out above. In this regard, the Complainant carries the burden of presenting substantial evidence that support the claim. Unsupported allegations and assertions are not sufficient for the Vendor Protest to be receivable.

Nothing in the above procedures or in any procedure or action by or relating to UNHCR with respect to or in connection with a Procurement Debrief or a Vendor Protest shall be deemed in any way to constitute a waiver of any of the privileges and immunities of the United Nations or of its subsidiary organs, including UNHCR (as a subsidiary organ of the United Nations).