An Agency for which the Vendor Review Committee (VRC) has determined that Proscribed Practices took place in respect of one or more of its procurement activities.
A financial authorization issued by the Administrator to an official or to a unit to incur commitments for specific purposes relating to the institutional budget and within specified limits, during a definite period;
A subdivision of the appropriations for which a specific amount is shown in the appropriate decision and within which the Administrator is authorized to make transfers without prior approval;
The total amount approved by the Executive Board for specified purposes for the current institutional budget against which commitments may be incurred for those purposes up to the amounts so approved. The appropriations are divided into “appropriations lines”, for each of which a specific amount is shown in the appropriate decision adopted for each budget period by the Executive Board and within which the Administrator is authorized to make transfers without prior approval.
A letter of reprimand based on the Respondent’s conduct. A censure does not affect the Respondent’s eligibility to participate in UNDP procurement processes, but it will be an aggravating factor in any future decisions to impose additional Sanctions.
The individual who manages the Vendor Review Committee (VRC) and its proceedings. The VRC Chairperson reports to the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) and is responsible for the issuance of decisions taken by the CPO.
According to Rule 121.01 paragraph (a) of the UNDP Financial regulations and Rules (as amended on January 1, 2012), the Chief Procurement Officer of UNDP is accountable to the Administrator for all procurement functions of UNDP for all its locations, except for those procurement actions governed by paragraph (c). The Chief Procurement Officer may further delegate authority to staff at headquarters and other locations, as may be appropriate in fulfilling the purposes of these rules.
Act or omission that impairs or harms, or threatens to impair or harm, directly or indirectly, any party or the property of the party to improperly influence the actions of a party.
It is an arrangement between two or more parties designed to achieve an improper purpose, including influencing improperly the actions of another party.
A legal obligation arising from a contract, agreement or other form of undertaking by UNDP or based on a liability recognized by UNDP, either against the resources of the current year in respect to UNDP programme activities or against the current budget period in respect to the institutional budget
Cash or in-kind resources (the latter being in the form of goods, services, or real property) provided to UNDP. Contributions are used to cover UNDP programme activities as well as programme support, management and administration, and support to operational activities of the United Nations, including costs associated with the administration of contributions received for special purposes; costsharing - a co-financing modality under which contributions from Other resources can be received as a supplement to Regular resources for specific UNDP programme activities, under the relevant cooperation framework.
Corruption or corrupt practice is the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting, directly or indirectly, anything of value to influence improperly the actions of another party
Unless stated otherwise, means working days, which do not include weekends and/or holidays. A weekend is Saturday and Sunday. Holidays are those officially recognized by UNDP. If the last day of any period falls on a weekend or holiday, the term shall run until the end of the next day on which the Agency is officially open for business.
A formal declaration that a Respondent has become ineligible for a period of time to (a) be awarded and/or to partake in contracts financed, administered or executed by UNDP; (b) conduct new business with UNDP as an agent or representative of other vendors; (c) partake in discussions with UNDP regarding new contracts to be financed, administered or executed by UNDP. Exceptionally, the CPO may decide that the Respondent’s debarment shall be permanent.
Category of costs associated with “programmes” and “development effectiveness” activities which contribute to the effective delivery of development results, as follows:
a) programmes: category of costs associated with specific programme components or projects that contribute to delivery of development results contained in country/regional/global programme documents or other programming arrangements;
b) development effectiveness: category of costs associated with activities of a policy, advisory, technical and implementation nature that are needed for achievement of the objectives of programmes and projects in the focus areas of the organizations. These inputs are essential to the delivery of development results, and are not included in specific programme components or projects in country, regional or global programme documents.
A method of financing the budget of a partner country through a transfer of resources from an external financing agency to the national treasury of the partner government. The funds thus transferred are managed in accordance with the recipient’s budgetary procedures. This includes using the national regulatory framework for financial allocations, procurement and accounting systems.
The process under which certain cases determined to be of a low complexity are reviewed by the VRC Secretariat, rather than under the Panel Review Process.
Includes disbursements and accruals for goods and services received, and the use or impairment of assets, dependent on the implementation arrangement and in accordance with administrative instructions issued by the Comptroller for a financial period.
The call for an expression of interest is a notice used to assess interest in an upcoming solicitation for goods, works or services. Vendors are requested to express interest and provide information about products, services, resources, qualifications and experience before a fixed deadline. This method may be used to continually update a UNDP office’s vendor database, where procurement planning has forecasted future requirements of specific goods, services or civil works.
Forced labour refers to all work or service which is exacted by a vendor from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered themself voluntarily
It is any act or omission, including a misrepresentation, whereby a vendor knowingly misrepresents or conceals a fact (a) in order to obtain an undue benefit or advantage (not limited to financial) or to avoid an obligation for itself, or a third party, and/or (b) in such a way as to cause an individual or entity to act, or fail to act, to his, her or its detriment.
Refers to the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons by a vendor, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation
Refers to the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons by a vendor, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation
The costs incurred by the organization in support of programmes or projects that cannot be directly attributed to such specific programmes or projects.
A formal declaration following the decision of the CPO that a Respondent is ineligible for a period of time to (a) be awarded and/or partake in contracts financed, administered or executed by UNDP, (b) conduct new business with UNDP as an agent or representative of other vendors, (c) partake in having discussions with UNDP regarding new contracts. Exceptionally, the ineligibility may be permanent.
The Ineligibility List is a central roster, hosted and maintained confidentially by the United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM) as a protected electronic document that aggregates information provided by each participating entity, including UNDP. Vendors that are subject to sanctions that affect their eligibility, pursuant to sanctions proceedings, shall be entered into the Ineligibility List for a term starting upon notification of the CPO’s decision and ending once they are deemed to be rehabilitated. The Ineligibility List shall have restricted access, and shall not be published or otherwise distributed.
A Vendor who has been debarred by UNDP, and either (1) is the subject of a current period of debarment; or (2) has not requested to be reinstated as an active Vendor via a request for rehabilitation.
Covers the estimates as approved by the Executive Board relating to the activities and associated costs in the cost categories of development effectiveness, United Nations Development Coordination, management and special purpose.
A temporary suspension of a Vendor’s eligibility to participate in new procurement processes, as further described in paragraph 66 of the Vendor Sanctions Policy to protect UNDP’s interests pending the completion of either an investigation into Proscribed Practices or the VRC process. Interim suspensions are internal measures that are not reported on the UNGM.
In instances of collaborative procurement, or when more than one Agency is involved in a specific procurement action which results in allegations that the vendor has been involved in Proscribed Practices, the relevant Agencies will choose a “Lead Agency” to represent them all in data gathering and analysis, investigation, and the sanctions proceedings against the vendor. The Agencies involved shall decide amongst themselves which is to act as the Lead Agency for the particular case. The Lead Agency will normally be the Agency (a) most directly impacted by the vendor’s activities and the Proscribed Practice(s); and/or (b) with the most resources at its disposal. All involved Agencies will collaborate with the Lead Agency. The Lead Agency will apply its own regulations, rules, policies and procedures to its activities in this regard.
The difference between current assets and current liabilities. In the specific context of UNDP, this shall normally be taken to mean the sum of working capital and reserves.
Categories of costs in which the primary function is the promotion of the identity, direction and well-being of an organization. These include executive direction, representation, external relations and partnerships, corporate communications, legal, oversight, audit, corporate evaluation, information technology, finance, administration, security and human resources. This includes both activities and associated costs of a recurring and non-recurring nature.
The financial assistance provided to an intermediary which includes
nongovernmental or grass roots organizations in an amount not exceeding$150,000 for each individual grant.
Obstruction or Obstructive Practice is an act or omission by a vendor that prevents or hinders UNDP’s data gathering and analysis in a particular case.
An Offer of Settlement, as further described in paragraphs 44 and 45 below. An OoS may be made by UNDP to the Respondent(s) under either the DRP and PRP
This sourcing method creates awareness in the business community of an opportunity related to a specific project, and requires advertisement in an appropriate medium (including, but not limited to, the UNDP global website) depending on the nature of the procurement activity. In an open competitive bidding process, there will be no shortlisted companies; consequently, all vendors wishing to participate in the process are invited to do so.
The VRC may recommend, and the CPO may decide to impose, other sanctions that it finds appropriate, including requiring that future contracts with the Vendor reflect special conditions, or that the vendor compensate UNDP for any loses and/or costs sustained or incurred by it as a result of the Vendor’s involvement in a Proscribed Practice.
The process under which cases are reviewed by a panel composed of UNDP staff who determine the recommendation(s) to be made to the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO).
UNDP staff and other persons engaged by UNDP under other contractual arrangements to perform services for UNDP programme activities or for programme support.
Particularly for high value or complex procurement requirements, a solicitation may be limited only to vendors who meet established criteria for capacity and resources, based on a prequalification process. The prequalification process aims to ensure that solicitation documents are extended only to those with adequate capacity and resources to provide the requisite goods, services or perform civil works.
The document approved by the Executive Board that describes the framework for UNDP programme activities, and indicates the proposed UNDP resources to achieve results during a specified period. Programme documents are prepared at the country level in cooperation with the Government of that country, as well as at regional and global levels.
UNDP Financial Regulations and Rules document defines 'property, plant and equipment' as tangible assets held for use in the activities of UNDP or for administrative purposes and expected to be used during more than one financial period. The Property, Plant and Equipment (PP&E) policy document provides further details of the term 'property, plant and equipment' as a tangible or physically verifiable item that meets ALL the following five criteria: a) Provides future economic or service benefits to UNDP – i.e. the PP&E item is held for use in the implementation of UNDP Programmes or for administrative purposes; b) Is expected to be used during more than one reporting period, which, is 12 months; c) Has a value of US$5,000 (US$5,000 for UNCDF too) or more (New Capitalization Threshold effective as of 01.01.2020); d) Is used and controlled by UNDP; and e) Has a cost that can be reliably determined.
The resources of UNDP that are comingled and untied. These will include voluntary
contributions, contributions from other governmental, intergovernmental or nongovernmental sources and related interest earnings and miscellaneous revenue.
The designated process in a particular case, through which a Vendor that has been Sanctioned regains its eligibility status and the particular entry related to a specific case is updated on UNDP and the UNGM Ineligibility Lists. This only affects Sanctions issued by UNDP, and not any sanction that may be issued at any given time by another Agency.
A request for information is a cost-effective method to continually update a UNDP office’s vendor database and to deepen understanding of markets and existing technologies. Written communications by the vendor provide the company profile, and information about products, services, resources, qualifications and experience.
An administrative determination, including any measures or rehabilitative requirements, as determined and applied by the CPO as a result of a Vendor being involved in Proscribed Practices. Potential sanctions include: censure, debarment, other possible sanctions.
Refers to the financial contribution to a government budget, managed in a national account by a government entity for a specific set of sector or programme results.
Refers to all forms of inappropriate conduct of a sexual nature committed by an employee, officer, adviser, or representative of a vendor, with the knowledge of that Vendor.
Categories of costs of a cross-cutting nature that (a) involve material capital
investments, or (b) do not represent a cost related to the management activities of the organization.
The order of magnitude of the Regular Resources expected to be available from UNDP during a specified period for the financing of UNDP programme activities at the country level.
Provide guidance on the required standards of efficiency, competence and integrity of staff members in discharging their responsibilities as well as guidance on disciplinary procedures that may be instituted against a staff member who fails to comply with his or her obligations and the standards of conduct set out in the Staff Regulations and Rules, the Financial Regulations and Rules and all administrative instructions.
The document which sets forth the UN’s expectations for all suppliers that are registered with the UNDP or with whom it does business. These principles apply to suppliers and their employees, parent, subsidiary or affiliate entities, and subcontractors.
UNDP Financial Regulations and Rules (FRR) govern the financial management of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and shall, unless otherwise provided by the General Assembly or the Executive Board or as otherwise specified in these Regulations and the annexes thereto, apply to all resources administered by UNDP and to all the Funds and Programmes administered by the Administrator.
Resources credited to the UNDP Regular Resources Account or Other Resources Account and therefore excludes resources credited to the UNDP Funds Account.