Development Business, also known as United Nations Development Business, UN Development Business, UNDB or DB is an online and print publication issued by the United Nations Department of Public Information. It is the official source of international procurement information and contains current tender announcements, contract awards and operational summaries from all major international development banks, national governments and the United Nations System.
Contents
Origins and development
The United Nations Department of Public Information launched Development Business in 1978 with the support of the World Bank, African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, Caribbean Development Bank and Inter-American Development Bank. Development Business was initially a part of its parent publication called Development Forum, which was a platform for governments and other entities to express ideas on issues and challenges in the international economic environment.
Based on an agreement between the United Nations and the World Bank in 1981, Development Business became the official source for World Bank Procurement Notices, Contract Awards, and Project Approvals. In 1998, the agreement was re-negotiated. Included in this agreement was a joint venture to create an electronic version of the publication on the World Wide Web. Today, Development Business is the primary publication for all major multilateral development banks, United Nations agencies, and several national governments, many of whom have made the publication of their tenders and contracts in Development Business mandatory.
Partners
Development Business receives its procurement information for publishing from governments, the UN system and development banks. Among its long-standing partners are:
Services
Development Business follows a subscription-based model. Subscription options are made up of combinations of services including unlimited online access to projects and tender information, a print version, and monthly operational summaries issued by development banks. Online access includes a fully searchable database of:
Outreach
Development Business actively distributes its print publication to the UN Member States, especially to its partners in developing countries and least developed countries, where most projects are being implemented. To make its information on tenders and business opportunities available to a large pool of qualified suppliers, it has partnered with the United Nations Development Programme, UN Information Ccenters, UN Member States and their respective missions and several Chambers of Commerce.