Public Procurement of Goods and Works Training Course

Duration 10 days 20 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Procurement Officers, Procurement Managers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 16 Nov 2026 Course code SD-P-090

Before you join: Participants should understand basic purchasing concepts, organisational approval routes and the purpose of competitive tendering.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Public procurement of goods and works must convert a verified service need into a contract that delivers value for money, fair competition, probity and reliable contract performance. Errors at the planning, specification, evaluation or award stage can lead to failed tenders, bid protests, price escalation, delayed infrastructure delivery, audit findings and supplier disputes. Procurement staff need disciplined methods for selecting procedures, preparing solicitation documents, evaluating bids and administering contracts within applicable law and organisational rules.

This course covers the end-to-end procurement cycle for goods, works and related non-consulting services. Participants examine procurement planning, market analysis, cost estimation, packaging and lotting, specifications, prequalification, tendering methods, bid opening, evaluation, award, contract management and records management. They apply principles found in the UNCITRAL Model Law, World Bank Procurement Regulations and commonly used standard bidding documents, while recognising that local legislation and donor requirements take precedence. Particular attention is given to evaluation criteria, abnormally low bids, works risk allocation, variations, claims and supplier performance.

Delivery combines focused instructor briefings with public-sector cases, document reviews, group exercises, bid evaluation simulations and individual application planning. Participants progressively develop a procurement file for a realistic goods or works requirement, including a procurement strategy, specification or scope of works, solicitation plan, evaluation matrix and contract-management controls. They leave with a structured set of reusable templates and a completed procurement package that can be adapted to their own institution.

The course suits professionals who already participate in procurement, project delivery, finance, engineering or contract administration and now need to manage higher-value, more complex or more scrutinised public purchases.

What you will be able to do

  • Develop a procurement strategy using needs analysis, market analysis, risk assessment and lotting decisions
  • Prepare technical specifications and bills of quantities that support fair, competitive bidding
  • Select appropriate procurement methods and tender procedures for goods, works and non-consulting services
  • Draft solicitation documents, evaluation criteria and bidder instructions for a defensible competition
  • Conduct bid opening and evaluation using responsiveness tests, scoring matrices and clarification controls
  • Assess price reasonableness, arithmetic corrections and abnormally low bid risks
  • Administer goods and works contracts through performance monitoring, variations, claims and acceptance
  • Present a complete procurement package with an audit-ready decision trail

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Produce procurement documents that withstand technical, financial and audit review
  • Make defensible method-selection and evaluation decisions for higher-value purchases
  • Identify specification, competition and contract risks before issuing a tender
  • Contribute confidently to bid evaluation committees and contract-management meetings
  • Build a documented procurement file suitable for promotion into senior procurement roles

For your organisation

  • Fewer failed tenders caused by unclear specifications or unsuitable procurement methods
  • Stronger competition through proportionate qualification requirements and accessible solicitation documents
  • More consistent evaluation records, reducing challenge, audit and integrity risks
  • Better control of works variations, delivery delays and supplier performance failures
  • Reusable procurement templates that improve quality across projects and departments

Course modules

20 modules over 10 days

Participants can apply core public procurement principles to procurement decisions and records.

  • Value for money, competition, transparency and accountability in public procurement
  • Procurement cycle from needs identification through contract closeout and records
  • Roles of procuring entity, evaluation committee, approvers and oversight bodies
  • Segregation of duties and delegated authority controls for procurement decisions
  • Conflict-of-interest declarations, confidentiality undertakings and ethical conduct requirements
  • Audit trails linking approvals, communications, evaluations and award decisions

Participants can identify the rules and hierarchy of documents governing a procurement.

  • Legal hierarchy: statutes, regulations, directives, manuals and tender documents
  • UNCITRAL Model Law principles relevant to competitive public procurement
  • World Bank Procurement Regulations and borrower procurement responsibilities
  • Donor-funded procurement conditions, no-objection requirements and eligibility rules
  • Reconciling organisational policies with applicable national procurement legislation
  • Documenting deviations, waivers and approvals within authorised procurement thresholds

Participants can turn a defined requirement into an approved procurement plan.

  • Needs statements distinguishing required outcomes from preferred supplier solutions
  • Demand forecasting using consumption data, project schedules and asset plans
  • Procurement plan fields: scope, budget, method, milestones and responsibilities
  • Lead-time analysis from requisition approval through delivery and acceptance
  • Annual procurement plans aligned with budget cycles and project funding
  • Approval gates controlling scope changes before solicitation document preparation

Participants can develop a sourcing strategy based on market evidence and procurement risk.

  • Supply market mapping: supplier capacity, competition, barriers and concentration
  • Request for information techniques for lawful pre-tender market engagement
  • Lotting decisions balancing competition, contract manageability and economies of scale
  • Make-or-buy analysis for outsourced non-consulting service requirements
  • Procurement risk register covering market, technical, delivery and integrity risks
  • Sourcing strategy linking market findings to method and contract approach

Participants can establish a credible cost estimate and test budget sufficiency.

  • Independent cost estimates built from market data and historical contracts
  • Bills of quantities, unit rates and provisional sums for works
  • Total cost of ownership for goods, including maintenance and consumables
  • Price adjustment assumptions for inflation, exchange rates and commodity movements
  • Budget validation against approved funding, taxes and contingency provisions
  • Confidential estimate controls before tender issue and bid evaluation

Participants can write clear specifications and scopes that permit fair competition.

  • Performance specifications defining outputs, capacity, quality and acceptance criteria
  • Technical specifications using measurable standards without unjustified brand restrictions
  • Equivalent product provisions and evidence required for technical compliance
  • Scope of works structured by location, activities, deliverables and interfaces
  • Bill of quantities preparation using measurable work items and units
  • Environmental, social, health and safety requirements within technical specifications

Participants can select a proportionate procurement method and procedure for the requirement.

  • Open competitive bidding for standard goods and works requirements
  • Restricted bidding where supplier markets are limited or specialised
  • Request for quotations under low-value thresholds and simplified documentation
  • Direct contracting justification, approval evidence and price reasonableness testing
  • Two-stage bidding for requirements needing technical solution refinement
  • Framework agreements, call-offs and catalogue purchasing controls

Participants can design proportionate supplier screening and prequalification requirements.

  • Prequalification criteria covering experience, capacity, finances and litigation history
  • Mandatory eligibility checks for sanctions, debarment and beneficial ownership
  • Pass-fail criteria distinguished from rated technical evaluation criteria
  • Financial capacity ratios appropriate to contract value and risk
  • Similar-contract evidence assessed by scope, value, complexity and completion
  • Prequalification report documenting assessments, decisions and applicant notifications

Participants can assemble a complete solicitation document with aligned instructions and conditions.

  • Instructions to bidders covering submission, validity, securities and communications
  • Data sheets completing standard bidding document clauses for each procurement
  • Evaluation and qualification criteria stated before tender publication
  • General and special contract conditions allocated to project-specific risks
  • Bid forms, price schedules and bill-of-quantities formats for comparison
  • Tender document consistency checks across specifications, criteria and contract terms

Participants can select works contract arrangements and allocate major delivery risks.

  • Lump-sum, remeasurement and design-build contract structures compared
  • FIDIC contract concepts: employer, engineer, contractor and notice requirements
  • Site conditions, access, utilities and employer-provided information risks
  • Performance securities, advance payment guarantees and retention mechanisms
  • Liquidated damages, extension of time and completion certification provisions
  • Insurance requirements for works, plant, personnel and third-party liability

Participants can manage a tender process that gives bidders equal access to information.

  • Tender notices stating scope, eligibility, deadlines and document access arrangements
  • Pre-bid conferences managed through agendas, attendance records and minutes
  • Written clarification procedures protecting equal information for all bidders
  • Addenda controls for specification changes, extensions and acknowledgement requirements
  • Site visits arranged without creating unequal bidder access or commitments
  • Secure communication logs retained within the procurement file

Participants can conduct controlled bid receipt and opening procedures with complete records.

  • Bid receipt registers recording time, bidder identity and submission status
  • Late bid handling under stated rules and documented custody controls
  • Public bid opening sequence for prices, discounts and securities
  • Opening minutes capturing announced information and participant signatures
  • Electronic submission controls for timestamps, access rights and data integrity
  • Post-opening confidentiality limits before formal evaluation is complete

Participants can determine whether bids meet mandatory submission and eligibility requirements.

  • Preliminary examination against signed forms, validity and bid security requirements
  • Material deviation tests using solicitation terms and equal-treatment principles
  • Arithmetic correction rules for unit rates, totals and discounts
  • Minor omissions distinguished from non-responsive bid defects
  • Clarification requests limited to confirmation, not bid improvement
  • Responsiveness matrix documenting findings, rationale and evaluator agreement

Participants can evaluate bids against published criteria and produce a defensible recommendation.

  • Evaluation plan assigning roles, criteria, records and conflict controls
  • Technical compliance assessment against specifications and mandatory performance requirements
  • Rated criteria scoring using published weights, anchors and evidence
  • Financial evaluation applying discounts, adjustments and currency conversion methods
  • Life-cycle cost calculations for equipment with operating cost differences
  • Bid evaluation report presenting results, exclusions and award recommendation

Participants can test evaluated prices and manage abnormally low bid concerns.

  • Price reasonableness benchmarks using estimates, market prices and comparable awards
  • Abnormally low bid indicators: labour, materials, overheads and programme assumptions
  • Written price analysis requests seeking explanations without renegotiating bids
  • Cost breakdown review for works rates, resources and construction methodology
  • Foreign exchange and escalation exposure assessed before contract award
  • Documented acceptance or rejection decisions for unrealistic pricing explanations

Participants can complete award approvals, bidder notifications and procurement file documentation.

  • Award recommendation approvals matched to delegated authority and funding conditions
  • Notice of intention to award and standstill period requirements
  • Unsuccessful bidder debriefings based on published criteria and recorded findings
  • Contract finalisation controls preventing material post-award scope changes
  • Procurement file index covering planning, tendering, evaluation and award records
  • Complaint handling routes, response timelines and escalation documentation

Participants can manage supplier delivery, inspection, acceptance and payment for goods contracts.

  • Kick-off meetings confirming delivery schedules, contacts and reporting obligations
  • Inspection and testing plans linked to specifications and acceptance criteria
  • Delivery notes, goods received records and discrepancy reporting controls
  • Warranty management, defects notifications and replacement obligations
  • Payment certification matched to accepted quantities, milestones and contract terms
  • Supplier performance scorecards covering quality, timeliness and responsiveness

Participants can control works changes, certify progress and manage emerging claims.

  • Baseline programme review using critical path milestones and reporting dates
  • Site instructions distinguished from authorised contract variations
  • Variation orders supported by scope, quantities, rates and approvals
  • Interim payment certificates verified against measured completed work
  • Extension-of-time claims assessed through notices, causes and programme impact
  • Defects liability monitoring, taking-over certificates and final account closure

Participants can incorporate integrity, sustainability and performance controls into procurement management.

  • Red flags for collusion, bid rigging, conflicts and fraudulent documentation
  • Integrity due diligence using ownership, sanctions and adverse-information checks
  • Sustainable procurement criteria for energy efficiency, waste and labour conditions
  • ISO 20400 principles applied to procurement policy and supplier requirements
  • Key performance indicators linking contract outputs to service-user outcomes
  • Post-procurement review capturing lessons, savings and process improvements

Participants can build, review and present a complete procurement package for a goods or works requirement.

  • Procurement strategy integrating needs, market findings, risks and selected method
  • Specification or scope of works with measurable acceptance requirements
  • Cost estimate, procurement schedule and approval route for proposed tender
  • Solicitation document sections aligned with published evaluation and qualification criteria
  • Bid evaluation matrix, award recommendation and procurement file index
  • Contract management plan covering milestones, performance, variations and closeout

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Procurement strategy template
  2. Goods specification and scope-of-works templates
  3. Independent cost estimate model
  4. Tender evaluation matrix
  5. Bid evaluation report template
  6. Goods and works contract-management plan

Who should attend

  • Procurement Officers — responsible for planning, tendering and documenting public purchases
  • Procurement Managers — accountable for compliant sourcing decisions and team quality control
  • Project Managers — need procurement schedules aligned with project scope and delivery milestones
  • Engineers and Technical Officers — prepare specifications, bills of quantities and technical evaluations
  • Contract Managers — oversee supplier performance, variations, acceptance and dispute prevention
  • Finance and Internal Audit Staff — review procurement controls, approvals and supporting records

Skills and tools covered

Procurement planningTender document draftingBid evaluationWorks contract administrationSupplier performance managementProcurement risk control

Tools and standards

UNCITRAL Model Law on Public Procurement, World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers, FIDIC Conditions of Contract, ISO 20400 Sustainable Procurement

How the course runs

Training methodology

The instructor introduces each method through short briefings linked to public procurement decisions. Participants analyse cases involving medical equipment, road works, framework supplies and facility services; review tender documents; and work in groups on planning, evaluation and contract issues. Simulations cover bidder clarifications, public bid opening, responsiveness assessment and evaluation committee deliberations. Throughout the course, participants apply the tools to a selected procurement requirement and receive structured peer and instructor feedback. Final application planning connects course outputs to current procurements and organisational procedures.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should understand basic purchasing concepts, organisational approval routes and the purpose of competitive tendering. Experience supporting procurements, projects, engineering works, finance reviews or contract administration is helpful. Participants should be able to read a scope of work, specification, quotation or tender document and use spreadsheets for simple calculations. Prior knowledge of a particular national procurement law, donor rulebook or e-procurement platform is not required. The course does not assume legal training, engineering design expertise or previous responsibility for leading a tender.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should understand basic purchasing, approvals and competitive tendering, or have related experience in projects, finance, engineering or contract administration. Legal training and prior responsibility for leading a tender are not required.

Bring a current or planned goods, works or non-consulting service requirement if your organisation permits discussion of it. A laptop is useful for working with templates and spreadsheet-based evaluation materials.

It is designed for procurement officers, project managers, engineers, contract managers, finance staff and internal auditors involved in public purchasing. It is particularly relevant for staff moving from routine purchasing into formal tenders and contract administration.

This course concentrates on public procurement controls for goods, works and non-consulting services, including tender procedures, bid evaluation, award records and contract administration. It does not focus on inventory planning, warehouse operations, logistics network design or private-sector category management.

Participants build reusable planning, specification, evaluation and contract-management materials during the course. These can be adapted to current procurements, subject to their organisation's law, policy, delegation limits and approved document formats.

Each day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours. The first part develops planning, specifications and tender documentation; the second part focuses on evaluation, award, contract management and the final procurement-package presentation.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

More courses in Procurement

Procurement Public Procurement Law and Local Content Training Course 10 days · from USD 2,200 · next 16 Nov Procurement Public Procurement Management Training Course 10 days · from USD 2,200 · next 16 Nov Procurement Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Training Course 10 days · from USD 2,200 · next 16 Nov Procurement Public Procurement of Goods and Services Training Course 10 days · from USD 2,200 · next 16 Nov Procurement Purchasing Management Training Course 10 days · from USD 2,200 · next 16 Nov Procurement Purchasing Management and Cost Reduction Training Course 10 days · from USD 2,200 · next 16 Nov Procurement Purchasing Negotiation and Cost Reduction Training Course 5 days · from USD 1,100 · next 16 Nov Procurement Purchasing and Contract Negotiation Training Course 5 days · from USD 1,100 · next 16 Nov