Vendor protest procedure

If you perceive that you were not treated fairly in connection with a particular procurement exercise, you may lodge a complaint. In order to present the complaint, you must compile the following information/documents and submit them by email to the at UN Women headquarters in New York:

  1. Your name, address, telephone number, fax number, and email address;
  2. The solicitation or contract number, the name of the UN Women contracting Office, and the UN Women contact person;
  3. A detailed statement of facts and the grounds for the complaint, and an explanation of how you were directly affected;
  4. Copies of relevant documents supporting your complaint, cross-referenced to your statement;
  5. Any information that can help UN Women determine that you are an interested party in this process; and
  6. A statement on the best way UN Women may provide you with relief.

Please note that a complaint with incomplete information will not be processed.

Vendor sanctions

Effective governance and integrity are central to UN Women’s mandate. UN Women requires its vendors to comply with the highest ethical standards, and report to UN Women all suspected acts of fraud and corruption.

UN Women has banned a series of practices in its procurement process. These behaviors, also known as proscribed practices, include corruption, fraud, coercion, collusion, unethical practices, and obstruction.

Anti-fraud hotline

UN Women approaches fraud, corruption and any kind of wrongdoing in its procurement procedures with zero tolerance. The Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) of the United Nations is the principal channel to receive and investigate allegations of fraud in UN Women. The Investigations Division will assess and, as needed, investigate allegations of fraud, corruption or other wrongdoing by UN Women personnel or by third parties to the detriment of UN Women. OIOS will establish the facts that will allow UN Women’s senior management to take appropriate action, including initiating disciplinary proceedings or other sanctions. Read more about investigations.

Anyone with information regarding fraud, corruption or other wrongdoing involving UN Women programmes or UN Women personnel is strongly encouraged to report this information to OIOS.

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This manual provides corporations with a deeper understanding of the barriers and challenges preventing women-owned businesses from accessing and fully participating in local and global values chains. It also provides sensible, actionable steps that corporations can take with their strategic sourcing decisions to evaluate the diversity of their supplier base and to increase the share of women-owned businesses in their procurement.