The Time Is Now To Accelerate Women’s Public Procurement: A Toolbox And Call To Action

Through the Women’s Economic Empowerment and Equality Technical Assistance (WE3 TA) task order, Banyan Global produced a toolbox to accelerate women's public procurement.

Public procurement—referring to purchases made by government agencies, international development agencies and development finance institutions (DFIs)—is estimated to be a $9 to $15 trillion USD global market. Despite the ever-increasing number of women-owned businesses around the globe, policymakers historically have overlooked the strategic economic role that women can play in GDP growth and job creation.

This 23-part Toolbox maps the landscape of women’s public procurement (WPP) in a cross-section of countries. It identifies specific models, as well as policy and program strategies and recommendations that stakeholders can use to accelerate and transform WPP if they work together and share knowledge and best practice. The Toolbox is targeted to international development and financing agencies, policymakers, contracting officers, and corporate prime contractors in public procurement who are interested in subcontracting to and mentoring women-owned businesses and women’s business associations.