Women Entrepreneurs Forum Addresses Barriers to Public Procurement

The Budget Advocacy Network (BAN), in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce and the National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA), recently hosted a forum aimed at addressing barriers that women entrepreneurs face in accessing government procurement opportunities. The event, held on January 25-26, 2025, brought together over 100 women business owners, government officials, and civil society representatives.

Understanding the Challenges

Public procurement represents a significant market opportunity, with the government of Sierra Leone spending approximately 80% of its development budget through procurement contracts. However, women-owned businesses secure less than 10% of these contracts, according to recent data from the NPPA.

The forum provided a platform for women entrepreneurs to share their experiences and identify key barriers, which include:

• Limited access to information about procurement opportunities
• Complex bidding procedures and documentation requirements
• Difficulty meeting financial qualification criteria, including bid security
• Limited capacity to prepare competitive bids
• Delayed payments affecting business sustainability
• Limited networking opportunities with procurement officials

Government Initiatives

The Director of the NPPA outlined recent reforms aimed at creating a more inclusive procurement system, including:

• Reserved categories of contracts for women, youth, and persons with disabilities
• Simplified procedures for small value contracts
• Preferential treatment for local businesses in certain procurement categories
• Development of an e-procurement system to increase transparency

"The government is committed to ensuring that public procurement becomes a tool for economic empowerment for all Sierra Leoneans, particularly those who have been historically marginalized in this sector," the NPPA Director stated.

Capacity Building Components

The forum included practical training sessions on:

• Navigating the procurement process and understanding bidding documents
• Building consortiums and joint ventures to meet qualification requirements
• Accessing finance for contract performance
• Quality control and contract management

Action Plan and Way Forward

At the conclusion of the forum, participants developed a comprehensive action plan with specific recommendations for government, the private sector, and civil society. Key recommendations include:

1. Establishing a quota system for women-owned businesses in government procurement
2. Creating a mentorship program pairing experienced contractors with women entrepreneurs
3. Developing a dedicated fund to provide bid security and performance guarantees
4. Conducting regular sensitization sessions on procurement opportunities in rural areas
5. Establishing a monitoring mechanism to track progress in women's participation

BAN will coordinate a working group to monitor implementation of these recommendations and advocate for necessary policy changes. A follow-up forum is planned for July 2025 to assess progress and address emerging challenges.

"This initiative aligns with our strategic focus on gender mainstreaming in public financial management," said Aminata Sesay, BAN's Gender Mainstreaming Specialist. "When women have equal access to economic opportunities, including government contracts, the entire economy benefits."