Discusses the legal requirements for selling to the host government, including whether the government has agreed to abide by the WTO Government Procurement Agreement or is a party to a government procurement chapter in a U.S. FTA. Specifies areas where there are opportunities.

Government expenditures in BiH are significant and amounted to around 40 percent of GDP in 2018.  The scope of government procurements is wide as it includes many government-owned enterprises such as public utilities and service providers for telecommunications, electricity and gas utilities, transportation services, and water supply.  Procurement award decisions are often opaque:   Transparency International’s 2018 Corruption Perception Index ranked Bosnia and
Herzegovina at number 89 out of 180 countries.

The BiH Public Procurement Agency and Procurement Review Body provides information pertaining to public procurement legislation, including procurement notices.

U.S. companies interested in selling to the government are advised to contact U.S. Embassy Sarajevo for additional information about specific procurement opportunities.  The Embassy assists U.S. companies exporting to BiH by identifying local opportunities for the sale of U.S. products or services, providing counseling on the market, and meeting the advocacy needs of U.S. firms.  In addition, U.S. companies can obtain advocacy support through the Advocacy Center in Washington, D.C.

Many governments finance public works projects through borrowing from Multilateral Development Banks.  Please refer to the “Project Financing” section in “Trade and Project Financing” for more information.

U.S. Commercial Service Liaison Offices at the Multilateral Development Banks (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, World Bank)

The Commercial Service maintains Commercial Liaison Offices in each of the main Multilateral Development Banks, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank. These institutions lend billions of dollars in developing countries on projects aimed at accelerating economic growth and social development by reducing poverty and inequality, improving health and education, and advancing infrastructure development. The Commercial Liaison Offices help American businesses learn how to get involved in bank-funded projects, and advocate on behalf of American bidders. Learn more by contacting the Commercial Liaison Offices to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank.

 

    Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.