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Private Sector Development Programme in Sierra Leone

Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

17 Sep 2026 at 15:52

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is preparing a potential private sector development programme in Sierra Leone. This is an international development services requirement focused on making investment in tradable sectors, particularly agriculture and manufacturing, more attractive, productive and inclusive. Possible activities include helping investors and businesses identify opportunities, reduce market-entry risks and costs, develop pipelines, assess feasibility and viability, test business models and pilot innovative finance. The programme may also provide technical and advisory support to businesses across market systems, including input suppliers, logistics, infrastructure, capital goods and other enabling services. It may support anchor firms to improve inclusion and assist Sierra Leonean government bodies with reforms affecting sector growth, the business environment and financial services.

The procurement is at early planning and market-engagement stage; there is no invitation to tender yet. The FCDO expects to hold a virtual early market engagement event on 30 September 2026, from 10:00 to 11:00 BST, to gather views on scope, delivery and design, understand market capability, and shape the terms of reference and procurement strategy. Suppliers intending to attend are expected to register by 29 September 2026. The final requirements remain subject to a future tender notice, which is expected on or before 30 November 2026. The planned single lot has an estimated value of £7,000,000 including taxes, with delivery from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2030 and a possible extension to 31 March 2031.

The work is suited to development consultancies, investment and private-sector advisers, and consortia with experience in Sierra Leone or comparable markets. Relevant capability includes agricultural and manufacturing sector development, investment facilitation, market systems analysis, feasibility and viability assessment, pipeline development, business-model testing and innovative financing. Suppliers able to provide technical assistance to businesses, input and logistics providers, infrastructure or capital-goods firms, and financial-sector stakeholders are likely to be well placed. Experience supporting government ministries and agencies with economic, regulatory and financial-sector reform would be relevant. The scope also favours organisations with strong gender-inclusion expertise, including improving women’s access to quality employment, leadership and supply-chain opportunities. Small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises are identified as suitable participants.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Private Sector Development Programme in Sierra Leone

Notice Description

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is undertaking early market engagement (EME) in advance of a potential future procurement for a new private sector development programme in Sierra Leone. This programme is expected to complement a joint FCDO-British International Investment (BII) programme, Horizon Sierra Leone, which focuses primarily on unlocking near-term investment opportunities. The proposed new programme will focus on strengthening the underlying conditions required to make investment in Sierra Leone's tradable sectors, particularly agriculture and manufacturing, more attractive, productive, and inclusive. Indicative areas of support may include: - Provide targeted support to investors and businesses to identify opportunities, reduce market-entry risks and costs, test new business models, and unlock investment through market scoping, feasibility studies, pipeline development, business viability assessments, and piloting innovative financing solutions - Technical assistance and advisory support to businesses that strengthen market systems and create wider benefits to sector(s), including providers of inputs, logistics, infrastructure, capital goods, and other enabling services. - Support to anchor firms to adopt more inclusive business practices, including employing more women into better-quality jobs, promoting women into leadership positions, and strengthening sourcing from women-owned businesses within supply chains. - Provide targeted assistance to government ministries, departments, and agencies to deliver priority reforms that unlock sectoral growth, improve the business environment, and strengthen the financial sector.

Planning Information

Suppliers should access the FCDO eSourcing portal (Jaggaer) to view and participate in the opportunity referenced in this notice. Suppliers who are not yet registered should complete the online registration process at https://fcdo.bravosolution.co.uk/. All communications and clarification questions must be submitted through the messaging facility within the portal. Responses may be shared with all interested suppliers to ensure a fair and transparent process. The information provided in this notice is indicative only and may be subject to change. The Authority reserves the right not to proceed with any procurement or contractual arrangement Engagement Process Description FCDO intends to hold an EME event to: - Introduce the proposed programme. - Seek market feedback on the proposed scope, delivery approach, and design. - Better understand market capabilities to inform potential delivery models. - Inform the development of the Terms of Reference and procurement strategy. The event will be held virtually on: - Date: Wednesday 30th September 2026 - Time: 10:00 to 11:00am British Summer Time (BST) To attend the event, please register your interest using the following link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=09Ci08h8Uk-7-YW9Q9lCecrVSZRgRcpDtJxVU1ZowUdUMVdMNzREQURHM1pZUDU0TVVBM0pGREI5Sy4u&route=shorturl Supporting documents will be made available on the FCDO Supplier Portal at least one week prior to the event. Please note that the information provided at this stage is indicative only and does not constitute a commitment to procure. The final scope, requirements, budget and contractual arrangements will be confirmed in any future Tender Notice. .

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0774b7
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088343-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

75 - Administration, defence and social security services

CPV Codes

75211200 - Foreign economic-aid-related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£7,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
17 Sep 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
30 Nov 20263 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1A 2AH
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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