Foreign firms can bid, but local preference is strong. Fully government-funded tenders below about KSh 50 million (about US$500,000) are generally reserved for Kenyan firms.
Procurement portals
How to take part
- Find notices on tenders.go.ke (also buyer websites and local press)
- Register with the NCA before signing construction or infrastructure contracts
- For construction, subcontract or form a JV with an NCA-registered local firm for at least 30% of contract value
- Prepare a local content plan covering jobs and technology transfer
- Appeals go to the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board (PPARB)
Local preference & limits
- Preference for Kenyan-owned firms and Kenyan-made goods
- At least 30% of procurement reserved for firms owned by women, youth or persons with disabilities
- 20% of county tenders reserved for county residents
- 75% of jobs for Kenyan citizens on awarded contracts (20% of those professional/management)
Bid language · Check each tender (mostly English)
Development-bank projects
Projects financed by the World Bank, AfDB, EIB, JICA and others follow the lender's procurement rules, which are more open to foreign firms.
Good to know
- Price, payment terms and financing weigh heavily
- Growing use of PPPs
- Violations bring debarment of at least three years, including directors
Sources
Summary of public sources. Check the original and latest rules before bidding.
