Invitation: Virtual Business Outreach Workshop on Contracting Opportunities under World Bank–Financed Projects
Are you ready to position your organization to successfully compete for contracts financed by the World Bank?
The World Bank Western Balkan Procurement Hub is organizing a Virtual Business Outreach Workshop for the Private Sector in the Western Balkans. This workshop aims to enhance the private sector’s understanding of contracting opportunities, processes, and requirements under projects financed by the World Bank.
Topics to be covered
The workshop will address questions such as:
- How do the World Bank and governments work together to systematically identify, evaluate, and prioritize investment projects and programs that respond to sector needs and contribute to the achievement of national development goals?
- Where can firms identify contracting opportunities under World Bank–financed projects?
- What are the respective roles and responsibilities of the borrower, the World Bank, and participating firms throughout the procurement process?
- What qualification, evaluation, and compliance requirements should bidders be aware of?
- What common challenges do bidders encounter, and how may these be addressed?
- What practices can help firms prepare responsive and competitive bids?
- What are the key considerations related to transparency, integrity, and sustainability in World Bank–financed procurement?
- What country-specific market or regulatory factors may influence participation and competition?
The session will include presentations and interactive discussion, allowing participants to seek clarification and share perspectives based on their experience and operating environment.
Workshop Facilitator
The virtual training session will be facilitated by Krish Krishnakumar, Senior Consultant in International Public Procurement, an experienced procurement professional with extensive knowledge of World Bank–financed operations.
Krish has over 40 years of experience in public procurement, contracting, and supply chain management across both the public and private sectors, including the World Bank. He served at the World Bank for over two decades, serving as Regional Procurement Manager for the Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe and Central Asia (ECA) regions, and as Special Advisor on procurement policy, where he played a key role in advancing the Bank’s Operational Procurement Reform. Since retiring from the World Bank, he has worked as Lead Procurement Consultant for the Asian Development Bank’s Independent Evaluation Department, contributing to the evaluation of the ADB's 2017 Procurement Framework. He has also delivered procurement training to PIU staff in ECA, the Caribbean, and Sri Lanka, and has facilitated business outreach workshops supporting Ukraine’s emergency assistance and reconstruction efforts. Krish offers a rich blend of operational experience and practical insight, with a particular focus on the institutional and behavioral dimensions that shape effective procurement, helping institutions achieve positive outcomes grounded in transparency, fairness, and integrity.
Workshop details
Date: March 12, 2026
Time: 1 pm CET
Format: Virtual
Participation: please send a confirmation of your interest to participate to Ana-Maria Luchian at aluchian@worldbank.org. Once received, we will send you the connection details.
We hope this workshop will contribute to strengthening understanding of World Bank procurement processes and support broader participation by the private sector.
Kind regards,
World Bank Western Balkan Procurement Hub