PROCUREMENT, WITH CONTEXT
Terms buyers run into before the purchase order is signed.
Plain-language explanations of the terms buyers encounter when preparing specifications, quotations and delivery plans.
PRIMEGATE
Specification. Evidence. Delivery.
East Africa
01 / IN FOCUS
Procurement & documentation
BOQ (Bill of Quantities)
The itemised list of materials, work and quantities a project requires, usually issued by the buyer's engineer or quantity surveyor.
RFQ (Request for Quotation)
A buyer's formal request for supplier pricing against a defined requirement.
RFP (Request for Proposal)
A more open solicitation than an RFQ, typically asking suppliers to propose a technical and commercial approach, not just a price.
Tender
A formal, rules-based procurement process, usually with published evaluation criteria, common in government and institutional buying.
Purchase order (PO)
The buyer's formal, approved instruction to supply goods or services against agreed terms.
Proof of delivery (POD)
Signed or documented confirmation that goods were received, in the stated quantity and condition, at the agreed location.
Substitution
A proposed alternative product offered in place of the one specified; always flagged for buyer approval before it is treated as accepted.
Compliance file
The set of documents — registration, tax, technical, manufacturer — a tender or institutional buyer requires to evaluate a supplier's eligibility.
02 / IN FOCUS
Cost & trade terms
Landed cost
The total cost of a product once it has reached its destination: product value, freight, insurance, duty, taxes and local handling.
Incoterms (EXW / FOB / CIF / DDP, etc.)
Standardised international trade terms defining where the seller's cost and risk end and the buyer's begin. Always confirm the specific Incoterm stated on a quotation — it changes who pays for what.
Duty
A government-levied tax on imported goods, calculated against the item's classification and declared value.
VAT (Value Added Tax)
A consumption tax applied at import and at points of sale, in addition to any customs duty.
Freight forwarder
A company that arranges the movement of goods on a shipper's behalf, coordinating carriers, documentation and customs processes.
Bill of lading / airway bill
A carrier transport document describing a shipment. An airway bill is not a document of title; certain negotiable bills of lading can serve that function.
03 / IN FOCUS
Regulatory & compliance
PPDA
Uganda's Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority, which regulates public-sector procurement in Uganda.
Certificate of origin
A document certifying the country in which goods were manufactured, often required for customs clearance or preferential trade treatment.
Import permit / licence
Authorisation required for certain regulated goods before they may be legally imported into a given country.
Pre-qualification
A vetting stage some tenders use to confirm a supplier meets baseline eligibility criteria before being invited to bid.
04 / IN FOCUS
Quality & product evidence
Data sheet
A manufacturer's technical document describing a product's specifications, performance and operating limits.
Manufacturer authorisation letter
A letter from a manufacturer confirming that a named supplier or agent is authorised to sell or represent its product for a specific tender or market.
Certificate of conformity
A document certifying that a product meets a stated standard or specification, sometimes required before customs clearance or acceptance.
Warranty period
The period in which specified defects may qualify for a remedy under the written manufacturer or supplier warranty. Coverage, exclusions and the claim process depend on the applicable terms.
FROM REQUIREMENT TO NEXT STEP
Bring the details. We’ll help connect the process.
A specification, a BOQ or a clear description is a useful place to begin.