What do you need to bid for federal government contracts?
Federal tenders in Nigeria ask for a familiar set of documents. Most of them prove what the Public Procurement Act 2007 requires of every bidder; the rest are set by each agency. Getting them in order before a tender appears is the single biggest thing you can do to bid in time.
The National Database and the IRR
The Act makes the Bureau of Public Procurement keep a national database of federal contractors and service providers. A 2014 circular from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation says contractors not on the database may not do business with the federal government, and that agencies must ask bidders for an Interim Registration Report (IRR) as evidence. Federal adverts typically ask for the IRR or a valid BPP certificate. Registration is done through BPP; check its site for the current process and fees.
Documents federal tenders commonly ask for
As an example, a 2024 PenCom invitation to tender asked bidders for:
- CAC registration documents;
- tax clearance certificates for the last three years;
- a PenCom compliance certificate (for firms with 15 or more staff);
- an ITF compliance certificate (for firms with 5 or more staff, or turnover of ₦50 million or more);
- an NSITF clearance certificate;
- the BPP IRR or certificate;
- audited accounts for the last three years.
Every tender sets its own list, so read the advert and bidding documents line by line. The Act itself requires that bidders are up to date on taxes, pensions and social security contributions, are not insolvent, and disclose any link to officials of the buying agency (section 16).
Bid security
For contracts above BPP's thresholds, agencies may require a bid security of not more than 2% of the bid price, as a guarantee from a reputable bank (section 26). Arrange it early: banks need time.
National or international?
BPP sets value thresholds that decide which method applies. From 15 May 2025, national competitive bidding covers goods from ₦30 million and works from ₦50 million, and the largest contracts can be opened to international bidders.
Mobilisation fees
The Act as passed in 2007 allowed a mobilisation fee of up to 15% of the contract, backed by a bank guarantee. The cap has since been reported as changed by later legislation, so check the current rule, and your contract's own terms, before you price a job on it.
Keep a ready file: current CAC documents, tax clearance, PenCom, ITF and NSITF certificates, the BPP IRR, audited accounts, a company profile and staff CVs. Most federal tenders can then be answered in days rather than weeks.
How TendaRadar helps
A ready file only helps if you see the tender early. TendaRadar sends new government tenders in your trades and states to WhatsApp as they're published, so you can use the six weeks the Act allows. When you're ready to bid, read how to prepare a tender submission.
Official sources
- Public Procurement Act 2007, full text (copy published by NERC)
- SGF circular on the National Database of Federal Contractors (2014)
- Example federal invitation to tender: PenCom, 2024
- BPP's revised procurement thresholds, May 2025 (Federal Ministry of Information)
- Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP)
This guide is general information, not legal or professional advice. Rules change, and each tender's own advert and bidding documents set its requirements: always read them, and check with the buyer or a professional if you're unsure.