Public Procurement Grievance & Complaints Mechanism

File a Complaint
File a Procurement Complaint

The Government of Belize is committed to fair, transparent, and competitive public procurement. This Grievance and Complaints Mechanism provides an avenue for bidders, potential bidders, and other eligible parties to raise concerns regarding a public procurement process and to request review and corrective action where appropriate.

If you have concerns regarding a Government of Belize procurement process, the Procurement Unit is committed to addressing complaints promptly, fairly, and transparently.

This complaints mechanism allows eligible parties to report concerns and request review of procurement actions, including bidding documents, evaluation processes, and award decisions.

Who can submit a complaint?

You may submit a complaint if you are:

  • a bidder/tenderer, supplier, contractor, consultant, or service provider; or
  • a potential bidder who believes procurement requirements are unfair, discriminatory, unclear, or inconsistent with applicable laws and policies.
What complaints are accepted?

A complaint may relate to:

  • the bidding/request documents (e.g., eligibility criteria, technical specs, evaluation criteria);
  • procurement procedures (e.g., publication, clarifications, deadlines, opening);
  • evaluation and scoring;
  • award decision;
  • exclusion/disqualification; or
  • other alleged breaches of applicable laws and policies.

 

Complaints may include concerns about:

  • unfair or inconsistent evaluation;
  • misconduct, bias, or improper influence;
  • non-compliance with procurement procedures or regulations;
  • conflict of interest;
  • unclear, restrictive, or discriminatory bidding requirements;
  • award decisions or disqualification/exclusion; or
  • other procurement irregularities.
What is not covered?

This mechanism does not address:

  • contract performance disputes after signing (e.g., payment delays, delivery disputes), unless linked to a procurement breach;
  • labour or HR grievances; or
  • criminal allegations (these may be referred to the relevant competent authority).
Before you submit

You should:

  1. Identify the procurement reference number and contracting/procuring entity.
  2. Submit your complaint as soon as possible after the issue occurs.
  3. Provide specific facts and any supporting documentation.
  4. State the relief/remedy requested (e.g., clarification, correction, re-evaluation).

How the Complaint Process Works

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Submit the Complaint
Acknowledgement
Admissibility Review
Review and Decision
Corrective Action

Complete the online form, provide as much detail as possible, and attach supporting evidence where available.

Urgent Complaints or Request for Interim Measures

If your complaint relates to an active procurement (e.g., evaluation or award), you may request urgent review. In limited circumstances and where legally permissible, interim measures may be considered to prevent irreversible harm (e.g., pausing an award decision).

Confidentiality

Confidential commercial or personal information should be clearly marked as confidential.

Declaration

Complaints must be submitted in good faith. False or misleading information may result in administrative action under applicable laws and policies.

After submitting

You will receive a confirmation message and a reference number.

The Procurement Unit should acknowledge receipt and provide a Complaint Reference Number within 5 working days.

Within 10 working days, the Procurement Unit will confirm whether the complaint:

  • relates to a procurement process;
  • contains sufficient information;
  • was submitted within a reasonable time; and
  • is eligible for review.

Where admissible, the complaint will be reviewed and a written response issued normally within 15 working days after admissibility.

Possible Outcomes (Remedies)

Depending on the findings, outcomes may include:

  • no breach found (complaint dismissed);
  • request for clarification or correction of documents;
  • re-evaluation or re-scoring;
  • cancellation and re-tendering;
  • other corrective measures permitted by law and policy.

If the complaint is upheld, corrective actions may be recommended/required, where permitted, including document corrections, re-evaluation, or cancellation and re-tendering.

Appeal/Escalation

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome, you may seek further review in accordance with the applicable procurement legislation and the laws of Belize, including administrative or judicial review, where applicable.