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Public Procurement in Mauritius

Public Procurement in Mauritius plays a significant role in public financial management and national development within an upper middle-income economy. Government procurement supports infrastructure development, service delivery, and economic competitiveness across key sectors.

The procurement system in Mauritius is governed by a comprehensive legal framework and supported by both policy and oversight institutions. The system emphasizes transparency, value for money, competition, and accountability.

For domestic suppliers and international firms, government tenders in Mauritius provide structured access to procurement opportunities in goods, works, and services.

Country & Economic Overview

Mauritius has a diversified economy with strong public sector governance. Public procurement is a core mechanism for implementing government programs and development policies.

Public Procurement Governance Framework

Public procurement governance in Mauritius is shared between policy formulation and contract approval institutions.

The Procurement Policy Office develops procurement policy, directives, and guidance, while the Central Procurement Board reviews and approves major procurement decisions.

Legal & Regulatory Framework

The public procurement system in Mauritius is governed by the Public Procurement Act 2006, as amended, together with procurement regulations and directives issued by the Procurement Policy Office.

• Life Cycle Costing & Sustainability: Section 28 (2)(b)
• Value for Money: Sections 37(9) and 40(1)
• SME Participation & Domestic Preference: Section 28 (2)(a)
• Bid Securities: Section 30
• Public Bid Openings: Section 36
• Complaint Resolution: Regulation 57A

The legal framework applies uniformly to goods, works, and services procurement.

Procurement Procedures & Thresholds

• Standstill period regulated under Section 40(4) and Regulation 48.
• Bid validity periods governed by Section 34.
• Contract award disclosure requirements under Section 40(3) and Regulation 38(3).
• Advertisement timelines governed by Regulation 26(2).
• Direct procurement thresholds governed by Regulation 44.

Procurement procedures are standardized and subject to administrative and audit oversight.

E-Procurement System in Mauritius

Mauritius operates a national Government electronic Procurement System (e-PS), launched in 2015.

• eProcurement planning
• Electronic publication of notices
• eTendering and eQuotation
• Electronic bid evaluation and award
• Advanced electronic signatures and authentication

Tender documents are available for download through the platform.

Procurement Market Characteristics

Public procurement in Mauritius is active across multiple categories.

• Goods contracts: 4,842 awards
• Works contracts: 1,645 awards
• Services contracts: 1,198 awards
• SME awards value: USD 45.64

The system uses the Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV) classification.

Transparency, Complaints & Oversight

The procurement framework includes formal complaint mechanisms and publication of procurement information. Annual procurement reports and statistics are published by the Procurement Policy Office.

Sustainability & Green Public Procurement

Mauritius has adopted a green public procurement strategy supported by the national Green Charter. Sustainability considerations are embedded in the Public Procurement Act; however, mandatory green procurement targets and monitoring mechanisms are not specified.

Social & Ethical Procurement Considerations

The procurement framework supports SME participation and domestic preference. Specific statutory provisions for women-owned businesses, disadvantaged groups, or international labour standards are not explicitly defined.

Key Challenges & Practical Insights for Bidders

• Strict compliance with legal and procedural requirements
• Documentation and electronic submission standards
• Competition in open tendering processes
• Approval timelines for high-value contracts

Practical bidding tips

1. Register early on the national e-Procurement system.
2. Follow PPO directives and standard bidding documents.
3. Prepare bids in line with CPV classifications.
4. Monitor approval requirements for high-value tenders.

Overall, Public Procurement in Mauritius provides a transparent, rules-based, and digitally enabled procurement environment offering consistent opportunities for qualified suppliers.