Public Procurement in Zambia: Rules, Tenders and Compliance
A practical course for public buyers and the businesses that bid for government contracts in Zambia: the Public Procurement Act, tenders, evaluation, appeals to ZPPA, contracts and preference schemes, with 2026 examples.
Enrol in this Course
- 📦 5 modules
- 📹 20 lessons
- 📝 5 quizzes
- 🎓 Certificate on completion
- ♾ Learn at your own pace, online
Public procurement is how government spends a large share of its budget, and it is one of the biggest markets for Zambian businesses. This course explains Zambia’s public procurement rules from both sides of the tender: the public officers who buy, and the businesses and consultants who bid and deliver.
It covers the Public Procurement Act 2020 as amended in 2023, the 2022 Regulations, the Preference and Reservation Schemes Regulations 2025, ZPPA and its e-GP system, with practical Zambian examples. The focus is on principles that do not change: value for money, competition, transparency, fairness, accountability and a complete written record.
Thresholds, percentages, time limits and fees are shown as 2026 examples and are expected to change. All of them are collected in a dated reference table at the end of the course. Always double-check any figure that may have changed with ZPPA or a qualified adviser before you act.
What you will learn
- How Zambia’s procurement laws and institutions fit together
- How to plan, choose the right method and run an open tender
- How to prepare a responsive bid and keep a compliance pack ready
- How bids are evaluated, including arithmetic corrections and margins of preference
- How awards, the standstill period and appeals to ZPPA work
- How to manage contracts, variations, payment, termination and close-out
- How to avoid corruption, suspension and offences, and use preference and reservation schemes properly
Who it is for
Procurement officers, heads of procurement, evaluation and Procurement Committee members, controlling officers, finance and audit staff in public bodies, and business owners, bid managers and consultants who bid for government contracts.
How the course works
There are five modules, each with four lessons and a short quiz. You need 70% on each quiz to complete the course and earn your certificate.
Course Curriculum
5 modules · 20 lessons · 5 quizzes · 1 free preview
Module 1: Foundations of Public Procurement
- 1.1 How Public Procurement Works in Zambia (Start Here) Free preview
- 1.2 The Legal Framework and Institutions
- 1.3 Roles, Committees and Internal Controls
- 1.4 Procurement Planning, Budgets and Market Research
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Module 1 Quiz Enrol to take
Module 2: Procurement Methods
- 2.1 Choosing the Right Method and Thresholds (Start Here)
- 2.2 Open Tendering Step by Step
- 2.3 Restricted, Quotation, Direct and Low-Value Procurement
- 2.4 E-Procurement and Official Portals
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Module 2 Quiz Enrol to take
Module 3: Bids and Evaluation
- 3.1 Specifications and Bidding Documents (Start Here)
- 3.2 Supplier Registration, Eligibility and Compliance Documents
- 3.3 Preparing and Submitting a Responsive Bid
- 3.4 Evaluation, Preferences and Post-Qualification
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Module 3 Quiz Enrol to take
Module 4: Award, Challenge and Contracts
- 4.1 Award, Notification and the Standstill Period (Start Here)
- 4.2 Complaints, Review and Appeals
- 4.3 Contract Management, Variations and Payment
- 4.4 Termination, Disputes, Close-Out and Disposal
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Module 4 Quiz Enrol to take
Module 5: Integrity, Preferences and Compliance
- 5.1 Ethics, Conflicts of Interest and Corruption Red Flags (Start Here)
- 5.2 Debarment, Offences and Sanctions
- 5.3 Preference and Reservation Schemes, SMEs and Local Content
- 5.4 Records, Audit, Reporting and the Compliance Calendar
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Module 5 Quiz Enrol to take