Around 100 people, both in person and online, including local contractors, suppliers, consultants, and other stakeholders, gathered at the Aleeze Convention Center on Tuesday evening for a Procurement Engagement event hosted by the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) in collaboration with the World Bank. The session, which was also attended by ministers, parliamentarians, and the Governor of St. Maarten, His Excellency Ajamu Baly, provided practical guidance on participating in Trust Fund-financed projects and introduced digital tools aimed at improving transparency, access, and engagement in the procurement process.
Opening the event, NRPB Director Claret Connor emphasized the NRPB’s commitment to transparency, fairness, and integrity in managing projects on behalf of Sint Maarten.
“At the NRPB, we manage relationships with our partners, but the one we cherish most is the relationship with the people of Sint Maarten. Everything we do comes down to one word: eligibility. Because if a project becomes ineligible, it’s the people of Sint Maarten who may bear the cost. That’s why we hold ourselves to the highest standards, knowing that our work has real consequences for this community. If you ask my team what matters most, we’ll tell you: doing it once, and doing it right.”
Speaking at the session, Jean-Jacques Verdeaux, the World Bank’s Procurement Practice Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasized the World Bank’s commitment to developing and promoting local industry, economy and employment. He also addressed concerns of international competition and emphasized the opportunities that international involvement can create for local businesses.
“International companies are asked to train and employ locally. This is a win–win situation as it presents an opportunity for knowledge transfer and training. Do not see yourself as competition working against an international company, see it as an opportunity. Through the Trust Fund and through the NRPB everyone has an opportunity.”
NRPB’s Head of Procurement, Santiago Ibarguen delivered a practical presentation aimed at helping local firms improve their competitiveness. The session covered common reasons for disqualification, suggestions for building stronger proposals, and strategies for partnering through joint ventures or subcontracting. The presentation outlined the numbers of contracts to date that have been implemented by locally established companies, and that local inclusion and accessibility are at the heart of the NRPB’s mission to implement projects on behalf of the Government of Sint Maarten.
The event also featured a walkthrough of the newly updated Procurement Manual and the official launch of Bonfire, the NRPB’s new e-Procurement platform. The manual provides detailed guidance on procurement procedures, while Bonfire enables businesses to register online, access tenders, and submit bids electronically.
The session concluded with a question-and-answer segment, allowing attendees to raise concerns and receive clarification directly from NRPB and World Bank representatives.
Materials from the session, including presentation slides and a vendor registration guide, will be made available at www.nrpbsxm.org/procurement.
For further information the NRPB procurement team can be reached at procurement@nrpbsxm.org or the World Bank pprocurementcomplaints@worldbank.org
The NRPB implements projects funded by the Sint Maarten Trust Fund, on behalf of the Government of Sint Maarten. The Trust Fund is financed by the Government of the Netherlands and managed by the World Bank.
Inset from left to right: Jean-Jacques Verdeaux, World Bank Procurement Practice Manager, Latin America and the Caribbean; Claret Connor, Director, NRPB; Toyin Jagha, Program Manager, Sint Maarten Trust Fund Program, Latin America and Caribbean; Santiago Ibarguen, Head of Procurement, NRPB; Rena Richardson, Procurement Officer, NRPB