UNDP has, over the years, developed an extensive understanding and experience in providing technical assistance and support to the conduct of democratic elections, as part of the Democratic Governance practice area. A key support area is the procurement of electoral items, ranging from ballots and ballot boxes, to ink, stationery, and lately, biometric voter registration equipment as well as services.

UNDP has recently increased its focus on the crucial pre-polling period of planning and budgeting, which also reflects an increasing concern over how public funds are managed in general; recognising that the procurement of electoral material and services is one of the most expensive parts of an electoral budget.

Procurement in UNDP is guided and must be conducted in accordance to specific principles, processes, procedures and best practices applying at all levels from strategy to operation. For instance, in UNDP electoral assistance projects, a competitive tendering process must be undertaken unless detailed outlined in the ProDoc, including a separate budget line and supportive proposal, and then vetted by UNDPs LPAC.8 Such process will be in any case guided by specific procedures and rules.

Similarly to other entities conducting public procurement, UNDP uses principles and procedures that help in streamlining the procurement processes, mitigating risks, ensuring optimal quality of the process and the result.