Banyan Global implemented the global Women’s Economic Empowerment and Equality Technical Assistance (WE3 TA) task order, awarded under the Advancing the Agenda of Gender Equality (ADVANTAGE) indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract. Under the direction of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation’s Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Hub, Banyan Global provided advisory services to stakeholders to better analyze, design, implement, and monitor interventions addressing women’s economic empowerment and equality constraints and opportunities in support of USAID’s Gender Equality and Female Empowerment Policy.

Public procurement—referring to purchases made by government agencies, international development agencies and development finance institutions (DFIs)—is estimated to be a $9 to $15 trillion USD global market. Despite the ever-increasing number of women-owned businesses around the globe, policymakers historically have overlooked the strategic economic role that women can play in GDP growth and job creation.

This 23-part Toolbox (refer to links below) maps the landscape of women’s public procurement (WPP) in a cross-section of countries. It identifies specific models, as well as policy and program strategies and recommendations that stakeholders can use to accelerate and transform WPP if they work together and share knowledge and best practice. The Toolbox is targeted to international development and financing agencies, policymakers, contracting officers, and corporate prime contractors in public procurement who are interested in subcontracting to and mentoring women-owned businesses and women’s business associations.