By Gabriel Ani
YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon (chatnewstv.com) — The British High Commission in Cameroon has issued an invitation to tender for the supply of bottled drinking water to its diplomatic facilities, seeking qualified local suppliers to provide weekly and emergency deliveries under a one-year contract.
In a procurement notice published Wednesday, the British High Commission in Yaoundé said it is looking for a “reliable and cost-effective supplier” to deliver 20-liter bottled water dispensers to eight locations in the capital and surrounding areas.
“The objective of this tender is to secure a reliable, and cost-effective supplier of bottled drinking water for routine and contingency deliveries,” the commission said in the notice.
Under the proposed contract, the successful bidder will supply up to five bottles per location per week, with quantities varying based on demand. Deliveries will operate on a replacement basis, with empty bottles collected at each visit, and emergency call-out deliveries required within 24 hours, according to the tender document.
The commission said additional deliveries may be required during peak periods or seasonal fluctuations, and bidders must demonstrate the capacity to scale supply accordingly. Monthly invoicing and service reports detailing quantities, incidents and customer feedback will also be required.
Technical requirements stipulate that all water bottles must be made of food-grade material, carry tamper-evident seals and comply with World Health Organization drinking-water guidelines as well as Cameroon public health regulations. Suppliers must also provide regular microbiological and chemical test reports and guarantee hygienic handling from source to delivery.
To qualify, bidders must be legally registered in Cameroon, have at least three years’ experience supplying bottled water to embassies or large institutions, and demonstrate financial stability and the ability to operate on 30-day payment terms. Site visits to two locations in Bastos and Golf will be arranged as part of the contracting process.
Bids must be submitted electronically by Feb. 13, with technical proposals evaluated before financial offers are considered, the commission said. The contract will run for 12 months, with the possibility of extension by mutual agreement.
“The British High Commission, Yaoundé reserves the right to reject any or all bids without assigning any reason,” the notice said.
Scope of work and requirements
The successful bidder will be responsible for:
- the supply and timely weekly delivery of a variable number of drinking water bottles of 20 litres to the British High Commission and its offices in eight locations
- the number of sites may be increased or decreased with notice and after prior agreement
- the number of bottles supplied will vary depending on need – up to a maximum of five bottles per location per week. The number of bottles delivered on each occasion will be equal to the number of empty bottles collected from the same location
- additional supply and delivery in an emergency/call out basis should be provided within 24hrs
- additional supply and delivery may be required at peak times or vary according to seasons – supplier to propose capacity plan
- submitting monthly invoices for services rendered and providing a monthly service report. For eg.: quantities by site, incidents/returns and customer feedback
- incidents should be reported within 24 hours
Technical specifications
Supplier should:
- provide dispenser water bottles (20 litres) that are clean, made of food grade material and with tamper-evident seals
- guarantee hygienic handling of the product from source to the point of delivery
- ensure the product meets WHO guidelines for drinking-water quality and Cameroon public health standards
- ensure full source transparency (spring/mineral/purified) by providing monthly lot microbiological and chemical test reports regularly and batch certificates upon request
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible, bidders must demonstrate/provide evidence of the following:
- legal registration in Cameroon: tax clearance/attestation, and any applicable sector permits
- experience of minimum 3 years supplying bottled potable water to embassies, international organisations, hospitals, or large corporates. Supplier to include three references with contact details
- audited company accounts or bank comfort letter covering the last two years (from an accredited Banking institution
- ability to support 30-day payment terms
- ability to hold buffer stocks for BHC orders
- documented production controls: compliance with WHO guidelines for drinking-water quality and relevant Cameroon public health standards. Accredited laboratory testing program, sample reports for past 12 months
- health and safety policy and staff hygiene training records
Submission guidelines
Deadline: 13 February 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Submission method
Email:bhcyaoundeprocurement@fcdo.gov.uk
Subject line: CMY0126 bottled water.
File format: PDF (unlocked), maximum size of file should be 20 MB. If larger, split and number the files.
Language: English (French annexes accepted for official documents where bilingual).
Submission format
- part A: Administrative and eligibility documents
- part B: Technical proposal
- part C: Financial proposal
- part D: Signed declarations
Evaluation criteria
Bids will be evaluated based on commercial and technical criteria. The commercial element will only be considered once a bidder has met the required technical criteria.
Technical:
- specifications and quality
- proven ability to fulfil technical specifications
- evidence of compliance with and ability to provide consistent quality standards over time within a clear testing regime
- evidence of hygiene standards from source to the point of delivery (including storage and transportation) with clear employee training
- delivery time: transport capability and proposals
- experience and qualifications
- references and proven track record
- relevant industry certification
- customer feedback
Commercial:
- price per unit for standard and emergency/call out supply to include delivery
Contract terms
The selected bidder will enter into a contract with The British High Commission, Yaoundé for a period of 12 months. This term may be subject to extension by mutual agreement upon successful delivery of the contract.
Key terms (KPI’s) include:
- consistent and reliable supply of safe drinking water
- timely delivery within agreed parameters to eight locations
- zero tolerance for non-compliant or contaminated product; immediate replacement within 24 hours at supplier cost
- emergency/call out fulfilment within 24 hours
Payment schedule:
- monthly invoicing in arrears
- 30-day payment terms for all deliveries
Delivery timeline:
- standard weekly deliveries (on a like for like replacement basis up to a maximum of five bottles per location) to each location on the same day each week between 8am and 2pm to include (where applicable) any pre-agreed increased supply at peak times
- emergency/call out supply within 24 hours
Clarifications and contact
All questions must be submitted to:
Contact person: Morgan Clark
Email: bhcyaoundeprocurement@fcdo.gov.uk
Deadline for questions: 06 February
Legal compliance
Bidders must be able to demonstrate compliance with all applicable laws and regulations including but not limited to:
- Cameroon public health and packaged water regulations
- WHO guidelines for drinking-water quality (latest edition)
- security and access protocols at diplomatic premises
- relevant FCDO/BHC procurement policy clauses (to be included at award)
The British High Commission, Yaoundé reserves the right to reject any or all bids without assigning any reason.
