Public procurement regulation in Cameroon: texts, procedures, thresholds

The texts in force

Décret n° 2018/366 du 20 juin 2018 portant Code des marchés publics
Base text: preparation, award, performance, control and regulation of contracts financed by the State, decentralised local authorities (CTD), public establishments, external aid and State-guaranteed loans. It repealed decree no. 2004/275. An official English edition exists. I found no text amending it.[1][2][5]
Circulaire n° 00001/PR/MINMAP/CAB du 25 avril 2022 relative à l'application du Code des marchés publics
Clarifies the Code: day counting, publication, collecting the tender file, bid bond, discounts, negotiation, subcontracting, bonds, insurance, appeals. It applies together with the Code.[4][5]
Décret n° 2018/0002/PM du 5 janvier 2018 fixant les conditions et modalités de passation des marchés publics par voie électronique
Rules for tendering on the COLEPS platform: online file, encrypted and signed bids, backup copy, opening, evaluation, appeals filed electronically.[3][9]
Arrêté n° 333/A/MINMAP/CAB du 27 décembre 2024 fixant le calendrier de migration vers la passation exclusive des marchés publics par voie électronique
Sets the stages of the move to fully electronic procurement from the 2025 fiscal year. I could not read the text itself: the ARMP cites it in 2026 as a text in force.[8][7][13]
Lettre-circulaire n° 000019/LC/MINMAP du 5 juin 2024 sur la constitution, la consignation, la conservation, la restitution et la déconsignation des cautionnements
Framework for bonds (bid bond, final bond, etc.). 2026 notices still require it. The press reports a circular no. 000014/C/MINMAP/CAB of 23 July 2025 on the same subject: I could not establish which one replaces the other.[11][12][16]
Status to confirm with the regulator.
Arrêté n° 093/CAB/PM du 5 novembre 2002 fixant les montants de la caution de soumission et les frais du dossier d'appel d'offres
The ARMP manual (2023) lists it among the texts in force. The notices read cap the bid bond at 2% of the estimated cost including tax, 'in accordance with the order in force'. I could not read this order.[5][11]
Status to confirm with the regulator.
Arrêté n° 032/CAB/PM du 28 février 2003 fixant les modalités d'application de la demande de cotation
Cited by the ARMP manual (2023) as governing the request for quotation. It predates the 2018 Code: if they differ, the Code (arts. 112 and 113) prevails. I could not read this order.[5][1]
Status to confirm with the regulator.
Arrêté n° 402/A/MINMAP/CAB du 21 octobre 2019 fixant la nature et les seuils des marchés réservés
Applies article 70 of the Code: contracts reserved for craftsmen, national SMEs, community-based organisations and civil society organisations. Known from press reports only.[14][1]
Status to confirm with the regulator.
Décret n° 2018/355 du 12 juin 2018 fixant les règles communes applicables aux marchés des entreprises publiques
Public enterprises (State-owned companies) are outside the Code (art. 4) and have their own rules. I did not read this decree.[9][1]
Décret n° 2003/651 du 16 avril 2003 fixant les modalités d'application du régime fiscal et douanier des marchés publics
Tax and customs treatment of contracts (the Code, art. 72, refers to the regime in force). Cited by the ARMP manual. I did not read this decree.[5][1]

The bodies

Ministère des Marchés Publics (MINMAP)
Its minister is the 'Authority in charge of public contracts' (art. 50). He authorises direct awards and two-stage tenders, cancels irregular awards, decides appeals and disagreements, and imposes sanctions. The Central Contracts Control Boards sit under him.[1][2][9]
Agence de Régulation des Marchés Publics (ARMP)
System regulator. It publishes the Journal des Marchés, keeps the list of excluded firms, approves experts, investigates appeals for the Committee, gives an opinion on abnormally low bids, issues the non-exclusion certificate (CNE) required in a bid, and circulates the standard documents.[1][6]
Commissions de Passation des Marchés (CPM)
Support bodies attached to the buyer for any contract of at least 5 million FCFA: internal boards (ministry, public establishment, or a council that has one), regional boards (Governor) and divisional boards (Senior Divisional Officer, also for councils without a board). They review the tender file, open bids, set up the evaluation sub-committee and propose the award.[1][2][4]
Sous-commission d'analyse des offres
A panel of at least three members, including one buyer representative, set up at bid opening. It checks compliance, evaluates and ranks the bids, and may ask for written clarifications (at most 7 working days to answer).[1][4]
Commissions Centrales de Contrôle des Marchés (CCCM)
A priori control of large files, by sector (roads, other infrastructure, buildings, general supplies, services and intellectual services). They give an opinion on the tender file and on the award. With no opinion within 10 working days, it is deemed favourable.[1][2]
Observateur Indépendant
A consultant recruited by the ARMP who attends the board and evaluation sub-committee sessions for consultations of at least 50 million FCFA. He reports breaches and sends a report to the ARMP, the buyer and the board within 72 hours.[1][4]
Comité chargé de l'examen des recours
A body set up at the ARMP. It hears bidders' appeals from bid opening onward. The ARMP investigates within 7 calendar days at most, then the Committee proposes measures to the minister, whose decision binds both sides.[1][2]
Maître d'Ouvrage (MO) et Maître d'Ouvrage Délégué (MOD)
The buyer ('Project Owner' in the English Code): a minister, the head of a local authority (mayor, regional president) or the director of a public establishment. The delegated owner acts for him (Governor, Senior Divisional Officer, head of an externally funded project). The buyer launches the tender, receives bids, awards, signs and notifies. An internal unit (SIGAMP) sells the files and logs the bids.[1][2][4]
Journal des Marchés Publics (JDM) de l'ARMP
Legal publication of tender notices, addenda, award results, cancellations, failed tenders and the list of excluded firms. The ARMP must publish a notice within 24 hours of receiving it. The bid period runs from that publication.[1][4][6]
COLEPS (Cameroon On Line E-Procurement System)
MINMAP's official e-procurement platform (marchespublics.cm), operating since 2018. It is used to publish notices, download files and, when the notice allows it, submit the bid online. An electronic certificate is needed to sign and encrypt the bid.[3][7][10]
Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDEC)
2026 notices require the bid bond to come with a CDEC consignation receipt. Specialised press reports that the CDEC receives, holds and returns bonds for the buyer.[12][16]

Where to find notices

Journal des Marchés Publics et site de l'ARMP
Tender notices, addenda and results, searchable by region, type and amount. Tender files can be downloaded there. The Journal is the publication from which the deadlines run.
Browsing notices online is open. The ARMP also offers a subscription form for the Journal (price not read).
PRIDESOFT (pridesoft.armp.cm)
ARMP site hosting notices, tender files, addenda and reference documents. The 2022 circular names it, with COLEPS, as an electronic posting channel.
COLEPS (marchespublics.cm)
E-procurement platform: notices, files, online bid submission. The submission mode (paper or online) is stated in each notice.
The bidder registers on the platform and needs an electronic certificate to submit online. Fees and lead times are not established here.
Service de l'acheteur (SIGAMP, mairie, ministère)
Free viewing of the paper file, sale of the file against a receipt, receipt of sealed bids. The purchase fee is paid at the council revenue office (councils), the Public Treasury (administrations) or the regulation special account (public establishments).
Non-refundable fee set in the notice: 15,000 FCFA in a 2025 council notice, 45,000 FCFA in a 2026 one. Submitting depends on having paid, even if the file is downloaded free.
Site du MINMAP (textes et documents types)
Decrees, circulars, procurement plans and a collection of facilitation documents. Useful for reading current texts.

Who buys

Ministries and State administrations: The minister is the project owner. An internal board handles contracts of at least 5 million FCFA. Credits delegated to regions and divisions go through Governors and Senior Divisional Officers, with a regional or divisional board. Large files also go before a central control board (see thresholds).[1][2][4]
Decentralised local authorities (councils, regions): The mayor or regional executive is the project owner. A council with no board of its own uses the Senior Divisional Officer's divisional board. The notices read are signed by the mayor and financed by a ministry's Public Investment Budget or by FEICOM plus the council's own funds, and the file fee is paid at the council revenue office.[1][4][11][12]
Public establishments: The director general or director is the project owner and the Code applies. File purchase fees go to the regulation special account. A public establishment may bid only if its prices cover all its costs, with no benefit from its public-service resources.[1][4]
Externally funded projects and project units: The project head acts as delegated owner and may have a special board. The Code applies only where it does not conflict with the financing agreement, which sets the donor's rules. The tender file therefore says which rules apply.[1][2]
Public enterprises (State-owned companies): Their contracts are outside the Code and follow decree no. 2018/355. Tenders from companies such as CAMPOST still appear on the ARMP site. Read their own rules, not the Code.[1][9]

The procedures

Open invitation to tender, national or international (ONIT on English notices)

The general rule: contracts are awarded by tender (arts. 72 to 75). The notice invites every interested bidder. A tender is national if open to firms domiciled or headquartered in Cameroon, international otherwise (art. 74). A tender with a design competition (architecture, planning, arts. 79 to 82) follows the open procedure with a jury.[1][2]

Minimum period: From 25 to 50 working days after the notice appears in the Journal des Marchés. It may drop to 20 working days for minor services or manifest urgency, and rise to 90 days for international tenders or complex projects (art. 89). The Code counts working days; the 2022 circular also excludes Saturday.[1][2][4]

For you: This is the normal route above 50 million. Check the Journal publication date: a notice published too late is grounds to postpone the opening, not to reject your bid. National notices require being established in Cameroon and tax-compliant.

Restricted invitation to tender (after pre-qualification)

Mandatory for intellectual-service contracts (studies, audits, supervision, consulting). Allowed for specific, large or complex works or equipment, made-to-order supplies and specialised services. The buyer first publishes a call for applications, shortlists at least three pre-qualified candidates per lot (otherwise it reverts to open tender) and publishes the shortlist before sending invitations (arts. 76 and 78).[1][2]

Minimum period: To apply for pre-qualification: 15 to 21 working days (national tender), 21 to 30 working days (international), cut to 10 and 15 working days in urgent cases (art. 77).[1][2]

For you: If you miss the call for applications you cannot bid later. Answer the pre-qualification notice with your references, then wait for the invitation letter. You can appeal the pre-qualification terms, 5 working days before the application deadline and 5 working days after the shortlist is published.

Request for quotation (for jobbing orders, 'lettres-commandes')

A simplified procedure for certain jobbing orders (5 million to under 50 million FCFA), where the bidder need not propose a methodology and compliance can be checked without an evaluation sub-committee. Examples listed: supplies and consumables, furniture, tools, IT equipment, light vehicles, routine building maintenance, bush clearing and drain cleaning, guarding, green-space upkeep (art. 112). It is open to firms in the sector and to civil society organisations. The award goes to the fully compliant lowest bid (art. 113).[1][2]

Minimum period: The bid period may be cut to 20 working days for a request for quotation (art. 89). The notice is published like an open tender notice (art. 113).[1][2]

For you: The most accessible route for a small firm: you quote a price against the buyer's specification and the lowest compliant bid wins. The administrative file is still required (tax and social security clearances, etc.). A certified or bank cheque can replace the bank bond. Missing documents can be regularised within 48 hours, except the bond.

Contract awarded by mutual agreement (direct award)

An exception, on prior reasoned authorisation from the minister for public contracts and only in four cases: a patent, know-how or exclusive right held by one operator; urgent replacement of a defaulting contractor; compelling urgency from force majeure; complementary supplies or works that cannot be separated from a contract already awarded by tender (arts. 108 to 111). The buyer then consults at least three companies without advertising, except for the patent and complement cases.[1][2][4]

For you: There is no notice to watch: the buyer invites firms directly. Only the award decision is published. A complementary contract can go only to the holder of the original contract.

Request for expression of interest

Used to pre-qualify candidates for a restricted tender (arts. 76 and 77) and to recruit individual consultants: the buyer compares the qualifications (degrees, experience, local knowledge) of those who responded, ranks them, then negotiates the method and possibly prices with the first (arts. 117 and 118). Individual-consultant recruitment falls under the jobbing-order threshold.[1][2]

For you: No financial bid at this stage: your profile is what is judged. Prepare an up-to-date CV and documented references. A consulting firm whose partner applies as an individual stays bound by the conflict-of-interest rules that apply to the firm.

Two-stage tendering

Used when the buyer wants to choose on performance criteria and cannot itself define the means or assess the solutions. It needs the minister's prior authorisation at planning stage. In the first stage bidders submit a proposal without prices and may discuss with the buyer. In the second they submit a final technical proposal with prices (arts. 83 and 84). A bidder who withdraws gets its bid bond back.[1][2]

For you: Rare. No price is given in the first stage: put your effort into the technical solution and your qualifications. You can withdraw before the final bid without losing your bond.

Framework agreement

For routine supplies or services and maintenance or renovation works where the buyer cannot know the volume in advance (arts. 65 to 67). Maximum term three years. With a minimum and maximum, a single provider per lot is chosen after open tender and orders are issued without fresh competition (art. 114). With no fixed quantity, at least three pre-qualified providers per lot compete for each subsequent contract (art. 115).[1][2]

For you: Attractive for a regular supplier: one framework agreement can generate orders for three years. Price your unit rates carefully, because price revision exists only if the agreement runs over 12 months and provides for it.

The thresholds

Buyer	Contract	Amount	Effect
Any public buyer	All	Under 5,000,000 FCFA (tax basis not stated in the text)	Administrative purchase order: the buyer buys directly, with no award board. These purchases are outside the Public Contracts Code.[1][5]
Any buyer subject to the Code	All	At least 5,000,000 FCFA and under 50,000,000 FCFA (tax basis not stated)	Jobbing order (lettre-commande): the award board takes part. The buyer may use a request for quotation or a tender. The holder can be exempted from the final bond only if the file expressly says so.[1][2][5][4]
Any buyer subject to the Code	All	50,000,000 FCFA and above	A full contract: tender by default (art. 72). From this amount (lots added together, tax included per the circular), the Independent Observer attends the board and evaluation sub-committee sessions.[1][4]
Project owners (lots added together)	Works	5,000,000,000 FCFA incl. tax and above (road works)	The file also goes to the Central Control Board for road works (opinion on the tender file and on the award).[1][5]
Project owners (lots added together)	Works	1,000,000,000 FCFA incl. tax and above (other infrastructure: special structures, water, electrification, telecoms)	A priori control by the Central Control Board for other infrastructure.[1][5]
Project owners (lots added together)	Works	500,000,000 FCFA incl. tax and above (buildings and community facilities)	A priori control by the Central Control Board for building and community facility works.[1][5]
Project owners (lots added together)	Supplies	250,000,000 FCFA incl. tax and above (general supplies)	A priori control by the Central Control Board for general supplies.[1][5]
Project owners (lots added together)	Services	100,000,000 FCFA incl. tax and above (services and intellectual services)	A priori control by the Central Control Board for service and intellectual service contracts.[1][5]
Works contracts	Works	100,000,000 FCFA and above (value of the structure)	A site-wide construction insurance is required, and the first payment statement is paid only on proof of the policies. For new works of this size, ten-year liability insurance may also be requested.[4]
Bidder that subcontracts	All	Subcontracted part of 10% or more of the contract value	The bid must attach documents showing the subcontractor's technical and financial capacity. At the same threshold, the buyer may pay the subcontractor directly.[1][4]
Reserved contracts (if the file reserves them)	All	Ceilings reported by the press: 15M FCFA (craftsmen, very small firms), 30M (community and civil society organisations), 50M (SMEs)	Article 70 of the Code lets buyers reserve some contracts for these groups. The ceilings come from a 2019 order I did not read: check them in the tender file.[1][14]unofficial source

The administrative documents

Trade register extract (RCCM)
Almost always asked for
Greffe du Tribunal de Première Instance / CFCE
The RCCM is issued by the registry of the court of first instance for the registered office, or through the CFCE business-creation centre at incorporation. Registration is permanent, but many tender files ask for an extract under three months old. Check with the registry for a recent extract.
Detailed guide
Taxpayer card / NIU
Almost always asked for
Direction générale des impôts (DGI)
The unique identification number (NIU) is assigned by the DGI at tax registration; the card or registration certificate can generally be downloaded from the tax portal. It is requested in virtually every administrative file. Check that the company name exactly matches the RCCM.
Official site
Tax clearance certificate (non-redevance)
Almost always asked for
Direction générale des impôts (DGI)
It certifies that the company has no outstanding tax debt. The request is generally made online on the DGI portal from the company account, once all returns are filed. It is valid for a limited period: request it ahead of each submission.
Usual validity: 3 monthsOfficial site Detailed guide
CNPS clearance certificate
Almost always asked for
Caisse Nationale de Prévoyance Sociale (CNPS)
It certifies that the company is registered and current on its social-security contributions. Apply at your CNPS centre or through the CNPS online services. Settle any overdue contributions before applying.
Usual validity: 3 monthsOfficial site Detailed guide
Non-bankruptcy certificate
Almost always asked for
Greffe du Tribunal de Première Instance
It is issued by the registry of the court for the company's jurisdiction on presentation of the RCCM. It certifies that no insolvency proceedings are open against the company. Tender files usually require a recent certificate: check the requested age.
Usual validity: 3 monthsDetailed guide
Public-procurement non-exclusion certificate
Almost always asked for
Agence de Régulation des Marchés Publics (ARMP)
It certifies that the company is not on the list of firms excluded from public procurement. Apply to the ARMP, generally on presentation of the RCCM and the taxpayer card. Check the ARMP website for the current procedure and the validity period stated on the certificate.
Usual validity: 3 monthsOfficial site Detailed guide
Bank domiciliation certificate
Almost always asked for
Votre banque
Ask your bank for a domiciliation certificate in the company's name, stating the account the contract will be paid to. Some tender files also require a financial-capacity letter: check the exact wording requested. It usually takes a few days.
Usual validity: 3 monthsDetailed guide
Location plan
Often asked for
Établi par l'entreprise (ou un géomètre)
The location plan shows where the company's office is, with neighbourhood landmarks. It is generally drawn by you or a surveyor, dated and signed, sometimes with a utility bill attached. Check the tender file for whether a city-hall-stamped plan is required.

Who can bid

Barred from bidding: firms in liquidation or bankruptcy, firms under a national or international prohibition, and firms that have not filed their legal returns (art. 51). A firm whose contract was terminated for unauthorised subcontracting, default, labour-law breach or corruption is excluded for two years unless the minister grants an exception. The ban follows the person: it also covers any company he creates afterwards (art. 184).[1][2]
Documents required with the bid (art. 90): proof of identity and activity; deed authorising the signatory to bind the company; non-bankruptcy certificate; ARMP certificate that no prohibition applies (CNE); tax clearance; social security clearance; categorisation certificate where relevant; bid bond. Their validity must run past the launch of the tender. Notices read ask for originals or certified copies less than three months old.[1][2][11][6]
The council notices read eliminate bids that lack the signed integrity charter, the commitment to environmental and social clauses, or the sworn statement of no abandoned contract in the last three years. They also eliminate a firm listed on the MINMAP list of defaulting companies.[11][12]
Conflicts of interest: a consultant who helped prepare a tender file cannot bid in that tender, and an industrial or commercial public body cannot answer a call from its supervising authority (art. 198). A public entity is admitted only if it has legal personality, financial autonomy, private-sector accounting and is not under the buyer's supervision (art. 52).[1][2]
A buyer may reserve some building and public works contracts for firms of a given category (art. 53). According to the press, categories run from E to A, contracts under 15 million FCFA are open only to categories D and E, and contracts of 3 to under 8 billion require A or B. The official table was not read.[1][15]unofficial source

Joint ventures and subcontracting

A business grouping files a single commitment document and is represented by a common agent. The special administrative clauses say whether it is joint (each answers for its own lot, the agent being liable alongside each member, each paid into its own account) or several (each answers for the whole contract, payment into a single account) (arts. 5, 135 and 136).[1][2]
At bid opening, a joint venture gets only one representative (art. 92). In a joint grouping each member needs insurance for its own lot; in a several grouping the agent must also insure its coordination role (circular, points 163 and 164).[1][4]
Subcontracting: it needs the buyer's prior authorisation, and the main company stays responsible for everything (art. 131). State in your bid the nature and amount of each subcontracted service; at 10% of the contract or more, attach documents on the subcontractor's capacity (art. 133). The subcontractor must be paid within 30 working days of receiving the invoice. It may be paid directly by the buyer from 10% of the contract (art. 163).[1][2]
A contract can be terminated outright for subcontracting, co-contracting or sub-ordering without prior authorisation (art. 182), which brings the two-year exclusion (art. 184). Payments between company and subcontractor go through credit institutions approved in Cameroon (art. 163).[1][2]

Bid security

A bid bond is required 'where applicable', in the amount and form set by the tender file (art. 90). The notices read cap it at 2% of the estimated cost including tax 'in accordance with the order in force': 300,000 FCFA on 15 million in a 2025 notice, 840,000 FCFA on 42 million in a 2026 notice. It must be issued by an institution approved by the Finance Minister, listed in the tender file.[1][11][12]
Its validity must exceed the bid's validity by 30 days. It is returned once results are published, except the winner's, which is replaced by the final bond (art. 90). It is forfeited if the winner does not sign the contract within 15 working days (art. 101).[1][2]
With no bond at bid opening the bid is rejected: it is the only document that does not get the 48-hour grace period (art. 92). A bond unrelated to the tender counts as absent. A bond issued by an insurer for its own account is refused. A bond handed in during the opening session is inadmissible (2022 circular, points 101 and 102).[1][2][4]
SMEs with national capital and managers, and civil society organisations, may produce instead a certified cheque, bank cheque, legal mortgage or bank guarantee. For jobbing orders, certified and bank cheques are accepted for everyone (art. 90). A bond from an international financial institution is accepted if it names a local correspondent approved by the Finance Minister.[1][2]
A 2026 notice asks that the bond come with a CDEC consignation receipt, under the 5 June 2024 circular letter. Specialised press says the CDEC must return a bond within 15 working days of release, but I did not read the circular.[12][16]unofficial source

Submitting bids

The bid goes in a sealed envelope holding three separate envelopes: administrative documents, technical offer, financial offer. The outer envelope shows the tender number and subject, never the bidder's identity. It is deposited against a receipt at the place stated in the notice. An envelope arriving after the deadline is inadmissible (art. 91). The number of copies is set by the tender rules (7 in the notices read: one original and six copies); too few copies, or copies only, makes the bid inadmissible (circular, point 90).[1][2][4][11]
Bids are received by the buyer's services, not by the board: no envelope can be handed in during the opening session (circular, point 88). If you could not buy the file because of the buyer's services, your bid cannot be refused on that ground, but you must show the purchase receipt (points 86 and 87).[4]
Electronic (decree of 5 January 2018): the bid is signed electronically, encrypted automatically and time-stamped, and must be backed up by a copy on a physical medium in a sealed envelope marked 'copie de sauvegarde' that arrives before the deadline. Several uploads are allowed: only the last counts. The file sets the file formats, and ignoring them makes the bid inadmissible. The file purchase fee is paid before submission (arts. 6 and 10 to 14).[3]
The choice to run a tender electronically belongs to the project owner, within limits set each year by ministerial order. Paper and electronic procedures coexist until an exclusive system is in place (arts. 34 and 35). The 2025 and 2026 notices I read state 'offline' submission. One notice warns that a bidder cannot use both online and offline routes when both are open.[3][11][12]
According to the press, the 27 December 2024 order requires over 200 administrations (ministries and their regional delegations, all local authorities, universities and agencies) to use COLEPS from 2025, then sub-divisional offices, public establishments, projects and programmes in 2026, and all project owners in 2027. What this requires of bidders is not established. Registration reportedly goes through MINMAP, with a signing key from ANTIC, per a specialised site.[13][17][10]unofficial source
A tender notice must be written in French and in English (art. 85). It states the funding, the budget envelope, the place, date and time limits for submission and opening, how long bids remain valid, and the bid bond amount (art. 86).[1][2]

Bid opening

Opening takes place no later than one hour after the submission deadline, by the award board (arts. 91 and 92). Only one representative per bidder may attend, even for a joint venture. The administrative documents and main bid elements (time limits, amounts, discounts) are read out publicly. Minutes are drawn up on the spot, and an extract with the attendance sheet is given on request.[1][2]
If an administrative document is missing or non-compliant, the bidder has 48 hours to produce or replace it; the original is then deposited against a receipt at the board's secretariat. A missing bid bond gets no such grace period (art. 92; circular, points 99 and 103).[1][2][4]
Works, supplies and quantifiable services: one session opens everything. Non-quantifiable services and intellectual services: administrative documents and technical offer are opened first, then later only the financial offers of those with the minimum technical score, in their presence (art. 93). In that case also include the witness financial offer in a separate sealed envelope: its absence makes the bid inadmissible (circular, point 91).[1][2][4]

Evaluating bids

For works, supplies and quantifiable services, qualification criteria are pass/fail, objective and verifiable. For non-quantifiable and intellectual services, evaluation is by scoring with sub-criteria (art. 87). Only the criteria in the tender file may be used to eliminate or judge a bid (art. 95).[1][2]
The Code sets no minimum technical score. In one council notice read, at least 70% 'yes' answers on the technical grid were needed for the financial offer to be analysed. Evaluation lasts at most 10 working days for a minor one-stage project, 15 for two-stage opening, 21 for a complex project (art. 94). The board proposes the award within 21 working days of opening (10 if urgent, 30 for two-stage opening) (art. 18).[1][2][11]
Clarifications are requested in writing, with at most 7 working days to answer, and may not make the bid more competitive. If words and figures differ, the price in words prevails. False statements, forged documents and fraudulent practices lead to elimination (art. 95).[1][2]
An abnormally low bid may be rejected only after a written request for justification that is found unsatisfactory, with an ARMP opinion within 7 working days (art. 105). An unconditional discount is applied before comparison. A conditional discount counts only in a multi-lot tender, if you rank first on more than one lot (circular, point 107).[1][2][4]

Preferences and SMEs

National preference applies between equivalent bids, only in international tenders, and only if the file provides for it (art. 106). Priority order: a person or company under Cameroonian law; a company with mostly Cameroonian capital; a firm with economic activity in Cameroon; a joint venture including Cameroonian firms. The margin is 10% for works and quantifiable services. For supplies it needs at least 15% local or regional processing. There is none for intellectual services. For international tenders financed from domestic resources it applies and must appear in the file (circular, point 73).[1][2][4]
For minor works that national very small firms and SMEs can carry out, award criteria must take into account the bidder's track record on similar works and its location (art. 100). For jobbing orders, if the file provides, the references of the promoter or a technical manager of a newly created national SME stand in for the company's own (art. 97).[1][2]
Contracts may be reserved for craftsmen, national SMEs, community-based organisations and civil society organisations (art. 70). Subcontracted work goes first to national SMEs at least 51% owned by nationals, then, failing that, to SMEs and large firms at least 33% nationally owned (art. 132).[1][2]
Local labour: performance conditions must include social considerations that promote local labour and decent work, and prefer the labour-intensive approach (HIMO) wherever possible, as set in the special technical clauses (art. 57). The maximum share that can be subcontracted is set by the general administrative clauses (art. 132), which I did not read.[1][2]

Award

Works, supplies and quantifiable services: the contract goes to the bid that meets the qualification criteria and is evaluated as lowest. Non-quantifiable services, intellectual services and design competitions: to the bid evaluated as best value (art. 99). For non-quantifiable services, the lowest price therefore does not necessarily win.[1][2]
The buyer signs the award decision and publishes the results in the Journal des Marchés, with the winner's amount and time limit, within 5 working days of the board's final proposal (art. 101). The extract of the evaluation report is given to you on request, within 72 hours per the circular. Without an appeal, notification takes place no later than 15 calendar days after publication (art. 175).[1][2][4]
The winner has 15 working days to sign the contract; after that and a formal notice, the decision may be cancelled, the bid bond is forfeited and the contract goes to the second-ranked bidder (art. 101). The contract must be notified before any work starts, and any claim for services performed before notification is inadmissible (art. 123). The start order follows within 15 calendar days.[1][2]
Bid above available funding: the buyer moves to the next-ranked bidder with an acceptable offer (art. 103), or negotiates in ranking order with one bidder at a time. Negotiation cannot cover unit prices and its financial effect is capped at 15% of the bid. A tender can be declared failed only if there is no bid, no compliant bid, or no bid compatible with the funding. The buyer may also cancel it; once bids are opened, it needs the minister's consent (art. 102).[1][2][4]
The Code requires funding to be confirmed before launch (art. 60) and the notice to state the funding and budget envelope (art. 86). It applies to contracts financed by the State, a local authority or a public establishment, by external aid, or by a State-guaranteed loan (art. 3). For external funding, the financing agreement overrides the Code where they conflict (art. 4). The notices read cite 'BIP' (Public Investment Budget) of a ministry, for example 'BIP MINADER', or 'FEICOM budget' plus the council's own funds.[1][2][11][12]

Appeals

An appeal must cite a fact or a breach of the Code, the regulations or the tender file (art. 170). Time limits are strict: a late request is time-barred (art. 177). Before opening, it goes to the buyer, with copies to the minister and the ARMP. From opening onward, it goes to the Petitions Review Committee, with the same copies. It may be filed electronically on COLEPS.[1][2][4][3]
Pre-qualification: 5 working days before the application deadline, and 5 working days after the results are published (art. 171). Between the notice and the opening: the appeal must reach the buyer at least 14 working days before opening; it has 5 working days to reply; if there is disagreement, the appellant goes to the Committee. It does not suspend the tender (art. 172).[1][2]
At bid opening: only on how the session was run, to the Committee, within 3 working days of the opening, with no suspensive effect (art. 173). After the technical analysis in a two-stage opening: within 3 working days after the session opening the financial offers (art. 174). Against the award: within 5 working days of the results being published; the procedure may be suspended at the ARMP's discretion (art. 175).[1][2]
For appeals before the Committee, the ARMP investigates and returns its findings within 7 calendar days at most. The Committee then proposes measures to the minister, whose decision binds both sides (art. 176). The review may lead to the procedure being redone or cancelled (art. 177). During performance, an aggrieved contractor may bring a non-judicial appeal to the buyer or the minister (art. 186).[1][2]

Performance guarantee

The holder provides a final bond of 2% to 5% of the initial contract value, amendments included (arts. 137 and 138). It must be posted within 20 calendar days of notification and in any case before the first payment (art. 139). It covers performance until provisional acceptance. If an amendment raises the contract value, the bond rises at the same rate (2022 circular).[1][2][4]
It is released after the buyer's discharge. After 30 calendar days the competent body must return it on simple request, and it lapses unless the buyer has notified that obligations are unmet (art. 141). It can be replaced by an approved bank guarantee or a personal and joint guarantee (art. 140). For a jobbing order, exemption is possible only if the tender file allows it (art. 142; circular, point 170).[1][2][4]
Insurance: the tender file states which cover is required. For works of 100 million FCFA and above, site-wide construction insurance is required and the first payment statement is paid only on proof of the policies. New works of 100 million and above may require ten-year liability insurance. Subcontractors insure with approved companies (2022 circular, points 160 to 168).[4]

Advance payment

A start-up advance exists only if the special administrative clauses provide for it (art. 159). On simple request and without justification, it may reach 20% of the initial tax-inclusive price for works, services and intellectual services, and 40% for supplies (art. 160).[1][2]
The advance must be 100% guaranteed by a Cameroonian bank or an approved first-rank financial body, and is paid only after the required bonds are in place. It is repaid by deductions from payments, between 40% and 80% of contract completion. The advance payment is subject to VAT (art. 160; 2022 circular, point 179).[1][4]
An advance for materials may also be provided, paid against proof of spending: materials owned outright, paid for, set apart and checkable on site. The holder remains responsible for guarding them until acceptance (art. 161).[1][2]

Retention

If the contract has a guarantee or maintenance period, a retention of at most 10% of the initial value (amendments included) is deducted from payments on account, or replaced by a performance bond. It is not required for intellectual services (art. 138; circular, points 180 to 182).[1][2][4]
It covers the guarantee period until final acceptance and is then released on the buyer's discharge. After 30 calendar days it must be released on simple request (arts. 139 and 141).[1][2]

Payment

Payments are made by transfer to an account with an approved first-rank Cameroonian bank, or by documentary credit. A change of bank details can be made only by amendment (art. 158). Payments on account may be monthly or at the agreed pace; each may not exceed the value of accepted work, less repaid advances and retention (arts. 162, 164 and 165).[1][2]
Payment deadlines for a payment on account: at most 90 working days from the transmission to the accountant of the findings that give rise to payment; in any case no more than 60 working days after the draft statement is sent to the works supervisor, if it needs no correction (art. 165). The text does not say how to reconcile the two deadlines: read your contract's clauses.[1][2]
If the buyer or the accountant pays late, default interest runs automatically for the holder, at the BEAC lending rate for businesses plus one point. It is not taxable (arts. 166 and 167).[1][2]
Late-delivery penalties fall on the holder, unless the contract says otherwise: 1/2000 of the tax-inclusive base contract value per calendar day from day 1 to day 30, 1/1000 after that. Cumulated penalties are capped at 10% of the tax-inclusive amount (arts. 168 and 169). They apply only after a formal notice (circular, point 192). The Code bars price revision for contracts of 12 months or less, and caps all amendments at 30% of the base contract (arts. 130 and 146).[1][2][4]
The contract is stamped and registered at the holder's expense (circular, point 123). No claim is admissible for services performed before the contract is notified (art. 123).[1][4]

Sanctions

On the minister's decision, a defaulting contractor faces, separately or together: forfeiture of its bonds, exclusion from public procurement for a period matching the fault, and withdrawal of its categorisation certificate. Exclusion cannot exceed two years; for repeat offences, permanent exclusion may be pronounced by the courts. The ARMP publishes the list of excluded firms in the Journal des Marchés (art. 191).[1][2]
As an interim measure, the minister may ban a bidder for up to two years for influence peddling, conflict of interest, insider dealing, complicity, fraud, corruption or submitting non-authentic documents (art. 193). Definitions of corruption, fraudulent practices, collusion, coercion and obstruction are in article 197.[1][2]
Any award made in breach of the regulations or good-governance rules may be cancelled by the minister (art. 190). In a bid, a false statement or forgery leads to elimination (art. 95). Termination for default, unauthorised subcontracting, labour-law breach or corruption bars the firm from bidding for two years (art. 184).[1][2]

Traps to know about

Deadlines count working days, and the 2022 circular also excludes Saturday. An appeal due '3 working days after opening' or '5 working days after publication' is quickly missed: note the Journal des Marchés publication date and act at once.
The bid bond is the one document you cannot fix within 48 hours. It must be in the administrative file before the session, relate to this tender, come from an institution approved by the Finance Minister (list in the file), and some notices ask for the CDEC receipt. Check its amount (at most 2% of the estimated cost including tax in the notices read) and validity (30 days beyond the bid's).
Administrative documents (tax clearance, social security clearance, non-bankruptcy certificate, ARMP CNE) must be valid at the launch date and, in notices read, be less than three months old. Request the ARMP CNE ahead of time, since the bid depends on it.
Below 5 million FCFA there is no tender and no board: purchase orders are placed directly by the project owner. These jobs are won by being known to buyers, not by answering a notice. From 5 million to under 50 million, a request for quotation is a price contest on a fixed specification: a winning price is worthless if an administrative document is missing.
Do not wait for a personal notification. Results are published in the Journal des Marchés (and sometimes on COLEPS), and the 5-working-day appeal period runs from publication. Ask for the evaluation report extract at once if you are rejected: the buyer must hand it over.
If you win, you have 15 working days to sign, then 20 calendar days after notification to post the final bond. A delay costs the bid bond and the contract goes to the runner-up. Do not start anything before notification: services performed before it cannot give rise to any claim.
Subcontracting without the buyer's prior approval exposes you to termination and a two-year exclusion, and abandoning a contract exposes you to the defaulters list. The council notices read eliminate a firm on the MINMAP list or one that abandoned a contract within three years. Declare your subcontractors in the bid and have them approved.
The submission mode is written in each notice (offline in every one I read). When submission is online, you need an electronic certificate obtained in advance, the right file formats and a backup copy on a physical medium in a sealed envelope. If a notice opens both routes, do not use both at once.
The funding shown caps the price. A ministry 'BIP' (public investment budget) or a 'FEICOM budget' plus the council's own funds sets an envelope: a bid above the available funding can lead to negotiation (up to a 15% reduction) and then to the next-ranked bidder. For external funding (World Bank, AfDB, EU...), read the file: the financing agreement can override the Code.
English speakers: the tender notice must appear in French and English, but the full file and the bid presentation rules (including language) fall under each tender's own rules. Check before preparing your documents and, if needed, ask for a written clarification before the deadline.
The 10% national preference applies only in an international tender, between equivalent bids. It does not help you in a national tender, which is already limited to firms domiciled in Cameroon. Reserved contracts for SMEs and the subcontracting priority for nationals are more useful to a small local firm.

What we could not confirm

Rather than guess, we list here what no reliable source allowed us to confirm. On these points, rely on the tender file or ask the body concerned.

I found no decree amending the 2018 Code. The text I read is the original edition, and I cannot rule out a recent text or a circular I did not see. The 5 and 50 million FCFA thresholds and the articles cited are from that edition.
The text does not say whether the 5 and 50 million thresholds are net of tax or tax-inclusive. Only the central control board thresholds are given tax-inclusive, in the ARMP manual.
Bid bond amount and file fees: the text of order no. 093/CAB/PM of 2002 was not read. Recent notices say 'at most 2% of the estimated cost including tax' for the bond. The scale of file purchase fees is unknown: the notices read vary (15,000 and 45,000 FCFA).
E-procurement: the text of order no. 333/A/MINMAP/CAB of 27 December 2024 was not read. I do not know whether paper submission remains accepted for the administrations already covered, nor which thresholds or contract types apply in 2025 and 2026 (the annual threshold orders were not found). The 2025 to 2027 calendar comes from the press. COLEPS registration fees, the electronic certificate's cost and its issuer are not established (a specialised site names ANTIC).
Bonds: the 5 June 2024 circular letter and the 23 July 2025 circular were not read. I do not know which one applies, nor the exact CDEC consignation rules (deadlines, fees, who deposits).
Reserved contracts: the text of the 21 October 2019 order was not read. The 15, 30 and 50 million ceilings come from a press article whose SME definitions contain an apparent error.
Categorisation of building and public works firms: the order organising it and its official table of categories and thresholds were not read. The press gives different dates (2022 or 2023). The category thresholds cited come from a single article.
I did not read the general administrative clauses (CCAG), decree no. 2018/355 on public enterprises, the 2003 decree on the tax and customs regime, or the 2003 order on requests for quotation. The thresholds above which private works supervision is mandatory (art. 151) are in a separate text that I did not find.
Court remedies: the Code sets up non-judicial appeals (buyer, Committee, minister) but I did not study appeals before administrative courts or arbitration. Public-private partnerships and partnership contracts are outside the Code (art. 4) and their regime is not covered here.
I found no regional (CEMAC) text applying directly to national tenders. Competitive dialogue and concession do not exist as separate procedures in the Code.

Sources

Décret n° 2018/366 du 20 juin 2018 portant Code des marchés publics (édition MINMAP en français, hébergée par le MINFI) (Ministère des Marchés Publics (MINMAP), via le Ministère des Finances (copie), 2018-06-20)
Decree No. 2018/366 of 20 June 2018 to institute the Public Contracts Code (official English edition, copy hosted by the Direction Générale du Budget) (Ministry of Public Contracts (MINMAP), via the Direction Générale du Budget (copy), 2018-06-20)
Décret n° 2018/0002/PM du 5 janvier 2018 fixant les conditions et modalités de passation des marchés publics par voie électronique au Cameroun (art. 1, 6, 10 à 14, 27, 34, 35) (Services du Premier Ministre, Secrétariat général, 2018-01-05)
Circulaire n° 00001/PR/MINMAP/CAB du 25 avril 2022 relative à l'application du Code des marchés publics (copie publiée par l'ARMP) (Présidence de la République, Ministère des Marchés Publics, 2022-04-25)
Manuel des procédures de passation des marchés publics (mai 2023), liste des textes en vigueur, seuils et procédures (Ministère des Marchés Publics, projet financé par la Banque mondiale (hébergé par l'ARMP), 2023-05)
ARMP, page d'accueil : avis par type, Journal des Marchés, rubriques Facilitation (formulaires CNE et abonnement) (Agence de Régulation des Marchés Publics (ARMP))
ARMP, avis à manifestation d'intérêt du 8 mai 2025 : présentation de COLEPS et mention d'un arrêté de migration vers l'électronique exclusif (Agence de Régulation des Marchés Publics (ARMP), 2025-05-08)
ARMP, décision d'attribution du 12 juin 2026 (MINCOM) citant l'arrêté n° 333/A/MINMAP/CAB du 27 décembre 2024 (Agence de Régulation des Marchés Publics (ARMP), 2026-06-15)
MINMAP, rubrique Textes Généraux : liste des décrets (Code 2018/366, marchés électroniques, marchés des entreprises publiques 2018/355...) (Ministère des Marchés Publics (MINMAP))
COLEPS, présentation du système (certificat électronique, enregistrement des soumissionnaires) (Ministère des Marchés Publics (COLEPS, marchespublics.cm))
Avis d'appel d'offres national ouvert n° 11/AAONO/C-PTA/CIPM/2025 du 24 février 2025, Commune de Pitoa (copie sur le site de l'ARMP) (Commune de Pitoa, publié par l'ARMP, 2025-02-24)
Avis d'appel d'offres national ouvert n° 09/AONO/CNDOB/CIPM/2026 du 28 mai 2026, Commune de Ndobian (page de l'ARMP) (Commune de Ndobian, publié par l'ARMP, 2026-05-28)
Investir au Cameroun, « Marchés publics : plus de 200 administrations astreintes à la passation exclusive par voie électronique » (14 janvier 2025) (Investir au Cameroun (presse), 2025-01-14)
Ecomatin, « Cameroun : fixation des seuils des marchés publics réservés aux artisans, PME et OSC » (arrêté du 21 octobre 2019) (Ecomatin (presse), 2019-10)
Cameroon Tribune, « Entreprises de BTP : les seuils et dispenses définis » (4 janvier 2024) (Cameroon Tribune (presse), 2024-01-04)
Lefisk.cm, « Caution et cautionnement des marchés publics au Cameroun : CDEC et circulaire MINMAP 2025 » (site spécialisé) (Lefisk.cm (site d'information spécialisé), 2025)
Lefisk.cm, « COLEPS Cameroun 2026 : inscription, plateforme MINMAP et marchés publics en ligne » (site spécialisé) (Lefisk.cm (site d'information spécialisé), 2026)

The public procurement rules in Cameroon