What does it take to turn an Asian Development Bank (ADB) project into a real business opportunity? At ANZCham’s August MMM, over 100 attendees came together at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel to explore how businesses can navigate ADB’s procurement landscape, prepare for upcoming opportunities, and position themselves to participate.
This month’s session, “Ready, Set, Bid!: Qualifying Your Business for ADB Projects” featured ADB leaders HK Yu, Vice-President for Administration and Corporate Management, and Aman Trana, Director General of the Procurement, Portfolio and Financial Management Department, alongside moderator Andrew McCarroll, Executive Chair of DysrupIT.
Three key lessons stood out: look beyond infrastructure, with ADB opportunities spanning procurement, consulting, technical assistance and private-sector projects; prepare before the bid, by engaging early, understanding procurement requirements and building the right relationships; and look beyond company size, as SMEs and specialist businesses can also contribute to ADB-supported projects.
The discussion shifted the focus from simply asking “How do we bid for an ADB project?” to a more strategic question: “Where does our business fit within ADB’s priorities, and how do we start the conversation?”. For Philippine companies looking to expand into markets such as Australia, the same approach applies: understand the market, identify where your capabilities fit, and build the right relationships to turn opportunities into business.
We extend our thanks for the valued support of our Event Partners, , BDO Unibank and Macquarie Group, and our Booth Partner, Megabon Construction and Development Corporation. The event was also supported by the Australian Government.
