Procurement Notice

The scholarship would cover:

• the full tuition fee for the postgraduate programme, to be paid by the sponsoring organisation directly to the University; 
• travel costs to and from Italy for the in-class period of the programme, plus a per diem while in transit; 
• an allowance for accommodation on Campus at the University; 
• an allowance for subsistence costs while in Italy; 
• a lump-sum allowance of USD 350, payable in advance following confirmation of the scholarship award, towards visa, CIMEA/Declaration of Value and other essential administrative expenses required to travel and study in Italy; and 
• where the selected candidate is required to travel outside their country of residence to complete the visa process, reasonable and necessary travel-related costs, including economy airfare, accommodation and applicable per diem for the minimum period required, to be arranged or reimbursed by the sponsoring organisation in accordance with its applicable procedures.

The selected candidate would be required to:

• Attend in-person lectures in Rome for a continuous period of 4.25 months.
• Be formally released from professional duties by their employer organisation for the duration of the in-person lectures in Rome, and have their employer’s support to undertake the distance learning module and any other required studies free from professional obligations .
• Complete a professional internship of 500 hours within their home organisation (or another institution acceptable to the University).
• Prepare a final dissertation consisting of a case study on procurement issues relevant to their organisation, country, and/or the Caribbean region. 
• Continue serving their employer for at least 12 months after completing the programme. As a condition for confirming the scholarship award, an agreement must be reached with the candidate’s employer stipulating that the full tuition cost will be reimbursed if the candidate serves for less than the required period.
• Meet the eligibility and selection criteria outlined below.
• If selected, promptly initiate the CIMEA/Declaration of Value and Italian visa processes and comply with the relevant deadlines. Depending on the candidate’s country of residence, the visa process may require travel to another country for an in-person appointment.

 [1] Important Note: Candidates who are shortlisted will be required to obtain written confirmation from their employer granting release for the full duration of the programme (before proceeding to stage 2 of the evaluation). Applicants are encouraged to discuss this potential requirement with their employer early in the process to help avoid delays if selected.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the scholarship, candidates must:

• be a citizen of an eligible country. Eligible countries are Borrowing Member Countries of CDB: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, The Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands.
• meet the mandatory scholarship requirements, which include the  Admission Requirements of the Master programme, as follows:

1. Be employed, both at the time of application and throughout the duration of the programme, in a professional public procurement role within the government of a CDB Client country or a Caribbean public regional institution;
2. having achieved at least a recognised Master’s level University degree²; 
3. having at least³ five (5) years of relevant experience in-procurement, of which at least two (2) in public sector procurement;  
4. be proficient in written and spoken English;
5. not have any business or personal relationships with CDB or the Tor Vergata University that would create an actual or perceived conflict of interest.

Note: to ensure the benefits of this capacity-building initiative are distributed equitably across all eligible countries:

• Only one (1) candidate from the same country will be eligible for a scholarship award from CDB in any given year.

  CDB reserves the right to make exceptions to the above requirements in cases where there is a lack of other eligible candidates.

Evaluation Criteria

The selection criteria will place particular emphasis on the candidates’ relevant professional experience, leadership potential, and ability to apply the knowledge gained to advance procurement outcomes and modernisation efforts in their home institutions, countries, and the wider Region, particularly in the areas of sustainable and inclusive procurement.

Post-Programme Commitment

Scholarship recipients will be expected to share the knowledge gained from the Master’s programme within their home country and/or the broader Caribbean region. This may include giving presentations, facilitating training, or leading discussions on topics such as sustainable procurement, digital transformation, or innovative procurement strategies. Activities will be agreed with CDB, and the recipient’s employer and may be adjusted to fit organisational needs. Around 6-12 months after graduation, CDB will follow up with recipients to assess the scholarship’s impact.

[2] Must be equivalent to an Italian (2 years) Master of Science University degree (“Laurea Magistrale”, “Laurea Specialistica” or “Laurea vecchio ordinamento”). 

[3] Applications from motivated individuals who have recently graduated from a Master’s programme and/or with limited professional experience in procurement might still be considered at CDB and the University’s discretion.