International Procurement Agency

What International Procurement Agency does

International Procurement Agency (IPA), founded in 1981 and headquartered in Naarden, Netherlands, is a private procurement and supply chain service provider operating for over four decades in the developing world. The company delivers four integrated core services — Consultancy, Procurement, Supply Chain, and Emergency Response — to NGOs, governments, UN agencies, and bilateral/multilateral development organisations. IPA executes the full procurement cycle from needs assessment and tendering through packing, shipping, and last-mile delivery, supported by its own bonded warehouse near Rotterdam port, proximity to Schiphol Airport, and field operations in sub-Saharan Africa.

The company's operating model combines approximately 20 headquarters professionals in the Netherlands with secondees and a regional infrastructure consisting of wholly-owned subsidiaries IPA Africa Ltd (Kampala, Uganda, established 2009) and IPA South Sudan (Juba, established 2012), plus the CAIPA joint venture for emergency pharmaceutical distribution. Service delivery relies on physical infrastructure (warehouses, customs offices, bonded storage), compliance with donor procurement guidelines (FCDO, EU, USAID, World Bank), and Good Distribution Practice (GDP) for pharmaceuticals — rather than proprietary software platforms. Notable technical and operational capabilities include emergency camp setup for up to 10,000 refugees, asset verification, and pharmaceutical distribution achieving a 99% completion rate across 10 states in South Sudan.

IPA generates revenue on a professional-services, fee-for-service basis through procurement agency contracts, consultancy secondments, and supply chain management engagements. Key anchor programmes include the multi-donor Health Pooled Fund (procurement agent since 2012, 22 distributions completed by March 2024), DFID/FCDO-funded pharmaceutical distribution in South Sudan and Sierra Leone, the Fleming Fund (antimicrobial resistance laboratory equipment procurement), and the KalaCORE Consortium (visceral leishmaniasis programmes across six countries). The company also participates in the UN Global Compact and is privately held by founder/Director Bob Vlietstra, with no disclosed external investors, parent company, or funding rounds.

Name

International Procurement Agency

Legal name

International Procurement Agency b.v.

Website

https://ipa-bv.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

International Procurement Agency is a Netherlands-headquartered procurement and supply chain service provider, founded in 1981, delivering end-to-end procurement, logistics, and emergency response services to NGOs, governments, and UN agencies across developing regions, with anchor operations in sub-Saharan Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Procurement and Supply Chain Services

NAICS

General Warehousing and Storage (493110), Packing and Crating (488991)

SIC

Services-Help Supply Services (7363), Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Procurement & Strategic Sourcing (BPAHAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Health Contracts, Procurement & Vendor Management (HLAJALAE), Public Procurement & Contracting (BPAIAEAE)

Keywords

• Procurement services
• Supply chain management
• Humanitarian logistics
• Emergency response services
• Development consultancy

Headquarters

HQ city

Naarden

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Procurement Services: IPA provides independent procurement services for goods, equipment, civil engineering contractors, and professional services. Revenue is generated through fees for procurement agency services to development organisations, governments, and NGOs.
2. Consultancy Services: IPA supplies qualified professionals on short, medium, or long-term assignments as procurement and development aid consultants. Acts as supply chain managers and manages projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

International Procurement Agency provides independent procurement and supply chain services for NGOs, governments, UN agencies, and development organisations. Its offering spans the full procurement cycle (needs assessment, sourcing, tendering, purchasing, packing, shipping, last-mile delivery, and commissioning), bonded warehousing near Rotterdam, logistics management near Amsterdam Schiphol, embedded consultancy and expert secondments, and turn-key emergency response including refugee camp management for up to 10,000 people.

Product overview

International Procurement Agency (IPA) operates as a procurement service provider offering an integrated portfolio of four core services: Consultancy, Procurement, Supply Chain, and Emergency Response. These services are delivered through a multi-office structure including headquarters in the Netherlands (Naarden), subsidiary operations in Uganda (IPA Africa) and South Sudan (IPA South Sudan), and the IPA Europe supply chain entity. The company also operates through its CAIPA joint venture for pharmaceutical distribution in South Sudan. Services range from needs assessment and sourcing to warehousing, logistics, and last-mile delivery across developing regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CAIPA: Joint venture initiative for Emergency Procurement and Distribution of Essential Drugs and Medical Commodities in South Sudan, operated by IPA.

Products and services

• Procurement Services Independent procurement services covering the full procurement cycle, from needs assessment, sourcing, tendering, buying, packing, and shipping to last-mile delivery and commissioning, delivered to NGOs, governments, UN agencies and development organisations.
• Supply Chain Services Comprehensive supply chain management from place of manufacturing to place of use, supported by a bonded warehouse near Rotterdam and logistics management near Amsterdam Schiphol Airport for clients in the developing world.
• Consultancy Services Procurement and development aid consulting that supplies qualified professionals on a short, medium, or long-term basis, including procurement assessments, audits, supply chain management, and project management for development programmes.
• Emergency Response Services Rapid mobilisation of resources for emergency relief, including warehouse management, insurance, kitting, re-packaging, labelling, inspection, delivery, and turn-key camp management for up to 10,000 refugees.

Quantifiable outcome

• 807 health facilities supplied with pharmaceuticals and medical supplies in South Sudan since 2009
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Health Pooled Fund (HPF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHPF is a major health programme in South Sudan funded by multiple donors (DFID/FCDO, Canada, EU, SIDA, USAID). IPA has served as procurement agent for HPF since 2012 and joined the HPF2 team, supporting the Government of South Sudan with supply chain for pharmaceuticals and medical consumables. IPA completed its 22nd distribution for HPF in March 2024.
• Fleming FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPA partners with the Fleming Fund to help procure and deliver highly specialised laboratory equipment around the world for antimicrobial resistance surveillance. IPA produced a report on logistical challenges for laboratory equipment delivery across Asia and Africa.
• CordaidminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPA is listed among Cordaid's funding partners, suggesting collaboration on development and humanitarian projects.
• ACTEDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPA is listed among ACTED's partners, suggesting collaboration on development and humanitarian projects.
• UNICEFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPA supports UNICEF projects as a procurement service provider, including assets verification work in South Sudan.
• KalaCORE ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Consortium for the Control and Elimination of Visceral Leishmaniasis (KalaCORE) brings together DNDi, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, MSF, and Mott MacDonald. Appointed by DFID, KalaCORE contracted IPA to provide procurement and supply chain expertise for VL programmes in Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, India, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
• CAIPA Joint VenturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAIPA is a joint venture involving IPA, acting as procurement agent for the South Sudan Emergency Procurement and Distribution of Essential Drugs Project, funded by DFID. CAIPA has established customs offices at its Juba warehouse for efficient clearance.
• UN Global CompactminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPA is a participant in the UN Global Compact and its ten principles inform all strategies, policies, and procedures. IPA expects all sub-contractors, suppliers, and service providers to abide by these principles.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Crown Agents: UK-headquartered international development company providing procurement, supply chain, and fiduciary services to governments and donors. Closest direct competitor to IPA's core procurement-agent model in fragile and developing markets.
• IDA Foundation: Amsterdam-based not-for-profit pharmaceutical wholesaler and procurement services provider serving developing countries. Direct peer given IPA's pharmaceutical distribution work and shared Netherlands/Europe logistics positioning.
• MannionDaniels: UK-based consultancy providing procurement, supply chain, and programme management services to governments and donors in low- and middle-income countries. Comparable size and donor-client base to IPA.
• Partnership for Supply Chain Management (PFSCM): US-headquartered procurement services agent specialising in health-sector supply chains for Global Fund, USAID, and other donors. Direct peer in pharma/medical procurement for low- and middle-income countries.

Broad incumbents

• Chemonics International: Large US-headquartered development consulting firm implementing donor-funded programmes that frequently include procurement and supply chain components. Overlaps with IPA on donor-funded project execution.
• Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI): Global development consultancy implementing donor programmes across sectors, with supply chain and procurement mandates in fragile states. Broader incumbent with overlapping donor relationships.
• IAP Worldwide Services / Caliburn (now Amentum): Large US government contractor providing logistics, procurement, and contingency operations globally, including in humanitarian and post-conflict settings. Comparable in operational footprint rather than donor model.

Emerging players

• Field Ready: Humanitarian-focused organisation working on procurement, local manufacturing, and last-mile delivery of supplies in disaster-affected regions. Comparable humanitarian-supply-chain focus but at a smaller, non-profit scale.

Regional players

• Africa Matters (Africa Matters Ltd): Africa-focused procurement, supply chain, and project management services firm serving NGOs and development actors across the continent. Directly comparable on regional (sub-Saharan Africa) focus and procurement-agent model.

Others

• UNICEF Supply Division: UN system's centralised procurement arm for vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and supplies in developing countries. Functions both as a potential partner and as a structural alternative to independent procurement agents like IPA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IPA_bv
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-procurement-agency-b-v-

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Procurement Agency