Carbonode ES

Paraguay6 min readUpdated September 24, 2026

How to sell to the government in Paraguay: a guide for suppliers

Who buys and where tenders are published

Paraguay's procurement law covers the three branches of government and the other central administration bodies, departmental governments, national universities, autonomous agencies, state companies, corporations where the state holds a majority, and municipalities (Law 7021, art. 2). The governing body is the National Directorate of Public Procurement (DNCP). It runs the Public Procurement Portal and, within it, the Public Procurement Information System (SICP). Calls for tenders are published there with their tender documents and addenda, and you can also look up contracts and payments.

The law in force is Law No. 7021/2022 "On Public Supply and Procurement", regulated by Decree No. 2264/2024 and by DNCP resolutions. The DNCP publishes a digest that puts the law, the decree and the related resolutions in one document, which is the easiest way to read them.

How to register: the State Supplier Registry

The law creates the State Supplier Registry (art. 22). Any individual, company or consortium that wants to bid must register, except in procedures the regulation exempts. The current registry, governed by DNCP Resolution No. 2939/2024, replaced the older SIPE system and works online.

  1. Go to the Public Procurement Portal, open the "Vendedor" (seller) tab and choose the option to apply for registration as a state supplier.
  2. Enter the initial data: RUC or tax ID number, company type and country of origin. A foreign company must pick the "extranjera" (foreign) type.
  3. Name an administrator user: an individual with authority to act for the company, who will manage its account in the registry. Use a personal or work email that only this person uses.
  4. Follow the link you receive by email and complete the supplier data, the linked persons (legal representatives and attorneys) and the documents, as readable PDFs of up to 50 MB each.
  5. Click the button to request registration. The system produces a report that you must sign and file. With a qualified electronic signature you send it through the same system; with a handwritten signature, the original goes to the filing desk of the DNCP's User Service Centre in Asunción. Until you file it, the application stays "pending approval".
  6. The DNCP checks the documents within 4 business days at most and, if everything is in order, activates the supplier and confirms by email.

Typical documents for a company:

  • The signed application report.
  • ID card or passport of the legal representatives.
  • RUC certificate (or tax registration in the home country, for foreign companies).
  • Articles of incorporation or bylaws with their entry in the Public Registries, including all amendments.
  • Minutes of the shareholders' meeting that show the current board and, if there is an attorney, the power of attorney.
  • For Paraguayan companies: certificates of registration of legal structures and of beneficial owners from the Treasury's legal office (Abogacía del Tesoro).
  • The persons declaration form, in the DNCP format.

Foreign companies: to register they do not need a domicile in Paraguay or a local representative; that is only required when submitting bids (DNCP Res. 2939/24, art. 14). Documents in other languages need a translation by a public translator licensed in Paraguay. A foreign qualified electronic signature is only accepted where a mutual recognition agreement exists.

Procurement methods

Law 7021 distinguishes conventional, special and exception procedures. Amounts are set in minimum daily wages (the one for miscellaneous unspecified activities in the capital, in force on the date of the call), which is why we do not convert them to guaraníes.

  • Public tender (licitación pública) (art. 34): for contracts above 5,000 minimum daily wages. It can be national or international.
  • Lower-value tender (licitación de menor cuantía) (arts. 34 and 37): for goods and services below 5,000 minimum daily wages, preferably reserved for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The award must be decided within 10 calendar days of bid opening, extendable once.
  • Special procedures (art. 35): electronic reverse auction (subasta a la baja electrónica), used regardless of value; framework agreements (convenio marco), whose products are sold through the virtual store; inclusive procurement, limited to bidders from a given area, community organisations or MSMEs; and national and international agreements with several suppliers for the same need.
  • Exception procurement (art. 40): no competitive procedure, for example when only one party can deliver because of exclusive rights, because of recognised specialisation, after two failed procedures, or in disasters and force majeure.

Splitting a contract to avoid the procedure that should apply is prohibited.

How to find and follow tenders

  • DNCP tender search: public and free. Also check the bid-submission calendar and the section on purchase expressions of interest.
  • Virtual store: if you sell standard goods, check which framework agreements are open.
  • On Carbonode: the Paraguay page gathers calls for tenders from the DNCP's open data, with translated titles and a link to the original. Always confirm dates and tender documents on the official portal.

Practical tips

  • Minimum publication periods: under DNCP Resolution 230/2025 (art. 39), at least 15 calendar days must pass before bid opening in a national public tender, 30 in an international one, 9 in a national lower-value tender and 15 in an international one. They are counted from the day after publication in the SICP.
  • Addenda: changes to the tender documents are formalised in addenda published in the SICP. If the buyer changes technical specifications, evaluation criteria or other substantive terms, it must extend the bid deadline and the deadline for questions (Decree 2264/24, art. 65). A plain date extension can appear without an addendum, so check the call often.
  • Clarifications: answers to questions do not count as amendments to the tender documents (Law 7021, art. 48).
  • Time zone: since October 2024 Paraguay stays on UTC−3 all year (Law No. 7354/2024). There is no longer a winter clock change.
  • Registration time: checks take up to 4 business days, plus the time to file the signed report. Do not wait for a specific tender before you register.
  • MSMEs: if your company is one, look at lower-value tenders and inclusive procurement, which are designed for that segment.
  • Language: budget time and money for translations. Foreign documents need a public translator licensed in Paraguay, not just any certified translator.

Official sources

Questions

Does a foreign company need a local representative to sell to the Paraguayan government?

Not to register. Under DNCP Resolution No. 2939/2024 (art. 14), a foreign company needs neither a domicile in Paraguay nor a local representative to register; that is only required when it submits bids. Documents in other languages need a translation by a public translator licensed in Paraguay.

How long does registration in the State Supplier Registry take?

The DNCP checks the documents within 4 business days at most and, if everything is in order, activates the supplier and confirms by email. Add the time to file the signed application report: until you do, the application stays pending approval.

What documents do I need to register as a supplier in Paraguay?

A company typically submits the signed application report, the ID card or passport of its legal representatives, its RUC certificate (or home-country tax registration if it is foreign), its articles of incorporation or bylaws registered in the Public Registries with all amendments, and the shareholders' meeting minutes showing the current board. It also submits the DNCP's persons declaration form and, if it has an attorney, the power of attorney. Files are uploaded as readable PDFs of up to 50 MB each.

Where are public tenders published in Paraguay?

On the Public Procurement Portal run by the National Directorate of Public Procurement (DNCP), through its Public Procurement Information System (SICP). Calls for tenders are published there with their tender documents and addenda, and the DNCP tender search is public and free.

How many days do suppliers have to bid in a Paraguayan tender?

Under DNCP Resolution 230/2025 (art. 39), at least 15 calendar days must pass before bid opening in a national public tender, 30 in an international one, 9 in a national lower-value tender and 15 in an international one. The periods count from the day after publication in the SICP.