What does it mean to be debarred by ADB?

Debarment means a party is no longer eligible to participate in ADB-related activities for having committed one or more integrity violations. 

A sanctioned firm’s ineligibility extends to all its employees and officers and may extend to other principals and contractual employees. These individuals may not participate in ADB-financed activity, as individuals or through nomination by an eligible firm, unless they have completely disassociated themselves from an ineligible firm.

The base period of debarment for integrity violations is three years. A greater or lesser debarment period depending on the circumstances of each case may be imposed.

The Office of Anticorruption and Integrity (OAI) is the designated focal point of contact for allegations of fraud or corruption pertaining to ADB-related activities.

How does an entity get debarred?

  • ADB imposes sanctions, such as debarment, on parties that have engaged in corrupt, fraudulent, coercive, collusive, obstructive practices, or other integrity violations.

  • ADB has entered into a Cross Debarment Agreement with other multilateral development banks (MDBs), in which ADB may cross debar parties that have been debarred by any of the participating MDBs, and vice versa.

What can I do if I have been debarred?

  • There is an appeals process available to sanctioned parties who meet the criteria specified in ADB’s Integrity Principles and Guidelines (IPG).
  • A party is not automatically reinstated upon the expiry of the debarment period. To restore eligibility, debarred parties must seek reinstatement from OAI and provide a basis for ADB to consider their reinstatement. OAI will assess the credibility and merits of a reinstatement request, taking into account a range of factors including:
    • compliance with conditions of the sanction
    • reason for the sanction
    • restitution
    • changes in management or ownership of a firm
    • other actions taken to demonstrate that a party has developed processes and procedures to identify and respond to potential integrity violations.

  • Parties should not engage in any integrity violations during the sanctions period.

  • Any violation of the debarment may result in an extension of ADB’s sanction.

Video: Protecting Development Projects from Corruption

 

Further reading

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