NamRA Sets Formal Procurement Rules for Its Vendors

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If a software company has ever phoned your client claiming they have a special relationship with NamRA, this document puts that claim to the test.

NamRA has published its Guidelines on Engagement with Service Providers, setting out exactly how vendors, technology providers, and other solution sellers may engage with NamRA, and what that engagement does and does not mean.

Why this matters

NamRA is in the middle of a significant digital transformation, and the ITAS system issues of 2026 have made it clear there is real appetite for technology solutions that improve operational efficiency and revenue collection. That appetite has attracted vendors, and with vendors come sales pitches, implied endorsements, and procurement shortcuts. These guidelines close that door.

What the guidelines say

Any vendor wanting to present a solution to NamRA must submit a formal request to procurementclarification@namra.org.na.

The request must include: a summary of the solution, potential benefits, and relevant case studies or references.

NamRA will respond within 15 working days if the request is accepted. If accepted, the presentation goes to a Review Committee made up of relevant technical and functional staff.

Crucially, no commitment of any kind will be made during a presentation session. Feedback on relevance and potential fit is provided formally within 15 working days after the presentation. Any actual procurement that follows must go through NamRA's standard procurement process in full compliance with applicable laws and internal policies.

The guidelines are explicit on one point: NamRA will not endorse, promote, or give preference to any specific vendor or solution outside a properly approved procurement process. Vendors may not imply exclusivity or institutional endorsement unless that has been formally awarded through a competitive process.

What this means for accountants and their clients

If you work with technology vendors, software providers, or consultants who sell solutions to government agencies, these guidelines are worth sharing. Any claim of a special NamRA relationship or pre-approved status should now be verified against the formal procurement record. If it is not there, it is not real.

For accountants advising clients in the public sector or those supplying services to NamRA, this is also a useful reminder that procurement compliance is non-negotiable. As covered in the Accounting Weekly article on Access to Information: What Namibia's New Info Law Means for Accountants, Namibia's transparency framework is tightening across the board. These NamRA guidelines are part of the same trend.

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