Free Quotation Generator (Tanzania)

A quotation or proforma invoice has legal weight in three places in Tanzania. The first is public procurement. Under the Public Procurement Regulations (GN No. 261 of 25 April 2025, made under the Public Procurement Act, Cap. 410), a government body may buy by request for quotations, called shopping, where the goods are standard and readily available (reg. 163). Competitive quotations are allowed up to TSh 500,000,000 for goods, works and non-consultancy services (Sixth Schedule). It must ask at least three suppliers (reg. 164(1)) and may not split a purchase to stay under a limit. Each supplier gives one price and no negotiation follows. The contract goes to the lowest-priced quotation that meets the need (reg. 164(4)-(5)).

To win such work, a quotation must answer the invitation point by point: the description and quantities, the delivery time and place, and any transport, insurance, customs duties and taxes that the price includes. Quotations generally stay valid for forty-five days (reg. 164(2)(i)), and the buyer may reject all of them. The minimum time to prepare a national shopping quotation is three calendar days (Tenth Schedule). Smaller buys skip competition: minor value purchases up to TSh 50,000,000 for goods and services (TSh 100,000,000 for works) can go direct to one supplier on a local purchase order (reg. 165). Micro purchases up to TSh 10,000,000 for goods and services (TSh 20,000,000 for works) need an original invoice or receipt naming the goods, the amount and the buyer (reg. 166(4)). Since the Public Procurement Act No. 10 of 2023 took effect on 17 June 2024, public tenders run on the National e-Procurement System of Tanzania (NeST) of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA).

The second place is import payment. Under the Foreign Exchange Regulations, 2022 (GN No. 294, reg. 13), imports are paid through a bank or financial institution, except for consignments of up to US$10,000. A bank that pays the supplier in advance must first receive a pro-forma invoice, the supply contract and any other relevant documents from an importer who holds an account with it (reg. 13(3)(b)). Where an import needs a permit, the bank also asks for a copy of it (reg. 13(3)(c)). If goods paid for are not consigned to Tanzania within ninety days, the importer must tell the bank within fourteen days after that period ends (reg. 14).

The third is stamp duty. The Schedule to the Stamp Duty Act (Cap. 189 R.E. 2023) has no item for a quotation or proforma invoice. Duty arises when an accepted quote is recorded as an agreement or memorandum of agreement (item 5): TSh 2,000, or nothing where the sum is TSh 1,000 or less. Agreements made exclusively for the sale of goods or merchandise are exempt, as are written contracts of service required by the Employment and Labour Relations Act. A chargeable instrument signed in Mainland Tanzania must be stamped within thirty days of execution (s.25).