Emergency procurement refers to procurement when urgent need due to emergencies does not allow for the completion of a competitive process. 

Emergencies are defined as natural disasters and other external events with serious adverse impact which could result in delivery delays. Emergencies need to be officially declared by the UNAIDS Security Focal Point in consultation with the United Nations Department for Safety and Security (UNDSS).

All efforts should be made to allow competition, even under emergency situations; the normal period for tendering can be reduced to the duration allowed for an RFQ. In extreme circumstances, informal bidding is authorized for processes that normally would be conducted by formal bidding.

In cases of life-threatening situations or major staff security concerns, a waiver of competitive bidding can be justified.

In all instances, justification of the official emergency situation and a memo explaining both the circumstances and the efforts to maintain competition should be added to the procurement process for approval.