Procurement at UNOG is carried out by the Purchase and Transportation Section (PTS), Central Support Services, Division of Administration.

PTS provides purchasing, contracting, business travel and transportation services to the following United Nations offices:

• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
• Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
• United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC)
• Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) - Geneva Office
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - Regional Office for Europe
• United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
• Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
• Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (business travel and transportation only)

In addition PTS acts as the secretariat of the Common Procurement Activities Group (CPAG) for UNOG and specialized agencies of the United Nations system in Geneva. The Common Procurement activities Group (CPAG) is leading efforts towards the Simplification and harmonization of procurement practices within the Geneva-based international organizations, with the objective of increasing efficiency and effectiveness of the United Nations procurement activities. The aim of the Group is to build more effective, coherent and better-performing business practices and to lower cost of commonly required goods and services for all its members due to volume purchase agreements.

The Group "Delivering as One" is effectively collaborating on several procurement projects. In 2010, the CPAG estimated cost avoidance was close to USD 40 million, including travel services and airline negotiations; electricity supplies; ICT goods and services; office supplies, paper and other goods and services (www.cpag.org).

CPAG is a successful example of a group-led procurement strategy based on the shared goals of pooling experience and research, exchanging best practices and collaborating on procurement projects. CPAG is achieving these goals through:

- Promoting the standardization among member organizations of procurement policies, standards, procedures and procurement training programmes;
- Benefitting from economies of scale by pooling procurement requirements in the Geneva duty station;
- Promoting the standardization of goods, works and services in use among Geneva-based agencies;
- Enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of procurement operations by enabling member organizations to benefit from the results of the procurement activities of other members.

The Statutes for the Common Procurement Activities Group (CPAG) were adopted by the United Nations Office at Geneva and specialized agencies, funds and programmes on 22 April 2005. Previously, this inter-agency group established on 15 May 1952 was called the Committee on the Coordination of Purchase and Supply services of the United Nations Office and Specialized Agencies at Geneva.

CPAG comprises the following 15 members:

· United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG)
· World Health Organization (WHO)
· International Labour Organization (ILO)
· World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
· International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
· World Trade Organization (WTO)
· United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
· United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
· International Organization for Migration (IOM)
· International Trade Center (ITC)
· International Bureau of Education (IBE-UNESCO)
· World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
· Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
· Global Fund
· Gavi Alliance

The CPAG Secretariat is managed by the Procurement and Contracts Unit of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

CPAG members are putting their efforts together to draft a contractual document applicable to all members taking into account the specific General terms and conditions of each organization. These efforts are made to improve the legal and contracting aspects and to agree on a more harmonized approach to be followed in CPAG bidding exercises.