The United States Embassy in Addis Ababa is organizing online sales of property no longer needed by the Embassy, which may include used furniture, appliances, equipment, supplies, vehicles, scrap material, and other goods via a Web-Based Electronic Auction (https://online-auction.state.gov/). This website hosts auctions for U.S. Embassies all over the world, so bidders should take care to only bid on auctions they, or their appointed representative, can physically access. Users who want to access the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa’s auction must click on Addis Ababa every time they visit the site.
Each auction will be open for a set period of time with a clearly stated start and end date. Prior to the start of the auction, you can browse the lots online, but you cannot place a bid. Usually auctions will start on a weekday and will be active for at least two weeks. During this period, the auction is live and active 24 hours per day, every day. At any time while the auction is active, you may submit your bid for the lots that are put in the Auction. To bid on any lots, you must register on the website, and login on subsequent visits, and you must abide by the requirements and regulations set forth below and elsewhere on the website.
Each lot may have a minimum and maximum amount that bids can be raised. These amounts will be clearly stated. All bidding will be done in Ethiopian Birr (ETB) only and increasing your bids is only possible in ETB.
During the auction you should watch the progress of your bids so you can take action if somebody outbids you and you want to post a higher bid. Please pay close attention to when the auction is going to end. The person with the highest bid at the end of the auction is the winner of the lot.
At the end of the auction, if you are a winner you will receive an email with a link back to the website where you can review the lots you have won, after successful login.
All lot winners in the Addis Ababa auction must make payment through the Bank of Abyssinia (see details below in the “How to Pay” section) and then pick up their lots in person - either the winner themselves or authorized representatives. Bidders can bid from anywhere in the world, but they must designate a local representative to pay for and pickup their lots if they are not located in Addis Ababa.
Winners who fail to make prompt payment according to the instructions below will be blocked from participation in future auctions. If the winner with the highest bid fails to pay within the specified time, the U.S. Embassy reserves the right to award the lot to the next highest bidder or reserve the lot for inclusion in the next auction.
Requirements:
Participants must be at least 18 years old and bring proper identification (passport/ ID).
All bidders must provide personal transportation for their purchases; the Embassy will have no transportation available. The Embassy will not load the items onto your vehicle, and due to COVID-19, Embassy staff will maintain appropriate distance from you and your party while you remove the items.
Any and all duties, taxes, transfer fees or other charges of an official nature that may be levied by the Government of Ethiopia are the sole responsibility of the buyer and will not be deducted or credited to the sale price by the U.S. Embassy.
All items are sold on an “AS IS”, “WHERE IS” and on a “NON RETURNABLE” basis. The Embassy DOES NOT guarantee any items in any way.
In case of failure to fulfill all requirements stated above, the Embassy will reserve all rights to cancel bids and take related administrative measures including forfeiture of payment as necessary.
U.S. Government reserves the right to withdraw for its use any or all of the items prior to actual removal of the property from U.S. Government control; U.S. Government reserves the right to reject any bid that is considered not to be commensurate with the value of the property, or to reject any bid where there is evidence of connivance, collusion, or bribery.
Questions? Email AddisGSOauctions@state.gov
Responsibility and removal of items:
Bid winners must bring the official Bank of Abyssinia receipt and bid winner's email to pick up their items. Items may be picked up between 9:00 am and 3:30 pm, Monday – Friday until the last days to pick up the items.
Bid winners must provide their own labor and transportation to remove the items – the U.S. Embassy will not provide any assistance in removing auction items. Failure to remove items as per the terms and conditions provided will result in forfeiture of the items.
Unless otherwise specified, all items are located at the U.S. Embassy Warehouse in Jacross. Please call or email to arrange access: +251-11-130-7577 or 7583 or 6505, AddisGSOauctions@state.gov
