The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia attaches great importance to regulating procedures related to government tenders and procurements, to enhance the utilization of contracting services, as well as consultancy and non-consultancy services. This also includes the e-Government Procurement Law, known as the "Etimad" platform, which is designed to unify and streamline procurement processes across all government entities. The platform also provides access to its key services, along with statistical achievements that reflect the growing number of contracts, tenders, and government procurements.

Furthermore, the Kingdom has worked to regulate government procurement procedures to ensure the optimal use of public funds when contracting for goods, construction works, consultancy, and non-consultancy services. To achieve this, the Government Tenders and Procurement Law and its Implementing Regulations were issued.

Government Tenders and Procurement Law: Objectives

According to Article 12 of the Government Tenders and Procurement Law, government entities must publish their annual procurement plans in alignment with their approved budgets. These plans must include the essential information related to their activities and procurements. 

This Law aims to:

  • Regulate government tenders and procurement procedures to prevent the influence of personal interests and to safeguard public funds.

  • Achieve economic efficiency by ensuring the optimal use of public resources in government procurements and the execution of projects at fair and competitive prices.

  • Promote integrity, competition, and equal opportunity by ensuring fair treatment of contractors and suppliers, in line with the principle of equal opportunity.

  • Ensure transparency at all stages of government tenders and procurement procedures.

Electronic Financial Services Platform “Etimad”

Launched in 2018, Etimad Platform is a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s e-government initiatives.

The Platform aims to unify and simplify government tenders and procurement procedures across all sectors, promoting transparency between government entities and suppliers. It contributes to expanding supplier participation to increase competitiveness and enhance the quality of government projects. The Platform also provides various services, including tendering, receiving invitations, purchasing RFPs, reviewing proposals, and completing the entire awarding process electronically. 

Key Services Provided by Etimad for Private Sector and Individuals: 

This e-service allows registered suppliers, government entities, and visitors to the platform to access detailed information about specific tenders without the need to contact the relevant entity.

This service allows suppliers to view a list of upcoming tenders announced by government entities.  

This service allows registered suppliers to participate in tenders by purchasing tender documents and specifications to review relevant details.

This service allows procurement and tendering officers in government entities to review and respond electronically to suppliers’ inquiries regarding specific tenders. 

This service allows suppliers participating in a specific tender to submit their proposals electronically.

This service allows suppliers and contractors to monitor the status of their submitted bids for public or private tenders online. 

This e-service allows government entities to finalize the award process easily and efficiently by selecting the winning bid electronically, without the need to follow up with the relevant entity.

Provided by the Ministry of Finance, this e-service allows suppliers to submit financial claims related to government tenders and procurements electronically, without the need to follow up with the relevant entity. 

This service allows registered suppliers to respond to direct purchase invitations issued by government entities, either by accepting or rejecting the proposal.

This service allows companies and institutions to register electronically on the platform and access data sources through integration with relevant entities.

Open Data of State Budget (Revenues & Expenditure)

As part of its commitment to enhancing transparency, accountability, and enabling community participation, the Ministry of Finance has published the open data of State Budget through the National Open Data Platform. This dataset includes detailed information on revenues, expenditures, and sectoral spending. The initiative aims to provide the public with interactive and easily accessible financial data, enabling researchers and stakeholders to use this information for analysis and informed decision-making.

The platform also provides links to interactive dashboards that present budget performance and financial indicators in a simplified and user-friendly manner, reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to applying best practices in fiscal transparency and advancing digital transformation in the government sector.

The open data packages include:

  • Macroeconomic data

  • Fiscal data

  • Economic classification of expenditures

  • Economic classification of revenues

  • Functional classification of expenditures

  • Public debt balance

Additionally, the Ministry provides annual presentations of the State Budget, along with quarterly reports and citizen-oriented reports that highlight key financial data and economic developments. This enables society and institutions to monitor financial performance and gain clearer insights into economic policies.

To keep pace with technological developments, the Ministry launches digital platforms that facilitate access to government performance indicators, in addition to enabling users to explore the budget details of each ministry through their official websites. 

All these efforts reflect the Kingdom’s commitment to the highest standards of transparency, strengthening trust between government and society, and supporting citizen engagement in the nation’s economic development journey.

Etimad Statistics

  • SAR 1 Trillion: Value of Payment Orders

  • +250K ERCAB Order

  • 1.5 Payment Orders

  • +885K Contracts and Awards

  • +500K Government Entity Users

  • +2M Financial Claim Requests

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