Saudi Arabia Kicks off Digitalisation of Contract Approvals by Public Services Agencies
Saudi Arabia will kick off digitalisation of contract approvals and related procedures of public services agencies in the country from Friday, with its Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announcing implementation of the first phase of the electronic services from December 1.
The Ministry will commence the online operations of all maintenance contract approvals by public agencies through the “Qiwa” platform.
The second phase of the digital drive, covering large establishments, will start from June 1 and the third phase, covering all other sizes of establishments, will start on December 1, 2024.
The move is aimed to monitor the localisation of operation and maintenance contracts in public entities, and the extent to which establishments adhere to the targeted localisation rates in those contracts.
It is also aimed at supporting the ministry’s efforts aimed at increasing the opportunities for Saudi men and women to participate in the labor market.
The initial phase of the digital drive will apply to establishments contracting with government agencies and companies in which the state contributes at least 51 percent, and will include contracts for operation and maintenance, city cleaning, road operation and maintenance, subsistence, and information technology operation and maintenance contracts.
The online approval process is mandatory for establishments that have operation and maintenance contracts with public entities.
Last July, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Engineer Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi issued a ministerial decision approving the service of documenting contracts for the Operation and Maintenance Localisation Initiative in public entities as an electronic service, within the electronic services provided by the Ministry through the “Qiwa” platform.
