UAE tenders are not published in one place. Federal ministries buy through the Ministry of Finance's Digital Procurement Platform, Abu Dhabi entities through the Abu Dhabi Government Procurement Gate, Dubai entities through eSupply, and Sharjah through its own portal. A company that wants government work in the Emirates registers on the portals that match the entities it wants to sell to, and bids under the rules each one applies.
This guide covers the federal rules set by Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2023, the portals of the main emirates, what weighs in your favour at evaluation, and when the right move is to bid with an accredited local partner.
Where UAE tenders are published
| Buyer | Portal | Who registers |
|---|---|---|
| Federal ministries and entities | Digital Procurement Platform, run by the Ministry of Finance | Local companies, SMEs, free zone companies, freelancers, productive families and foreign companies based outside the UAE |
| Abu Dhabi government entities | Abu Dhabi Government Procurement Gate | Anyone who wants to do business with Abu Dhabi Government; registration is a one-time process |
| Dubai government entities | eSupply, the single online destination for suppliers to Dubai Government entities | Suppliers to the 40-plus Dubai entities on the portal, such as Dubai Municipality, RTA and Dubai Health Authority |
| Sharjah government entities | Sharjah eProcurement Portal | Suppliers to Sharjah entities |
Many government-owned companies, such as ADNOC and Mubadala, run their own supplier registration as well. If your target client is one of them, their procurement pages are the place to start.
The federal rules: Decree-Law No. 11 of 2023
Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2023 on Procurement in the Federal Government was issued on 27 November 2023 and, according to the UAE government portal, entered into force on 1 December 2023. Its executive regulations followed in Cabinet Resolution No. 122 of 2024. The points that shape a bid:
- Public tender is the default. Federal entities "shall offer their Procurements in a Public Tender to be announced through the Procurement System"; other methods are allowed only where the law and regulations permit them and competition is not restricted (Article 16).
- Everything runs through the platform. Procurements are offered through the Procurement System, which must give suppliers access to tender information (Article 8).
- Pre-qualification is possible. An entity may pre-qualify bidders on technical, financial and administrative capability, the size of their commitments and their ability to perform (Article 16).
- The announcement must spell out the scoring. It has to include the evaluation criteria, the mechanism and the weight of each criterion, together with the deadline and how to submit (Articles 18 and 22).
- A bank guarantee may be required at signing (Article 32); the amounts are set in the regulations.
- Grounds for exclusion include not meeting the minimum requirements, past failure on a federal contract, and unpaid taxes or fees owed to the government (Article 24).
Contracts and tender documents are drafted in Arabic, with English used as an alternative where the entity deems it necessary (Article 39).
What weighs in your favour at evaluation
Price is one criterion among several. The law lists financial cost, operating and maintenance cost, delivery period, conformity with specifications, and payment and guarantee terms (Article 22). Two things beyond your bid matter:
- A preferential margin "may be granted in favour of those Participating Suppliers that provide the best Public Interest or in-country value, in favour of the locally produced Procurements or to encourage small and medium local enterprises" (Article 22). The law names supporting SMEs, national products and local suppliers among the public interests an entity should weigh (Article 13).
- An In-Country Value (ICV) certificate. The National ICV Program, run by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, certifies a supplier's contribution to the UAE economy. Certified suppliers "will gain advantages during the award of tenders and contracts based on their ICV score". The ministry lists 31 local and federal government entities among the programme's partners, alongside companies such as ADNOC, Mubadala and Etihad Rail.
For a company new to the UAE, both work the same way: a bidder with local spend, local staff and a local footprint scores higher than an equally priced bidder without them.
Subcontracting and complaints
- Subcontracting needs written approval. A contracted supplier may not assign the contract or subcontract any part of it without the federal entity's prior written approval, remains jointly responsible with the sub-supplier, and must pay the sub-supplier as soon as its payments fall due (Articles 34 and 35).
- You can complain within five working days. A bidder may file a grievance against any decision before the award within five working days of being notified, and against the award decision within five days of its issuance (Article 38). An unsuccessful bidder may also ask the entity to explain the weaknesses and strengths of its bid (Article 29).
When you need a local partner for UAE tenders
The law does not force a foreign company to bid through a local partner: the federal platform registers "foreign companies based outside the UAE". In practice, three things push a newcomer towards one:
- Scoring. The ICV and public-interest preferences reward local footprint, which a partner established in the UAE already has.
- Capability requirements. Pre-qualification asks for delivered contracts, certifications and capacity in the market. A partner that holds the accreditation or classification a tender names fills the gap.
- Delivery on the ground. Many contracts need staff, licences and a presence in the emirate from day one.
Which form that takes depends on the tender and on you: a consortium that bids together, or a prime contractor with you as an approved subcontractor. Read the tender documents first; they state what the entity accepts.
That gap, between what a tender asks for and what your company holds, is what Munaseq is for. Tell us the tender and what you lack, and we match you with up to three accredited partners that hold it, each with the reason for the match, and arrange the first meeting. The contract is between you and your partner.
- Have a UAE tender and a gap to fill? Find an accredited partner for your tender.
- Established in the UAE and holding accreditations? Let companies entering the market find you.
- Looking at Saudi Arabia as well? Our guide to the new Saudi procurement law is in Arabic.
Sources
- Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2023 on Procurement in the Federal Government, Ministry of Finance (English text).
- Government tendering and awarding, the official UAE government portal.
- Federal Government Procurement Procedures Guide, Ministry of Finance.
- National In-Country Value Program, Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology.
- eSupply, the Dubai Government procurement portal.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. The tender documents, the law and its executive regulations are what count.