Riyadh, September 16, 2023, The "Times Have Changed campaign" has been launched by the Expenditure and Project Efficiency Authority in an effort to completely change public procurement. The purpose of this effort is to strategically shed light on how the government might expedite its procurement process while maximizing the effectiveness of unified framework agreements for procurement. These agreements aim to improve government revenue allocation, standardize pricing and specifications, and raise the quality of goods and services. Additionally, they increase government spending efficiency, speed up procurement through automation, and ease contracting and purchasing through the Etimad e-marketplace. The competent authority for unified procurement uses framework agreements as part of its simplified procurement strategy to formally contract on behalf of government agencies. This cooperative endeavor comprises collaborating with one or more manufacturers and suppliers in the private sector to offer a variety of services and goods, promote diversity in the offering, and guarantee the best quality.
These unified procurement framework agreements offer a ground-breaking opportunity that helps small and medium-sized businesses realize their marketing potential. According to the authority in a press release, they have a wide range of benefits for the commercial sector, including access to all government agencies through an electronic market. This creative method streamlines procedures by doing away with the requirement for individual price quotes for
every good or service Additionally, these agreements demonstrate a dedication to promoting regional goods while ensuring fair opportunity and openness for private sector engagement in public procurement.
Government entities can evaluate a wide range of products and choose the most affordable prices and specifications available within the established framework agreements based on their requirements thanks to the direct connection between unified procurement framework agreements and the Etimad e-marketplace. In comparison to numbers from 2021, this transition has resulted in an amazing 90% reduction in the time it takes to process purchase orders, setting new records for time from request initiation to approval from 185 days to just five.
