Article 24 of the Saudi Government Tenders and Procurement Law
المادة 24 من نظام المنافسات والمشتريات الحكومية · الفصل الثاني عشر: معايير تقييم العروض
The article requires the government entity to set in the tender documents the criteria for evaluating, comparing and accepting bids, as the Implementing Regulations explain.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تحدد الجهة الحكومية في وثائق المنافسة معايير تقييم ومقارنة وقبول العروض وفقاً لما توضحه اللائحة.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 24 explained in plain English
This article provides that the criteria for evaluating, comparing and accepting bids are set in advance in the tender documents.
What does the article require?
- The government entity sets the criteria by which bids will be evaluated.
- It sets the criteria for comparing bids with each other.
- It sets the criteria for accepting bids.
- All of this is done in the tender documents themselves, as the Implementing Regulations explain.
The practical benefit: Putting the criteria in the documents lets the competitor know the basis on which his bid will be judged before he submits it, so he prepares his bid accordingly.
Relation to other articles:
- Article 25 provides that non-price evaluation criteria must be objective, proportionate to the nature of the works and procurement, and quantifiable as far as practically possible.
- Article 23 requires studying market prices before setting the estimated cost and keeping it confidential.
The article itself does not say what the criteria or their weights are, but leaves the details to the Implementing Regulations. Anyone who believes his bid was evaluated by criteria not in the documents may consult a lawyer who specializes in government contracts and administrative disputes.
Practical example
A technology company in Riyadh is applying to a government tender to develop an electronic system. Before preparing its bid, it reviews the tender documents to learn the evaluation, comparison and acceptance criteria the entity set in them, so it can build its technical and financial bid to match them.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 24 of the Saudi Government Tenders and Procurement Law
Where do I find the bid evaluation criteria in a government tender?
The government entity sets them in the tender documents, as the Implementing Regulations explain.
Does the article set the weights of the evaluation criteria?
No. It requires the entity to set the criteria in the documents and refers the details to the Implementing Regulations.
Are there controls on non-price criteria?
Yes. Article 25 requires them to be objective, proportionate and quantifiable as far as practically possible.
More articles on Tender Documents and Specifications
- Article 5
The article requires clear, unified information about the required works and procurement to be provided to competitors, and requires that they be able to obtain it at a set time.
تُوفَر للمتنافسين معلومات واضحة وموحدة عن الأعمال والمشتريات المطلوبة، ويمكَنون من الحصول عليها في وقت محدد.
- Article 8
The article requires works and procurement to be put out and contracted within the government entity's actual needs, and at fair prices not exceeding prevailing market prices.
يكون طرح الأعمال والمشتريات والتعاقد في حدود الاحتياجات الفعلية للجهة الحكومية، وبأسعار عادلة لا تزيد عن الأسعار السائدة في السوق.
- Article 21
The article requires tender documents to contain the works and procurement information as the Implementing Regulations specify, to be available electronically on the portal or on paper if technically impossible, and refers cost criteria to the Regulations.
1- يجب أن تتضمن وثائق المنافسات المعلومات والبيانات الخاصة بالأعمال والمشتريات المطروحة وفقاً لما تحدده اللائحة. 2- يجب توفير نسخ إلكترونية لوثائق المنافسة في ا
- Article 22
The article requires technical specifications to be detailed and precise, and bars reference to a particular brand or supplier except by a conditional exception, with no exaggeration and with persons with disabilities taken into account.
1- يجب أن تكون الشروط والمواصفات الفنية للأعمال والمشتريات المطروحة تفصيلية ودقيقة وواضحة، وأن تراعي المواصفات القياسية المعتمدة أو المواصفات العالمية فيما ليس
- Article 23
The article requires the government entity, before setting the estimated cost, to study market prices carefully and set an upper limit for the expected contract value, and to put in place controls to keep the cost confidential.
على الجهة الحكومية -قبل وضع التكلفة التقديرية للأعمال والمشتريات- القيام بالآتي: 1- دراسة أسعار السوق بشكل دقيق، وأن تراعي في ذلك تحديد حد أعلى للقيمة الإجمالية
- Article 25
The article requires non-price evaluation criteria to be objective, proportionate to the nature of the works and procurement, and quantifiable as far as practically possible.
يجب أن تكون معايير التقييم غير السعرية موضوعية وتتناسب مع طبيعة الأعمال والمشتريات المراد طرحها، وأن تكون -بالقدر الممكن عملياً- قابلة للتحديد الكمي.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.