Article 26 of the Saudi Government Tenders and Procurement Law
المادة 26 من نظام المنافسات والمشتريات الحكومية · الفصل الثالث عشر: تجزئة المنافسة
The article bars splitting works and procurement in order to bring them within the authority for direct purchase, limited tenders or the authority of delegated officials.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا تجوز تجزئة الأعمال والمشتريات من أجل الوصول بها إلى صلاحية الشراء المباشر أو المنافسة المحدودة أو صلاحيات المسؤولين المفوَضين.
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 26 explained in plain English
This article bars a specific form of evasion in government procurement: splitting works and procurement.
What is meant by prohibited splitting? Dividing a single work or purchase into smaller parts in order to bring them within one of three authorities:
- The authority for direct purchase.
- The authority for limited tenders.
- The authority of delegated officials.
If the value of the whole work requires a particular method or level of authority, it may not be divided into parts so that each part falls below a lower limit that allows an easier method or the authority of a lower official.
The element of intent: The article ties the prohibition to the purpose ("in order to bring them"), so what is prohibited is splitting intended to reach those authorities.
Why? Because splitting with this intent empties the tender controls of their substance and weakens the protection of public funds.
Relation to other articles: Article 25 controls non-price evaluation criteria, and Article 27 allows bids to be accepted jointly as the Implementing Regulations explain. This article does not set the limits of the authorities or the penalty for violation; other articles of the Law regulate these.
Practical example
A government entity needs furniture of large value for a new building in Riyadh, and one employee proposed splitting the purchase into several small consecutive orders so that each would be bought directly without a tender. This is what the article prohibits, because the splitting here is intended to bring the purchase within the authority for direct purchase.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentA question about Article 26 of Government Tenders and Procurement Law?
Describe what happened and specialist lawyers answer. You can write in English.
- Completely free
- Lawyers from the directory answer
- Your name stays hidden
Administrative Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Administrative Law (Board of Grievances) lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Active contributor
Unwan Law Firm
Frequently asked questions about Article 26 of the Saudi Government Tenders and Procurement Law
May government procurement be split to avoid a public tender?
No. Works and procurement may not be split in order to bring them within the authority for direct purchase or limited tenders.
May a purchase be split so it falls within the authority of a lower official?
No. The article bars splitting in order to reach the authority of delegated officials.
Does the article set a penalty for splitting?
No. It sets out the prohibition only, without stating the penalty.
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 24
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.
تحدد الجهة الحكومية في وثائق المنافسة معايير تقييم ومقارنة وقبول العروض وفقاً لما توضحه اللائحة.
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.