Article 37 of the Saudi Government Tenders and Procurement Law
المادة 37 من نظام المنافسات والمشتريات الحكومية · الفصل الأول: تقديم العروض
The article requires bids to be submitted encrypted through the portal by the set deadline, allows sealed envelopes if the portal is technically unavailable, and requires the entity to announce the names of those who applied.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- تقدم العروض مشفرة من خلال البوابة، وفق ما تحدده اللائحة.
2- تقدم العروض في الموعد المحدد لقبولها، ولا يجوز قبول العروض التي تقدم بخلاف ذلك.
3- يجوز قبول العروض في ظروف مختومة إذا تعذر تقديمها من خلال البوابة لأسباب فنية.
4- تعلن الجهة الحكومية عن أسماء الأشخاص الذين تقدموا بعروضهم من خلال البوابة، وإذا تعذر استخدام البوابة لأسباب فنية فتعلن عن ذلك بالوسيلة التي تحددها 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 37 explained in plain English
This article sets the basic rules on the method of submitting bids in government tenders, which are four:
- Encrypted electronic submission: Bids are submitted encrypted through the portal, the unified electronic portal for government procurement supervised by the Ministry of Finance, as the Implementing Regulations specify.
- Meeting the deadline: Bids are submitted by the set deadline for accepting them, and bids submitted otherwise may not be accepted. A late bid is not accepted.
- Sealed envelopes as an exception: Bids may be accepted in sealed envelopes if they cannot be submitted through the portal for technical reasons.
- Announcing the names of applicants: The government entity announces the names of those who submitted their bids through the portal, and if it cannot be used for technical reasons, it announces them by the means the Implementing Regulations specify.
The purpose of these rules is to protect the confidentiality of bids and equality among competitors, so no one sees another's bid and no latecomer benefits from extra time. Announcing the names also achieves a degree of transparency.
In practice, a competing enterprise should make sure to upload its bid through the portal before the deadline ends, and review the encryption and submission procedures the Implementing Regulations specify. Related to this is what Article 38 provides, that the entity may ask for a sample of the procurement to be attached.
If your bid was rejected because of the deadline or the method of submission and you want to know your options, consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative disputes and government contracts.
Practical example
A contracting company in Riyadh was preparing to submit its bid in a government tender through the portal, but uploaded it one hour after the set deadline. Under the article, a bid submitted after the deadline may not be accepted, so it was not accepted.
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 37 of the Saudi Government Tenders and Procurement Law
How are bids submitted in government tenders?
They are submitted encrypted through the unified electronic portal for government procurement, as the Implementing Regulations specify.
Is a bid accepted if submitted after the set deadline?
No. The text requires bids to be submitted by the set deadline for accepting them and does not allow accepting those submitted otherwise.
What if the portal goes down and I cannot upload my bid?
Bids may be accepted in sealed envelopes if they cannot be submitted through the portal for technical reasons.
Does the entity announce the names of applicants?
Yes. It announces them through the portal, and if that is not possible for technical reasons, by the means the Implementing Regulations specify.
More articles on Submitting Bids and the Initial Guarantee
- Article 38
The article allows the government entity to ask competitors to attach a sample of the required procurement to their bids.
للجهة الحكومية طلب إرفاق عينة من المشتريات المطلوبة.
- Article 39
The article sets bid validity at 90 days from opening, with the initial guarantee not returned to a bidder who withdraws during it, and allows extension by another 90 days with the guarantee also extended.
1- تكون مدة سريان العروض في المنافسات (تسعين) يوماً من التاريخ المحدد لفتح العروض، فإن سحب مقدم العرض عرضه خلال هذه المدة فلا يعاد إليه ضمانه الابتدائي. 2- يجوز
- Article 40
The article requires total prices and any increase or reduction to be stated in the bid letter itself, disregards a reduction in a separate letter, and bars changing prices after submission except where negotiation is permitted.
1- يجب أن تحدد الأسعار الإجمالية وما يرد عليها من زيادة أو تخفيض في خطاب العرض، ولا يعتد بأي تخفيض يقدم بوساطة خطاب مستقل حتى لو كان مرافقاً للعرض. 2- لا يجوز ل
- Article 41
The article requires the competitor to submit an initial guarantee of 1% to 2% of the bid value with his bid, and a bid without the guarantee is excluded.
1- يُقدم المتنافس مع عرضه ضماناً ابتدائياً بنسبة تتراوح من (1%) إلى (2%) من قيمة العرض. ويستبعد العرض الذي لم يقدم معه الضمان. 2- تحدد اللائحة الأحكام المتعلقة
- Article 42
The article excepts five cases from the duty to provide the initial guarantee, including direct purchase, the competition, contracts among government entities, and contracting with local small and medium enterprises.
استثناء من حكم المادة (الحادية والأربعين) من النظام، لا يلزم تقديم الضمان الابتدائي في الحالات الآتية: 1- الشراء المباشر. 2- المسابقة. 3- تعاقدات الجهات الحكومي
- Article 63
The Article sets the accepted forms of guarantee in tenders and government contracts: a guarantee letter from a local bank, from a foreign bank through a local bank, or any form the Regulations specify.
تقبل الضمانات إذا كانت وفق أحد الأشكال الآتية: 1- خطاب ضمان بنكي من أحد البنوك المحلية. 2- خطاب ضمان بنكي من بنك خارج المملكة يقدم بوساطة أحد البنوك المحلية. 3-
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.