Article 5 of the Saudi Government Tenders and Procurement Law
المادة 5 من نظام المنافسات والمشتريات الحكومية · الفصل الثالث: المبادئ الأساسية
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تُوفَر للمتنافسين معلومات واضحة وموحدة عن الأعمال والمشتريات المطلوبة، ويمكَنون من الحصول عليها في وقت محدد.
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 5 explained in plain English
This article places a duty on the government entity toward competitors concerning information, and it rests on three elements:
- Clarity: The information about the required works and procurement must be clear and unambiguous.
- Uniformity: The same information must be available to all competitors, so none receives different or additional information.
- Timing: Competitors must be able to obtain it at a set time.
Why is this important? Because a competitor cannot prepare a sound bid without precise knowledge of what is required, and because differences in information among competitors undermine the principle of equality in Article 4. Article 6 also subjects public tenders to the principles of openness, transparency and equal opportunity, and providing uniform information is one of the most important forms of this transparency.
The article states the general principle and does not specify the form of this information or the period; other articles of the Law regulate tender documents and their content. Competitors means those who come forward to deal with the government entities defined in Article 1.
If a competitor finds that the available information is unclear or not uniform, he may need to consult a lawyer who specializes in government contracts and administrative disputes to learn what he can do.
Practical example
A contracting company in Riyadh looked at a tender for maintaining government buildings, then learned that another competitor had received additional information about the scope of work that was not made available to the other competitors. This conflicts with what the article provides, that information must be clear and uniform for everyone.
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 5 of the Saudi Government Tenders and Procurement Law
Am I entitled to the same information that other competitors received?
Yes. The article requires that clear, unified information about the required works and procurement be provided to competitors.
Does the article set when the information must be obtained?
It provides that competitors must be able to obtain it at a set time, without specifying a particular period.
How does this article relate to the principle of transparency?
Providing uniform information to everyone applies the principles of openness, transparency and equal opportunity to which public tenders are subject under Article 6.
More articles on General Provisions and Principles of Government Tenders
- Article 1
The article defines the key terms used in the Government Tenders and Procurement Law, such as government entities, the portal, the framework agreement, qualification, the standstill period, and emergency and urgent cases.
يقصد بالعبارات والمصطلحات الآتية -أينما وردت في هذا النظام- المعاني الموضحة أمام كل منها، ما لم يقتض السياق خلاف ذلك: النظام: نظام المنافسات والمشتريات الحكومية
- Article 2
The article sets out the Law's objectives: regulating procedures for works and procurement and preventing abuse of influence, achieving the best value for public funds, and promoting integrity, equality, transparency and economic development.
يهدف النظام إلى الآتي: 1- تنظيم الإجراءات ذات الصلة بالأعمال والمشتريات، ومنع استغلال النفوذ وتأثير المصالح الشخصية فيها؛ وذلك حماية للمال العام. 2- تحقيق أفضل
- Article 3
The article requires government entities to deal only with licensed persons, and, when dealing with foreigners inside the Kingdom, to first confirm that there is not more than one qualified local person.
1- تتعامل الجهات الحكومية عند تنفيذ أعمالها وتأمين مشترياتها مع الأشخاص المرخص لهم بذلك، طبقاً للأنظمة والقواعد المتبعة. 2- على الجهة الحكومية عند تعاملها مع أش
- Article 4
The article provides that everyone who meets the conditions for dealing with a government entity is given equal opportunities and treated on an equal footing with others.
يعطى جميع الأشخاص الراغبين في التعامل مع الجهة الحكومية، ممن تتوافر فيهم الشروط التي تؤهلهم لهذا التعامل؛ فرصاً متساوية ويعاملون على قدم المساواة.
- Article 6
The article subjects public tenders to three principles: openness, transparency and equal opportunity.
تخضع المنافسة العامة لمبادئ العلانية والشفافية وتكافؤ الفرص.
- Article 7
The article provides that bids may not be accepted, and contracts may not be made on them, except in accordance with the provisions of the Government Tenders and Procurement Law.
لا يجوز قبول العروض والتعاقد بموجبها إلا طبقاً لأحكام النظام.
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.