Article 95 of the Saudi Government Tenders and Procurement Law
المادة 95 من نظام المنافسات والمشتريات الحكومية · الباب السابع: أحكام ختامية
The Article sets the way to exempt a provision of the Law: submission to the Prime Minister to form a committee of at least three members that studies the matter and submits what it sees fit.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا ظهرت حاجة إلى استثناء حكم من أحكام النظام؛ فيرفع إلى رئيس مجلس الوزراء لتكوين لجنة لا يقل عدد أعضائها عن ثلاثة يكون من بينهم الوزير ورئيس مجلس إدارة الهيئة ورئيس الجهة الحكومية المختص لدراسة الموضوع، مع تحديد محل الاستثناء ومسوغاته والرفع بما يرونه إلى رئيس مجلس الوزراء للتوجيه بما يراه.
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 95 explained in plain English
This Article sets the only route provided for in it for exempting a provision of the Law; an exemption cannot be made by a government entity's own decision. The procedure goes through the following steps:
- A need arises to exempt a provision of the Law.
- Submission to the Prime Minister to form a committee.
- Forming the committee: not fewer than three members, including:
- the Minister (the Minister of Finance under Article 1).
- the chair of the board of the Authority (the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority).
- the head of the competent government entity.
- Studying the matter, specifying the subject of the exemption, meaning the provision to be exempted, and its justifications.
- Submitting what the committee sees fit to the Prime Minister for such direction as he sees fit.
The committee studies and submits its opinion, and the final direction rests with the Prime Minister. The Article sets no period for these procedures and no specific criteria for accepting an exemption, and does not require any particular outcome.
The Article is linked to Article 94, which makes any violation of any provision of the Law a ground for accountability of the responsible employee; departing from a provision of the Law is possible only by this route.
A person who needs to assess whether a particular case calls for requesting an exemption would do well to consult a lawyer specialized in administrative cases and government contracts.
Practical example
A government entity considered that the nature of a particular project makes applying one of the Law's provisions to it impracticable. Under this Article it cannot set the provision aside itself; the matter is submitted to the Prime Minister to form a committee including the Minister of Finance, the chair of the Authority's board and the head of that entity, which studies the provision to be exempted and its justifications and submits its opinion for direction.
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 95 of the Saudi Government Tenders and Procurement Law
Can a government entity exempt itself from the Government Tenders Law?
The Article provides that the need to exempt a provision of the Law is submitted to the Prime Minister to form a committee that studies it, and the final direction rests with the Prime Minister.
Who are the members of the exemption committee?
Not fewer than three, including the Minister, the chair of the Authority's board and the head of the competent government entity.
What does the exemption committee study?
It studies the matter, specifying the subject of the exemption and its justifications, then submits what it sees fit to the Prime Minister for such direction as he sees fit.
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 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 6
The article subjects public tenders to three principles: openness, transparency and equal opportunity.
تخضع المنافسة العامة لمبادئ العلانية والشفافية وتكافؤ الفرص.
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.