Saudi to Prepare a List of Companies without KSA Headquarter

Umm Al-Qura newspaper revealed information on how Saudi Arabia will prepare a list of companies that do not have regional headquarters in the Kingdom.

The list, which is based on standards and regulations that are agreed upon, will be updated periodically or as often as needed.

There are certain rules governing Saudi government agencies when concluding contracts with companies that do not have regional headquarters in the Kingdom. One of the rules according to the Umm Al-Qura notification limits government agencies when contracting with companies that do not have regional headquarters in the Kingdom.

Article Six of the regulations states that it does not prevent companies that do not have regional headquarters in the Kingdom or any related party from submitting offers for public biddings by any of these agencies, provided that these entities do not accept the submissions of these companies or related parties except on two occasions:

• The first is when there is only one technically acceptable offer
• The second is when the offer submitted by the company, which does not have a regional headquarters in the Kingdom or the related party, submitted the best offer after the overall evaluation from a technical point of view and is financially 25 percent more or less than the value of the second best offer.

Article Seven of the regulations stipulates that government agencies may not invite companies that do not have regional headquarters in the Kingdom or any related party to participate in the limited biddings they offer except in one of two circumstances:

• These are when there is no more than one qualified bidder other than companies that do not have a regional headquarters in the Kingdom to carry out businesses or secure the required purchases,
• In the event of an emergency situation that can only be dealt with by companies that do not have regional headquarters in the Kingdom.

Saudi Arabia announced that it intends to cease contracting with companies and commercial institutions that have regional headquarters outside the Kingdom starting from Jan. 1, 2024.