Required certification · Saudi Arabia
Etimad Platform
اعتماد: NCGR's platform for government tenders, contracts and payments
Market position
Etimad is the government procurement and payments platform managed by the National Center for Government Resource Systems (NCGR), which NCGR says was created by Cabinet decision in February 2021 from the Ministry of Finance's National Systems Agency. NCGR lists government tenders and procurement, contracts, payments and revenue collection among Etimad's services and cites over 1 million tenders and over 6 million payment orders on it. Private-sector firms use the Etimad Business app or portal to manage their registration, follow tenders, track bids and bank guarantees, and view financial claims.
Saudi Arabia-specific note
Etimad is the platform through which Saudi government entities run tenders, contracts and payments, according to NCGR; contractors follow tenders, track bids and see financial claims through an Etimad business account. Other requirements sit outside Etimad: Argaam reported in 2018 that firms must join the Saudi Contractors Authority before bidding for tenders.
Pros
- + Government tenders, contracts and payments on one official platform
- + Etimad Business app tracks bids, bank guarantees and financial claims
- + NCGR states aims of more SME participation and spending transparency
Cons
- − Most services need a registered business login
- − No fee schedule published on NCGR's Etimad pages
- − Its tender lists are government procurement, not private-sector projects
Typical Saudi Arabia pricing
No fee schedule is published on NCGR's Etimad pages; portal pages needed a login or CAPTCHA this run, so charges for individual tender documents could not be checked.
Why this matters for Saudi Arabia trades
The Engineering Professions Practice Law requires Saudi Council of Engineers (SCE) accreditation before anyone practises engineering, with fines of up to SAR 1 million. Under the Contractor Classification Law, government bodies may not accept a bid for a project subject to classification unless the contractor is classified in its field, activity and grade; classification requests and building permits are filed on Balady, where permit plans are checked against the Saudi Building Code and latent defects insurance is a required document. ZATCA’s Phase 2 requires businesses called in by turnover wave to connect their invoicing software to the Fatoora platform (EY reports that Wave 25 reaches taxable turnover above SAR 187,500 and that businesses in it should prepare to comply with Phase 2 starting from 1 February 2027). Nitaqat places each entity in one of five Saudization ranges that decide access to services such as new expatriate visas and work permits, and Argaam reported in 2018 that firms must join the Saudi Contractors Authority before bidding for tenders.
Saudi construction and trades software selection is shaped by ZATCA’s mandatory e-invoicing regime (Phase 2 integration with the Fatoora platform, rolled out in turnover waves), contractor classification by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing for public projects, building permits on Balady checked against the mandatory Saudi Building Code, Saudization ranges under Nitaqat tracked on Qiwa, and government tenders run on Etimad. Several vendors listed here offer Arabic and English interfaces, and some publish SAR prices.
Frequently asked
Is Etimad Platform a good fit for Saudi Arabia trades?
Etimad is the government procurement and payments platform managed by the National Center for Government Resource Systems (NCGR), which NCGR says was created by Cabinet decision in February 2021 from the Ministry of Finance's National Systems Agency. NCGR lists government tenders and procurement, contracts, payments and revenue collection among Etimad's services and cites over 1 million tenders and over 6 million payment orders on it. Private-sector firms use the Etimad Business app or portal to manage their registration, follow tenders, track bids and bank guarantees, and view financial claims. Etimad is the platform through which Saudi government entities run tenders, contracts and payments, according to NCGR; contractors follow tenders, track bids and see financial claims through an Etimad business account. Other requirements sit outside Etimad: Argaam reported in 2018 that firms must join the Saudi Contractors Authority before bidding for tenders.
What does Etimad Platform cost in Saudi Arabia?
No fee schedule is published on NCGR's Etimad pages; portal pages needed a login or CAPTCHA this run, so charges for individual tender documents could not be checked. Pricing and availability can change by region; confirm current Saudi Arabia pricing on the vendor's site before committing.
Other Saudi Arabia vendors
Saudi Council of Engineers (SCE)
Required certification
Contractor Classification (MOMAH)
Required certification
Balady Platform
Required certification
Saudi Building Code (SBC)
Required certification
ZATCA E-Invoicing (Fatoora)
Required certification
Qiwa & Nitaqat (Saudization)
Required certification