The Ministry of Transport, Communications and IT issued a ministerial circular to all units of the State’s Administrative Apparatus stating that all companies shall be given an opportunity when these units issue tenders for government digital transformation projects.

The circular stressed that priority shall be granted to local technology companies.

The Ministry explained that local technology companies may compete towards the implementation of government digital transformation projects if the firms meet the technical requirements.

The circular affirms the Ministry’s keenness to include evaluation criteria that support local technical products and services. It focuses on local firms that are committed to applying higher rates of Omanization and offer opportunities for professionals in technical fields. The aim is to empower and support the local economy.

The Ministry urged units of the State’s Administrative Apparatus to shortlist opportunities in projects and initiatives within a unit’s digital transformation plan.

The projects can be implemented through the assistance of emerging technology companies, small and medium technology companies and self-employed entrepreneurs in Oman, according to the regulations followed in this regard.

The second batch of the “Jadarah (Efficiency)” initiative was launched in the first quarter of 2023 by the Ministry in cooperation with the Secretariat General of the Tender Board.

Through the initiative, locally-developed technical products are given access to government institutions and companies.

The initiative lends support to nascent technology companies, providing them with an opportunity to test their products and apply them in the target institutions.

It also seeks to undertake necessary measures and coordinate with target institutions to test the local technology firms’ products.

This is in addition to promoting and marketing locally developed products. It targets emerging local technology companies that have standard-quality technical products of use to government departments.