To usher in a new wave of opportunities for the local private sector, Qatar Development Bank (QDB) launched the latest edition of the Government Procurement & Contracting Conference and Exhibition – Moushtarayat – in partnership with the Ministry of Finance (MoF), at a press conference today. Under the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the program will be held from 6 to 8 April 2017 at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC), Doha, State of Qatar.

The second upcoming edition of Moushtarayat is in line with the development agency’s vision to develop local talent and create a cooperative environment for Qatari entrepreneurs so native small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) may become active contributors to the diversification of the economy and eventually develop the requisite experience, resources and professional skillset to compete in global markets.

In 2016, MoF extended cooperation to the maiden edition of the Moushtarayat series in the wake of the new decree, Qatar Law No. 24, on ‘Regulation of Tenders and Auctions’, aiming to promote greater efficiency in public procurement. To support the implementation of the law, MoF delivered training programs across ministries, institutions and government agencies of the state to inform government personnel on the new mechanisms through which tenders and auctions would operate. As an integral part of this training, attendees from 54 government agencies learned the use of standardized website purchase procedures and the effective operation of government procurement portals, which have since become the official channels for interaction between all government agencies and companies in a bid to foster an environment of transparency. Through the development of the digitalized procurement system, the ministry is able to use a faster, more proficient method to compile a list of service providers. Furthermore, the recent digitalization also helps the ministry accurately log all transactions for the purposes of their own assessments and records as well as public reporting. Furthermore, it also helps the private sector in that they may access all active tenders and upcoming business opportunities offered by the various government agencies in Qatar.

As a part of its cooperation with Moushtarayat last year, MoF conducted seminars on the mechanisms of the new e-procurement system, which also helps MoF identify the competency of each contractor based on their past work with government agencies. The records serve as a reference point for government agencies during subsequent tendering and contracting processes. The clarification extended by MoF highlighted the importance of the new system in classifying companies and measuring the capabilities of all contractors, service-providers and suppliers on administrative, executive, financial and technical grounds.

During the launch of the upcoming edition of Moushtarayat, Executive Director for Advisory Services, Qatar Development Bank, Ibrahim Al-Mannai said: "Through the second edition of the Government Procurement & Contracting Conference and Exhibition – Moushtarayat – we aim to promote cooperation between private companies and the state through the extension of tendering opportunities. This exhibition is designed to pave the way for greater interaction between the owners of local SMEs and the government—opportunities for low risk public tenders are a great source of encouragement for SMEs to participate in the economy, and through Moushtarayat, we are able to facilitate their access to public tenders and help them overcome common challenges."

He added: "We were driven to launch the second edition of Moushtarayat in April 2017 after the overwhelmingly positive response we received last year—the first edition of the exhibition saw the attendance of 3,000 visitors and the participation of 25 governmental and semi-governmental organizations; the signing of three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between Public Works Authority (Ashghal), the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ); provision of 450 jobs with an estimated cumulative value worth up to QAR 3 billion; and the signing of contracts valued at approximately QAR 111 million.”

Notably, the upcoming Moushtarayat conference and exhibition is the latest in a series of integrated programs and initiatives offered by QDB to develop SMEs. To promote the private sector, QDB locally extends wide-ranging financial and non-financial support to entrepreneurs across a myriad of industries. Furthermore, the development agency is dedicated to strengthening the private sector through the provision of special advisory services, indirect loan facilities, seed investment programs and matchmaking services so that SMEs may achieve higher scales of competitiveness in Qatar.

At this year’s upcoming exhibition and conference, a number of issues and topics facing SMEs will be addressed, such as the communication between SMEs, the buyers and the relevant authorities; effective exchange of information; claims management; cost-benefit analysis in public contracts; quality of services; international practices and modern trends in the field of supply chain management; documentation of procurement processes; and the subsequent preparation of related reports. Finally, the scope of conference also includes a tutorial on navigating the e-procurement system. Importantly, in addition to streamlining payment methods and integrating the procedure of acquisition, the newly developed e-procurement system allows SMEs an opportunity to learn about active public tenders through accessing a platform that brings together government buyers and local suppliers.

This year, public tenders and contracts were carefully divided to maximize opportunities for SMEs to enter into partnerships with the government entities. Through the Government Procurement & Contracting Conference and Exhibition – Moushtarayat, QDB aims to promote the concept of sustainable government procurement, whereby SMEs are guided on the procedures of meeting government requirements and applying successfully for public tenders.The upcoming conference and exhibition also serves the dual purpose of encouraging the active involvement of SMEs and the greater private sector in the economy, as envisioned in Qatar National Vision 2030.

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