Procurement Glossary
Tender Award (الترسية): Meaning and Next Steps
10 October 2026 · 6 min read · By NextBid Bid Experts
A tender award (الترسية) is the entity's decision to give the contract to the winning bidder. It is followed by a standstill, a final guarantee and signing. Here is how each step works.
A tender award (الترسية, tarsiya) is the formal decision by a Saudi government entity, taken after it has examined the offers, to give the contract to the bidder with the best offer. It is not the contract itself: an announcement, a standstill (فترة التوقف) for objections, the winner's final guarantee and the signing still follow.
This guide follows the current Government Tenders and Procurement Law and flags what the new law changes when it takes effect in early January 2027. Tenders announced before then stay under the current law, although the Minister of Finance may apply some new provisions to them.
Who decides the award?
The committee that examines the offers records its recommendation on the best offer in minutes, and the minutes go to the person with authority to decide the award: the head of the entity or a delegate. The current law lets the head delegate award decisions up to SAR 10 million; the new law raises that ceiling to SAR 50 million.
What happens between the award decision and the contract?
| Step | Current law and Regulations | New law (early January 2027) |
|---|---|---|
| Announcement | Result announced on the Portal; other bidders told why they were eliminated, including technical scores. Results of tenders above SAR 100,000 are published within 30 days. | The duty stays; the new Regulations set the detail. |
| Standstill (فترة التوقف) | 5 to 10 working days. No signing; the award decision takes effect only after it ends and complaints are settled. | 3 to 10 working days. The Regulations set exempt cases. |
| Final guarantee (الضمان النهائي) | 5% of the contract value within 15 working days of notification, extendable for a similar period. Contracts up to SAR 100,000 are exempt. | Same rate and period. Contracts up to SAR 300,000 are exempt. |
| Signing | Date set by the entity, within 30 working days of completing the approvals. | Date set by the entity as the new Regulations clarify. |
The 15 working days for the final guarantee start when the winner is notified of the award, so they can run during the standstill. Where a contract needs Ministry of Finance review, the review takes up to 15 working days now and 4 under the new law. For contracts up to SAR 300,000 the entity may use the award decision instead of a written contract (under the current law, its correspondence with the contractor). Our guide to bid bonds and performance guarantees on Etimad covers the guarantee mechanics.
What can an unsuccessful bidder do?
The standstill is your window to object: under the current Regulations the award decision takes effect only after it ends and any complaints are settled. The route is the same under both laws, apart from two details:
- File a grievance (تظلم) with the entity against the award decision during the standstill.
- The entity decides within 15 working days. Silence counts as rejection.
- If the grievance is rejected or left undecided, go to the grievance committee within 3 days under the current law, or 3 working days under the new law.
- The committee decides within 15 working days, extendable for a similar period, and binds the entity.
A grievance needs a deposit: half the initial guarantee now, 0.5% of the offer value under the new law, returned if upheld. Our Etimad grievance and appeal playbook covers the process.
What can go wrong for the winner?
- Missing the final guarantee: the contract cannot be concluded without it.
- Missing the signing date: after a written warning and 10 more working days, the award is cancelled and the final guarantee confiscated (current Regulations). The new law likewise cancels the award and does not return the guarantee.
- Withdrawing the offer: pulling out during its validity period forfeits the initial guarantee under both laws (a bidder exempt from the guarantee, such as a local SME, can face a fine instead).
- Starting work early: the current Regulations bar work before the contract is concluded, unless correspondence replaces the contract (up to SAR 300,000).
The award decision is not the contract. Between them sit the standstill, the 5% final guarantee due within 15 working days, and signing. Put all three dates in your plan the day the result is announced.
Frequently asked questions
What does tarsiya (الترسية) mean in Saudi tenders?
It is the entity's decision to award the contract to the winning bidder after the offers are evaluated. It is announced, then followed by a standstill before signing. It is a step toward the contract, not the contract itself.
How long is the standstill period after an award?
At least 5 and at most 10 working days under the current law. The new law sets 3 to 10 working days and lets the Regulations exempt some cases. The contract cannot be signed while it runs.
How long does the winner have to submit the final guarantee?
15 working days from being notified of the award decision, extendable by the entity for a similar period. The guarantee is 5% of the contract value under both laws.
Where can I see the award result?
Under the current Regulations the entity announces the successful bid on the Portal and informs the bidders, and results of tenders above SAR 100,000 are published there within 30 days. Etimad, the Ministry of Finance platform, supports e-awarding.
Can the winning bidder withdraw after the award?
Withdrawing an offer inside its validity period forfeits the initial guarantee under both laws (a bidder exempt from the guarantee, such as a local SME, can face a fine instead). The current Regulations add exceptions, for example: if the entity has not concluded the contract within 35 working days of the final guarantee (or of the award where none is needed), the winner may notify its wish to withdraw and gets its guarantees back if 10 working days pass with no contract. The winner's own review and signing time does not count.
An award starts with an offer the committee can recommend. Our bid management team covers RFP analysis, technical and commercial proposal development and a pre-submission compliance review, so your offer arrives complete and compliant.