Selling to government and contracts in Qatar
State regime: public tenders run under Law No. 24 of 2015, amended by Law No. 17 of 2024. The Government Procurement Department in the Ministry of Finance oversees most tenders. Ministry of Finance officials stated in October 2025 that government entities are required to include in-country value requirements in all tenders. Under Law No. 1 of 2019, State regime, commercial agencies are closed to foreign ownership.
Key facts
- Procurement law, State regime
- Law No. 24 of 2015, amended by Law No. 17 of 2024
- Oversight, State regime
- The Government Procurement Department in the Ministry of Finance oversees most tenders
- Local value (ICV), State regime
- Cabinet Resolution No. 11 of 2022. Ministry of Finance officials stated in October 2025 that government entities are required to include in-country value requirements in all tenders
- Micro, small and medium enterprises, State regime
- Exempt from temporary and final performance guarantees and from paying for tender documents valued below QAR 1 million
- Award decisions, State regime
- Published within two working days. A grievance can be filed within five working days
- Commercial agents
- Under Law No. 1 of 2019, State regime: commercial agencies are closed to foreign ownership. The agent must be a Qatari person or a wholly Qatari-owned company
- Language of the State courts
- Arabic
- Currency
- The riyal is pegged at QAR 3.64 per US dollar
On this page
- 01How government buys
- 02Local value in tenders
- 03Micro, small and medium enterprises
- 04Award decisions and timelines
- 05Tawteen and ICV in the energy sector
- 06Procurement plan and ICV certificates
- 07Temporary branches for State contracts
- 08Commercial agents and distributors
- 09Courts, language and arbitration
- 10Currency and business calendar
01How government buys
Public tenders run under Law No. 24 of 2015. The Government Procurement Department in the Ministry of Finance oversees most tenders.
- Law No. 24 of 2015 was issued in November 2015 and took effect in June 2016.
- Law No. 17 of 2024 amended it.
- Cabinet Resolution No. 11 of 2022 amended the Executive Regulations to bring in in-country value (ICV), also called local value.
Sources Mondaq, Amendments to Qatar's Tenders and Auctions Law, 28 May 2025 · Gulf Times, Qatar fine tunes tender auction laws to support SMEs, 9 August 2022 · K&L Gates, Recent Changes to Tender Law Regulations in Qatar, 14 November 2022
02Local value in tenders
State regime: Cabinet Resolution No. 11 of 2022 brought in in-country value. Ministry of Finance officials stated in October 2025 that government entities are required to include in-country value requirements in all tenders. Companies that contribute to the Qatari economy gain an advantage in the award of contracts.
- Definition: local value is the total spending by a contractor, supplier or service provider in Qatar.
- Certificates: ICV certificates are used as a measurement tool when tenders are awarded.
Sources Mondaq, Amendments to Qatar's Tenders and Auctions Law, 28 May 2025 · Gulf Times, Qatar fine tunes tender auction laws to support SMEs, 9 August 2022 · K&L Gates, Recent Changes to Tender Law Regulations in Qatar, 14 November 2022 · QNA, State Procurement Program 2026 continues its activities with 2 panel discussions, 21 October 2025 · The Peninsula, Government procurement plan for 2026 to see issuance of 4,464 tenders, 20 October 2025
03Micro, small and medium enterprises
State regime: micro, small and medium enterprises are exempt from temporary and final performance guarantees and from paying for tender documents valued below QAR 1 million.
- Authorities can limit participation to micro and small enterprises in tenders valued below QAR 5 million.
- Law No. 17 of 2024 allows further benefits for these enterprises under the executive regulations.
Sources Mondaq, Amendments to Qatar's Tenders and Auctions Law, 28 May 2025 · Gulf Times, Qatar fine tunes tender auction laws to support SMEs, 9 August 2022 · K&L Gates, Recent Changes to Tender Law Regulations in Qatar, 14 November 2022
04Award decisions and timelines
State regime: award decisions are published on the state procurement website within two working days. A grievance against an award decision can be filed within five working days.
- The five working day grievance period comes from Law No. 17 of 2024.
- The contract must be signed within 20 days of the final performance guarantee.
Sources Mondaq, Amendments to Qatar's Tenders and Auctions Law, 28 May 2025 · Gulf Times, Qatar fine tunes tender auction laws to support SMEs, 9 August 2022 · K&L Gates, Recent Changes to Tender Law Regulations in Qatar, 14 November 2022
05Tawteen and ICV in the energy sector
Tawteen is the QatarEnergy-led localisation initiative. The ICV programme began in 2019 and raised the energy sector's local contribution from 14% to 28.5%.
- An enhanced ICV programme was announced in October 2024. It has a refined formula, a blanket score for micro and small enterprises, an ICV+ policy for local manufacturers and approved certifying bodies.
- A supplier registers on the Tawteen ICV portal, works with a pre-approved certifier and completes an ICV scorecard.
- Three components are scored: spending in Qatar, skills development and productivity.
Sources Gulf Times, QatarEnergy launches enhanced in-country value programme, 7 October 2024 · Forvis Mazars, Obtaining ICV certification in Qatar
06Procurement plan and ICV certificates
The 2026 government procurement plan lists 4,464 tenders across 15 sectors and 260 activities.
- In 2025, 3,484 companies held ICV certificates, up 33% from 2,620.
Sources The Peninsula, Government procurement plan for 2026 to see issuance of 4,464 tenders, 20 October 2025 · QNA, State Procurement Program 2026, 21 October 2025 · The Peninsula, In-country value certificates for companies surge by 33% to 3,484 in 2025, 24 November 2025
07Temporary branches for State contracts
A foreign company can open a branch in Qatar for the duration of a contract with the State or a state-owned company. The branch is subject to a retention of the higher of 3% of contract value (less supplies and work performed abroad) or the final contract payment.
- The retention stays until the General Tax Authority issues a no-objection letter.
Sources PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, Qatar Corporate, Withholding taxes, last reviewed 17 September 2026 · K&L Gates via National Law Review, Doing Business in Qatar, 20 September 2024
08Commercial agents and distributors
The agent must be a Qatari person or a wholly Qatari-owned company. Under Law No. 1 of 2019, State regime, commercial agencies are closed to foreign ownership.
- The Commercial Agents Law No. 8 of 2002, as amended by Law No. 2 of 2016, governs commercial agencies.
- An agent registers in the Commercial Agents Register to receive the benefits of the law. The agreement is registered in Arabic with the Commercial Affairs Department of the MOCI.
- Any Qatari agency is treated as exclusive.
- The agent can claim commission from the foreign principal when the products are imported for trading. Imports for personal use or re-export are excluded.
- The law sets consequences for the expiry or termination of an agency contract.
Sources US International Trade Administration, Qatar distribution and sales channels · Invest Qatar via MOCI, setting-up guide, May 2026
09Courts, language and arbitration
The State courts, the QFC courts and the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre each have their own jurisdiction. Proceedings in the State courts are in Arabic.
| Regime | Forum |
|---|---|
| State regime | Court of First Instance, Court of Appeal and Court of Cassation. Proceedings are in Arabic |
| Qatar Financial Centre | Its own Civil and Commercial Courts and a Regulatory Tribunal under an English common law framework |
| Qatar Free Zones | The Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC) has jurisdiction over QFZA entities by agreement between the court and the QFZA |
- Language: Arabic is the official language. Financial statements are filed in Arabic.
- Arbitration: Arbitration Law No. 2 of 2017 governs arbitration in Qatar.
Sources Pinsent Masons, Qatar Free Zones, 3 March 2020 · K&L Gates via National Law Review, Doing Business in Qatar, 20 September 2024 · Tamimi, Qatar civil and commercial procedure law 2026 amendments, 10 November 2026 · Gulf Times, Major judicial reforms introduced to fast-track court proceedings, 10 November 2026
10Currency and business calendar
The Qatari riyal is pegged to the US dollar at QAR 3.64 per US dollar. State working days are Sunday to Thursday.
- Friday and Saturday are rest days for the State (Emiri Decision No. 57 of 2025).
- Private-sector public holidays are set by Article 78 of the Labour Law. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha dates move with the lunar calendar.
- Ramadan shortens the private-sector working day to 6 hours.
Sources Wikipedia, Qatari riyal · Al Tamimi, State of Qatar and QFC 2025 roundup, 27 February 2026 · Clyde & Co via Mondaq, All Work And No Play: Workplace Leave In Qatar, 8 September 2020 · Qatar Living, Labour Law Changes in Qatar 2026: Expat Guide, 27 July 2026
What changed
- 8 November 2026Law No. 14 of 2026 amending the Civil and Commercial Procedure Law, State regime courts, was issued on 11 October 2026 and published on 8 November 2026. It provides shorter appeal deadlines: from 30 to 15 days for appeals, from 20 to 10 days for urgent appeals and from 60 to 30 days for cassation. The Ministry of Justice states that procedural deadlines are counted in official working days, not calendar days. It also provides new court fees and security deposits. For a cassation appeal it sets a fee of QAR 5,000 and a deposit of QAR 30,000.
- September 2026The Cabinet approved a draft amending decision to the Executive Regulations of the Tenders Law.
- June 2026The Cabinet approved a General Policy and Strategy for National Local Content in government procurement.
- November 2025Emiri Decision No. 57 of 2025 set State working days as Sunday to Thursday.
- October 2025Ministry of Finance officials announced that from July 2026 an in-country value certificate will be a prerequisite for companies taking part in government tenders.
This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.