To compete for Oman SME tenders, get a Riyada card from the SME Development Authority and register on Esnad. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can use a share of at least 10% of government procurement and tender value, SME-type tenders in their Esnad accounts, a price preference of up to 10% for qualifying SME national products, and a 50% registration fee discount. To benefit from the procurement share, your enterprise must be registered with the Authority, hold the card and not be an arm of a large company, directly or indirectly.
Who qualifies for a Riyada card?
The Riyada card is issued by the SME Development Authority and gives its holder access to benefits from public and private entities. The government portal's Riyada card guidance lists these eligible applicants:
- An Omani fully dedicated to running their own business.
- An enterprise with a Gulf partner where Omani partners hold at least 30%, with at least one working full-time.
- Enterprises owned by government employees benefiting from Ministerial Decision 2/2016.
- Technology and innovation startups with at least one Omani owner.
Confirm your eligibility with the SME Development Authority before applying. Request a new card through its website. The listed supporting documents include the commercial register, proof of social insurance for full-time owners except retired owners, and proof of retirement or discharge where relevant. Confirm which documents apply to you with the Authority.
A new or renewed card costs OMR 5 for 12 months. The government guidance states that online requests for issuance, renewal or cancellation are completed within one business day.
For the procurement allocation under Circular 1/2022, your enterprise must be registered with the Authority and hold a Riyada card. It must not be an arm of a large company, directly or indirectly.
The SME share of government procurement
Tender Board Circular 1/2022 directs government entities to allocate at least 10% of the total value of government procurement and tenders to SMEs. It also provides for at least 10% to be assigned through the main contractor. This gives SMEs a route to work through main contractors' subcontracts as well as direct tenders.
The government entity includes clauses in the tender documents identifying the types of work to be assigned to SMEs. The circular provides for all tenders and procurement to be floated through Esnad, including SME subcontract works of at least 10% through the main contractor.
Main contractors must include a statement of the work they will assign to SMEs and the payment schedule in their bids. Assigning work to SMEs is an evaluation criterion: the more a bidder's SME share exceeds 10%, the higher its evaluation.
In the 1 November 2026 hub snapshot, 450 tenders were open for SMEs, and 209 of them closed within 7 days.
Register on Esnad as an SME
Esnad is run by the Projects, Tenders and Local Content Authority, formerly the Secretariat General of the Tender Board. Follow the Esnad registration guide for the full steps.
The registration manual says a sole proprietor, or an SME holding a Riyada card, registered at Fourth grade receives automatic approval without waiting for the registration team's review. For grade details, read the contractor classification guide.
The Authority's Esnad FAQ currently states that SMEs receive a 50% discount on registration fees. If the full fee appears, open "Register/Renew", then "Update profile", and select the SME option. Confirm the fee shown on Esnad before paying.
Decision 141/2023 extended the exemption from registration and classification fees until 31 December 2025. That exemption ended on that date. For current fee guidance, use the FAQ's 50% registration discount and confirm the amount in your Esnad account.
If linking with the SME Development Authority fails, check that your entrepreneur certificate is valid. After renewing your Riyada card with the Authority, log in to Esnad, click "Verify SME", then "Save".
Find and buy SME tenders
Browse the SME tender hub and this week's tenders, then check the tender in your Esnad account.
According to the Esnad FAQ, a tender appears in your account only when your main field, sub-field, grade and tender type match, and the document sales end date has not passed. The tender types include local, SME and practice. If a tender is missing, check those details and the sales deadline.
Decision 62/2025 sets SME tender document prices for construction, operation and maintenance, supplies and services, IT services, and consultancy tenders. The price is a percentage of the tender's estimated value, with a minimum of OMR 10 and a maximum of OMR 100. Confirm the exact document price shown on Esnad before buying.
Bid as an SME
Qualifying national products of SMEs receive a price preference of up to 10% over other bids under the Tender Law. Check the conditions relevant to your products in the tender documents.
If you seek work from a main contractor, review the work assigned to SMEs and its payment schedule. The main contractor's bid must state both. The SME allocation also affects evaluation, with a higher evaluation as the bidder's SME share exceeds 10%.
Read how to bid on Oman government tenders for the bidding rules. The tender notice states the requirements of each tender, including whether a bid bond is required. Check that notice before preparing your bid.
Get help
For problems linking Esnad with Riyada, check your entrepreneur certificate's validity, call 24402244 or contact the SME Development Authority. The Authority's Esnad FAQ covers linking problems, the registration discount and why a tender may not appear in your account.
For Riyada card eligibility and supporting documents, confirm your circumstances with the SME Development Authority.
Check your tender match
Start with the tender match check for your business, then confirm the requirements in the official tender notice.
For wider market context, read the Oman tender market report.
Sources
The sources below were verified on 2 November 2026:
- Tender Law issued by Royal Decree 36/2008, consolidated edition published by the Authority in 2020.
- Tender Board Circular 1/2022 on allocating at least 10% of government procurement and tender value to SMEs.
- Authority FAQ on Esnad.
- Esnad company registration user guide.
- Administrative Decision 141/2023 extending the SME registration and classification fee exemption.
- Decision 62/2025 setting SME tender document prices.
- gov.om: issuance or renewal of the Riyada card completed in one day.
- Royal Decree 57/2025 renaming the Secretariat General of the Tender Board.
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