NPT0032/26: Bid/No-Bid Brief and Compliance Matrix
TenderGulf sample brief. Prepared Monday 19 October 2026.
How to read the references: "p." means the printed page number in the Arabic conditions booklet ("Page X of 25"). The PDF has 26 pages because the cover is not numbered, so PDF page = printed page + 1. "Sec." means the booklet section. As in NPT0031/26, Section 2 of the booklet restarts its clause numbers at 1.2, so clauses there are cited as "Sec. 2, cl. 1.x". "Item list" means the English tender announcement and item list (64 pages, footer dated 14.SEP.2026). Text marked Our reading is TenderGulf analysis, not booklet text.
1. Header
| Field | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tender number | NPT0032/26 | Booklet cover; item list header |
| Buyer | NUPCO, the National Unified Procurement Company for medicines, devices and medical supplies, wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund. Orders and contracts are issued by NUPCO or government health entities ("beneficiary entities"). | Sec. 1, p. 1; cl. 1.1.7, p. 2 |
| Title (English) | Open framework agreement for general dental supplies. Item list header: "OPEN FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT FOR GENERAL DENTAL SUPPLIES". | Tender page; item list header |
| Title (Arabic) | الاتفاقية الإطارية المفتوحة لتأمين مستلزمات الأسنان العامة | Booklet cover |
| Type | Open framework agreement: new suppliers may join during its term; awarded offers stay in force. | cl. 1.1.13, p. 3 |
| Status on tender page | Available / New | Tender page, read 19 October 2026 |
| Opening (publication) date | Monday 14 September 2026 | Tender page |
| Enquiry cut-off | Not given as a date. Enquiries must reach NUPCO through the NUPCO platform at least 15 days before the submission date. Counted back from 25 October, that is Saturday 10 October 2026, already passed. | cl. 1.2, p. 4 |
| Submission deadline | Sunday 25 October 2026. Time of day: not stated in the booklet (it defers to the announcement). | Tender page; cl. 4.2.1, p. 11 |
| Bid opening | Monday 26 October 2026, at NUPCO headquarters or online. Time: not stated in the booklet. | Tender page (list capture of 19 October 2026); cl. 4.5.1, p. 12 |
| Booklet fee | SAR 28,750. Local factories and SMEs get 50% off (excluding VAT) after proving status on the NUPCO platform. Whether VAT is added to SAR 28,750: not stated in the booklet. | Tender page; cl. 1.1.6, p. 2 |
| How the booklet is bought and paid | Paid through the "Eidaat" (إيداعات) payment service. Documents are released electronically on the NUPCO platform after purchase, to agents and distributors that are accredited and qualified with NUPCO and specialised in the items. The fee is not refunded if a bid is withdrawn. | cl. 1.1.5, p. 2; cl. 1.3, p. 4; cl. 4.4.1, p. 11 |
| Where bids go | Electronically only, through www.nupco.com or directly on iNUPCO (inupco.nupco.com). Supplier must be registered on the NUPCO platform and the account active; inactive accounts are activated by the account manager or a ticket on NUPCO Care (nupcocare.nupco.com). | cl. 1.1.2 and 1.1.3, p. 2 |
| Tender email | NPT0032-26@NUPCO.COM. All tender correspondence must still go through the NUPCO platform. | cl. 9.1, p. 23; cl. 3.4.1, p. 9 |
| NUPCO address in booklet | Short address RASA7638, building 7638, additional number 2416, postal code 13315, Al Sahafa district. City: not stated in the booklet. | p. 25 |
| Scope size | 3,204 lines: 1,245 lines in 65 groups and 1,959 itemised lines. | Item list, computed |
| Estimated value | Not stated in the booklet or the item list. | n/a |
2. Bottom line
- Bid if you are a Saudi dental agent or distributor already qualified with NUPCO, and every line you want already has an SFDA MDMA and a NUPCO Catalogue entry today. The volume sits in commodity disposables and endodontics: barrier sheet rolls, sterilisation pouches, dental needles, saliva ejectors, bibs, gutta percha points and files.
- Do not bid as a foreign dental maker acting alone. Documents are released only to NUPCO-qualified agents and distributors (cl. 1.3, p. 4), and the bidder needs Saudi MDEL, AR, CR, GOSI and Saudization papers (cl. 1.5, p. 5).
- Do not bid for itemised lines if Saudi government reference hospitals have never bought and used your product: that is an award criterion (cl. 5.2.1.1.3, p. 12).
- The clock is the problem: 6 days to submission (Sunday 25 October), the enquiry window closed on 10 October, the offer must be in Arabic, and a 1% bank guarantee must be issued through the Bawatak platform and registered before the deadline.
- Single biggest gate: product-level SFDA registration (MDMA with national registry number) plus listing in the NUPCO Catalogue before submission. Without a Catalogue listing no offer can be submitted: "يتعذر تقديم أي عرض" (cl. 1.1.10.2, p. 2; cl. 4.2.3, p. 11). Without an MDMA a group cannot be awarded (cl. 5.2.2.1.1, p. 13; cl. 9.3, p. 23).
Our reading: the booklet is almost word for word the NPT0031/26 booklet. The rule that changes the risk is cl. 9.10 (p. 24): "or equivalent" lines are judged by the technical committee on size, material and use, with no government trial certificate. That makes the 303 "or equivalent" lines here more open than the platform-locked lines in NPT0031/26.
3. Scope
Method. We read the item list PDF with pdftotext in bounding-box mode, rebuilt each row from the word positions of the columns SN, NUPCO generic code, description, UOM, GROUP/ITMZ and QTY, and parsed all 3,204 rows (serial numbers 1 to 3,204, none missing, none duplicated). We summed QTY per group, separately for each unit of measure (UOM). Units are never added across UOMs. The item list does not say what period QTY covers; the booklet fixes prices for three years (cl. 9.2, p. 23) and lets beneficiaries raise, cut or cancel orders (cl. 7.2.3 and 7.2.7, p. 17 and 18). "Named platform or brand" means a trade name written in the item text. Group numbers run from 1 to 70 but groups 20, 28, 29, 58 and 59 do not appear. Several groups are not in one block of serial numbers; the SN ranges below are exact.
Bidding rule. For a group you must bid every item in it, with a unit price per item. Itemised lines can be bid one by one (Sec. 2, cl. 1.8.1 and 1.8.2, p. 7).
| Group | What it covers | Items (SN) | Named platform or brand in item text | Quantity (QTY column) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G1 | NiTi rotary files, 0.04/0.06 taper | 45 (1 to 45) | None named | 646,569 EA |
| G2 | Universal nano composite capsules, A2 shades; 5th generation bonding | 8 (46 to 52, 103) | None named | 5,633 PC |
| G3 | Polycarbonate prefabricated crowns and kit | 50 (53 to 102) | None named | 13,039 EA |
| G4 | Transparent peel-off crown forms, permanent incisors | 14 (104 to 117) | None named | 20,210 EA |
| G5 | Vinyl polysiloxane impression material | 6 (118 to 123) | "COMPATIBLE WITH PENTAMIX MACHINE" (all 6) | 1,436 PC |
| G6 | Membrane fixation tack system: pilot drill, tacks, set | 3 (124, 125, 156) | None named | 41 PC; 18 EA |
| G7 | Stainless steel K-files, 31 mm and assorted | 33 (126 to 155, 157 to 159) | None named | 72,023 EA |
| G8 | Bone fixation screws and instrument set | 2 (160, 163) | None named | 10 PC; 10 SET |
| G9 | Bis-acrylic temporary crown and bridge material | 4 (161, 162, 194, 195) | None named | 2,590 PC; 1,844 EA |
| G10 | Stainless steel K-files, 21 and 25 mm | 32 (164 to 193, 196, 197) | None named | 1,545,744 EA |
| G11 | Rotary retreatment files | 4 (198 to 201) | None named | 13,806 EA |
| G12 | Paper points, standard sizes | 22 (202 to 223) | None named | 60,025 EA |
| G13 | Rotary NiTi files, triple-fluted | 42 (224 to 265) | None named | 10,777 EA |
| G14 | Gutta percha cartridges | 3 (266, 267, 286) | "CALAMUS" (all 3) | 45,086 EA |
| G15 | M-wire rotary files with variable taper and matching gutta percha | 22 (268 to 285, 287 to 290) | None named | 319,387 EA |
| G16 | Alginate impression material | 2 (291, 292) | None named | 52,066 EA |
| G17 | Rotary files, convex triangular cross-section | 54 (293 to 346) | None named | 15,776 PAC |
| G18 | Interproximal reduction diamond strips | 3 (347, 348, 377) | None named | 43,680 EA |
| G19 | NiTi rotary files with progressive taper; matching gutta percha and paper points | 29 (349 to 376, 378) | None named | 10,158,837 EA (SN 360 gutta percha F2 alone: 6,096,711) |
| G21 | Paper points, 0.04 taper | 8 (379 to 386) | None named | 80 PC |
| G22 | NiTi reciprocating files, gold wire; matching gutta percha | 20 (387 to 406) | None named | 28,946 EA |
| G23 | Tapered fibre posts and drills | 9 (407 to 415) | None named | 51,518 EA |
| G24 | Cast post system and burn-out posts | 4 (416 to 419) | "PARAPOST OR EQUIVALENT" (SN 416) | 3,170 EA |
| G25 | Nano-hybrid and flowable composites; universal bonding | 21 (420 to 438, 441, 442) | None named | 226,076 EA; 38,747 PC |
| G26 | Light-cured glass ionomer capsules | 5 (439, 440, 443 to 445) | None named | 247,559 EA |
| G27 | Self-cure glass ionomer capsules | 3 (446 to 448) | None named | 123,838 EA |
| G30 | Vinyl polysiloxane, auto-mix syringes | 8 (449 to 456) | None named | 133,267 EA; 5,057 PC |
| G31 | Polyether impression material | 4 (457 to 460) | "PENTAMIX" (SN 459) | 3,595 EA; 53 PC |
| G32 | Sectional matrix system and refills | 15 (461 to 473, 477, 478) | None named | 65,753 PC; 11,325 EA |
| G33 | White fibre-resin post refills | 3 (474 to 476) | None named | 2,408 EA |
| G34 | Paediatric zirconia crowns | 79 (479 to 556, 563) | None; 77 lines say "OR EQUIVALENT" | 2,063 PC; 673 EA |
| G35 | Paper points, 0.06 taper | 7 (557 to 562, 564) | None named | 70 PC |
| G36 | Orthodontic mini screws and kit | 8 (565 to 570, 586, 587) | None named | 4,079 EA; 173 PC |
| G37 | Passive self-ligating brackets | 15 (571 to 585) | None named | 5,639 EA |
| G38 | Active self-ligating brackets | 14 (588 to 600, 624) | None named | 2,329 EA; 150 SET |
| G39 | Bondable brackets, 0.022 MBT | 26 (601 to 623, 635 to 637) | None named | 62,581 EA |
| G40 | Bondable brackets, 0.022 Roth | 14 (625 to 634, 638 to 641) | None named | 44,934 EA |
| G41 | Bondable brackets, 0.018 MBT | 14 (642 to 654, 669) | None named | 39,567 EA; 3,000 SET |
| G42 | Bondable brackets, 0.018 Roth | 14 (655 to 668) | None named | 3,460 PC |
| G43 | Broken instrument removal kit and tips | 4 (670 to 673) | "BTR" kit (SN 673) | 30 PC; 6 KIT |
| G44 | Stainless steel crowns, permanent molars | 24 (674 to 697) | None named | 59,774 EA |
| G45 | Automatrix bands and tightening device | 5 (698 to 701, 723) | None named | 174,974 EA |
| G46 | Gutta percha points, 0.02 taper | 21 (702 to 722) | None named | 3,780,272 EA |
| G47 | Lingual sheaths | 3 (724 to 726) | None named | 800 PC |
| G48 | Adhesive removing plier and spares | 3 (727, 728, 806) | None named | 35 PC |
| G49 | Tin-silver prefabricated crowns | 77 (729 to 805) | None named | 19,707 EA |
| G50 | Gutta percha points, 0.04 taper | 15 (807 to 821) | None named | 2,389,052 EA |
| G51 | Paediatric crown forms | 16 (822 to 837) | None named | 30,254 EA |
| G52 | Peeso reamers | 14 (838 to 851) | None named | 53,438 EA |
| G53 | Pre-welded convertible bands, 0.022 MBT | 97 (852 to 948) | None; 80 lines say "OR EQUIVALENT" | 148,961 EA |
| G54 | Pre-welded convertible bands, 0.018 MBT | 5 (949 to 953) | None; 5 "OR EQUIVALENT" | 5,777 EA |
| G55 | Pre-welded convertible bands, 0.022 Roth | 82 (954 to 1,035) | None; 82 "OR EQUIVALENT" | 65,375 EA |
| G56 | Pre-welded bands, second molar kits | 3 (1,036 to 1,038) | None; 3 "OR EQUIVALENT" | 54 EA |
| G57 | Stainless steel crowns, primary molars | 49 (1,039 to 1,087) | None named | 316,645 EA |
| G60 | Heat-expanding rotary files and retreatment set | 9 (1,088 to 1,096) | None named | 11,649 EA; 2,360 PAC |
| G61 | NiTi reamers with alternating cutting edges | 41 (1,097 to 1,137) | None named | 8,649 EA |
| G62 | Heat-treated NiTi blue files and glide path files | 58 (1,138 to 1,195) | None named | 16,053 PAC; 9,100 PACK |
| G63 | Gutta percha points, 0.06 taper | 9 (1,196 to 1,204) | None named | 945,707 EA; 20 PC |
| G64 | Cordless obturation gun and refill tips | 3 (1,205, 1,206, 1,215) | "COMPATABLE WITH HOSPITAL SYSTEM" | 612 EA; 10 PAC |
| G65 | Surgical ultrasonic endodontic tips | 8 (1,207 to 1,214) | None named | 2,438 EA |
| G66 | Non-surgical ultrasonic endodontic tips | 16 (1,216 to 1,231) | "SATELEC TYPE" (6 lines, "compatible or equivalent") | 3,650 EA |
| G67 | Cordless downpack heat source and tips | 2 (1,232, 1,233) | "COMPATIBLE WITH HOSPITAL SYSTEM" (SN 1,233) | 10 PAC; 2 PC |
| G68 | Pre-welded twin brackets, bicuspid kits | 4 (1,234 to 1,237) | None; 3 "OR EQUIVALENT" | 988 EA |
| G69 | Goshgarian palatal bars | 6 (1,238 to 1,243) | None named | 1,915 EA |
| G70 | IPR contra-angle handpiece kit and strip refills | 2 (1,244, 1,245) | None named | 10,240 EA; 95 KIT |
| Itemised | 1,959 single lines: diamond, carbide and tungsten burs (about 480 lines by keyword), endodontic hand files and instruments, orthodontic wires, elastics and accessories, restoratives and cements, hand instruments, rubber dam, needles, infection-control disposables, bone grafts and membranes, clear aligners | 1,959 (1,246 to 3,204) | "DURR SCANNER OR EQUIVALENT" (10 lines); "EMS MACHINE OR EQUIVALENT" (SN 1,499); "VITA CLASSICAL" shade references (7 lines) | 118,044,739 EA; 954,590 PC; 770,503 PIECE; 568,504 KIT; 414,577 PAC; 274,186 PACK; 78,565 BOX; smaller UOMs omitted |
Item list points to note
- Largest itemised lines: SN 2,640 disposable barrier sheet roll, 40,241,866 EA; SN 3,052, 3,050 and 3,053 self-sealing sterilisation pouches, 11,947,248, 10,388,338 and 5,923,294 EA; SN 2,619 and 2,618 dental needles 27G long and short, 7,005,250 and 6,490,829 EA; SN 2,163 saliva ejector, 5,342,325 EA; SN 1,248 disposable bib, 3,938,870 EA.
- Many descriptions say "ONE EACH (EA)=ONE (1) PACK". Our reading: the EA totals above are packs for those lines, not single pieces. Price the unit exactly as each line defines it (cl. 3.2, p. 9; cl. 7.1.6, p. 17).
- 303 lines say "or equivalent" (including the spellings "EQUIVELANT" and "EQUIVALANT"); 67 lines say "compatible", mostly with "each hospital system". Cl. 9.10 (p. 24) applies to "or equivalent" lines.
- Clear aligner lines SN 3,193 to 3,198 (4,600 CASE in total) include a digital 3D scan service. They tie to cl. 9.11 to 9.13 (p. 24): technical support in all regions, free training for doctors, and supply within 4 weeks of approval of the treatment plan.
- 36 lines are bone grafts, allografts, xenografts, collagen membranes or dermal grafts (357,935 units). Our reading: cl. 9.7 (MDIL for biological products) applies to these.
- Oddities to query: 7 lines have quantity 1 (SN 124, 2,319, 2,321, 2,807, 2,831, 2,832, 2,974) and 215 lines have quantity 10. Some multi-line descriptions overlap in the PDF layout (for example SN 377 to 379 and 406 to 407); serials, groups and quantities are not affected.
4. Compliance matrix
"Gate" means failure can exclude the bid or the line. "Award criterion" means it decides who wins among compliant bids. The booklet has no weighted technical scoring: evaluation is pass/fail on compliance, then price (Sec. 5, p. 12 to 13).
| Requirement | What the booklet says (our translation) | Section and page | Who must hold it | Gate or scored |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who can buy the documents | Documents are released after purchase to agents and distributors "للوكلاء والموزعين المعتمدين المؤهلين لدى نوبكو" (accredited and qualified with NUPCO) and specialised in the items. | cl. 1.3, p. 4 | Saudi agent. Our reading: a foreign maker should not expect to buy and bid alone. | Gate |
| Who counts as a competitor | Factories, drug companies, agents, local producers, suppliers, or companies abroad. | cl. 1.1.9, p. 2 | Either | Definition |
| iNUPCO account | Bids only through the NUPCO platform; supplier must be registered and the account active. | cl. 1.1.2 and 1.1.3, p. 2 | Bidder | Gate |
| NUPCO Catalogue | Offers only for products registered in the NUPCO Catalogue on iNUPCO, registered as the User Manual explains, by the date and time in the announcement. No offer can be submitted otherwise. | cl. 1.1.10.1 and 1.1.10.2, p. 2; cl. 4.2.3, p. 11 | Bidder registers each product | Gate (per line) |
| SFDA product registration (MDMA) | Registration certificate with SFDA for every item bid, including the MDMA. For itemised award, the item must be SFDA-registered with the MDMA attached. For groups, every item must have an MDMA with its number entered in the system. The MDMA must show the national registry listing number. | cl. 1.5.7 and 1.5.10, p. 5; cl. 5.2.1.1.2, p. 12; cl. 5.2.2.1.1, p. 13; cl. 9.3, p. 23 | Product; our reading: obtained by the Saudi AR for the maker | Gate for groups; award criterion for itemised lines |
| SFDA MDEL | Medical Device Establishment Licence. | cl. 1.5.8, p. 5 | Booklet: the competitor. Our reading: Saudi agent or importer | Must stay valid through the tender |
| SFDA AR | Certificate of legal representation of the manufacturers (AR). | cl. 1.5.9, p. 5 | Our reading: Saudi agent as AR of the maker | Must stay valid through the tender |
| MDIL for biological items | For biological products, the bidder must undertake to provide all certificates and permits, including the Medical Device Importation License (MDIL) at import. | cl. 9.7, p. 23 | Bidder (importer) | Undertaking |
| GMP | Valid GMP certificate from SFDA, or from the reference authority in the country of origin for items not registered with SFDA. | cl. 1.5.11, p. 5 | Maker | Required document |
| Agency or maker authorisation | Agency certificate for the manufacturers in the offer. Priority for unregistered items goes to the official agent dealing directly with the factory, not through an intermediary. | cl. 1.5.6, p. 5; cl. 5.2.1.2.2, p. 13 | Saudi agent holds, maker issues | Required document; priority rule |
| Proof of product validity | Evidence from the manufacturer of the product's validity ("صلاحية المنتج"). Meaning (shelf life or approval status) is not explained. | cl. 1.5.13, p. 5 | Maker | Required document |
| Saudi company documents | Zakat/tax certificate, Chamber of Commerce membership, Commercial Registration, Saudization certificate, GOSI certificate, each "when legally required". All must stay valid for the whole tender and be updated on the platform; this also covers subcontractors. | cl. 1.5.1 to 1.5.5, p. 5 | Bidder and its subcontractors | Required where applicable |
| Prior use in Saudi hospitals | Award requires that the product was previously bought and tried by beneficiary entities (reference hospitals), stated in the remarks field with documents attached. NUPCO may accept or reject the evaluated product. | cl. 5.2.1.1.3 and 5.2.1.1.4, p. 12 | Product track record; bidder documents it | Award criterion for itemised lines. Our reading: a hard barrier for new entrants |
| "Or equivalent" lines | The offer must be similar or close in size, material and use. The technical committee alone judges the level of technical closeness. | cl. 9.10, p. 24 | Bidder | Committee judgement |
| Assorted sizes and shades | For lines marked "Assorted Size" or "Assorted Shade", all sizes in the item's catalogue must be offered without exception. For "Different Sizes" lines, list all sizes in the remarks field. Kits and sets: break down the price of every component in the remarks field. | cl. 9.8, p. 23; cl. 7.1.5 and 7.1.6, p. 17 | Bidder | Exclusion risk |
| Compatibility with hospital equipment | Awarded suppliers must coordinate with beneficiaries at delivery to make sure supplies match the equipment each one has. | cl. 9.6, p. 23 | Awarded bidder | Binding |
| Clear aligner lines | Technical support for all transparent orthodontic items in all regions during planning; full free training for doctors and staff; supply within 4 weeks from approval of measurements and treatment plan, after the purchase order. | cl. 9.11 to 9.13, p. 24 | Awarded bidder | Binding |
| Language of offer | "يجب أن تقدم العروض باللغة العربية". Another language may be added; Arabic prevails on conflict. | cl. 3.1, p. 8 | Bidder | Gate |
| Currency and price format | Saudi riyals, unit price for the smallest standard unit, no more than four decimals. | cl. 3.2, p. 9; cl. 7.1.4, p. 17 | Bidder | Format rule |
| VAT | Prices must include VAT and all costs (cl. 7.1.1). Unit price must be entered without VAT, with VAT in its own field (cl. 7.1.3). The two clauses conflict. | cl. 7.1.1 and 7.1.3, p. 17 | Bidder | Ask NUPCO |
| Offer letter content | Tender name and number, total value, number of items, list of attachments with initial guarantee details, any reservations, any discounts. Technical and financial offer on the bidder's letterhead. | cl. 4.1.5, p. 10 and 11; cl. 5.2.1.3.1.1, p. 13 | Bidder | Exclusion risk if missing |
| Brands | Bidder must disclose all trademarks in the price schedules. One country of origin and one factory per item. | cl. 4.1.2, p. 10; cl. 8.2, p. 20 | Bidder | Exclusion risk |
| Alternatives | Basic offers only; alternative offers are not considered. | cl. 4.1.1, p. 10 | Bidder | Gate |
| Catalogues | Upload the specific catalogue page with the catalogue number highlighted and a picture showing shape and colour; no document without a clear catalogue number. Same catalogue number on several lines must be declared in the remarks field and the cover letter. Upload method follows the "instructions for suppliers" file. | cl. 9.9, p. 24; cl. 8.5, p. 20; cl. 9.5, p. 23; cl. 5.2.1.3.1.2, p. 13 | Bidder from maker | Exclusion risk |
| Initial bank guarantee | 1% of the offer value. Offers without it are excluded. Issued through the "بواتك" (Bawatak) platform and registered in the system within the submission period. In NUPCO's name, payable on first demand, unconditional, irrevocable, free of deductions. Valid 120 days from bid opening and auto-renewing. Cash and cheques not accepted. | cl. 3.7.1 to 3.7.1.5, p. 9 and 10 | Bidder | Gate |
| Initial guarantee exemptions | Local SMEs are exempt, and local factories may skip it, if proven on the NUPCO platform. | cl. 3.7.1.6 and 3.7.1.7, p. 10 | Saudi SME or local factory | Exemption |
| Bank acceptable | Guarantees from a local bank, or from a foreign bank through a local bank. A foreign bank approved by the Saudi Central Bank is accepted where a Saudi bank guarantee cannot be obtained. | cl. 6.2.4 and 6.2.5, p. 16 | Bidder | Gate |
| Final bank guarantee | 5% of contract value within 15 working days of award notice (issue of purchase orders or award letters); may be extended once by a similar period. If late, the initial guarantee is kept and NUPCO negotiates with the next bidder. | cl. 6.2.1, p. 16 | Awarded bidder | Gate |
| SME penalty | An SME that withdraws during validity, or fails to give the final guarantee, pays NUPCO a penalty equal to the initial guarantee value. | cl. 6.2.2, p. 16 | Saudi SME | Penalty |
| Offer validity | 120 days from bid opening, extendable for a similar period. | cl. 3.3, p. 9 | Bidder | Gate |
| Withdrawal | Before deadline: guarantee returned, fee kept. After deadline and before opening, or after opening: guarantee may be forfeited in whole or part. After award: execution at the supplier's cost and price differences charged. | cl. 4.4, p. 11 | Bidder | Penalty |
| Economic participation policy | The policy of the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority applies. Competitors must comply and submit the required documents. An undertaking form is part of the tender documents. | cl. 1.1.11, p. 2; cl. 1.4.6 and 1.4.7, p. 4 and 5 | Bidder | Required. Policy text not in our document set |
| Local content and price preference | The regulation on preference for local content, local SMEs and listed companies applies, with ZATCA national rules of origin, including the price preference and the additional price preference. Percentages: not stated in the booklet. | cl. 1.1.11.1, p. 3 | Saudi maker or Saudi-origin product | Price adjustment at evaluation |
| Local content certificates | Baseline local content certificate for makers of products on the mandatory list if bidding those items; NUPCO may exclude or rank otherwise. Local content certificate needed to prove a product is national. Whether any line here is on the mandatory list: not stated in the booklet. | cl. 1.1.11.2 and 1.1.11.3, p. 3 | Saudi maker | Gate for mandatory-list lines |
| Priority to local products | Award priority to local or local-origin products, SFDA-registered and compliant. | cl. 5.2.1.2.1, p. 12 | Saudi maker | Award priority |
| SME and local factory benefits | 50% off the booklet fee; initial guarantee exemption; 50% off objection fees (local factories only). Monshaat SME certificate required to claim SME status. | cl. 1.1.6, p. 2; cl. 3.7.1.6 and 3.7.1.7, p. 10; cl. 5.8.3, p. 15; cl. 1.5.12, p. 5 | Saudi SME or local factory | Benefits |
| Regional HQ | Present. Bidders must take into account Council of Ministers decision "قرار مجلس الوزراء رقم (461)" dated 13/06/1445H on rules for government contracting with companies that have no regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia, and related parties. The booklet does not say what document or consequence applies. | cl. 1.1.12.1, p. 3 | Our reading: affects the maker group as well as the agent | Unclear; ask NUPCO |
| Restricted origins | If official directives bar certain factories or countries of origin, NUPCO may require the same product from another origin, exclude the offer, or cancel the line. | cl. 1.1.15, p. 4 | Maker | Risk |
| Lowest price commitment | Price must be among the lowest offered in Saudi Arabia. Any lower price given to any entity during the term must be reported and applied here, or NUPCO may exclude the offer or cancel the award. | Sec. 2, cl. 1.10.2 to 1.10.4, p. 7 | Bidder | Gate during whole term |
| Negotiation | NUPCO may negotiate with the best bidder or others, including a reverse financial auction. | Sec. 2, cl. 1.10.1, p. 7 | Bidder | Process |
| Evaluation method | Technical committee checks compliance and reports to the bid examination committee, which sets final criteria, awards and negotiates. No weighted scoring. | cl. 5.1, p. 12 | n/a | Pass/fail then price |
| Award, itemised lines | Criteria: compliance with conditions and specs; SFDA MDMA; prior purchase and trial by reference hospitals; compliance with all terms. Price is not listed among these criteria. | cl. 5.2.1.1, p. 12 | n/a | See open questions |
| Award, groups | All items SFDA-registered with MDMA number in the system; whole group compliant; lowest total price for the whole group. Committee may award some items singly. NUPCO is not bound to award the lowest non-compliant price. May exclude the lowest compliant bid for missing items, missing catalogues, weak finances, or a record of late deliveries. | cl. 5.2.2, p. 13 | n/a | Lowest compliant group price |
| Splitting of awards | NUPCO may split one item or one group between more than one supplier or maker; beneficiary entities may choose. After final results NUPCO or beneficiaries may order any single item in a group or the whole group. | Sec. 2, cl. 1.8, p. 7; cl. 9.4, p. 23 | n/a | Volume risk |
| Arithmetic errors | Written price beats figures; unit price beats total. Errors over 10% of total value after correction can lead to exclusion. | cl. 5.3, p. 14 | Bidder | Exclusion risk |
| Samples | Must be ready within 3 days of the committee's request, or the offer may be excluded. Three samples in final registered form as marketed in the country of origin, data printed not stickered. For surgical kit groups: fifteen instruments chosen by the bidder, as three sets of five, for evaluation in central sterilisation. One or two samples for costly or bulky items. NUPCO may test and need not return them. | cl. 5.4, p. 14 and 15 | Bidder, stock from maker | Gate on request |
| Factory visit | Bidder pays the cost of a factory visit for up to three people if the committee wants one. | cl. 5.5, p. 15; cl. 8.11, p. 20 | Maker hosts, bidder pays | On request |
| Bid opening attendance | Authorisation letter for the bidder's delegate, who must be a Saudi national. | cl. 4.5.1, p. 12 | Saudi agent | Required to attend |
| Objections | Within 5 working days of preliminary results, on the platform. Fee SAR 3,750 plus VAT per item or group, paid through the "Eisal" (إيصال) service, refunded only if the objection succeeds. NUPCO's decision is final. | cl. 5.8, p. 15 | Bidder | Process |
| Contract duration | Prices fixed for three Gregorian years from the announcement of final results; beneficiaries may order or add quantities in that period. Contracted quantities may be delivered up to six months after the term ends. | cl. 9.2, p. 23; cl. 1.1.14.3, p. 4 | Awarded bidder | Binding |
| Framework updates | Six-monthly updates for offers made in the base tender but rejected for incomplete SFDA, local content or other certificates, and for newly localised or mandatory-list products. Yearly updates for products not offered, at NUPCO's discretion. Updated prices may not exceed agreed prices. | cl. 7.6, p. 19 | Bidder | Our reading: bidding now keeps a later door open |
| Delivery terms | Prices include shipping, loading, unloading, storage and transport to site. Sites may be NUPCO warehouses, beneficiary warehouses or facilities anywhere in Saudi Arabia. First batch within 120 days of award letter or contract; later batches as scheduled. Bidder states delivery lead time per item in the remarks field. Incoterm: not stated in the booklet. | cl. 7.1.1, p. 17; cl. 7.5, p. 18 and 19 | Saudi agent delivers | Binding |
| Cold chain and transport | Refrigerated vehicles and containers as per maker and SFDA rules; temperature indicators with each shipment to SFDA specifications; room-temperature items shipped at 20 to 25 C. Breaches allow beneficiaries to hold and destroy goods. | cl. 8.18, 8.26 to 8.28, 8.36, p. 21 to 23 | Saudi agent | Binding |
| Shelf life | At delivery, at least two-thirds of shelf life remaining. For items with shelf life of 3 years or more, no more than 9 months since manufacture. | cl. 8.1, p. 19 | Maker and agent | Binding |
| Labelling and batch papers | Production date, expiry and batch number printed, not stickered. Batch certificate of analysis, sterilisation certificate where sterile, certificate of origin per shipment. Original certificate of origin attested by the Saudi embassy in the country of origin. | cl. 8.13 to 8.17 and 8.21, p. 20 and 21 | Maker | Binding at delivery |
| PVC and DEHP | Medical-grade PVC only, stated in the offer, or excluded. Products with DEHP must be labelled; DEHP-free preferred. | cl. 8.35 and 8.37, p. 23 | Maker | Gate for PVC lines |
| Training and models | Training to safe use in line with CBAHI and JCI. Supply the latest model and any newer generation at no extra cost. All sizes for the whole contract. Free devices supplied with items carry warranty, maintenance and spare parts for the whole period of use. | cl. 8.6 to 8.9, p. 20 | Agent and maker | Binding |
| Replacements | Undertaking to replace any item with a manufacturing defect, whatever the quantity. Replace non-conforming or physically changed items within 15 days of notice. | cl. 7.1.7, p. 17; cl. 8.10, p. 20; cl. 8.30 and 8.31, p. 22 | Agent and maker | Binding |
| Penalties | Delay penalties and withdrawal of work "as per applicable regulations" and contract terms; rates not stated in the booklet. If the supplier misses two or more due deliveries of an item, NUPCO may cancel the award for the rest of the term and take the initial guarantee value from the final guarantee. Non-compliance may count against the supplier in future NUPCO tenders. | cl. 7.2.4, p. 17; cl. 7.4, p. 18 | Awarded bidder | Penalty |
| Payment terms | Beneficiary entities pay for delivered items under their own regulations. Number of days: not stated in the booklet. Supplier may not stop or delay supply because a beneficiary pays late. | cl. 7.2.6, p. 18; cl. 8.23, p. 21 | n/a | Cash flow risk |
| E-marketplace | Awarded items will be listed on the NUPCO e-marketplace at awarded prices for beneficiaries and the non-profit sector. Technically accepted but unawarded offers may also be listed at bid prices. | cl. 4.1.3 and 4.1.4, p. 10 | Bidder | Binding on bidding |
| Intellectual property | Intellectual property in the contents of winning offers belongs to NUPCO. | Sec. 2, cl. 1.7, p. 7 | Bidder | Accepted by bidding |
| Acceptance and reservations | Buying the documents and bidding means accepting all terms. Reservations go in the offer letter, but NUPCO may reject any bid with reservations, including on supply period. | Sec. 2, cl. 1.14, p. 8; cl. 5.6, p. 15 | Bidder | Exclusion risk |
| Consortium | Allowed if the agreement is made before bidding, certified by the Chamber of Commerce, names a leader, and all parties seal the offer. Members may not bid separately. | Sec. 2, cl. 1.11, p. 8 | Bidder and partners | Option |
| Subcontracting | Not allowed without NUPCO's written approval. | Sec. 2, cl. 1.12, p. 8 | Bidder | Rule |
| Agency change and discontinuation | If the agency moves to a new agent, the old agent must keep supplying until transfer papers are approved. If an item is discontinued NUPCO may accept a substitute from the same supplier or cancel the line. | cl. 8.32 and 8.33, p. 22 | Old and new agent | Binding |
| Conflict of terms | General conditions prevail over special conditions. | cl. 8.38, p. 23 | n/a | Rule |
| Documents not in our set | Warehouse supply conditions, e-marketplace requirements, the economic participation policy and its undertaking form, the User Manual for Catalogue registration, and the "instructions for suppliers" upload file are named as tender documents but were not in the public download. | cl. 1.1.10.2, p. 2; cl. 1.4.4 to 1.4.7, p. 4 and 5; cl. 9.5, p. 23 | n/a | Obtain after purchase |
5. Deadlines, counted from Monday 19 October 2026
| Date | Day count | What must happen | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 14 Sep 2026 | Day minus 35 | Tender published. | Tender page |
| Sat 10 Oct 2026 | Day minus 9 (passed) | Last day for enquiries, by our count (15 days before submission). | cl. 1.2, p. 4 |
| Mon 19 Oct to Sun 25 Oct 2026 | Day 0 to Day 6 | Buy the booklet (SAR 28,750) via Eidaat. Confirm the iNUPCO account is active. Register every product in the NUPCO Catalogue by the date and time set in the announcement. Issue the 1% initial guarantee through Bawatak and register it on the system. Prepare the Arabic offer letter, letterhead technical and financial offer, catalogue pages, SFDA certificates and company documents. | cl. 1.1.3, 1.1.5, 1.1.10.2, p. 2; cl. 3.7.1.1, p. 9; cl. 4.2.3, p. 11 |
| Sun 25 Oct 2026 | Day 6 | Submission deadline. Time of day not stated in the booklet. After upload the offer cannot be changed; late offers are ignored. | Tender page; cl. 4.2.1 to 4.3, p. 11 |
| Mon 26 Oct 2026 | Day 7 | Bid opening at NUPCO or online. Saudi-national delegate with authorisation letter. Offer and initial guarantee validity start (120 days). | Tender page; cl. 4.5.1, p. 12; cl. 3.3, p. 9 |
| Tue 23 Feb 2027 | Day 127 | End of 120-day offer and initial guarantee validity, unless extended (guarantee auto-renews). | cl. 3.3, p. 9; cl. 3.7.1.5, p. 10 (our date arithmetic) |
| Date set by NUPCO | 3 days from request | Deliver samples to the technical committee. | cl. 5.4.1, p. 14 |
| Date set by NUPCO | 5 working days from preliminary results | File any objection and pay SAR 3,750 plus VAT per item or group. | cl. 5.8, p. 15 |
| Date set by NUPCO | 15 working days from award notice | Deliver the 5% final guarantee. | cl. 6.2.1, p. 16 |
| Date set by beneficiary | 120 days from award letter or contract | Deliver the first batch. Aligner items: within 4 weeks of plan approval and purchase order. | cl. 7.5.3, p. 18; cl. 9.13, p. 24 |
| Three years from final results | n/a | End of price-fixed period; deliveries may run six months beyond. | cl. 9.2, p. 23; cl. 1.1.14.3, p. 4 |
| Every 6 months / yearly | n/a | Framework update windows. | cl. 7.6, p. 19 |
6. Bid/no-bid checklist: foreign dental maker with one Saudi agent
Answer every question. Any "No" in questions 1 to 8 means no-bid for that line or group.
| # | Question | Yes / No | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Is the Saudi agent already accredited and qualified with NUPCO for dental products, with an active iNUPCO account? | cl. 1.3, p. 4; cl. 1.1.3, p. 2 | |
| 2 | Does every line we will bid already have an SFDA MDMA showing the national registry listing number? | cl. 1.5.10, p. 5; cl. 9.3, p. 23 | |
| 3 | Does the agent hold a valid MDEL and AR for our company? | cl. 1.5.8 and 1.5.9, p. 5 | |
| 4 | Is every product already in the NUPCO Catalogue, or can it be listed before the announced cut-off? | cl. 1.1.10.2, p. 2; cl. 4.2.3, p. 11 | |
| 5 | For a group: can we offer every item in it, including all assorted sizes and shades? | Sec. 2, cl. 1.8.2, p. 7; cl. 9.8, p. 23; cl. 5.2.2.4.1, p. 13 | |
| 6 | Have Saudi government reference hospitals already bought and used our product, and can we document it? | cl. 5.2.1.1.3, p. 12 | |
| 7 | Can the agent's bank issue the 1% initial guarantee through Bawatak before Sunday 25 October? | cl. 3.7.1.1, p. 9 | |
| 8 | Can the full offer be prepared in Arabic by Sunday 25 October? | cl. 3.1, p. 8 | |
| 9 | Will we price at or below our lowest price anywhere in Saudi Arabia, and report any lower price for three years? | Sec. 2, cl. 1.10.2 and 1.10.3, p. 7 | |
| 10 | Can we keep the price fixed for three years plus six months of deliveries? | cl. 9.2, p. 23; cl. 1.1.14.3, p. 4 | |
| 11 | Can we ship the first batch within 120 days of award, anywhere in Saudi Arabia? | cl. 7.5.3, p. 18 | |
| 12 | Will deliveries carry at least two-thirds of shelf life (and under 9 months from manufacture for 3-year products)? | cl. 8.1, p. 19 | |
| 13 | Can we supply 3 samples per item (15 instruments for surgical kit groups) within 3 days of a request? | cl. 5.4, p. 14 | |
| 14 | Do we have GMP, batch CoA, sterilisation certificates and embassy-attested certificates of origin? | cl. 1.5.11, p. 5; cl. 8.15 to 8.21, p. 21 | |
| 15 | For "or equivalent" lines: is our product close in size, material and use to the specification? | cl. 9.10, p. 24 | |
| 16 | For biological lines (grafts, membranes): can the importer obtain an MDIL? | cl. 9.7, p. 23 | |
| 17 | For aligner lines: can we deliver within 4 weeks and give technical support and free training in all regions? | cl. 9.11 to 9.13, p. 24 | |
| 18 | Is our country of origin free of any official restriction? | cl. 1.1.15, p. 4 | |
| 19 | Does our group have a Saudi regional HQ, or have we checked how decision 461 applies to us? | cl. 1.1.12.1, p. 3 | |
| 20 | Can the agent fund a 5% final guarantee within 15 working days of award, and carry receivables with no stated payment period? | cl. 6.2.1, p. 16; cl. 7.2.6, p. 18 | |
| 21 | Is the SAR 28,750 booklet fee justified by the lines we can actually win? | Tender page |
Fallback if the answer is No only because SFDA or local content certificates are incomplete: cl. 7.6.2.1 (p. 19) lets offers made in the base tender, and rejected for incomplete certificates, re-enter at the six-monthly update.
7. Open questions for NUPCO
Timing: by our count the enquiry window closed on Saturday 10 October 2026 (cl. 1.2, p. 4). Questions can still be sent through the NUPCO platform, with NPT0032-26@NUPCO.COM in copy (cl. 3.4.1, p. 9; cl. 9.1, p. 23), but NUPCO has no stated duty to answer them. Send on Monday 19 October 2026 at the latest.
- What is the exact time of day for submission on 25 October and for bid opening on 26 October? What is the cut-off date and time for NUPCO Catalogue registration?
- Is any extension of the submission date planned, and will late enquiries be answered?
- Can a foreign manufacturer buy the booklet itself, or only a NUPCO-qualified Saudi agent (cl. 1.3)?
- For itemised lines, is price an award criterion? Cl. 5.2.1.1 does not list it.
- Is "previously purchased and tried by reference hospitals" (cl. 5.2.1.1.3) mandatory for award, or a preference? What documents prove it? Does it apply to groups?
- Are items without an SFDA MDMA at submission excluded, given cl. 1.5.11 (GMP for unregistered items) and cl. 5.2.1.2.2 (priority for unregistered items)?
- What period does the QTY column cover, and are quantities minimum commitments or estimates? For lines described "ONE EACH (EA)=ONE (1) PACK", is the unit price per pack?
- Should unit prices include VAT (cl. 7.1.1) or exclude it (cl. 7.1.3)?
- Is the 1% initial guarantee based on the full offer value? One guarantee for all lines, or one per group?
- Under Council of Ministers decision 461 (cl. 1.1.12.1), what must a bidder submit if the foreign maker has no regional HQ in Saudi Arabia? Does it apply to the agent, the maker, or both?
- Are any lines on the local content mandatory list? What price preference percentages apply (cl. 1.1.11.1)?
- Is only the offer letter required in Arabic, or must catalogues, IFUs and certificates be translated (cl. 3.1)?
- Group numbers 20, 28, 29, 58 and 59 are missing from the item list. Were these groups removed, or are lines missing?
- Please confirm quantities for SN 124, 2,319, 2,321, 2,807, 2,831, 2,832 and 2,974 (quantity 1).
- For "compatible with hospital system" lines (for example SN 1,205, 1,233), which equipment models are installed at the beneficiaries?
- What payment period applies, and what delay penalty rates apply (cl. 7.2.4 and 7.2.6)?
- Please provide the economic participation policy, its undertaking form, the warehouse supply conditions, the Catalogue User Manual and the upload instructions (cl. 1.1.10.2; cl. 1.4.4 to 1.4.7; cl. 9.5).
8. Sources
- Conditions booklet (Arabic, 26 pages, saved as data/nupco/NPT0032-26/NPT0032-26-conditions-booklet.pdf): https://www.nupco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/كراسة-الشروط-NPT0032-26.pdf
- Tender announcement and item list (English, 64 pages, footer dated 14.SEP.2026, saved as data/nupco/NPT0032-26/NPT0032-26-announcement-item-list.pdf): https://www.nupco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/قالب-اعلان-منافسة-مستلزمات-الأسنان-العامة-رقم-NPT0032-26.pdf
- NUPCO tenders list (status, opening date, submission and bid opening dates, booklet price, as captured 19 October 2026): https://www.nupco.com/en/tenders/tenders-list/
Both PDFs were downloaded on 19 October 2026. All 25 numbered booklet pages were read. Arabic quotations were checked against rendered pages (cover, p. 3, 4, 9, 14, 23, 24) because the PDF text layer swaps some letters.