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Public Procurement in Syrian

Public procurement in the Syrian Arab Republic is an important mechanism for government spending on goods, works, and services, particularly in the context of economic recovery, public service delivery, and state-led infrastructure maintenance. As a low-income and conflict-affected economy, public procurement is highly centralized, administratively controlled, and closely linked to fiscal constraints and public finance management.

The procurement framework is governed by national legislation that defines procurement methods, tendering procedures, bid securities, and contract award rules. While the legal structure exists, procurement implementation is largely manual, with limited transparency, limited availability of public data, and no operational national eProcurement system.

Country & Economic Overview

International Memberships

• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
• International Monetary Fund (IMF)
• Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB)
• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

World Bank Country Page: http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/syria

Public Procurement Institutional Framework

• Public Procurement Authority: Ministry of Finance
• Role: Oversight of public financial management and procurement procedures
• Central Purchasing Body: Not formally established

Official Website: http://syrianfinance.gov.sy/

Legal & Regulatory Framework

Public procurement in Syria is regulated through national procurement legislation that defines tendering, bid evaluation, and contract execution procedures.

• Public Procurement Law No. 51 of 2004
• Implementing regulations and procurement rules issued by the Ministry of Finance

Key Legal References:

• http://www.spc.com.sy/doc/laws/law51.pdf
• http://www.syria.law/index.php/main-legislation/public-procurement-law/
• https://www.icc-syria.com/img/uploads1/rules_31.pdf

Procurement Methods & Thresholds

• Open and restricted tendering as the primary procurement methods
• Direct contracting permitted under conditions defined in Article 86
• Threshold values and approval levels defined by Law No. 51
• No formally defined standstill period in the legislation

E-Procurement System Status

The Syrian Arab Republic does not operate a national electronic procurement (eProcurement) platform.

• No centralized eProcurement portal
• Procurement processes are predominantly paper-based
• No use of national systems for World Bank-financed procurement
• No electronic signature framework in public procurement

Procurement Market Characteristics

• Highly centralized and administratively controlled procurement
• Limited public disclosure of procurement data
• Procurement focused on essential goods, public works, and basic services
• Restricted international participation due to regulatory and external constraints

Official statistics on annual tenders, contract values, and award volumes are not publicly disclosed.

Transparency, Complaints & Oversight

• Complaint mechanisms exist within the legal framework
• Procedural reviews handled administratively
• No publicly available data on complaints, resolution timelines, or cancellations

Sustainability & Green Public Procurement

There is no formal green or sustainable public procurement strategy in the Syrian Arab Republic.

• No mandatory green procurement requirements
• No sustainability or environmental criteria explicitly codified
• Environmental considerations applied on an ad hoc basis

Social & Ethical Procurement Provisions

• No statutory preferences for SMEs, women-owned, or disadvantaged businesses
• No explicit labor or ethical sourcing requirements in procurement law
• Procurement principles emphasize administrative compliance and price considerations

Practical Considerations for Suppliers

• Expect manual tendering processes and limited transparency
• Strong reliance on local administrative procedures
• Limited availability of public tender information
• Regulatory framework relies primarily on Law No. 51 of 2004

Public Procurement in the Syrian Arab Republic operates within a centralized legal framework with clearly defined rules but limited digitalization and transparency. Procurement activities are shaped by fiscal constraints, administrative control, and restricted data availability, presenting a challenging environment for suppliers and contractors.