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Public Procurement in Uzbekistan

Public procurement in Uzbekistan is a centrally coordinated system that supports government service delivery, infrastructure development, and socio-economic reforms. The procurement framework has undergone significant modernization over the last decade, with increasing reliance on electronic platforms, competitive tendering, and regulatory standardization.

Government tenders in Uzbekistan are an important channel for public expenditure across priority sectors such as energy, health, education, transport, agriculture, and public administration. The procurement system is anchored within the Ministry of Finance and operates under a unified national legal framework.

For domestic suppliers, SMEs, and international contractors, Public Procurement in Uzbekistan represents a structured and expanding market, supported by national eProcurement platforms and aligned with international development partner practices.

Country & Economic Overview

Uzbekistan is a member of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), International Monetary Fund (IMF), and UNCTAD. These institutions play a role in shaping procurement reforms and financing public investment projects.

Public Procurement Governance Framework

The institutional authority for public procurement is the Public Procurement Department within the Ministry of Finance. This department acts as both the policy authority and the central purchasing body, providing regulatory oversight and operational coordination.

Legal & Regulatory Framework

Public procurement in Uzbekistan is governed by the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Public Procurement, which establishes procurement principles, procedures, and oversight mechanisms.

• Value for Money: Articles 4 and 7
• Bid securities: Article 32
• Public bid openings: Articles 54, 61, and 63
• Standstill periods (goods, works, services): Articles 55 and 64
• Bid validity: Article 54
• Contract award disclosure: Article 65
• Complaint resolution: Article 75
• Tender thresholds: Articles 61 and 63

The law applies uniformly to contracting authorities across central and local government levels.

Procurement Procedures & Thresholds

Uzbekistan applies competitive procurement as the primary method, supported by electronic tendering and reverse auctions. Procurement procedures include:

1. Electronic tenders and quotations
2. Reverse electronic auctions
3. Framework-style purchasing through electronic catalogues

Standstill periods, bid validity requirements, and complaint handling are explicitly regulated in law, supporting procedural transparency and supplier protection.

E-Procurement System in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan operates a dual eProcurement environment combining exchange-based and government portals.

Supported functionalities include ePublishing, eTendering, eReverse Auctions, eProcurement Planning, eCatalogues, ePurchasing (P2P), Vendor Management, Contract Management, and eComplaints.

The eReverse Auction module is recognized for use under World Bank–funded Shopping procedures below USD 100,000.

Procurement Market Characteristics

The Uzbek procurement market spans a wide range of public sector needs, with strong participation from domestic suppliers and growing engagement from international contractors, particularly in donor-financed projects.

Procurement statistics and market activity are published through the Uzbek Commodity Exchange statistics portal.

Transparency, Complaints & Oversight

Transparency is supported through mandatory electronic publication of tenders and contract awards. Complaint mechanisms are legally regulated, allowing suppliers to challenge procurement decisions within established timelines.

Oversight functions are exercised through the Ministry of Finance and authorized review bodies.

Sustainability & Green Public Procurement

The current public procurement framework does not establish mandatory green public procurement requirements. Environmental or sustainability considerations may be applied at the project level but are not systemically embedded across all procurement procedures.

No centralized green procurement monitoring tools or spend targets are defined within the legal framework.

Social & Ethical Procurement Considerations

Uzbekistan has taken steps to promote gender inclusion in public institutions, including initiatives supporting women-owned businesses. Specific procurement-wide quantitative targets for women-owned or disadvantaged businesses are not formally codified.

Ethical sourcing and international labor standards are not explicitly detailed as mandatory procurement clauses within the public procurement law.

Key Challenges & Practical Insights for Bidders

• Central role of the Ministry of Finance in procurement oversight
• Strong reliance on electronic auctions and exchange-based procurement
• Limited publicly available aggregate procurement statistics
• Importance of supplier registration and compliance with electronic platforms

Public Procurement in Uzbekistan is characterized by centralized governance, expanding digital procurement tools, and increasing alignment with international procurement practices. For bidders able to navigate electronic systems and regulatory requirements, the market offers growing opportunities across multiple public sectors.