On 25 أكتوبر 2026, at the second Make it with ADNOC Forum held at Emirates Palace ahead of ADIPEC, ADNOC announced more than AED 60 billion in local manufacturing opportunities through 2030 together with a redesign of how suppliers register, prequalify and are scored. MEED described the package as an overhaul of ADNOC's procurement, supplier registration and In-Country Value (ICV) localisation structures. According to Gulf News, the new bid scoring took effect on 1 November, so this is the first month in which ADNOC tenders are judged under the new rules.
What changed in bid evaluation
Under the model used since 2018, ICV and price were handled in sequence: the supplier with the highest ICV score had to match the lowest price. ADNOC is retiring that approach. Commercial and ICV offers are now assessed together in a single evaluation, with a blended weighting of 70% commercial and 30% ICV, as reported by Gulf News.
Requirements also now scale with contract size (Gulf News):
- below $2 million: no ICV requirement;
- $2 million to $50 million: the 70/30 model;
- $50 million to $200 million: 70/30 plus an ICV improvement plan over the contract term;
- above $200 million: a customised ICV requirement plus an improvement plan.
Because there is no longer a price-matching round, ADNOC's announcement says suppliers should put their strongest commercial and ICV offers forward from the start.
Faster registration and prequalification
ADNOC says suppliers will need up to 80% less time to complete registration and prequalification. The number of required documents is halved, and prequalification is removed for 60% of service categories. Registration, qualification and compliance move into a single window, with requirements scaled to the nature and risk of the work, and AI will be used to verify documents and reuse data suppliers have already submitted. Gulf News reports that suppliers can now register on the same day rather than waiting weeks.
ICV retention payments are changing too. Suppliers upload their ICV certificate, and the ADNOC Supplier Hub calculates the obligation and releases the payment automatically, replacing email exchanges and manual entries. ADNOC says this is meant to improve transparency and support supplier cash flow.
AED 60 billion to make in the UAE
The manufacturing side of the announcement covers more than 200 essential products plus critical spare parts, in six categories:
- rotating equipment and power;
- electrical, control and automation;
- drilling and completion;
- chemicals and catalysts;
- piping, fabrication and heavy equipment;
- spare parts and advanced manufacturing.
ADNOC's Local+ list of UAE manufacturers has grown to more than 100, up from 70 at its launch in May 2026, and Gulf News reports it will be embedded in all EBC contracts. ADNOC says its ICV programme had redirected more than AED 307 billion into the UAE economy by the end of 2025.
"The next chapter is about making the entire journey clearer, simpler and more competitive," said Omar Abdulla Alnuaimi, ADNOC Group Chief, Commercial and In-Country Value.
What it means for operators, contractors and plants
Three practical consequences follow for companies that buy from or sell into ADNOC's supply chain.
- Price carries more weight on mid-sized contracts. With 70% of the score commercial, a strong ICV certificate no longer wins on its own if the price is not competitive; a low price with weak ICV now loses points instead of being matched.
- Smaller orders become simpler. Contracts below $2 million carry no ICV requirement, and many service categories no longer need prequalification, which should shorten the route to supply for smaller or urgent needs.
- Local manufacturing gains weight. Drilling and completion, and chemicals and catalysts, are two of the six categories ADNOC wants made in the UAE. Contractors bidding above $50 million will need ICV improvement plans for the life of the contract, which favours UAE-made materials and UAE-based logistics.
For suppliers, the immediate checklist is short: make sure the ICV certificate is current, register or update details on the ADNOC Supplier Hub under the single-window process, and review pricing for tenders now scored on the combined model.
عن بلو لاين
Blue Line Industries manufactures calcium chloride, potassium chloride (KCl), API 13A barite, bentonite, industrial salt, defoamers and solvents in Abu Dhabi, and is ICV certified as well as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certified. Blue Line Logistics supports drilling and plant operations with hazmat-certified warehousing, tankers, ISO tanks, silos and port operations.
Sources
- https://www.mediaoffice.abudhabi/en/energy/adnoc-holds-2nd-make-it-with-adnoc-forum-to-support-local-manufacturing-and-advance-uaes-industrial-growth/
- https://gulfnews.com/uae/abu-dhabi/adnoc-unveils-new-icv-model-to-boost-competitiveness-and-simplify-supplier-contracts-1.500722993
- https://guest.meed.com/adnoc-showcases-163bn-local-manufacturing-potential/