In the GCC, a large share of pharmaceutical and medical device volume flows through public procurement. A product can be registered and still fail to reach patients if it is not ready for tendering.
The procurement landscape
Saudi Arabia – NUPCO: NUPCO provides unified procurement of medicines, devices and medical supplies for government health sectors, using competitive tendering among approved and qualified suppliers, and maintains a unified catalogue of items.
GCC-wide – Gulf Health Council (GHC): the GHC runs joint procurement for member states. Its 2025 annual report states that the Gulf Joint Procurement Program conducted tenders exceeding SAR 2.4 billion.
National and emirate-level buyers: additional ministries, health clusters and hospital groups run their own procurement.
What tender readiness requires
Registration and eligibility status meeting the requirements and deadlines specified in each tender and jurisdiction.
Catalogue alignment – product descriptions, strengths and pack sizes matching the buyer's catalogue.
Supplier qualification – company and manufacturer qualification completed in advance.
Technical compliance – specifications, certificates and samples exactly as requested.
Pricing strategy – a price that is competitive yet consistent with registered and reference prices.
Supply assurance – stock, shelf life and logistics plans that meet delivery terms.
Typical reasons bids fail
Missing documents, expired certificates, mismatched item descriptions and prices that conflict with registered price ceilings.
How HERMS supports
HERMS aligns registration timelines with tender calendars, prepares technical documentation, checks compliance item by item, and supports pricing strategy across GCC markets.
Preparing for the next tender cycle? Ask HERMS for a tender readiness checklist for your portfolio. Contact HERMS →
References
NUPCO – Unified Procurement: https://www.nupco.com/en/service/unified-procurement/
NUPCO – Unified Catalogue: https://www.nupco.com/en/suppliers/unified-catalogue/
Gulf Health Council – Joint Procurement: https://www.ghc.sa/en/procurement/
Gulf Health Council – Annual Report 2025: https://www.ghc.sa/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Gulf-Health-Annual-Report-2025.pdf