Under the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar Development Bank (QDB) will officially open the second Government Procurement & Contracting Conference and Exhibition – Moushtarayat 2017 – to the public from April 6 to 8, at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC).
The expo, which QDB has held in partnership with the Ministry of Finance (MoF), especially welcomes members of the private sector, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to usher in a new wave of opportunities for the government-private sector cooperation.
The second upcoming edition of Moushtarayat is in line with the development agency’s vision to develop local talent and create a cooperative environment for Qatari entrepreneurs.
In order to achieve the state’s objectives of economic and social development outlined in Qatar National Vision 2030, the conference aims to support native SMEs so that the private sector may become active contributors to the diversification of the economy through partaking in public tenders and developing experience with big buyers.
The conference builds on the momentum of the maiden edition of Moushtarayat that was launched last year—in 2016, the successful partnership between QDB and MoF brought in an overwhelmingly positive response from entrepreneurs and SME-owners.
The previous edition of the exhibition saw the participation of 25 governmental and quasi-governmental entities; the signing of three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between Public Works Authority (Ashghal), the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ); and the provision of 450 jobs with an estimated cumulative value worth up to QR3bn.
Commenting on the event, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), QDB, Abdulaziz bin Nasser Al-Khalifa said, “Last year, contracts valued at approximately QR111m were signed as an outcome of the conference. This year’s version builds on the successful legacy of the first edition in 2016, in which we launched the procurement mechanisms in place today to promote greater communication between the private and public sector and achieve higher scales of economic competitiveness and self-sustainability in Qatar.”
Furthermore, an awards ceremony is scheduled this year, at Moushtarayat 2017, , to recognize the support extended by big buyers to SMEs. The National Procurement Awards announcements will be made during the opening day, on April 6, 2017.
