Public Procurement in Uzbekistan (2026): How Companies Bid in Government Tenders

Any company or entrepreneur, resident or non-resident, may bid in public procurement in Uzbekistan (Art. 23 of Law ZRU-684): you need an electronic digital signature (EDS), registration in an operator's electronic system and a bid against a notice published on the xarid.uzex.uz portal. As of October 2026, Law No. ZRU-684 "On Public Procurement" applies in the version in force since 25 July 2026: tenders are used for contracts above 25,000 BRV (UZS 11 billion), and for budget-funded customers above 6,000 BRV (UZS 2.64 billion). The biggest risk for a supplier is walking away from a contract after winning: the deposit is forfeited and the company spends two years in the register of unscrupulous suppliers.

In short

• Rules. ZRU-684, Regulation No. 276, Decrees UP-259 and UP-17; since 2026 the Ministry of Economy and Finance's procurement functions sit with the Industrial Cooperation and Public Procurement Agency.
• Thresholds. Simplified purchase up to 50 BRV; e-shop (goods), auction and selection up to 25,000 BRV; tender above 25,000 BRV. For budget customers the limits are 25, 2,500 and 6,000 BRV. One BRV is UZS 440,000.
• Deposit. 3% in the e-shop and auctions, up to 3% in selection, up to 5% in tenders; the operator's fee is up to 0.15%.
• Register. Refusing to sign, failing to perform, false documents or concealed affiliation mean two years out of public procurement.
• Complaints. The commission suspends the procurement for up to 10 working days and decides within 7 working days.
• Local producers. In purchases by budget customers, a 15/12/8% preference against the price of imported goods since 1 April 2026 and 15% for services since 1 October 2026.

Who buys and under which rules

Budget customers are state bodies and institutions, including ministries and khokimiyats, budget organisations and state trust funds. Corporate customers are legal entities with a state share of 50% or more and companies in which such entities jointly hold 50% or more (Art. 19). Procedures are set out in Regulation No. 276 and the Regulation on operators (Cabinet Resolution No. 476). Decree UP-17 transferred the Ministry of Economy and Finance's procurement tasks and powers to the new Industrial Cooperation and Public Procurement Agency. Cabinet Resolution No. 393 of 20 July 2026 names the Agency as the authorised body in Regulation No. 276 and the Regulation on operators, while Art. 18 of the law and the complaints and register regulations still name the Ministry.

Defence, security, state-secret purchases, elections and referendums follow their own procedure (Art. 2). The law does not apply to bank rehabilitation and liquidation or to state banks' purchases under Islamic finance, and since 25 July 2026 the Tashkent International Financial Centre may set its own procurement rules (ZRU-1158). Projects funded by international organisations follow donor procedures, but results are still published on the portal.

Procurement methods and 2026 thresholds

Amounts are at BRV = UZS 440,000 (UP-115), our conversion. Splitting a purchase to avoid a competitive procedure is prohibited (Art. 46).

Two conflicts remain unresolved in the law. Decree UP-259 (item 8) extended the e-shop offer period from 15 to 60 days from 1 January 2026, while Art. 50 of the law and the scheme in Regulation No. 276 still say 15 working days. Since 1 January 2026 an auction with a single bidder, and a repeat selection with the same sole bidder, count as held (UP-259, item 9); for a repeat tender the same rule has applied since 1 October 2024 (PP-249, item 5), although Arts. 55, 61 and 68 of the law treat such procedures as failed. Check the offer period and the outcome of a lot in the operator's system.

Where tenders are published and run

• Portal. xarid.uzex.uz is the special information portal, operated by JSC Uzbek Republican Commodity Exchange (UzEx) (UP-17, Annex 4): notices, procurement plans, results and registers.
• Platform. Bidding takes place in the electronic system of an operator authorised by the procurement authority (Art. 25); UzEx runs selections and tenders on etender.uzex.uz, and the notice names the exact venue.
• Procurement plans. Budget customers publish annual plans by 25 March, corporate customers by 25 December for the next year, quarterly plans by the 25th of the quarter's last month (Art. 29).
• Language. Information is published in the state language (Art. 35); selection and tender bids are prepared in Uzbek, and in other languages if the documents require (Arts. 59, 67).
• Construction paid from the budget goes through an electronic tender with contractor ratings: bid security of no more than 2% of the starting price, and at least 60% of the work done in-house (Cabinet Resolution No. 46).

How to take part: step by step

• EDS. Bidding and signing require an EDS (item 9 of Regulation No. 276); the right to sign an electronic contract comes from a key issued by the tax authorities (item 29 of the Regulation on operators).
• Registration. Fill in the questionnaire in the operator's system; registration carries no charge (item 27 of the Regulation on operators), and a business can opt in as a bidder when it is incorporated.
• Advance. Transfer the fee and the deposit to your personal account with the operator's settlement and clearing chamber; without it the system will not admit you to a lot (items 8 and 11 of Regulation No. 276).
• Lot. Study the notice, specifications and draft contract; the customer answers questions within 2 working days (Art. 41), and negotiations before the winner is chosen are banned (Art. 40).
• Bid. One per lot; an empty mandatory field, a missing file or a price above the starting price triggers automatic rejection (Arts. 61, 69). Disclose the beneficial owner (Art. 23) and attach an anti-corruption statement (Arts. 59, 67).
• Contract. The system generates it (Arts. 63, 70), and it is signed within 10 working days after the winner is determined (items 103 and 161 of Regulation No. 276).
• Performance. In the e-shop and auctions, deliver only after the clearing chamber confirms the money has arrived; deliver earlier and the non-payment risk is yours (items 26–27 of Regulation No. 276).

Bidder requirements and documents

A bidder must have the resources and legal capacity to perform, and no overdue taxes, unpaid court judgments in the Compulsory Enforcement Bureau's database, insolvency proceedings or entry in the register (Art. 36); the system checks much of this itself against state databases (item 19 of Regulation No. 276). Conflicts of interest, bidding with an affiliate in the same lot, bribery and collusion also lead to exclusion (Arts. 23, 42).

Additional requirements are allowed only if stated in the notice (Art. 37); inflated requirements are banned (Art. 34), and the customer may not ask for documents beyond the tender documents (item 155 of Regulation No. 276). Usually you need licences and certificates where mandatory (Arts. 50, 53) and proof of experience, equipment, staff and finances against the criteria in the documents (item 154). Everything in your bid will be published (Art. 15). Check your subcontractors and partners in advance: their failure becomes your breach.

Deposits, security and fees

The commission may require a pledge or guarantee instead of a deposit (Art. 39). The law sets no percentage for performance security; the documents and the contract do. In the e-shop and auctions the supplier's deposit stays blocked until full performance (item 13), in selections and tenders where the documents say so (item 15). If a corporate customer fails to pay on time under an e-shop or auction contract, its own deposit goes to the supplier (item 25).

How to stay out of the register of unscrupulous suppliers

The register (officially, of "unscrupulous executors") lists (Art. 48):

• winners who refused or evaded signing the contract (except the reserve winner);
• suppliers found at fault for non-performance, unless caused by force majeure;
• bidders who submitted false documents or concealed affiliation within a lot;
• those convicted of fraud, forgery or corruption.

The term is two years; the system blocks participation automatically (item 20 of the Regulation on operators), and the public register shows the company, its head and beneficial owner (item 20 of the Register Regulation). A winner who refuses to sign is added automatically; in other cases an application is reviewed within 15 days, a working commission of at least 7 people prepares an opinion within 10 days, and the company is notified 3 days ahead and may attend (items 4–9). Only a court can remove an entry early (item 22), and inclusion can be challenged in court (Art. 48). The best defence is a paper trail: acceptance certificates, letters on customer-caused delays, force majeure notices and formal claims.

How to challenge procurement results

Actions of the customer, its procurement commission or the operator can be challenged before the Public Procurement Complaints Commission or in court (Art. 78). The commission is formed and serviced by the authorised body, which also keeps the register (Arts. 48, 78), and its membership is approved by the Cabinet; under Decree UP-17 that body is now the Agency, although the complaints and register regulations still name the Ministry of Economy and Finance. File in writing or through your personal account, with evidence and proof that copies went to the other parties; anonymous complaints are not considered (Complaints Regulation, items 16, 21–22).

Neither the law nor the Regulation sets a filing deadline, but only an ongoing procedure can be suspended, so it makes sense to file before the contract is signed. The commission may ban unlawful actions, cancel the customer's decisions, terminate the procedure and add the supplier to the register (Art. 79). Disputes over performance of a signed contract go through claims and the courts, not the commission (item 2 of the Regulation).

Preferences for local producers

• Price. Since 1 April 2026, in purchases by budget customers, a preference applies to the lowest price of imported goods: 15% where three or more domestic producers bid, 12% for two, 8% for one; since 1 October 2026 it is 15% for domestic services and works (UP-17, item 12).
• Electrical products. 15/12/8% calculated from the DDP (Uzbekistan) price, except corporate customers' purchases for resale (Regulation No. 276 as amended by Cabinet Resolution No. 662).
• Points. In selections and tenders the bonus equals points × 15% × localisation level, provided the price is no more than 15% above the lowest one (items 95¹, 155¹).
• Priority. The customer first looks for the product on new.cooperation.uz and buys elsewhere only with that portal's certificate (item 37¹).
• Offtake. For purchases up to 250 BRV (UZS 110m) per contract, a customer may sign a three-year direct guaranteed purchase contract with a local producer in its region whose localisation exceeds 30% (PP-4812 as amended by UP-259).
• Local auction. Budget customers can run auctions among domestic producers with no price cap and a notice of at least 2 working days (item 56¹).

For foreign suppliers

A non-resident can bid directly (Art. 23). Foreign persons are entered into the system "in the manner established by law", and the tax-authority signature rule does not apply to contracts with foreign persons (items 25 and 29 of the Regulation on operators), so confirm registration, deposit and signing with the operator before you bid. Also keep in mind:

• the bid is prepared in Uzbek, and the settlement currency follows the documents (Arts. 59, 67);
• local preferences weaken an importer's price position, and an international treaty of Uzbekistan may set different rules (Arts. 3, 16);
• since 1 July 2026 dealers and brokers may sell a manufacturer's products in public procurement under a contract with it (UP-17, item 12);
• from 1 January 2027 purchases are split into lots on equal terms for domestic and foreign bidders (UP-17, item 11).

The alternative is an Uzbek subsidiary with its own tax ID, EDS and bank account (registering an LLC with a foreign founder).

Procurement by state-owned companies

Corporate customers follow the same law, but:

• their e-shop threshold is higher (25,000 BRV against 2,500) and so is the annual cap on simplified purchases (1,000 BRV against 500);
• the annual plan is due by 25 December, with quarterly reporting (Arts. 19, 29);
• only they may use framework agreements: above 25,000 BRV, with at least three bidders, for up to three years (Art. 38²; items 168–173 of Regulation No. 276);
• they publish lists of planned imports for localisation (Cabinet Resolution No. 159);
• from 1 January 2027 their commissions need a certified "professional buyer", and from 1 January 2028 they cannot procure without one (UP-17, item 11).

What changed in 2026

• 1 January 2026: request for proposals; the list of goods bought by direct contract abolished; 60-day e-shop offers under the decree; offtake contracts.
• 4 February 2026: the Agency created (UP-17).
• 1 March 2026: AI module for average market prices; if the gap between the starting (contract) price and the module price "exceeds 10 percent or is below 20 percent" (the wording of item 4 of UP-259), the purchase is rated high-risk and is grounds for an unscheduled audit.
• 1 April 2026: price preferences for goods.
• 1 July 2026: bids evaluated electronically only; dealers and brokers admitted.
• 20 July 2026: the Agency named as the authorised body in Regulation No. 276 (Cabinet Resolution No. 393).
• 1 September 2026: reliability scoring; BRV raised to UZS 440,000.
• 1 October 2026: preference for services and works.
• 1 January 2027: lots and the total cost of ownership (TCO) method for purchases above UZS 1 billion.

Common mistakes

• Missing a two-day window: answering an e-shop price request or objecting to a selection protocol.
• Cutting the price by 20% or more without the extra deposit; the bid is rejected automatically.
• Bidding with two affiliated companies in the same lot.
• Winning and not signing: the deposit is lost and the register follows.
• Expecting to raise the price or volume or extend the deadline by an addendum: material terms cannot be changed (Art. 34; item 215 of Regulation No. 276).

How Pactum helps

• We review the tender documents and draft contract before you bid and assess performance risks.
• We prepare the document package, clarification requests, objections and complaints to the commission; court hearings are attended by an advocate of our partner bureau under a separate agreement.
• We register an Uzbek company for a foreign supplier and handle its corporate support.
• We set up contract management for public contracts.

A consultation with a lawyer: 60 minutes, UZS 300,000, credited toward the service (book); contract review from UZS 2,000,000; foreign trade contracts from UZS 4,000,000; company registration from UZS 1,500,000. Support on a specific tender is priced after review. Phone +998 99 050 50 70, Telegram, info@pactum.uz; office: 21 Afrosiyob Street, Tashkent.

FAQ

How to participate in tenders in Uzbekistan?

Get an EDS, register in the operator's system, pay the deposit and fee into your personal account and bid against a notice on xarid.uzex.uz. Tenders apply to contracts above 25,000 BRV (above 6,000 BRV for budget customers), and the notice is published 12–30 working days before bids close (Arts. 64, 66).

What is xarid.uzex.uz?

It is the special information portal for public procurement: procurement plans, notices, results, the contracts register and the register of unscrupulous suppliers. The portal is operated by the UzEx commodity exchange, which runs selections and tenders on etender.uzex.uz.

Can a foreign company bid in Uzbekistan government tenders?

Yes, a bidder may be a resident or a non-resident (Art. 23 of ZRU-684). Confirm with the operator how a non-resident registers, pays the deposit and signs the contract; bids are prepared in Uzbek. Factor in the 15/12/8% preferences for local producers.

How much is the bid deposit in Uzbek public procurement?

3% of the offer in the e-shop and 3% of the starting price in auctions; up to 3% in selections and up to 5% in tenders, as the commission decides (items 14–15 of Regulation No. 276). Since 1 September 2026 bidders with a "high" reliability rating pay no deposit.

What gets a company into the register of unscrupulous suppliers?

Refusing a contract after winning, fault in non-performance, false documents, concealed affiliation or a conviction for fraud or corruption (Art. 48). The term is two years, after which removal is automatic; earlier removal only by a court decision.

How to appeal tender results in Uzbekistan?

File with the Public Procurement Complaints Commission or go to court (Art. 78). The commission notifies the customer within 3 working days, suspends the procedure for up to 10 working days and decides within 7 working days (Art. 79).

Sources

• Law ZRU-684 "On Public Procurement" (Uzbek, version of 25.07.2026)
• ZRU-684 in Russian (2025–2026 amendments as unofficial translation)
• Decree UP-259 of 26.12.2025
• Decree UP-17 of 04.02.2026
• Cabinet Resolution No. 276 of 20.05.2022
• Cabinet Resolution No. 476 of 30.07.2025
• Cabinet Resolution No. 393 of 20.07.2026
• Regulation No. 3599 on the register of unscrupulous executors
• Regulation on procurement complaints (reg. No. 3013)
• Presidential Resolution PP-249 of 10.07.2024
• Cabinet Resolution No. 46 of 31.01.2022
• Decree UP-115: BRV from 01.09.2026
• Public procurement portal xarid.uzex.uz
• Register of unscrupulous executors
• Industrial Cooperation and Public Procurement Agency