Tenders, RFPs, and Procurement in Jordan
A Practical Legal Guide

Public-sector procurement in Jordan operates through a regulated public procurement framework, an electronic platform that delivers it day-to-day, and a defined set of tender mechanics that apply across most contracting entities. Bidders dealing with the Jordanian public market typically work within the same documents, deadlines, evaluation criteria, and complaint routes regardless of which ministry or public institution is issuing the tender. Understanding how the framework is structured, where its main obligations fall on bidders, and which timelines control the process is the starting point for any meaningful participation.

The framework for government tenders in Jordan

The framework operates through procuring entities, procurement committees, the relevant official procurement authorities, and the Jordanian National Electronic Procurement System, known as JONEPS. JONEPS is the day-to-day platform through which the framework runs. Bidders register on it, contracting entities publish opportunities through it, tender documents are downloaded from it, bids are submitted electronically, and notifications, clarifications, and addenda are routed through it.

The Government Procurement Procedures Instructions 2022 provide operational rules for how the Bylaw is applied in practice, including procedural steps, forms, guarantees, and related procurement administration.

The framework covers most central-government ministries, public institutions, and a number of municipalities and other entities brought within its scope. While the practical detail varies by sector, the underlying tender logic is largely the same.

The legal regime for private-sector tenders is different in important respects, including the source of the rules, the evaluation flexibility, and the available dispute paths. Section 3 deals with private tenders separately. This section addresses public procurement only.

Methods of public procurement

Public tenders in Jordan are issued under several recognised methods, used in different situations:

Tender documents, qualifications, and bid bonds

Tender documents typically include the instructions to bidders, the technical specifications, the draft contract, the evaluation criteria, and the deadlines for clarifications and submission. Reading these carefully before deciding to bid is one of the most important commercial decisions in any tender.

Eligibility and classification rules apply to many opportunities. Certain works tenders require Jordanian classification at a specified grade, certain supply tenders require sector-specific licensing, and certain consultancy tenders require professional registration. Foreign bidders typically participate either directly where permitted, through a Jordanian agent, or in a joint venture with a locally classified partner.

Submission, opening, and evaluation

Bids are submitted electronically through JONEPS by the closing date and time. Late submissions are not accepted. Many tenders, particularly those involving technical evaluation, use a two-envelope structure separating the technical proposal from the financial proposal, opened and assessed in sequence.

Technical evaluation is conducted by a designated committee against the criteria disclosed in the tender documents. Bidders that fail the technical threshold do not proceed to financial evaluation. Financial evaluation typically applies a defined weighting between technical score and price, with the award made according to the evaluation method disclosed in the tender documents.

Clarifications and addenda issued during the bid period form part of the tender documents. Bidders are bound by them and must build them into their submissions. Where a bidder submits a clarification request, the contracting entity typically circulates the answer to all bidders to preserve equal treatment.

Award and contract execution

Award proceeds in two steps. The contracting entity issues a preliminary award decision, and a defined window allows other bidders to file objections before the award becomes final. Once final, the successful bidder is called to sign the contract within the period stated in the documents.

Where required by the tender documents, a performance bond is provided at or before contract signature. It typically sits at no less than ten percent of the contract value. A bidder that fails to provide the performance bond can lose the award, and the bid bond may then be called.

Contract execution covers the operational life of the contract, including variations, advance payments, payment milestones, retention amounts, the defects-liability period, and tax and customs touchpoints where applicable. These are commercial terms set in the contract document and managed through the contracting entity's operational procedures. Early issues during execution are often easier to address before they crystallise into a formal payment or delivery dispute.

Objections and procurement complaints

Objections are filed first, with the contracting entity itself, within a short window measured in working days from the relevant decision. Common objection grounds include errors in evaluation, unequal treatment of bidders, departures from the disclosed criteria, and procedural defects in the opening or scoring process.

Complaints are filed next, with the procurement complaints review body, typically against a fee. The body has a defined window in which to issue a decision. Where the complaint succeeds, possible outcomes include cancellation of the contested decision, a reissue of the relevant step, or a binding instruction to the contracting entity.

Where the contracting entity's decision survives the internal objection and complaint stages, judicial review remains available through administrative litigation before the Administrative Court, with appeal to the Higher Administrative Court.

Specialised procurement tracks

Several specialised tracks sit alongside the general framework. Public works tenders rely on the same Government Procurement Bylaw and the Procedures Instructions 2022, with sector-specific instructions on technical aspects of design, execution, supervision, and operation. Defence and security procurement is governed by a specialised chapter inserted into the amended Procurement Bylaw, and this page only mentions it briefly. Procurement under the public-private partnership framework is addressed separately under its own statute, and is touched on in Section 5 together with other special procurement regimes.

A request for proposal, or RFP, is a solicitation document used by a contracting entity to invite proposals against a defined scope. It is a procurement tool rather than a separate legal regime in Jordan. Where the RFP is issued by a public body, the public-procurement framework set out in Section 2 applies. Where it is issued by a private entity, the contractual and commercial-law framework set out in Section 3 applies. This section addresses the document itself.

RFPs compared with other tender forms

Several solicitation forms are used in Jordan, and the right one depends on what the contracting entity is buying:

When RFPs are used

RFPs are typically used in Jordan for:

• consultancy and advisory services;
• IT systems and digital-transformation projects;
• design and architectural services;
• complex supply or works tenders where the technical methodology drives the evaluation;
• pre-bid stages of public-private partnership projects;
• donor-funded technical-assistance procurements.

The common thread is that the “how” of delivery matters as much as the “how much”. Where an RFQ would be appropriate for a routine purchase, an RFP gives the contracting entity room to weigh quality, methodology, and team before settling on price.

Structure of an RFP

A typical RFP document in Jordan contains:

• background and objectives of the procurement;
• scope of work, often with detailed Terms of Reference;
• eligibility criteria and minimum qualifications;
• technical proposal requirements;
• financial proposal requirements;
• evaluation methodology and scoring approach;
• submission instructions, format, and deadlines;
• the draft contract and standard contractual terms;
• reservation-of-rights and disclaimer language.

Each section of the RFP becomes evaluation-relevant once the bidder responds. Where the RFP states a minimum technical score, a maximum page count, or a specific format for financial pricing, those statements function as conditions for evaluation. Bidders that disregard them risk disqualification or scoring penalties.

Technical and financial proposals

The technical proposal addresses methodology, the proposed team and their qualifications, deliverables, schedule, and quality assurance. The financial proposal addresses the pricing structure, currency, applicable taxes, payment milestones, and any reimbursable costs.

Many RFPs in Jordan separate technical and financial proposals, either electronically or physically, especially where technical scoring is completed before financial evaluation. The technical proposal is assessed first, and the financial proposal is opened only for bidders that pass the technical threshold.

Evaluation methods in RFPs

The most common evaluation methods used for RFPs in Jordan are:

Clarifications, addenda, and negotiation

Clarifications and addenda issued by the contracting entity during the bid period form part of the RFP and bind both sides. Where the RFP permits best-and-final-offer rounds after shortlisting, the equal-treatment expectation that applied to the original evaluation continues. Post-shortlist negotiation should be documented carefully, since it modifies the contract that follows the award rather than an abstract proposal.

Common RFP disputes

The dispute themes most often seen in RFP work in Jordan are:

• departure from the evaluation criteria as disclosed;
• shifting eligibility or scoring rules after submission;
• improper communications between bidders and the evaluation panel;
• breach of the equal-treatment principle in best-and-final-offer rounds;
• award decisions not adequately reasoned in the documents required.

Abdullah & Partners advises on tender and RFP matters in Jordan, including government procurement, private-sector RFPs, bid bonds, procurement complaints, procurement contracts, guarantees, payment disputes, attachments, and arbitration. These matters may arise at different stages, from reading tender documents through evaluation, award, contract execution, and dispute resolution, in both public-procurement and private-sector contexts.

This work may include:

Each engagement is shaped by the specific tender or RFP documents, the deadlines that apply, and the parties involved. The starting point is usually a careful review of what is in the documents and what the contract or framework actually requires.

This page is provided for general legal information only and does not constitute legal advice. Tender and RFP issues in Jordan should be assessed based on the relevant documents, facts, deadlines, and applicable law. Specific situations should be reviewed on their own particulars before any decision is taken.