From 1 November 2026, ADNOC scores tender bids 70% on commercial terms and 30% on In-Country Value (ICV), in one evaluation. The old bid-matching model, where the highest ICV bidder could match the lowest price, is retired.
ADNOC announced the change on 25 October 2026 at the second Make it with ADNOC Forum in Abu Dhabi. Salama Al Awadhi, ADNOC’s Senior Vice President for Group Commercial, ICV and Industrial Development, said the new model needed to be simpler, faster and more competitive.
Below: which rules apply to your contract, how the 70/30 split plays out in a real bid, and what to fix before your next tender.
Quick answer: what changed on 1 November 2026
- New scoring: 70% commercial, 30% ICV, scored together.
- Bid matching ended: the H1/L1 model used since 2018 is retired.
- Small contracts exempt: contracts below AED 2 million have no ICV requirement.
- No retention below AED 50 million: ICV retention applies only to larger contracts.
- Improvement plans: required for contracts above AED 50 million.
- Retention is automated: handled through the ADNOC Supplier Hub.
- Registration is faster: up to 80% quicker, with half the documents.
Which ADNOC ICV Rules Apply to Your Contract Value?
ADNOC now sets ICV requirements by contract value. Find your band below.
| Contract value | ICV in bid evaluation | ICV improvement plan | ICV retention |
|---|
| Below AED 2 million | Not required | Not required | Not applied |
| AED 2 million to 50 million | 70% commercial, 30% ICV | Not required | Not applied |
| AED 50 million to 200 million | 70% commercial, 30% ICV | Required, against the contract term | Applies where set in the contract |
| Above AED 200 million | Customised to contract scope | Required | Applies where set in the contract |
The National reported these thresholds in dirhams. Always confirm the exact figures in the ICV clause of your Request for Tender (RFT).
What this means in practice:
- An AED 1.5 million maintenance contract: no ICV certificate needed for evaluation.
- An AED 20 million supply contract: your ICV score counts for 30% of the result, but no money is held back for ICV.
- An AED 120 million EPC package: 70/30 scoring, plus a binding plan to raise your ICV score during the contract.
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How ADNOC’s Old H1/L1 Bid-Matching Model Worked, and Why It Ended
Under the old model of the ADNOC In-Country Value programme, the lowest price set the target, and ICV decided who got the first chance to win at that price.
The steps were simple:
- ADNOC opened commercial bids and found the lowest price (L1).
- It ranked bidders by certified ICV score.
- The highest ICV bidder (H1) was asked to match L1.
- If H1 declined, the offer moved to the next highest ICV bidder.
A real case shows how it played out. MEED reported that on a Fujairah oil terminal project, ADNOC Onshore approached bidders with better ICV scores to match the lowest bidder’s price.
This created a pricing habit. High-ICV contractors often bid above market, expecting a second chance to match. Low-price bidders could lose a contract they had won on price.
ADNOC said the new model is the result of feedback from suppliers and manufacturers. From 1 November 2026, there is no matching round. Your first bid is your final position.
How ADNOC’s 70/30 ICV Scoring Works: A Worked Example
Under the 70/30 model, price earns up to 70 points and ICV earns up to 30 points. The highest total wins.
Important: ADNOC has not published the exact formula for converting price and ICV into points. The example below uses a common relative-scoring method for illustration only. Your RFT sets the actual method.
Assumed method:
- Price points = (lowest price ÷ your price) × 70
- ICV points = (your ICV score ÷ highest ICV score) × 30
Three bidders on an AED 10 million contract:
| Bidder | Price (AED) | Certified ICV | Price points | ICV points | Total |
|---|
| Bidder B | 10.0 million | 45% | 63.0 | 30.0 | 93.0 |
| Bidder A | 9.5 million | 20% | 66.3 | 13.3 | 79.7 |
| Bidder C | 9.0 million | No certificate (0%) | 70.0 | 0.0 | 70.0 |
What the example shows:
- Bidder C has the lowest price but finishes last. With no certificate, it gives away all 30 ICV points.
- Bidder B wins at its own price. Under the old model, B would have had to cut its price to AED 9.0 million to win. Now it keeps AED 1 million.
- Price and ICV trade almost one for one here. Being 1% more expensive costs about 0.7 points. Each extra ICV percentage point adds about 0.7 points.
The lesson is direct. A valid ICV certificate in the UAE is worth up to 30% of the result. Bidding without one is like starting a 100-point exam with 70 points available.
Which ADNOC Suppliers Gain and Which Lose Under the 70/30 Model
Certified suppliers who price sharply gain the most. Bidders without a certificate lose the most.
| Supplier type | Effect of the new model | Why |
|---|
| UAE contractors with high ICV and competitive pricing | Gain | ICV adds up to 30 points, and they no longer have to cut price to match. |
| High-ICV bidders who priced high and waited to match | Lose | No matching round. An inflated price now loses points for good. |
| Bidders with no ICV certificate | Lose | ICV counts as 0%, so they compete for 70 points only. |
| International bidders with low ICV | Mixed | A sharp price can still win, but a 30% ICV gap is hard to close. |
| SMEs on contracts below AED 2 million | Gain | No ICV requirement, so less paperwork and cost. |
| Suppliers on AED 2 to 50 million contracts | Gain | ICV is scored, but no retention is held. Better cash flow. |
| EPC contractors on AED 50 million+ projects | More work | Improvement plans, retention, and Local+ sourcing all apply. |
How ADNOC ICV Retention Works Now: Automated in the ADNOC Supplier Hub
ICV retention is now calculated and released automatically through the ADNOC Supplier Hub. Contracts below AED 50 million have no ICV retention at all.
ICV retention is money ADNOC holds back from a contract until the supplier meets its ICV commitment. Before this change, suppliers tracked retention by email and manual entries.
The new process has three steps:
- Upload your valid ICV certificate to the ADNOC Supplier Hub.
- The system calculates your ICV obligation for the contract.
- ADNOC processes the retention payment based on that result.
ADNOC said this process is already live. For suppliers, it means fewer follow-ups and faster release of held funds.
Note: ADNOC has not published the retention percentage or release timeline. Check your contract terms for both.
ADNOC Supplier Registration Changes: Same-Day Registration and Fewer Documents
ADNOC has cut supplier registration time by up to 80%, and new suppliers can now register on the same day.
| Change | Before | Now |
|---|
| Registration time | Several weeks | Same day possible, up to 80% faster |
| Required documents | Full set | Cut by 50% |
| Prequalification | Most service categories | Removed for 60% of service categories |
| Platforms | Several separate systems | One window for registration, due diligence and prequalification |
| Document checks | Manual review | AI validates uploaded documents |
ADNOC is also aiming to cut tender cycle times by up to 40%. It said this saving comes from its internal process, not from the time suppliers get to prepare bids.
If you registered with ADNOC before, you register once on the new single window. Existing data is reused where possible.
What ADNOC’s Local+ Programme Requires from EPC Contractors
Local+ requires EPC contractors on new ADNOC tenders to buy eligible products from approved UAE manufacturers.
- The approved list grew from 70 manufacturers at launch in May 2026 to more than 100 in October 2026.
- ADNOC will embed Local+ in all its EPC contracts.
- ADNOC has also identified over AED 60 billion in local manufacturing opportunities through 2030, covering more than 200 products.
For EPC contractors, Local+ and the 70/30 model work together. Buying from approved UAE manufacturers raises your local spend, which supports your ICV score calculation in the next certification cycle. For the wider background, see our guide to the ADNOC Industrial Resilience Program.
6 Steps to Prepare for Your Next ADNOC Tender Under the 70/30 Model
Start with your certificate and your price. Those two numbers now decide 100% of your score.
- Check your ICV certificate validity. A certificate is valid for 14 months from the issue date of the audited financial statements it is based on. If it expires before the tender closes, start renewing your ICV certificate now.
- Find your contract value band in the RFT. Below AED 2 million, ICV does not apply. Above AED 50 million, you need an improvement plan.
- Submit your best price in the first round. There is no matching round. A price you plan to cut later now costs you points.
- Collect ICV certificates from your own suppliers. Spend with uncertified mainland suppliers counts at only 10%, and uncertified free zone or foreign suppliers at 0%. See how free zone and mainland spend is scored.
- Write an improvement plan you can deliver. For contracts above AED 50 million, your plan is tied to retention. Promise only what your hiring and sourcing can actually reach.
- Update your ADNOC Supplier Hub profile. Upload your current certificate so retention and evaluation use the right score.
Frequently Asked Questions About ADNOC’s New ICV Model
When does ADNOC’s 70/30 ICV model start?
ADNOC’s 70/30 ICV model starts on 1 November 2026. From that date, bids are scored 70% on commercial terms and 30% on ICV in one evaluation.
Is ADNOC’s H1/L1 bid matching still used?
No. ADNOC retired H1/L1 bid matching from 1 November 2026. The highest ICV bidder no longer gets a chance to match the lowest price, so your first bid is your final position.
Do I need an ICV certificate for an ADNOC contract below AED 2 million?
No. Contracts below AED 2 million are exempt from ICV requirements under ADNOC’s new model. Check the RFT to confirm the contract value band.
Does ADNOC hold ICV retention on contracts below AED 50 million?
No. ADNOC no longer applies ICV retention to contracts below AED 50 million. Where retention applies on larger contracts, it is calculated and released through the ADNOC Supplier Hub.
When does ADNOC require an ICV improvement plan?
ADNOC requires an ICV improvement plan for contracts above AED 50 million. For AED 50 to 200 million, the plan runs against the contract term. Above AED 200 million, ADNOC sets a customised ICV requirement.
Does the new ADNOC model change how my ICV score is calculated?
No. Your ICV score is still calculated under the national MoIAT ICV template and certified by an authorised certifying body. ADNOC changed how it uses the score in tenders, not how the score is calculated.
Can I bid for an ADNOC tender without an ICV certificate?
Yes. An ICV certificate is not mandatory to bid with ADNOC. But without one, your ICV is scored as 0%, so you can earn only the 70 commercial points.
Get Your ICV Certificate Ready Before Your Next ADNOC Tender
Under the 70/30 model, an expired or missing certificate costs you up to 30 points. ICV Certificate UAE prepares your ICV template, reviews your score before audit, and coordinates with your MoIAT-authorised certifying body. Contact us to check your certificate before your next ADNOC bid.
