Muscat: Oman has launched a digital platform to enhance local content in government projects, contracts and procurement in a move to strengthen domestic manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports.

The ‘Rabt’ platform, developed by the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn) in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Tender Board, was inaugurated on Thursday by H E Salim al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals.

The initiative is expected to boost the visibility of Oman-made products and services in state tenders, supporting national industries and enhancing their competitiveness.

With more than 5,000 industrial products and services listed by over 300 factories and companies operating in Madayn’s industrial cities, Rabt provides a centralised database to streamline government procurement.

Sulaiman bin Salem al Jabri, Director of the platform, said its development took more than two years and involved collaboration between multiple government entities and private sector firms.

“The project underwent two main phases. First, we conducted a comprehensive survey of factories and companies within Madayn’s industrial cities to assess local products and their raw material composition. The second phase focused on designing and programming the platform in partnership with a specialised firm to ensure efficiency and sustainability,” he said.

Companies winning government tenders will be required to prioritise purchasing local products listed in the platform’s ‘mandatory list’, reinforcing government support for national industries, Jabri said.

“The system will also allow authorities to track compliance with local content policies and assess their impact on the economy.”

Beyond procurement, Rabt is expected to help analyse supply chains and identify investment opportunities.

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