Two companies bid for the same contract. Same specification, almost the same price. One wins, and the other never finds out why.
Often the answer sits in one line of the evaluation sheet: In-Country Value. For many government entities and major UAE buyers, your ICV score is part of how bids are compared. A stronger score can tip a close decision your way. No certificate at all can keep you off the shortlist.
This guide explains what the ICV score is, how certification works, and the practical levers that raise your score from one year to the next.
What ICV is and who uses it
The National In-Country Value (ICV) Program is led by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT). Its aim is simple: direct more public and corporate spending into the UAE economy, so that more of each contract's value stays in the country.
Participating entities, including federal and local government bodies and major companies such as ADNOC, use ICV certificates when they evaluate suppliers. If you sell to them, or to the contractors who do, ICV is part of your commercial reality.
Why your score matters in tenders
In a tender, your ICV score is weighed alongside price and technical quality. How much weight it carries depends on the buyer and the contract, but the logic is the same everywhere: between two similar bids, the one that keeps more value in the UAE has an edge.
Price gets you on the shortlist. ICV can decide who wins it.
What goes into your score
Your ICV score reflects how much of your spending and activity stays in the UAE. Broadly, it looks at:
- Goods and services bought in the UAE, including how much of that spend goes to suppliers with their own UAE value.
- Investment in UAE assets, such as facilities, equipment and operations.
- Emirati employment and training, the share of your workforce costs that support UAE nationals.
- Value created locally, especially for companies that manufacture or assemble in the UAE.
The exact calculation follows the program's certification template. The practical point is that every one of these areas is something you can plan for.
How the certificate works
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Readiness | Confirm eligibility, the financial year to use and the documents needed |
| 2. Data | Pull figures from your audited financial statements and supporting records |
| 3. Template | Complete the ICV template so every figure ties back to your records |
| 4. Certifying body | An authorised certifying body reviews your submission and asks questions |
| 5. Certificate | Issued with your ICV score and validity dates |
Three rules catch companies out. Your certificate is based on your latest audited financial statements. It is valid for 14 months from the date those statements were issued. And you can recertify within that period, but the validity date stays tied to the original. Once you appoint a certifying body for the year, you normally cannot switch without a valid reason, so choose carefully.
Seven ways to raise your score
1. Map where your money goes
List your top suppliers by spend and mark which are UAE-based. Most companies are surprised by how much flows abroad through a handful of accounts.
2. Ask suppliers for their ICV certificates
Spend with suppliers who hold their own ICV certificates generally counts for more. Make an ICV certificate part of your supplier onboarding.
3. Shift spend where it makes commercial sense
Not every purchase can move to a UAE supplier, and it should not if quality or price suffer. But logistics, maintenance, printing, catering and many services often can.
4. Plan Emirati hiring and training
Treat Emiratisation and ICV together. A planned hiring and development programme supports both, and fits better than last-minute hires. Our HR advisory team can help you plan it.
5. Time your investments
If you are investing in UAE equipment or facilities anyway, plan when it lands in your financial year, so it shows in the certification you need most.
6. Record spend so it counts
Local spending that is coded wrongly, or lumped into one general account, is hard to evidence. Clean records make a direct difference to what you can claim.
7. Diary your renewal
Put the expiry date in the calendar of everyone who bids. A certificate that lapses in the middle of a tender is one of the most avoidable losses there is.
Bidding soon? Our ICV consultants can check your readiness and coordinate certification with an approved certifying body. Book a consultation.
A simple ICV year plan
| When | Focus |
|---|---|
| Audited statements issued | Prepare data and certify promptly; validity starts from this date |
| Next quarter | Review each scoring area and agree two or three improvement actions |
| Mid-year | Update supplier onboarding, move suitable spend, progress hiring plans |
| Before year end | Time planned investments; clean up how local spend is recorded |
| Two months before expiry | Prepare the renewal so there is no gap between certificates |
Mistakes that cost bidders
- Starting when the tender arrives. By then, the score is already set by last year's numbers.
- Figures that do not tie to the audited accounts. Certifying bodies will ask, and gaps delay you.
- Treating ICV as a finance-only task. Procurement and HR drive most of the score.
- Letting the certificate lapse. Diary it, and prepare early.
- Chasing points at any cost. Moving spend that hurts quality or margin is a bad trade.
Key takeaways
- ICV is led by MoIAT and used by government entities and major buyers such as ADNOC.
- Your score reflects UAE spend, investment, Emirati employment and local value.
- Certificates use audited statements and are valid for 14 months from their issue date.
- Supplier choices, hiring plans, investment timing and clean records all raise your score.
- Plan the ICV year in advance, not when the tender lands.
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FAQ
Questions suppliers ask about ICV
What is a good ICV score?
It depends on your sector and the buyer. What matters most is how your score compares with competitors bidding for the same work, and whether it improves year on year.
How long is an ICV certificate valid?
14 months from the date your audited financial statements were issued. You can recertify within that period, but the validity stays tied to the original date.
Can I improve my ICV score during the year?
Many improvements show in your next audited year, so plan early. Recertifying within the validity period is possible, but the validity date does not reset.
Do small companies need an ICV certificate?
If you bid for work with participating entities, or supply contractors who do, an ICV certificate is often expected regardless of company size.
Who issues the ICV certificate?
An authorised certifying body under the National ICV Program. Consultants like us prepare your data and coordinate the process, but do not issue certificates.
Want a stronger ICV score next year?
We prepare your data, coordinate certification and give you a practical plan to raise your score.