ICV in UAE and Abu Dhabi tenders, explained

In-Country Value (ICV) is the UAE’s way of scoring how much a supplier contributes to the local economy. Many government and semi-government buyers, including in Abu Dhabi, use that score when they evaluate bids. This guide sticks to what the official programme documents say.

Checked against official sources on 17 Oct 2026.

What ICV is

The National In-Country Value (ICV) Programme is run under the supervision of the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT). Authorised certifying bodies (professional services firms empanelled by MoIAT) review a supplier’s figures and issue an ICV certificate through the official ICV platform. The certificate states the supplier’s ICV score, which reflects spending on local products and services, investment in the UAE, and the hiring and development of Emiratis.

Certified suppliers can submit the certificate to any participating entity: the government entities and companies that have implemented the programme. The UAE government portal says certified companies gain advantages during the awarding of tenders and contracts based on their ICV score.

How ICV affects tenders

• It is a scoring factor, not usually an entry ticket. ADNOC’s supplier hub says an ICV certificate is not required to take part in its tenders, but suppliers with higher scores get a competitive edge.
• No certificate usually means a score of zero. Abu Dhabi’s unified ICV user guideline (Department of Economic Development, 2020) says companies without a certificate may still bid in Abu Dhabi government tenders, but their ICV score counts as zero, and that the ICV score carries a 40% weight in the commercial evaluation. Weightings can differ by buyer and tender, so read the tender documents.
• Supplier registration asks for it. The Abu Dhabi Government Procurement Gate (ADGPG) online supplier registration asks for ICV details and lists the ICV certificate among the documents, “if applicable”, alongside the trade licence, tax certificate, bank (IBAN) letter and authorisation letter.

How to get an ICV certificate

1. Register on NAFIS. MoIAT’s guidelines require private companies to register in the NAFIS programme as “Partners” (nafis.gov.ae) before obtaining the certificate.
2. Sign in to the ICV platform (icv.moiat.gov.ae) with UAE Pass.
3. Request quotes. Under Bidding Process, select the certifying bodies you want offers from and complete the questionnaire. Accept one quotation; the others are rejected automatically.
4. Fill in the ICV template once the certifying body uploads the signed engagement letter. The template is a draft, not the certificate.
5. Review and issue. The certifying body reviews, endorses and approves it. Only the system-generated certificate from the MoIAT ICV platform is official.

The rules that catch people out

• One certificate per legal entity. Each licence counts as a separate legal entity, even with the same owners. Branches in the same emirate with identical activities and ownership can share one combined certificate.
• Audited accounts drive everything. Figures must match the latest audited financial statements, prepared under IFRS and audited by a licensed UAE auditor. The statements must not be more than two years older than the certification year. Newly established companies (under 10 months old) can use up to 9 months of management accounts.
• Validity is 14 months from the date the audited statements were issued, not from the date of the certificate. Recertifying on the same statements does not extend that window.
• Keep the evidence. The certifying body verifies the figures, and MoIAT can audit certification engagements.
• Free zone status matters. In ICV calculations, goods manufacturers based in a free zone count as “within UAE”, while service providers based in a free zone count as “outside UAE”.

What the score is made of

MoIAT publishes separate formulas for manufacturers and service providers. Both combine local spend (third-party spend in the UAE, Emirati and part of expatriate costs), investment in UAE assets, Emiratisation and expatriate contribution, with bonuses on top. The current weights and bonus rules are in MoIAT’s ICV formula page; check it there because it is revised from time to time.