Guide · 2026
How to find and win tenders in Uzbekistan
Updated · 12 min read
To take part in tenders in Uzbekistan you need a registered company or sole proprietorship, an electronic digital signature (EDS), an account on an e-procurement platform, a lot that fits your business, and a bid prepared strictly to the tender documents and submitted before the deadline. Public procurement is governed by the Law “On Public Procurement” No. ZRU-684 of 22 April 2021; since 1 January 2022 procedures have been run electronically. Below is the whole path, step by step, from finding a lot to signing the contract.
In short: 7 steps to your first contract
- 01Register a company or sole proprietorshipA participant can be a legal entity or an individual, resident or non-resident. In practice most lots are aimed at companies and sole proprietors with a taxpayer number (TIN).
- 02Get an electronic digital signatureThe EDS lets you sign in to platforms and sign bids and contracts. The key is issued by an authorised registration centre.
- 03Register on a platformFor public procurement, on the dedicated information portal and the e-procurement platforms; for corporate purchases, on each company's own portal.
- 04Set up your lot searchDefine your sector, regions and budget range. Subscribe to alerts so you see new lots on the day they are published.
- 05Study the documentsRead the technical specification, participant requirements, deadlines, payment terms and any bid security requirement.
- 06Prepare and submit your bidGather the documents, price in logistics and taxes, sign the bid with your EDS and submit it before the deadline.
- 07Sign and perform the contractOnce the winner is announced, sign the contract on time. Refusing to sign or failing to perform can put you on the register of unfair performers.
What kinds of procurement exist in Uzbekistan
People in Uzbekistan call almost any competitive purchase a tender, although legally a “tender” is just one of several procedures. For a supplier it matters more who is buying and under which rules.
Public procurement
Purchases by ministries, khokimiyats, schools, hospitals, public bodies and companies with state ownership. They follow the Law “On Public Procurement” and are run electronically: notices and tender documents are posted through the dedicated information portal, and details of signed contracts are published no later than five working days after signing.
Corporate and commercial procurement
Large companies such as banks, telecom operators and industrial or retail groups buy under their own procurement rules. The company sets the rules, deadlines and requirements; notices appear on corporate websites, in commercial tender systems and on Telegram. Deadlines are often shorter than in public procurement and the paperwork is lighter.
Industrial cooperation
A separate format in which enterprises look for local makers of components, raw materials and supplies. It is a supply request rather than a classic tender, so it is worth tracking separately from ordinary purchases.
Auctions and asset sales
Sales of state and corporate property, land, machinery and surplus stock. Here you are the buyer, not the supplier, so these auctions are kept apart from procurement.
Types of public procurement procedures
Law ZRU-684 (Article 30) lists these procedure types: the e-shop, simplified small-value purchasing, the reverse auction (reduction of the starting price), selection of the best offers, the tender, two-stage procurement and procurement by direct contract. The buyer picks the procedure based on what is being bought and the contract value.
| Procedure | How the winner is chosen | When it is used |
|---|---|---|
| E-shop | The buyer chooses from suppliers' catalogue offers | Goods up to 25,000 BCV per contract (2,500 BCV for budget-funded buyers); works and services up to 100 BCV (50 BCV) |
| Simplified small-value purchase | Comparing prices from open sources or requesting quotes from at least three suppliers | Up to 50 BCV per contract (25 BCV for budget-funded buyers) |
| Reverse auction | Price is the only criterion | Goods up to 25,000 BCV (6,000 BCV); notice at least 5 working days ahead |
| Selection of the best offers | Offers are compared on the criteria in the documents | Up to 25,000 BCV (6,000 BCV); bids open for at least 5 working days |
| Tender | Competition on price and non-price criteria | Over 25,000 BCV (6,000 BCV); bids open for 12 to 30 working days |
| Two-stage procurement | Technical solutions first, then price | Technically complex goods, works and services |
| Direct contract | No competition | Only in the cases listed in the law |
The law gives up to 45 working days to review and evaluate tender bids and up to 10 working days for a selection of the best offers. If the buyer changes the documents, the bid deadline is extended.
Who can take part
Under the law a participant can be a legal entity or an individual, resident or non-resident of Uzbekistan. Article 36 sets general requirements for participants, including:
- the technical, financial, material and human resources to perform the contract;
- legal capacity to sign the contract;
- no overdue tax debts and no unpaid obligations under court decisions;
- no bankruptcy proceedings;
- not being listed in the Unified Register of Unfair Performers.
A specific lot may add its own requirements: experience with similar supplies, licences, certificates, a warehouse or machinery. In corporate procurement the buying company sets the requirements.
Registration and digital signature
Almost everything in procurement is electronic, so the first thing you need is an electronic digital signature. The EDS is issued to the director or an authorised employee by an authorised key registration centre. You use it to sign in to platforms and to sign bids and contracts.
- Get your EDS key and install the required software on your work computer.
- Register your organisation on the public e-procurement platform and fill in the profile: company details, bank account, contacts.
- If you work with corporate buyers, register as a supplier on their portals; each company has its own.
- Check that your TIN, company name and bank details match in every system: mismatches are a common reason for rejection.
Bid security, deadlines and the contract
Bid security
The procurement commission may require participants to secure their bids with a pledge, a guarantee, a deposit or another method allowed by law (Article 39). The requirement is the same for every participant and is stated in the procurement terms. Check the amount and form in the specific lot's documents.
Performance security
The buyer may ask the winner to secure performance of the contract before signing it. Plan for this amount in your working capital in advance.
Deadlines
The bid deadline is stated in the notice. For auctions and selections of the best offers it is at least 5 working days from publication; for tenders it is 12 to 30 working days. Commercial platforms often run even shorter deadlines, so a lot you notice a week after publication is often already closed.
Register of unfair performers
A winner who avoids signing the contract, a supplier who fails to perform through its own fault, and a participant who submits false documents can be added to the Unified Register of Unfair Performers. Anyone on the register cannot take part in public procurement for two years.
How to find the right lots
Procurement notices are scattered across public e-procurement platforms, corporate portals, commercial tender systems and hundreds of websites and Telegram channels. There are three ways to keep track of them.
| Method | Coverage | Speed | Time spent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checking platforms by hand | Only the platforms you check | Depends on how often you look | 1–2 hours a day |
| Telegram channels and groups | Patchy, no common format | Fast, but no sector or region filters | You have to read everything |
| An aggregator (e.g. TenderLabs) | Public and commercial procurement in one feed | Alert on the day of publication | A few minutes a day |
TenderLabs collects notices automatically every day, removes duplicates, sorts lots by sector and region and sends to Telegram only what matches your filters. You can start from the catalogue by sector and region or from the market statistics, which show where most open lots are right now.
How to set your filters
- Pick 1–3 sectors where you have experience rather than everything.
- Add the regions you can actually deliver to or travel to.
- Add keywords from your products and exclusion words for what does not fit.
- Set a budget range: very small lots don't pay for the preparation, very large ones need large security.
Tender catalogue by sector and region · Tender market statistics
Common mistakes
- Submitting in the last hour: the platform may be slow and the EDS may need reinstalling.
- An incomplete set of documents, or documents that have expired.
- A bid that doesn't follow the required form: a different unit, different specifications, a missing mandatory annex.
- A price that leaves out delivery, taxes, security and deferred payment.
- Not asking the buyer questions: if a requirement is unclear, ask within the set period.
- Company details that differ between the platform, the EDS and the bank documents.
- Refusing to sign the contract after winning, the fastest way onto the register of unfair performers.
- Looking for lots “when there's time”: in short procedures whoever sees the lot first wins.
Glossary
- EDS
- Electronic digital signature: the key used to sign bids and contracts on electronic platforms.
- BCV
- Base calculation value: the unit the law uses to set procurement value thresholds.
- Buyer (customer)
- The organisation running the purchase: public (budget-funded or corporate) or private.
- Participant
- A person or company that has submitted a bid.
- Performer
- The winner of the procurement, with whom the contract is signed.
- Lot
- A separate item of procurement with its own price, deadline and terms.
- Tender documents
- The technical specification, participant requirements, draft contract and evaluation criteria.
- Bid security
- A pledge, guarantee or deposit that shows a participant is serious.
- Performance security
- A guarantee that the winner will perform the contract.
- E-shop
- A catalogue of supplier offers for small, standard purchases.
- Selection of the best offers
- A competitive procedure in which bids are compared on the criteria in the documents.
- Tender
- A competition for large purchases, evaluated on price and non-price criteria.
- Direct contract
- A purchase without competition, only in cases the law expressly allows.
- Register of unfair performers
- A list of suppliers barred from public procurement for two years.
Frequently asked questions
Can a sole proprietor or an individual take part in public procurement?
Yes. Under the Law “On Public Procurement” a participant can be a legal entity or an individual, resident or non-resident. A specific lot may still require experience, licences or resources a sole proprietor may not have.
Do I need a digital signature to bid in a tender?
Yes. Public procurement is run electronically and bids are signed with an electronic digital signature. Many corporate platforms require one too.
Can foreign companies take part in tenders in Uzbekistan?
The law allows non-residents to take part. The conditions of a specific procedure, such as document, currency and registration requirements, are set out in the tender documents.
How much time do I get to prepare a bid?
For auctions and selections of the best offers the notice is published at least 5 working days before bids close; for tenders, 12 to 30 working days before. In commercial procurement the company sets the deadlines and they are often shorter.
What happens if the winner refuses to sign the contract?
It can be added to the Unified Register of Unfair Performers and barred from public procurement for two years. It may also lose its bid security, if one was required.
Where can I find all tenders in Uzbekistan in one place?
Notices are published on different platforms, corporate websites and Telegram channels. TenderLabs brings public and commercial procurement into one feed with sector, region and budget filters and sends new lots to Telegram.
This guide is for information only and is not legal advice. Before you bid, check the current text of the law and the lot's documents.