UAE National In-Country Value (ICV) Programme

A national certificate that scores how much a supplier manufactures, spends, invests and hires inside the UAE — higher ICV scores win preference in ADNOC and other government tenders. This page covers both how to get the certificate (MoIAT) and how it is used in tenders (ADNOC).

• •Issued by: United Arab Emirates · Ministry of Industry & Advanced Technology · ADNOC Group
• •MoIAT National ICV Certification Guidelines for Suppliers, June 2021
• •ADNOC Group ICV Implementation Guidelines, Version 3.1, effective 01/02/2022
• •Part of Operation 300bn

In-Country Value (ICV) measures a supplier's contribution to the UAE economy. A supplier gets an ICV certificate showing its ICV score (%), and government and semi-government buyers ("Participating Entities") such as ADNOC give an advantage to suppliers with higher scores when awarding contracts and purchases.

Aims of the Programme

• •Strategic localisation of supply chains and growth of new local industries and services.
• •Attracting investment, diversifying the economy and increasing GDP and exports.
• •Jobs for Emiratis in the private sector.

Two Types of Supplier

• •Any supplier that wants to sell to Participating Entities can apply for an ICV certificate.
• •One certificate per legal entity — each trade licence is a separate entity, even with the same owners. Branches in the same emirate with identical activities and ownership get one combined certificate.
• •Bidding without a certificate is allowed in ADNOC tenders, but the ICV score counts as zero.

How Location Is Treated

In ADNOC Tenders

• •Agents bidding for foreign principals submit certificates for both.
• •Joint ventures and consortia are scored on partners' ICV, weighted by equity.
• •Bidders may propose setting up a new UAE factory to supply the contract.

A. National ICV Formula (MoIAT, June 2021)

B. ICV Rates for Common Vendors

C. Using the Score in ADNOC Tenders

D. Illustrative Example — UAE Service Provider

Certification (MoIAT)

• •Audited IFRS accounts — all figures must tie to audited financial statements prepared under IFRS, not older than 2 years from the certification year.
• •New companies (under 10 months old) may use management accounts for up to 9 months; longer periods must be audited.
• •Validity — 14 months from the date the audited financial statements were issued; recertifying on the same accounts does not extend this.
• •No switching certifier mid-year without proper reasons.
• •Excluded costs — management fees, sponsorship fees, government fines/penalties and charity/CSR spend.
• •Emirati owners' salaries count only if in the Wage Protection System, capped at AED 200,000 per month per owner; bonuses excluded.
• •Donations to Sondoq Al Watan or listed government universities — one-third counts towards Emiratisation.
• •Only external training counts; internal training is excluded.
• •Industrial licence holders must also report annual electricity and gas consumption in units.
• •Registration on MOHRE's Tawteen portal is required.
• •Penalty — gross negligence or wilful default can lead to a ban from business with Participating Entities.

ADNOC Tenders

• •Certificate must match the bidder — same name and licence number, valid on the bid date.
• •Improvement Plan is binding once written into the contract.
• •5% of every invoice is held back as the "ICV payment", released yearly in proportion to the ICV target achieved; any final shortfall is kept by ADNOC.
• •Agreement-specific plans require an independent audit by an ADNOC-prequalified firm.
• •New factory promise — failing to set it up and transfer the contract is a material breach.

ICV payment formula (company-specific plan): (actual ICV % growth ÷ planned ICV % growth) × 5% of paid invoices in the year. Example: $1,000,000 invoiced → $50,000 held; 3 of 4 planned points achieved → $37,500 released.

For the ICV Certificate

For an ADNOC Bid

Getting the Certificate

• •Step 1 — Prepare accounts: Have IFRS financial statements audited; ideally set up separate ledger codes for Emirati payroll, training and overseas costs.
• •Step 2 — Register: Register on MOHRE's Tawteen portal.
• •Step 3 — Fill the template: Download MoIAT's ICV Certificate Template and complete each tab — summary, questionnaire, manufacturing or third-party cost, investment, Emiratisation, expat contribution and revenue.
• •Step 4 — Appoint a certifier: Engage one of the empanelled certifying bodies to verify the figures.
• •Step 5 — Final checks: Have the finance team tie every figure to the audited accounts. Queries: ICV@moiat.gov.ae.
• •Step 6 — Sign and certify: The ICV Summary page, e-signed by the company's POA or authorised signatory and endorsed by the certifying body, becomes the ICV certificate.

Using It in an ADNOC Tender

• •Step 7 — Read the tender: Note the ICV documents and certificate / Improvement Plan weights.
• •Step 8 — Submit the bid: Include certificate, Improvement Plan, Emiratisation report and any Ta'ziz proof.
• •Step 9 — Evaluation & award: ADNOC ranks bidders by ICV Overall Score; the winner's Improvement Plan goes into the contract.
• •Step 10 — Yearly ICV payment: Submit the latest certificate (or agreement-level audit) and invoice the held-back 5% in proportion to targets achieved.

Sources: Ministry of Industry & Advanced Technology, National In-Country Value (ICV) Certification Guidelines for Suppliers, June 2021; ADNOC Group, ICV Implementation Guidelines for Suppliers, Version 3.1, effective 1 February 2022.