Case Study / Government project
Dubai government project win
and local entity setup
The situation
This was a large environmental project tendered by the Dubai government. The technology and the construction capability were there. The problem was eligibility. Without a local entity you cannot bid. To set one up, the first decisions were which licence was required and whether it should be Free Zone or Mainland.
The contract award and the entity setup were each a condition of the other. Get the order wrong and you lose both.
What we did
Tender requirement analysis
We first fixed the eligibility criteria for the project and the scope of licensing required. The entity type followed from that.
Contact with the authorities
We contacted the tendering body and the relevant departments directly, confirmed the procedure and the timeline, and opened a channel for the proposal.
Entity setup
We weighed Free Zone against Mainland, then set up the entity and obtained the licence.
It had to be done in time for the bid.
Bid support and establishment
We supported the proposal and the negotiations, and after the award took over the administration so local operations could begin.
Outcome
We supported a KRW 100 billion Dubai government project win and completed the local entity setup. What matters in this case is that a local base for delivering the project remained in place.
What this case shows
Public tenders in the Middle East are often decided by eligibility, not technology. Companies do lose the chance to bid over a single missing licence. That is why entity setup should be treated as part of the bid strategy, not as paperwork on the side.
What do you need help with
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