Malaysian federal government procurement of goods and services is conducted through ePerolehan, the Ministry of Finance's centralized e-procurement portal. Any company wishing to supply goods or non-consultancy/consultancy services to federal government agencies (for contracts generally valued at RM20,000 or more) must first hold an active supplier registration with the Ministry of Finance (commonly called an 'MOF licence' or 'MOF Account'), issued through ePerolehan. Construction works contractors must additionally register with the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB). Malaysia is NOT a party to the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement, so it retains full discretion to reserve procurement for local firms and to apply Bumiputera (indigenous Malay) preferences and local-content policies. In practice this is a restricted market for foreign firms: a foreign company cannot register with MOF as itself. It must first incorporate a Malaysian company (typically a private limited company, 'Sdn. Bhd.') registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), and only that local entity can obtain MOF registration and bid. Direct foreign participation is otherwise limited to 'international tenders', which are opened only where the required goods or services are not available domestically.
ePerolehan (Malaysian Government Electronic Procurement System)
Ministry of Finance Malaysia (MOF / Kementerian Kewangan)
Restricted for foreign companiesLocal entity / agent required
A foreign company cannot register with MOF or bid on ePerolehan in its own name. To supply the federal government it must incorporate a Malaysian company (usually a private limited 'Sdn. Bhd.') registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM); that local entity then applies for MOF registration. Foreign-owned Malaysian companies CAN register for many field codes (e.g. certain consulting, IT and medical-device supply categories permit up to 100% foreign ownership), but a large number of field codes — especially those tied to public infrastructure, logistics or defence-sensitive sectors — require Malaysian equity (often at least 51%) or Bumiputera equity participation to qualify. Bumiputera status (which confers preferential access to certain reserved contract tiers) requires at least 51% ownership by recognized Bumiputera individuals, which a foreign investor cannot satisfy without a majority local Bumiputera partner. Foreign firms not incorporating locally are effectively limited to international tenders, invited only where domestic capability is absent, and are frequently required to take on a local partner or agent. Works contractors must also hold CIDB registration.
A foreign firm must first establish a locally incorporated entity, typically a private limited company (Sdn. Bhd.), registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) under a ROC/ROB business type. This is a prerequisite for MOF registration — MOF does not register foreign companies directly. Confirm at this stage whether your intended field codes require Malaysian (often 51%) or Bumiputera equity, as this determines your permissible ownership structure.
Determine which six-digit field codes (kod bidang) correspond to the goods or services your company will supply. A single MOF Account may cover up to 30 field codes. Some field codes require prerequisite licences/certifications (e.g. CIDB for construction, NPRA for pharmaceuticals, MDA for medical devices, MeSTI for food) and/or specific equity structures, so field-code selection also dictates eligibility and additional documentation.
Register a vendor account on the ePerolehan portal, complete the online supplier registration form, and upload all supporting documents. Suppliers must also upload product/service catalogues with actual pricing (excluding tax). The application is reviewed by the Ministry of Finance; some applicants may be asked to attend an interview or assessment.
Pay the registration fee of RM450 (comprising an RM50 non-refundable processing fee plus an RM400 registration fee) for a validity period of three years. Payment is due within 60 days of approval; failure to pay results in revocation. On approval the company is issued an MOF registration certificate ('MOF Account') and is listed on ePerolehan as an eligible government supplier.
If the company qualifies (at least 51% Bumiputera ownership), apply for Bumiputera status through MOF/ePerolehan to access reserved/preferential contract tiers — this is generally unattainable for foreign-controlled firms without a majority Bumiputera partner. Companies bidding for construction works must separately register with the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) via MyDigital Kontraktor, and infrastructure bidders may also need Contractor Service Centre (PKK) registration.
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Create free accountRM450 for MOF registration (RM50 processing + RM400, valid 3 years); plus separate and substantial costs to incorporate a Malaysian Sdn. Bhd. via SSM, and any prerequisite sector certifications (CIDB, NPRA, MDA, MeSTI, etc.). MOF-registration timeline (approx. 1-2 weeks) excludes the incorporation lead time.
7–30 days
Government procurement has traditionally been governed by the Financial Procedure Act 1957 and the Government Contracts Act 1949, operationalized through Treasury Instructions (Arahan Perbendaharaan) and Ministry of Finance / Treasury circulars (Surat Pekeliling Perbendaharaan) rather than a single procurement statute. The Government Procurement Act 2025 (expected to enter into force in 2026) consolidates these rules into a single statute, sets open tender as the default method, and establishes an independent review tribunal. Malaysia is only an observer to (not a party to) the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement, and continues to apply Bumiputera preference and local-content policies without supranational constraint. Construction works are additionally regulated under the Construction Industry Development Board Act 1994 (CIDBA), which requires works contractors to register with CIDB unless exempted under Section 40.
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This guide is grounded in official sources, last verified 2026-07-21.