The UAE runs THREE separate government procurement systems, so there is no single national supplier register. The federal government uses the Ministry of Finance's Digital Procurement Platform and Federal Supplier Register (procurement.gov.ae); the Emirate of Abu Dhabi uses the Abu Dhabi Government Procurement Gate (ADGPG) on SAP Ariba, run by the Department of Government Enablement; and the Emirate of Dubai uses eSupply (esupply.dubai.gov.ae), operated by JAGGAER for 40+ Dubai government entities. A supplier must register separately in each system corresponding to the entities it wants to sell to. Only the federal register explicitly admits foreign companies based outside the UAE; Abu Dhabi and Dubai are oriented to locally-licensed suppliers, with foreign firms handled by exception (Abu Dhabi 'Entity Request' form) or expected to hold a local trade license (Dubai).
Federal Supplier Register (Digital Procurement Platform) — Ministry of Finance
UAE Ministry of Finance (federal) / Department of Government Enablement (Abu Dhabi) / Government of Dubai (Dubai eSupply)
Foreign companies eligibleNo local entity required to bid
Depends on which portal. FEDERAL (Ministry of Finance): a local entity is NOT required — the register explicitly lists 'Foreign companies based outside the UAE' / 'Companies located outside UAE, and without a local branch in UAE' as an eligible supplier type, requiring a (home-country) trade license, tax registration certificate and owner passport copy. ABU DHABI (ADGPG/Ariba): self-registration requires a valid Abu Dhabi DED trade license; suppliers WITHOUT an Abu Dhabi DED license (including foreign suppliers) cannot self-register and must instead complete an 'Entity Request' form submitted to the specific Abu Dhabi government entity they wish to engage with, plus provide a Tax Registration Certificate and other documentation — i.e. onboarding is by-exception and entity-driven. DUBAI (eSupply): registration is 'generally aimed at suppliers registered to do business in Dubai' and asks for a valid trade licence number, so a local trade license is effectively expected. Bottom line: a foreign company can register federally without any UAE presence, but selling to Abu Dhabi or Dubai entities in practice requires a local license or an entity-sponsored exception.
Access the Ministry of Finance Digital Procurement Platform (procurement.gov.ae), log in (UAE PASS digital identity for UAE-based users), accept terms and conditions, select your supplier type (Domestic, Free Zone, Foreign, Freelancer, SME, or SANAA/Productive Families), complete the mandatory fields for that type, upload the required documents, and submit. Registration is free. If all requirements are met the account is reviewed/activated within 30 working days. Registration must be renewed annually to remain eligible. This is the gateway to bidding on all UAE federal-government tenders.
Once the federal registration is approved, the supplier can submit technical and financial bids, participate in tenders and 'practices', track tender progress and awards electronically, and showcase products/services in the platform's electronic catalogue. Procurement is conducted end-to-end online under Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2023 and its executive regulation.
Suppliers wishing to sell to Abu Dhabi government entities register once, centrally, on the Abu Dhabi Government Procurement Gate (SAP Ariba), managed by the Department of Government Enablement (DGE). Suppliers holding a valid Abu Dhabi DED license self-register by submitting a Self-Registration Request via the 'Supplier Registration Service'. Suppliers WITHOUT an Abu Dhabi DED license (including foreign suppliers) cannot self-register and must complete an 'Entity Request' form and submit it to the relevant Abu Dhabi government entity they intend to work with, providing mandatory information including a Tax Registration Certificate. Once registered, the supplier profile is visible to all entities on the Gate.
Suppliers wishing to sell to Dubai government entities register on eSupply (esupply.dubai.gov.ae), the single procurement portal for 40+ major Dubai government entities (including Dubai Municipality, Dubai Customs, Digital Dubai), operated by JAGGAER in partnership with Dubai Smart Government. Click 'New Supplier? Register on eSupply!', complete Organisation Details (company name, trade licence number, address, contact), User Details (shared company email), read the notice, then activate through the supplier relations team. Some entities (e.g. Dubai Customs, Dubai Municipality) require an additional entity-specific qualification step. Registration is oriented to suppliers registered to do business in Dubai (a valid trade licence number is requested).
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Create free accountFederal Supplier Register: No fees (free). Abu Dhabi ADGPG and Dubai eSupply registration fees: not stated on the sources reviewed (likely no portal registration fee, but a UAE/emirate trade license or local presence carries its own cost).
1–30 days
Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2023 on Procurement in the Federal Government (in force 1 December 2023), and its Implementing/Executive Regulation issued by Cabinet Decision No. 122 of 2024; replaces Cabinet Decision No. 4 of 2019. Abu Dhabi procurement is governed by the Department of Government Enablement (DGE) regulations and guidelines. (Sources: mof.gov.ae PDF of Federal Law No. 11 of 2023; uaelegislation.gov.ae.)
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This guide is grounded in official sources, last verified 2026-07-20.