Kazakhstan Defence Ministry drafts law to prioritise company ratings over price in defence procurement
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Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Defence has published a draft law to replace the current state defence procurement system, which it says is outdated and lacks quality controls. The proposed legislation would prioritise company ratings and lifecycle costs over the lowest price when selecting contractors. The draft is available for public discussion until 28 August.
Outdated Procurement System
The Ministry of Defence argues the current law lacks a comprehensive legal framework and imposes excessive procedural detail, according to Zakon.kz. Quality control of supplied products remains a persistent gap, the ministry said in its consultative document. The fragmented approach necessitates a new basic law with detailed mechanisms in subordinate acts.
Shift to Rating-Based Selection
The draft proposes replacing the lowest-price criterion with a system that evaluates company ratings and product lifecycle costs. Off-take contracts would be regulated to encourage participation of small and medium-sized businesses. A special digital platform with secrecy safeguards would manage the entire procurement process. The ministry expects the changes to improve decision speed, reduce corruption risks, and raise product quality.
What's Next
The draft law is open for public comment on the Open NPAs portal until 28 August. It remains unclear how quickly the legislation will move through parliament and whether the new rating system will effectively curb past corruption.
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Kazakhstan Defence Ministry drafts law to prioritise company ratings over price in defence procurement
