Kazakhstan procurement portal blocks artificial splitting of purchases
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
Kazakhstan's public procurement portal has introduced an automatic mechanism to block purchases of homogeneous goods through its electronic store when their combined value exceeds the legal limit. The system uses the Common Classifier of Goods, Works and Services (OKTRU), mandatory on the portal since August 17, to identify related purchases. The change follows a July 2025 audit by the Supreme Audit Chamber that found budget funds for sports were being split to bypass competitive procedures.
Key Facts
- The automatic blocking mechanism uses the Common Classifier of Goods, Works and Services (OKTRU), which has been applied in public and quasi-public procurement since January 1, 2026.
- Filling in the OKTRU code field on the procurement portal became mandatory on August 17, 2026.
- The Supreme Audit Chamber ordered the Ministry of Finance to refine the portal's functionality after a July 2025 audit of budget spending on athlete training and elite sports.
- The Ministry of Trade and Integration introduced OKTRU as the national classifier of technical and economic information.
Automatic Blocking Mechanism
The procurement portal now automatically blocks purchases of homogeneous goods through the electronic store when their combined value exceeds the legal threshold. The system determines homogeneity using the Common Classifier of Goods, Works and Services (OKTRU), which provides a unified criterion for comparing procurement data. If several purchases fall into the same OKTRU category and their total cost exceeds the established limit, the system prevents their placement through the electronic store. The Ministry of Finance implemented the changes on the instruction of the Supreme Audit Chamber.
Audit Origins
In July 2025, the Supreme Audit Chamber audited the effectiveness of budget funds allocated for the education and training of athletes, including in elite sports. The audit found that artificial splitting of a single large need into several smaller purchases allowed customers to avoid competitive procedures when each individual purchase remained below the threshold. The Chamber instructed the Ministry of Finance to finalize the procurement portal's functionality to automatically block such purchases. For the sports sector, splitting purchases of inventory and equipment across different suppliers led to inconsistent quality and fragmented warranty obligations.
OKTRU Implementation
The Ministry of Trade and Integration introduced OKTRU as the national classifier of technical and economic information. OKTRU unifies descriptions of goods, works, and services and enables comparison of procurement data. From January 1, 2026, an additional OKTRU field appeared on the public procurement web portal. Filling in the OKTRU code field became mandatory on August 17, 2026.
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Kazakhstan procurement portal blocks artificial splitting of purchases
