Saudi Arabia’s Transport Ministry (MoT) has extended the deadline for the tender to establish its project management office (PMO) to 2 September, sources familiar with the programme tell MEED.

The previous bids deadline was 14 August.

MEED understands a further scope change prompted the deadline extension.

MoT is one of 50 ministries and government entities that have been mandated to set up a PMO to be overseen by the National Project, O&M Management Organisation (Mashroat).

Other transport-related entities such as the General Authority for Civil Aviation (Gaca), Saudi Ports Authority, and Saudi Railways Organisation (SRO) also plan to establish a PMO.

In June, Saudi Customs Authority (SCA) awarded US-based Aecom a $100m enterprise project management office (EPMO) contract.

MEED understands the Ministry of Electricity and Water, Riyadh Municipality, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Interior are planning large PMOs requiring more than 300 staff.

Last month, the Municipalities and Rural Affairs Ministry (Momra) invited firms to bid for the agency’s project management office (PMO).

Momra provides administration for all municipalities in the kingdom, including city and town planning and development and maintenance of infrastructure such as roads and water sewerage networks.

PMOs will play a key part in Riyadh’s overhaul of the public sector, and will help regulate and plan future capital expenditure projects in the kingdom. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud has been highly critical of past projects that have run over budget, not been completed on time, or failed to effectively support economic growth in the kingdom.

In February 2017, US firm Bechtel was appointed to support the setting up and operation of Mashroat, which was formed by the Ministry of Economy and Planning in 2015 and will help Saudi government agencies deliver complex infrastructure projects.