Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health has approached consultants for the role to help it establish its Project Management Organisation (PMO).

It is understood that the ministry plans to tender the contract for the role over the summer with an award scheduled before the end of this year.

The ministry is also seeking advisers to help it draft a framework to build about 3,000 medical centres with the private sector. In late March, the Health Ministry sent out a request for proposals (RFP) to financial advisory firms to pitch for the transaction that will see 250 large medical centres and 2,500 primary healthcare facilities in three phases.

Riyadh is establishing PMOs at all major government organisations to help it contain spending and increase returns from infrastructure investments. The overview document for Riyadh’s Vision 2030 emphasises the key role that PMOs will play in transforming the kingdom’s economy.

In February this year, US-based Bechtel was awarded the contract to support setting up and operating Saudi Arabia’s National Project Management Organisation (NPMO).

Known as Mashroat, the NPMO will support Saudi government agencies to effectively deliver complex infrastructure projects. The National Project Management Organisation was formed by the Ministry of Economy and Planning in 2015.

Firms are also competing for the contract to provide consultancy services to the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs’ PMO.

Other organisations are expected to tender PMO deals this year. They include the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Justice and and Ministry of Housing.