Chambers of Commerce and Industry around the world are dedicated to facilitating the entry of commercial and industrial institutions into local and international tenders, as well as attracting foreign investments for new projects. They offer services to business owners and employees through training programs, forums, activities, trade delegation trips abroad, and participation in international exhibitions.
Training institutions and their employees for various purposes, especially for new project investments and obtaining local tenders, is a significant aspect of these activities. These issues were addressed at the first development projects forum for 2024, held recently. During the forum, the Tender Board presented numerous project opportunities with full transparency to ensure equal application opportunities. This enables institutions and companies to access essential data and information needed for bid submissions.
Greater coordination with the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other relevant authorities is necessary to qualify Omanis for future project work through comprehensive training programs. Over 300 member companies attended the forum, highlighting the interest of major companies in upcoming projects and tenders within their industries. These companies might seek external expertise if qualified Omani personnel are unavailable, necessitating collaboration between the Ministry of Labour and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry to provide adequate training courses for national workers.
The Chamber has a specialized department focused on training and qualification, conducting numerous activities through its specialized committees. The forum also identified challenges that companies and projects may encounter, such as recruitment and training, and discussed solutions to ensure timely project completion.
Major Omani companies, through their membership in the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, are interested in subcontracting some construction work to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and new market entrants. This requires informing these SMEs about their needs, similar to business practices in many countries. Chambers and official institutions offer numerous free facilities and services to SMEs to ensure their business sustainability, allowing their leaders to operate without difficulty.
The forum aims to align with "Oman Vision 2040" by providing better opportunities for institutions and companies at competitive prices, fostering more competition and transparency among local companies of various sizes. Emphasis is placed on giving SMEs opportunities in this process. Many services are free for members, and opportunities are available to all companies, whether small or large, wishing to compete and showcase their technical and financial capabilities to fulfill the requirements of government and private sector projects.
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