Streamlining Procurement Through Digital Transformation: Enhancing Efficiency and Compliance

Abstract OQ Exploration and Production (OQEP) is a leading player in Oman's oil and gas sector, playing a key role in maximizing the value of the nation's energy resources. As part of the OQ Group, OQEP supports Oman’s economic growth by optimizing exploration and production efforts. The company’s operations are integral to advancing Oman Vision 2040. Currently, OQEP’s procurement evaluation process for in-house items relies on multiple manuals, paper-based stages, particularly in the technical bid evaluation. This process is time-consuming, involving extensive data collection and review, leading to delays, technical queries, and potential loss of information. These inefficiencies result in significant time and effort spent on evaluations, with a risk of missing crucial details. To address these challenges, OQEP aims to transition to a more streamlined, digital system. The proposed Artificial Intelligence based system will automate data extraction from bid submissions, evaluate compliance with minimum requirements, and generate reports, significantly improving accuracy and efficiency. It will serve as an open platform for real-time project tracking and issue resolution, accessible to relevant stakeholders. Additionally, the system will act as a comprehensive database for all procurement activities, consolidating historical data for easy management and access. This digital transformation is expected to reduce evaluation time, improve communication between the company and suppliers, and ultimately enhance procurement efficiency, making the process faster, more organized, and more effective.