Expenditure and Project Efficiency Authority (EXPRO)

The Expenditure and Project Efficiency Authority (EXPRO) is a government entity that aims to contribute to achieving expenditure efficiency in government entities, improving the quality of projects, assets, and facilities, and planning infrastructure, programs, initiatives, and operational processes funded by the state budget. It also monitors the implementation of programs and initiatives by these entities to achieve the authority's goals.

The Council of Ministers approved its establishment and regulations in February 2021 after incorporating the National Program to Support the Management, Operation, and Maintenance of Projects in Government Entities into the Center for Spending Efficiency, transforming it into an authority.

According to its regulations, the authority enjoys independent legal personality and financial and administrative independence. It is organizationally linked to the chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs. Its headquarters is in the city of Riyadh, and it may establish branches and offices within the Kingdom as needed.

According to Article Five of the regulations, the authority has a board of directors chaired by the Minister of Finance and composed of the Minister of Economy and Planning, the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, the Chairman of the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority, and the CEO of the authority.

Article Three sets out the objectives of the authority, which include contributing to achieving expenditure efficiency in government entities, improving the quality of projects, assets, and facilities, planning infrastructure, programs, initiatives, and operational processes funded by the state general budget, and monitoring the implementation of programs and initiatives by these entities to achieve the authority's goals.

In June 2021, the Expenditure and Project Efficiency Authority unveiled its brand, which is built upon dimensions of progress, excellence, and efficiency. The abbreviated name, Expro, draws inspiration from its English name, encapsulating the authority's mission to enhance government expenditure efficiency and improve the quality of government projects.

The visual components reflect aspects of the authority's brand, as it dedicates its efforts to elevating expenditure efficiency and enhancing the quality of government projects. Expro operates on multiple levels, including participation in shaping national policies and strategies and establishing evidence, standards, and methodologies. It also signifies the steady progress achieved through partnerships with all government entities toward achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

The tasks of the Expenditure and Project Efficiency Authority include developing policies, strategies, plans, programs, standards, and guidelines pertaining to the authority's jurisdiction in coordination with relevant entities. It also involves monitoring their implementation, proposing regulations related to the authority's jurisdiction, amending existing ones, and submitting them for further regulatory procedures. The authority is responsible for studying expenditure details and operational and capital practices related to government entities in terms of planning and operations, as well as providing recommendations thereon, identifying opportunities to improve expenditure efficiency, and submitting them as needed.

In addition to these tasks, the authority studies the policies, plans, and strategies of government entities that have an impact on expenditure and project quality. It suggests amendments to applicable studies, policies, plans, and strategies and submits them. It develops relevant indicators and measurement standards for expenditure efficiency, project management, and facility management, along with tools, methodologies, and techniques that contribute to their achievement. The authority also coordinates with government entities to form internal task forces to enhance expenditure efficiency and improve the quality of projects, operational programs, and government initiatives.

The Expenditure and Project Efficiency Authority offers several services through a range of electronic platforms. The main platform is the National Projects Platform, which is the first of its kind at the national level. It specializes in monitoring the status of construction projects and gathers data from public projects through collaboration and partnership with government entities. This comes in addition to the Operation and Maintenance Platform, the Expenditure Efficiency Teams Platform, the Health Insurance Service Platform, and the Sustainability Pillars Program Platform. The latter is tailored for the Sustainability Pillars Program, enabling government entities to perform self-assessment and submit supporting documents for each indicator to be reviewed by experts within the Expenditure and Project Efficiency Authority.

The platform oversees more than 138 government entities and has monitored over 12,000 contracts. Several entities benefit from its work, including the Royal Court, the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, the General Auditing Bureau, and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (Nazaha). The connection between the National Projects Platform and government entities is done through various entities, including the Ministry of Commerce, the Unified National Access Platform, the Contractors Classification Agency, the Ministry of Finance, and Etimad.

Government entities have contributed, since the announcement of Saudi Vision 2030 until December 13, 2021, to achieving savings of more than SAR530 billion. This includes savings of SAR120 billion for 2021 alone. These savings have been redirected towards expenses that serve developmental targets and priority projects, benefiting the nation and its citizens. Moreover, they have reduced project timelines by over 3,500 days overall.

In September 2022, the results of the collaborative work between the Expenditure and Project Efficiency Authority (Expro) and the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority were announced. Over 1,100 competitions, with an estimated value exceeding SAR100 billion, were reviewed. This enabled the activation of the regulations of the Local Content Authority in government competitions, leading to the adoption of the minimum local content target in more than 160 competitions, with a value exceeding SAR38 billion and an average target of 40 percent.

As part of the efforts of the Expenditure and Project Efficiency Authority (Expro), in October 2021, it issued a guidance manual for improving expenditure efficiency in higher education institutions. The manual includes twenty-five opportunities for enhancing expenditure efficiency, divided into six chapters: optimal workforce planning, facility and asset utilization, educational and training services, operational contracts, fuel and vehicles, as well as other opportunities covering various aspects of expenditure.

To standardize and develop methodologies aimed at regulating and governing infrastructure projects across government entities, the authority issued the National Guide of Project Management in June 2022, consisting of sixteen volumes, and the National Guide for Asset and Facilities Management in seventeen volumes. Together. These guides form the approved national reference within the National Projects Platform, which operates according to an integrated approach to project and facility management.

As an incentive for government entities, the Expenditure and Project Efficiency Authority (Expro) introduced the Practical and Institutional Excellence Award in Spending Efficiency. The fourth edition of this award took place in June 2022, with a focus on specific criteria related to the overall evaluation. This semi-annual award aims to achieve sustainability and enhance individual and institutional readiness to achieve expenditure efficiency independently and sustainably without compromising the quality of services provided on various levels according to the best local and international practices.