The Czech Republic is considering re-engaging with offset. The country plans to embark on a major defence equipment acquisition program and will demand offsets on a case-by-case basis, starting with the requirement for 3D radar. The government will not publish rules or guidelines.
Saudi Arabia has made no formal changes to its offset guidelines since 2007 or to how the authority is implementing their programs, but has made helpful adjustments to the way the guidelines are put into practice. The Economic Offset Committee declared in June 2013 that it intended to make significant changes to the guidelines, but appears to be in a state of stasis.....
The Kuwaiti government has announced that the Cabinet has endorsed a proposal to liquidate the National Offset Company. A terse statement said: “The Council decided to permanently stop the offset program.”
Qatar’s Shura Council has voted to revoke the law governing public procurement and to introduce changes to streamline and standardise the public procurement process. The proposed amendments will permit tenders valued at $250m or higher to be awarded to foreign entities provided they have a Qatari partner.
The Australian government’s negotiations for accession to the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) appears to be faltering. Australia’s preferential treatment for SMEs would be prohibited on the basis that it indirectly discriminates against foreign entities.
A Japanese consortium competing for the $35.68bn contract to build submarines for Australia has irritated local suppliers by failing to share key information about its proposal or discuss specific collaboration possibilities during their visit. Australian defence contractors said they were rebuffed when they sought one-on-one meetings.