The Saudi Ministry of Labor (MOL) and the National Program to Support the Management of Projects in Public Entities (Mashroat) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to appoint Mashroat as the enabling arm to support infrastructure projects. Mashroat will provide consultancy services and technical support for managing the Ministry's construction projects and facilities management based on the highest administrative and operational standards. The MoU will allow Mashroat to examine and evaluate the construction projects' management departments and the Ministry's current facilities management including designing and identifying policies, procedures and processes. In addition, Mashroat will ensure project implementation and facility management systems are run efficiently and effectively. The MoU is considered as the first of its type to be implemented by Mashroat to support the management of public facilities for government entities in the Kingdom. This includes the provision of consultation services and technical support based on international best practices and will support the Ministry's facilities including 14 operating and maintenance contracts for 389 sites spread throughout the country. The MoU was signed by Executive General Supervisor Supportive Services at the Ministry of Labor and Social Development (MSLD), Dr. Ayman bin Ibrahim Al-Shelafan, and Director General of Mashroat, Eng. Ahmed Bin Mutair Al-Balawi in the presence of Minister of Labor and Social Development Ahmed bin Suleiman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Rajhi, Assistant to the Minister of Labor and Social Development Mohammed bin Nasser Al-Jasser, and H.E. Assistant Minister of Economy and Planning and Mashroat board member Khalid Bin Saud Al-Shunaifi. The goal of this MoU is to increase the efficiency of operations and maintenance, as well as to raise the efficiency and quality of infrastructure and facilities management to international standards. This will help build a solid base for economic growth and prosperity and create an advanced government model in accordance with the Ministry's efforts to improve its performance and efficiency. Assistant to the Minister of Labor and Social Development Mohammed bin Nasser Al-Jasser said: "The signing of this MoU is an important step towards strengthening our partnership with Mashroat. Through this joint effort, we aim to strengthen the MOL's public infrastructure system, and to achieve a strategy that will contribute to the development of the Kingdom and achieve the ambitious goals of Vision 2030." The Director General of Mashroat, Ahmed Bin Mutair Al-Balawi said: "Mashroat aspires to achieve an effective transformational approach for the project and facilities management offices in the governmental agencies, through supervising the planning of the infrastructure projects portfolio for government agencies." He added: "We are pleased to sign this MoU with the MSLD, the first of its kind for the management of public utilities. The program will examine and evaluate the management of current construction projects, while uniting the measurement of operational and maintenance procedures and processes to achieve efficiency and effectiveness, fulfilling the Ministry's strategic objectives." This cooperation comes in implementation of Royal Decree No (47004) dated 16/9/1439 AH, pursuant to the Cabinet of Ministers' resolution stating that public entities shall establish project management offices in cooperation with Mashroat. This will be done according to the procedures and methodologies provided by Mashroat, based on the Cabinet resolution No. (485) dated 16-11-1436H, that states the establishment of the national program to support the management of public projects, and the Cabinet decision No. (666) issued later on 18/11/1438 AH, to transfer the tasks of the National Committee for Regulating Operation and Maintenance projects and their standardization, to the National Program under the condition that the program's scope of work shall include project management support and public infrastructure. — SG
