AI Summary
The National Project Management, Operation, and Maintenance Organization in Public Entities (Mashroat) built a SAR 880 billion database for more than 10,000 projects of 67 government entities, Director General Ahmed Al-Balawi told Argaam in an exclusive interview.
Mashroat efforts raised the completion ratio of public projects as scheduled by 26% in 18 months only, which imply a great progress in accomplishing government projects.
It has also developed an indicator panel as an advanced technique that provides information about project progress in terms of quality, safety, cost and schedule. The panel also gives early alert about project breakdowns.
Here’s the full interview with Al-Balawi:
Q: Can you explain Mashroat business model and objectives?
A: Mashroat is a government program, established by virtue of the Cabinet resolution in 2015, to enhance the public entities’ efficiency in project management and facility management organization.
Our strategic objectives aim to enhance the efficiency and quality of infrastructure and facility management in the public entities, as well as to improve the citizens’ quality of life in the Kingdom.
We also aim to boost transparency through assessing the performance of project and facility management offices in public entities. To this extent, Mashroat forges partnerships with government entities to build technical capabilities and skills, and develop a joint project management approach for all entities.
Mashroat has used a unified business model as well as 843 measures to meet the various needs of public entities. In addition, all measures are accessible online to all entities, consultants and contractors.
Mashroat’s business model also includes a knowledge transfer program that provides training for nationals. To date, a total of 21 government entities benefited from 88 workshops attended by over 1,400 employees.
Q: How many partners will be enabled by Mashroat in the fields of project and facility management? What are the major breakthroughs made by the government entities through Mashroat?
A: In project management, we are enabling 30 government entities. Meanwhile, we are working with 16 public entities in the facility management field. A total of 19 public entities have adopted the new business model of the project management office, with 6 other entities adopting the asset and facility management business model.
Mashroat has also developed a national performance indicator panel to monitor project progress and enhance performance. As many as 16 public entities have joined this platform and 39 employees have been trained to date.
An approach to support key projects was also developed in 6 public entities. In addition, a database for public and capital projects was also set up for 67 government organizations. It includes more than 10,000 projects at a total cost exceeding SAR 880 billion.
Accordingly, Mashroat efforts raised the completion ratio of public projects as scheduled by 26% in 18 months only, implying a great progress in accomplishing government projects.
Q: How does Mashroat’s project management approach reflect on all aspects of public projects, particularly in terms of timeline and cost?
A: Mashroat has developed an approach to enable each public entity to go in line with its policy and set up and run a project management office in line with the best international practices.
Mashroat also supports these entities in the assessment phase. Therefore, it developed an indicator panel as an advanced technique that provides information about project progress in terms of quality, safety, cost and schedule. The panel also gives early alert about project breakdowns.
Q: What is the role of Mashroat with respect to working with regulatory authorities, the Saudi Vision programs, and the government excellence entities to push the facility and project management system to a adopt new trend that serves the Kingdom’s future targets?
A: Mashroat focused on forming strategic partnerships with more than 34 local and foreign partners including regulatory and educational entities, government excellence centers, Saudi Vision 2030-affiliated programs and leading foreign consultancy firms to provide a suitable climate for project and facility management.
We formed a regulatory team with other 16 entities, comprising top officials from competent authorities to enhance the regulatory procedures for construction and infrastructure projects.
This team is working on 37 initiatives to endorse legislations in the construction sector, share information, localize content and ensure integration among various entities and databases.
Mashroat is also closely linked with the Saudi Vision 2030 as it aims to improve service quality in the Saudi cities, enhance efficiency of government entities, fiscal planning, public spending and transparency.
Q: Does Mashroat monitor NEOM, Qiddiya and Red Sea projects?
A: Mashroat does not monitor private projects, such as NEOM, Qiddiya and Red Sea. It only focuses on supporting public entities.
Q: What are the implications of the Cabinet’s new mechanisms that aim to enhance spending and capital efficiency of government projects on Mashroat?
A: The Cabinet decision aims to enhance spending efficiency in the medium-long run through strategic planning, budget planning and project execution.
The 3 pillars include 14 mechanisms based on the best international standards. These mechanisms include short, medium and long-term plans.
Q: How will Mashroat projects contribute to raising Saudization rate in the local employment and maintenance sector?
A: Mashroat is keen to join hands with the Ministry of Labor to raise the Saudization rate in public entities. Therefore, it developed guidelines for nationalization of job and maintenance contracts in the public entities, and they were approved by the minister.
The guidelines aim to unify Saudization requirements and enable nationals to work in the public sector. It also sets the Saudization rates in each job category and different engineering, technical and administrative levels.
Be the first to comment
Comments Analysis: