Saudi NWC awards procurement advisory contract to UK’s Atkins

UK-based Atkins has won a contract from Saudi Arabia's state-owned National Water Company (NWC) to offer procurement advisory services, as part of a consortium to provide water distribution in the Kingdom.

Atkins will advise on the water sector distribution model, design of the procurement strategy, and design of the competitive procurement process for operators, it said in a statement on Sunday.

The British company is part of a consortium led by financial consultant Mizuho Bank and law firm White & Case, which is working to provide water distribution services across the country.

The municipal water segment is expected to meet the demand for water and wastewater services of the Kingdom’s 32 million residents, the company said.

The Kingdom's wider privatization strategy is in line with the National Transformation Program and Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to diversify it away from oil dependency and public-sector dominance.