The Cabinet, in its latest session, approved the establishment of the Infrastructure Projects Center in the Riyadh region, which includes projects related to telecommunications, energy, water, sewage, roads, and similar services. This encompasses projects by both government and private sectors, and major projects, if they are connected or intersect with infrastructure project works.
The center is granted public legal personality and financial and administrative independence, and is organizationally linked to the board of the authority. It will be headquartered in Riyadh, with the possibility of establishing branches or offices within the region as needed and as decided by the board.
The center aims to enhance the infrastructure project operations in the region, thereby improving the quality of life and the urban landscape, contributing to spending efficiency in these operations and projects.
The center will carry out competencies and powers related to municipal, rural affairs, housing, and the Riyadh Municipality and regional municipalities - as legally approved - related to infrastructure projects and operations in the Riyadh region, including issuing permits and collecting fees and financial compensations, in compliance with the regulated provisions.
Here are the details of the regulatory arrangements for the Infrastructure Projects Center:
Firstly:
The following terms and expressions – wherever they appear in these arrangements – have the meanings next to them:
• Arrangements: The regulatory arrangements for the Infrastructure Projects Center in the Riyadh region.
• Authority: The Royal Commission for Riyadh City.
• Center: The Infrastructure Projects Center in the Riyadh region.
• Board: The board of directors of the center.
• President: The chairman of the board.
• CEO: The chief executive officer of the center.
• Region: The administrative boundaries of the Riyadh region as legally defined.
• Infrastructure projects: Projects related to telecommunications, energy, water, sewage, roads, and similar services, including projects by government and private sectors, and major projects, if they are connected or intersect with infrastructure project works.
• Infrastructure project operations: The operations related to the execution, development, operation, and maintenance of infrastructure projects.
Secondly:
The center enjoys public legal personality and financial and administrative independence, is organizationally linked to the board of the authority, and is headquartered in Riyadh. It may establish branches or offices within the region as needed and as decided by the board.
Thirdly:
The center aims to elevate the infrastructure project operations in the region, enhancing the quality of life and urban landscape, contributing to spending efficiency in these operations and projects. To achieve its objectives, the center is authorized to:
1. Propose system projects and regulations required by its operational nature, propose amendments to the current ones in agreement with the concerned government entities, and submit them to the board of the authority for the completion of legal procedures.
2. Develop a comprehensive detailed plan for infrastructure project operations in the region, including programs, timelines, and specific phases, in coordination with related entities.
3. Establish controls, conditions, standards, methodologies, and methods specific to infrastructure project operations in the region, in coordination with the concerned government entities, to contribute to achieving its goals.
4. Issue licenses for infrastructure project operations in the region and withdraw, cancel, or suspend them fully or partially, permanently or temporarily, and collect fees and financial compensations, in accordance with the relevant legal provisions.
5. Monitor infrastructure project operations in the region, inspect them, and take necessary actions, in accordance with the relevant legal provisions.
6. Establish a platform to collect, preserve, and manage information, data, and plans related to infrastructure project operations in the region, enabling government and private entities to access it under specific controls.
7. Collaborate with government and private entities in adopting and implementing necessary technical solutions for achieving its objectives, including utilizing available databases for infrastructure project operations in the region and integrating them.
8. Review strategic and detailed plans prepared by government and private entities related to infrastructure project operations to be implemented in the region, their data, information, and budgets, and work with those entities to develop and update them in accordance with what the center establishes based on paragraph (2) of this item.
9. Review plans related to infrastructure project operations to be implemented in the region, their scope of work, and timelines, and work with those entities to develop and update them in accordance with what the center establishes based on paragraph (2) of this item.
10. Enable government and private entities to access the comprehensive detailed plan - referred to in paragraph (2) of this item - and the timelines for infrastructure project operations in the region approved by it under specific controls.
11. Receive complaints and reports related to infrastructure project operations in the region, and take necessary actions, in accordance with the relevant legal provisions.
12. Form partnerships with government and private entities in areas related to the center'sactivity, contributing to achieving its objectives, in accordance with the followed legal procedures.
13. Collaborate with research centers, institutions, and specialized expertise houses on local and international levels in areas related to the center's activity, contributing to achieving its objectives.
14. Prepare reports - as needed - to evaluate and measure the commitment of government and private entities to what the center establishes - according to its competencies - regarding infrastructure project operations in the region, propose what it deems regarding that, and report it to the board of the authority according to the followed procedures.
The center may engage the private sector - as needed and as decided by the board - to execute any of its tasks, in accordance with the followed legal procedures.
Fourthly:
1. The center shall have a board of directors chaired by the Mayor of Riyadh, with the membership of the following:
A- A representative from the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing. B- A representative from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. C- A representative from the Ministry of Energy. D- A representative from the Communications, Space, and Technology Commission. E- A representative from the General Authority for Roads. F- A representative from the Royal Commission for Riyadh City. G- The CEO. H- Two representatives from the private sector, appointed by an order from the Prime Minister upon the recommendation of the chairman of the board and the approval of the board of the authority, with their membership term being (three) years, renewable once.
2. The rank of government entity representatives mentioned in paragraph (1) of this item shall not be less than the fifteenth rank or its equivalent.
Fifthly:
The board is the supervisory authority over the center's affairs, management, and transactions. It makes all decisions necessary to achieve its objectives and execute its competencies as stipulated in the arrangements, specifically including:
1. Approving the general policies related to the center's activity, necessary plans and programs, monitoring their implementation, and reporting what requires completion of legal procedures.
2. Approving the comprehensive detailed plan for infrastructure project operations in the region, programs, timelines, and specific phases of execution.
3. Approving controls, conditions, standards, methodologies, and methods specific to infrastructure project operations in the region.
4. Proposing system projects and regulations or their amendments related to the center'scompetencies, after agreement with the concerned government entities, and submitting them to the board of the authority for the completion of legal procedures.
5. Approving the organizational structure of the center.
6. Approving administrative and financial regulations and other internal regulations necessary for the center's operation, ensuring the approval of administrative regulations in agreement with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and the approval of financial regulations and the financial implications in administrative regulations in agreement with the Ministry of Finance.
7. Approving the financial compensation for the services and operations provided by the center.
8. Approving the center's annual budget, final account, auditor's report, annual report, and presenting them to the board of the authority for further procedures according to legal steps.
9. Appointing one or more external auditors and an internal financial controller.
10. Accepting donations, grants, legacies, and endowments, according to the regulated provisions.
11. Approving the opening of branches or offices for the center within the region.
12. Approving the signing of agreements, protocols, memoranda of understanding, and contracts, according to the followed legal procedures.
The board, for achieving its competencies and without prejudice to its duties, may form permanent or temporary committees from its members or others, delegating tasks to them, and defining in the formation decision the chairman, members, and competencies of each committee. It may also delegate some of its competencies to its chairman, a member, or the CEO.
Sixthly:
1. The board meetings are held at the center's main headquarters. If necessary, they may be held elsewhere within the Kingdom.
2. The board holds its meetings - upon the chairman's invitation - periodically at least (three) times a year. The chairman may call for a meeting whenever necessary, or upon the request of at least half of the members.
3. In the chairman's absence, he may delegate another representative of the government entities to chair the meetings.
4. Invitations for the board meetings are sent in writing at least (seven) days before the meeting date, including the agenda.
5. For a board meeting to be valid, the attendance of the majority of members - at least - including the chairman or his delegate is required, and decisions are made by the majority of votes of the present members. In case of a tie, the side with which the chairman of the meeting votes prevails.
6. The board's deliberations and decisions are documented in minutes signed by the chairman of the meeting and the attending members.
7. Board members may not abstain from voting nor delegate another member to vote on their behalf in their absence.
8. The board may, when necessary and according to the chairman's assessment, hold meetings and vote on decisions remotely using modern technology tools. Decisions may also be made by circulating them among the board members, provided that they are signed by all members and obtain at least a majority of their votes, and such decisions are presented at the next board meeting for documentation in the meeting minutes.
9. Board members must maintain the confidentiality of information and not exploit or benefit from it for purposes other than the center's interest, nor share it with others.
10. The board may invite experts, specialists, and advisors to attend its sessions without granting them the right to vote.
Seventhly:
The center shall have a CEO appointed and dismissed by the board, with the decision specifying his salary and other financial benefits. He is responsible for managing the center'saffairs and operations, with his responsibilities including:
1. Supervising the center's operations.
2. Supervising the preparation of general policies related to the center's activity, necessary plans and programs, and submitting them to the board for approval.
3. Supervising the preparation of the comprehensive detailed plan for infrastructure project operations in the region, programs, timelines, and specific phases of execution, and submitting them to the board for approval.
4. Supervising the preparation of controls, standards, methodologies, and methods specific to infrastructure project operations in the region and submitting them to the board for approval.
5. Proposing the organizational structure of the center, its administrative and financial regulations, and other necessary regulations for its operation, and supervising their implementation after approval.
6. Supervising the preparation of the center's annual budget, final account, and annual report, and submitting them to the board.
7. Appointing, supervising, and terminating the center's staff according to the granted authorities and relevant regulations and laws.
8. Contracting with experts, specialists, and advisors in areas related to the center'soperation, according to the followed legal procedures.
9. Disbursing from the approved budget and taking financial actions according to the laws and the center's internal regulations.
10. Signing agreements, protocols, memoranda of understanding, and contracts, according to the followed legal procedures and the center's internal regulations.
11. Representing the center before the judiciary, government entities, institutions, other bodies within and outside the Kingdom, and delegating others for such representation.
12. Supervising the preparation of periodic reports on the center's operations, achievements, activities, and challenges, and submitting them to the board for necessary actions.
13. Other competencies or authorities delegated to him by the board.
The CEO may delegate some of his competencies and authorities to the center's staff, according to the center's regulations.
Eighthly:
1. The center shall have an independent annual budget.
2. The financial year of the center is the state's financial year. Exceptionally, the first financial year of the center begins from the date of operation of the arrangements and ends at the end of the next financial year of the state.
Ninthly:
1. The financial resources of the center consist of the following:
A- Allocations from the state's general budget. B- Financial compensations and fees collected for the licenses it grants and the services and operations it provides, as well as fines collected. C- Donations, grants, legacies, and endowment revenues accepted by the board, according to the regulated provisions. D- Other resources approved by the board that do not conflict with laws and instructions.
2. The center's revenues are deposited in a current account of the Ministry of Finance in the Saudi Central Bank.
3. The center opens an account in the Saudi Central Bank, and may open other accounts in banks licensed to operate in the Kingdom, disbursing from these accounts according to its approved budget and internal regulations.
Tenthly:
The center's staff are subject to the provisions of the Labor Law and the Social Insurance Law.
Eleventhly:
Without prejudice to the General Auditing Bureau's competencies in auditing the center'saccounts and operations, the board appoints one or more external auditors licensed to operate in the Kingdom to audit the center's accounts, transactions, and final account. The board determines their fees, and the auditor's report is submitted to the board, with a copy provided to the General Auditing Bureau.
Twelfthly:
1. The board prepares a draft regulation for the center, based on the arrangements and any relevant matters that may arise.
2. The board submits the draft regulation - mentioned in paragraph (1) of this item - to the board of the authority for approval; the authority then submits it - within a period not exceeding (24) months from the date of approval of the arrangements - for the completion of necessary legal procedures.
Thirteenthly:
The arrangements are published in the Official Gazette and come into effect from the date of publication.