STRATEGIC PROCUREMENT AND LONG-LEAD ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT FOR EFFICIENT DELIVERY OF SAUDI ARABIA'S REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

Regional infrastructure programmes in Saudi Arabia are predicated on electrical assets and the requirements for their specification,manufacture, inspection and commissioning frequently go well beyond the normal course of a construction procurement. A transformer arriving late can in effect delay energisation even if the civil works are well advanced. On the flip side equipment can arrive prior to design and site readiness thereby creating storage exposure and working capital costs. This paper presents a critical review of how strategic procurement can be used to manage the interdependencies across the project lifecycle. It draws on 30 peer-reviewed papers from 2020 to 2025 which are assessed via a structured, mechanism-based comparison of construction supply chains,project delays in the Saudi context, EPC integration, digital logistics and resilience.The review shows that procurement performance is a function of early technical definition,supplier capability,commercial governance, manufacturing visibility and installation readiness. A five gate, interface based management framework is developed which links engineering freeze, sourcing commitment, fabrication assurance, delivery control and energisation acceptance. Risk weighted buffers, dual path contingency planning and a measurable control dashboard are proposed which are all appropriate for use in the context of geographically dispersed infrastructure packages. The propositions are purely analytical in nature and not empirically tested; their value is in the specification of testable relationships and the delineation of decision rights. The paper makes a contribution in the form of an equipment based explanation of delay propagation and in the form of a practical research agenda for improving project delivery in the region under Saudi Vision 2030.