The regulatory framework for government projects
In municipal and government road projects, a price quote alone isn't enough. City municipalities and the road authority require product compliance with specific standards: SASO at the Kingdom level, and often IEC 60598 internationally as the electrical-safety reference, plus structural requirements per ASTM and EN.
Understanding this framework before submitting a bid saves the contractor expensive review cycles later — especially in funded contracting work.
Core structural requirements
Main shaft wall thickness: 3 to 6 mm depending on height. For poles taller than 10 meters, the typical minimum is 4 mm.
Base: a steel base plate 16 to 25 mm thick, with 4 to 8 anchor bolts in galvanized steel of 24 mm diameter or more, varying with the load calculation.
Service door: a secure lock, a reinforced frame that preserves the pole's structural rigidity, and a clearance of at least 60 cm from ground level.
Load calculations — wind and seismic
The Saudi loads code (SBC 301) sets design wind speeds by region: 130 km/h for coastal zones, 110 km/h for the central zone, and higher for exposed desert sites. Tall poles (12 m+) need detailed calculations that account for arm shape and the mounted floodlights.
Seismic: most of the Kingdom is low-risk, but Tabuk, NEOM, and Red Sea coast projects require verification against at least Zone 2A per the SBC.
Certifications commonly required in tenders
A SASO product-conformity certificate issued by an accredited inspection body.
A galvanizing thickness test report per ASTM A123 — with an on-site sample.
Structural calculations stamped by a licensed engineer, covering vertical loads, lateral loads, and moments.
An ISO 9001 quality-management certificate for the manufacturing site.
Common mistakes in contractor bids
Submitting a pole with thinner wall thickness than required, betting it will "pass inspection" — it gets caught in field inspection and rejected.
Relying on a galvanizing certificate without supplying the structural calculation documentation — extremely common in municipal projects.
Neglecting electrical earthing requirements. The pole must include an internal earthing point and a clear connection path per IEC 61140.
Aktar has long experience preparing the technical documents for tender projects. Reach out to our team to review the project brief before you submit.
