The remaining subsidies for these products and services will be eliminated as part of the on-going economic reform program. The free market sets all other prices. Strong customer service can provide a competitive advantage in Yemen, where the practice is relatively new. Therefore, close coordination with the Embassy's Commercial and Consular sections on visa matters is strongly encouraged. Purchasing tenders are governed by Law 3 of 1997, as amended.
Local agents can be a critically important factor in shepherding bids through the tender process.
Tenders are announced in the local and foreign press. Efforts to reform and streamline the tendering system are ongoing. Price is usually the determining factor, although quality and nationality of the product play a role. The Embassy has advocated successfully on behalf of U.S. firms in public tender competitions. Yemen is not yet a member of WIPO or other International Intellectual Property Rights Conventions, but accession to the Paris Convention, which is supported by the General Investment Authority, is under active consideration within the government.