A 9COM is Saudi Aramco’s material classification code for a commodity or class of materials (a 9CAT is a specific catalogued item). To get 9COM approval, a manufacturer first registers on Aramco’s e-Marketplace (SAP Ariba) and selects its 9COMs. Aramco’s qualification team then runs a separate qualification for each 9COM, a technical and quality review based on ISO 9001 that usually includes a plant inspection. Qualification is mandatory for manufacturers and stockists. Aramco says registration is free, every factory is approved separately, and approval lets you bid but does not guarantee orders.
What is 9COM in Saudi Aramco?
Saudi Aramco classifies every material it buys with a material number. There are two types:
| Code | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 9COM (general commodity) | A commodity or class of materials, not one specific item | Carbon steel gate valves, a cable type, a class of fittings |
| 9CAT (catalogued item) | A specific item whose description Aramco keeps in its central catalogue | One exact valve size, rating and specification |
Aramco’s own FAQ describes 9COM as its material classification for “a commodity or a class of materials, but not a specific item”. When people say “9COM approval”, they mean being qualified as an approved source of supply for one or more 9COM numbers. Once approved, you are linked to those material numbers and can be invited to bid when Aramco needs them.
Who needs 9COM approval?
| Supplier type | Needs 9COM qualification? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer (local or overseas) | Yes, mandatory | Technical + quality qualification of your products and facility |
| Stockist (owns a commercial warehouse holding stock) | Yes, mandatory | Quality approval; ISO 9001 and Aramco procedure SAEP-347 apply to pipes, fittings, flanges and valves |
| Vendor / trader (supplies but doesn’t manufacture) | No plant inspection | Registers as a vendor; can be linked as agent of an approved manufacturer |
| Service provider | No 9COM | Pre-qualifies through Aramco’s general bid slate for specific services |
Aramco’s Supplier Guide also notes that vendors who don’t manufacture do not undergo the inspection process required for most manufacturers.
The 9COM approval process, step by step
- Check your products against Aramco’s needs. Aramco currently approves new sources mainly for items on its sourcing priority list, which is updated periodically. Confirm your products fit a 9COM that Aramco buys.
- Get your Saudi paperwork ready (for in-Kingdom manufacturers): Commercial Registration with the right activity, industrial licence, Zakat, VAT, GOSI, Chamber of Commerce, Saudization (Nitaqat) and the Cybersecurity Compliance Certificate (CCC). See our Aramco vendor registration guide.
- Register on Aramco’s e-Marketplace (SAP Ariba) and complete the registration questionnaire as a manufacturer.
- Select your 9COMs during registration. If no 9COM is close to your product, Aramco says you can contact the Supplier Help Desk to discuss creating a new one.
- Aramco opens a separate qualification for each 9COM. You receive the technical qualification questionnaire (production and product capability) and the quality qualification questionnaire (QMS and ISO 9001 compliance).
- Submit the quality assessment documents (list below) to the assigned quality assessor.
- Plant evaluation and inspection. For inspectable materials, Aramco assesses your factory, usually with a site visit, against the Vendor’s Manufacturing Plant Evaluation Questionnaire.
- Close any findings. Answer clarifications and corrective actions quickly; delays here are the most common reason approvals stall.
- Approval. You are linked to the approved 9COM numbers as an approved source and are invited to bid when a requirement arises.
Documents you need for 9COM qualification
Aramco’s Material Supplier Guide lists these quality assessment documents for manufacturers:
- An uncontrolled copy of your Quality Management System manual
- A complete list or index of QMS procedures, work instructions and forms
- A list of external documents (statutory requirements, industry and customer standards)
- A full organisation chart with all QA/QC staff names
- Product brochures, technical data and specifications
- Production and quality process flow charts
- List of major equipment installed at your plant
- Summary of your most recent internal QMS audit
- Minutes of the last management review meeting
- Factory location map
- Copy of your ISO 9001 certificate
- The completed Saudi Aramco Vendor’s Manufacturing Plant Evaluation Questionnaire
What Aramco checks in your quality system
Your QMS must show ISO 9001 compliance in practice, not just a certificate on the wall. The guide lists:
| Area | What must exist |
|---|---|
| Mandatory procedures | Control of documents, control of records, nonconforming product, internal audit, corrective and preventive action |
| Audits and reviews | At least one internal audit and one management review every year |
| Process control | Receiving and verification of purchased material, design and development, production, product testing and monitoring, outsourced processes |
| Equipment | Calibration and control of monitoring and measuring equipment, preventive maintenance |
| People and site | Competence and training records, housekeeping, safety programmes |
ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 are not listed as mandatory for 9COM, but they strengthen your profile, and safety programmes are part of the review. Our ISO certification team can close gaps before Aramco’s assessor sees them.
How long does 9COM approval take?
Aramco does not publish a fixed timeline. It depends on your 9COM, how complete your documents are, the inspection schedule and how fast you close findings. In practice:
| Stage | Typical driver of time |
|---|---|
| e-Marketplace registration | Speed of your document pack and Aramco’s review |
| Questionnaires | How quickly and completely you answer |
| Plant inspection | Assessor availability and your factory readiness |
| Closing findings | Your corrective actions |
The full process usually takes months, not weeks. The biggest time savers are a gap audit before you apply, complete documents and fast answers to every clarification.
9COM approval for local vs overseas manufacturers
| Local (in-Kingdom) manufacturer | Out-of-Kingdom manufacturer | |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | e-Marketplace with Saudi CR, industrial licence and government certificates | e-Marketplace via Aramco’s international route |
| Legacy form | Saudi Aramco 9675 (Local Manufacturer Registration) | Saudi Aramco 9676 (Out of Kingdom Manufacturer Registration) |
| Saudi representative | Not applicable | Not required, Aramco says, but can help communication |
| IKTVA advantage | Strong: local manufacturing and Saudi jobs | Lower, unless you localise |
| Each factory | Approved separately | Approved separately |
Forms 9675 and 9676 come from Aramco’s 2016 Material Supplier Guide; registration now runs through SAP Ariba, so follow the current questionnaire.
Agents and distributors of approved manufacturers
If you are a Saudi company representing an already approved manufacturer, you don’t need your own 9COM inspection. Aramco links you to the source through supplier agency linkage: you send the Supplier Help Desk a letterhead authenticated by the Chamber of Commerce with your supplier ID and the approved source’s vendor ID, plus your Commercial Agency Registration certificate (CAR) from the Ministry of Commerce and a notarised letter from the manufacturer.
Common reasons 9COM applications fail or stall
- Choosing the wrong 9COM or one outside the priority list
- CR or industrial licence activities that don’t match the products applied for
- An ISO 9001 certificate without working procedures, records and audits behind it
- No internal audit or management review in the last 12 months
- Missing QA/QC staff, calibration records or test reports
- Factory not ready for inspection: housekeeping, traceability, nonconforming product control
- Expired certificates (CR, Zakat, GOSI, CCC) during the process
- Slow responses to the qualification team
After approval: keeping your 9COM
- Each new product must go through the same approval process; approval doesn’t extend automatically.
- Keep certificates and your Ariba profile up to date; remove commodities you can’t supply.
- Aramco measures supplier performance KPIs (delivery, quality, responsiveness). Poor performance reduces future opportunities.
- Approval allows you to bid; it does not guarantee purchases.
- Upload your 9COM catalogue items with clear images once you have a purchase agreement, so buyers can order them.
How Luba Global Ventures helps with 9COM approval
From our office in Al Jubail, we prepare manufacturers and stockists for Aramco 9COM qualification:
- Readiness audit of your factory and QMS against Aramco’s checklist
- 9COM selection that matches your products and CR activities
- e-Marketplace registration, CCC coordination and all Saudi certificates
- Questionnaires and document pack (QMS manual, procedures, org chart, flow charts, equipment list)
- Inspection preparation: mock audit, records, housekeeping and corrective actions
- Follow-up with Aramco until approval, then SABIC, Ma’aden and SEC with the same pack
Aramco does not charge for registration, and no consultant can guarantee approval; the decision is Aramco’s. What we make sure of is a complete, correct application. Talk to us about 9COM approval or see our vendor registration service.
Sources
- Saudi Aramco – e-Marketplace Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
- Saudi Aramco – Material Supplier Guide (PDF)
- Aramco Asia Japan – Material suppliers FAQs
- Aramco Americas – Supplier FAQs
- Aramco – Become a supplier
Frequently asked questions
What is 9COM in Saudi Aramco?
9COM is Saudi Aramco’s material classification code for a general commodity or class of materials, not one specific item. Manufacturers and stockists are qualified against 9COM numbers to become approved sources of supply.
What is the difference between 9COM and 9CAT?
A 9COM describes a commodity or class of materials. A 9CAT is a specific catalogued item whose description Aramco maintains centrally. Suppliers are linked to both through the qualification process.
What is the difference between a vendor code and a 9COM?
The vendor (supplier) ID identifies your company after e-Marketplace registration. A 9COM identifies a commodity. 9COM approval links your company, as an approved manufacturer or stockist, to that commodity.
Who needs Aramco 9COM approval?
Aramco states that qualification is mandatory for manufacturers and stockists. Traders and agents of an approved manufacturer don’t need their own plant inspection, and service providers pre-qualify separately.
How do I apply for 9COM approval?
Register as a manufacturer on Aramco’s e-Marketplace (SAP Ariba), select your 9COMs, then complete the technical and quality qualification questionnaires, submit your QMS documents and pass the plant evaluation.
How long does Aramco 9COM approval take?
Aramco does not publish a fixed timeline. It depends on the commodity, document completeness, inspection scheduling and how fast findings are closed, and usually takes months rather than weeks.
Is there a fee for Aramco supplier registration or 9COM?
Aramco says there is no fee for supplier registration. Report anyone claiming to charge on Aramco’s behalf to Aramco’s General Auditor hotline.
Is ISO 9001 required for 9COM approval?
Yes. Aramco’s quality qualification checks compliance with ISO 9001, and the supplier guide asks for a copy of the ISO 9001 certificate along with the QMS manual and procedures.
Does Aramco inspect the factory for 9COM?
For inspectable materials, yes. Aramco evaluates the manufacturing plant using its Vendor’s Manufacturing Plant Evaluation Questionnaire and usually visits the site.
What if there is no 9COM for my product?
Aramco says you can contact the Supplier Help Desk (supplierhelpdesk@aramco.com) to discuss creating a new 9COM.
Can I get 9COM approval if my product is not on Aramco’s priority list?
Aramco’s supplier FAQs say it currently approves new sources mainly for items on its sourcing priority list, which is updated periodically. Companies with new technologies can still contact Aramco.
Do I need a Saudi representative for 9COM approval?
No. Aramco says a local representative is not required, though one can help communication.
Is each factory approved separately?
Yes. Aramco states that each manufacturing facility must be registered and approved separately.
Can I add more products after approval?
Yes, but each new item goes through the same approval process.
What is a stockist and does it need 9COM approval?
A stockist owns a commercial warehouse holding stock of specified products. Stockists need quality approval under ISO 9001 and Aramco procedure SAEP-347, which covers pipes, fittings, flanges and valves.
Does 9COM approval guarantee orders from Aramco?
No. Approval makes you an approved source that can be invited to bid; orders depend on Aramco’s requirements and your bids.
Does 9COM approval also work for SABIC or Ma’aden?
No. Each company has its own registration and qualification. Aramco’s statuses are not visible to other buyers on SAP Ariba, but the same documents help for SABIC, Ma’aden and SEC.
