DCT Abu Dhabi Procurement Transformation: $100 Million Saved via Ivalua

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced it achieved more than $100 million (AED 400 million) in procurement savings across 2024 and 2025 after a digital overhaul of its procurement function in partnership with Ivalua. The savings were delivered through centralised data, automated workflows and the digitalisation of Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) on an AI-powered, unified platform, a move the department says has accelerated project delivery and strengthened governance.

"Our procurement transformation is not just about efficiency," said Khalifa Ahmed Al Marzooqi, Supply Management Department Director at DCT Abu Dhabi. "It is about creating a visionary operating system that raises standards, embeds fairness, and generates measurable value across government and the national economy."

Operational gains and key metrics

The transformation yielded measurable operational improvements. DCT Abu Dhabi reported:

• 23% reduction in procurement cycle times, moving projects from idea to execution nearly a quarter faster;
• 93% reduction in compliance incidents, falling from more than 150 incidents in 2024 to roughly 10 annually;
• 92% maturity score in an assessment by the Department of Government Enablement (DGE), positioning the organisation as a benchmark for governance and assurance.

DCT Abu Dhabi said the shift has also changed staff roles from "transactional support" to "strategic partners," freeing procurement teams to focus on higher-value activities that directly affect the visitor experience. The department specifically credited Ivalua’s platform with enabling the consolidation of fragmented systems and the automation of previously manual, paper-based processes.

Context: funding redirected into Tourism Strategy 2030 priorities

DCT Abu Dhabi framed the savings as catalytic for the Abu Dhabi Tourism Strategy 2030 rather than as simple budget cuts. The strategy targets increasing annual visitor numbers from 24 million to 39.3 million by 2030, lifting the tourism sector’s GDP contribution to AED 90 billion, and creating 178,000 new jobs in tourism and hospitality. According to the department, the $100 million saved through procurement efficiency will be reinvested into cultural initiatives, destination marketing and infrastructure projects—examples cited include support for culinary investment and heritage preservation.

Dan Amzallag, Chief Operating Officer at Ivalua, said the project demonstrates how technology and process innovation can drive public-sector performance. "The transformation positions DCT Abu Dhabi as a leader in procurement modernization," he stated, adding that a transparent system also embeds "fairness" for suppliers and makes it easier for local and international businesses to work with government.

Outlook

With a declared 92% maturity score and a reduction in compliance incidents to around ten annually, DCT Abu Dhabi is presenting its procurement model as a replicable example for other public organisations seeking to couple digital tools with governance reform. As the emirate implements Tourism Strategy 2030, the department intends to use streamlined procurement to reinvest operational gains directly into projects that boost visitor experience and sector growth, signaling a sustained focus on aligning back-office efficiency with high-profile cultural and tourism ambitions.