1. INTRODUCTION

Norwegian defence procurement includes the purchasing of equipment, goods, services and buildings as well as various construction projects to the annual value of some NOK 14 billion. About NOK 6 billion is invested in new equipment, a further NOK 6 billion is allocated to the purchase of goods and services related to the running of the Armed Services while about NOK 2 billion is expended on building maintenance and new construction projects. Procurement covers everything from small local purchases of office supplies to multi-million dollar contracts for ships, aircraft and weapon systems as well as a range of major building and construction projects.

Even though most defence contracts are placed with Norwegian suppliers, a substantial amount of defence procurement involves foreign defence contractors. Norway does not have the necessary resources to maintain a national defence industry capable of meeting all its defence requirements.

This publication seeks to explain various aspects of the Norwegian defence procurement system. It describes procurement policy, organisation, procedures and regulations as well as the guidelines laid down by the Ministry of Defence for offset agreements with foreign suppliers. Also included are details of the various bodies that can be contacted for further information or for assistance in making contact with the Norwegian defence industry.

The Ministry of Defence intends to publish updated versions of this guide on a regular basis and will therefore welcome comments both on content and format. Additional copies of this guide can be obtained from: