In an organizational move aimed at increasing the efficiency of joint work and enhancing coordination between the concerned authorities, the Riyadh Infrastructure Projects Center A standardized guide to business terminology andInfrastructure Projectsto be a guiding reference that contributes to standardizing the concepts used within the sector and achieving a common understanding of the nature and requirements of the business.
The center explained that the launch of the guide comes as part of its ongoing efforts to organize the business environment for infrastructure projects, by collecting the most commonly used terms in this field, and formulating them with precise and clear definitions that ensure uniformity in their use and systematic application among various government agencies and the private sector.
He stressed that standardizing terminology is a key pillar for improving communication with stakeholders and reducing different interpretations, reflecting positively on the efficiency of planning, implementation and supervision of infrastructure projects in the Riyadh region, and raising the level of coordination between the entities working in the system.
The guide not only standardizes terminology, but also aims to facilitate the understanding of the nature of infrastructure projects, through definitions based on the relevant regulatory frameworks, helping to build a common professional language that supports clarity of procedures and speeds up decision-making.
He pointed out that documenting common terminology contributes to the preservation and transfer of institutional knowledge, and promotes the sustainability of knowledge in a sector that is witnessing rapid development and a significant expansion in the size and diversity of projects.
The Riyadh Infrastructure Projects Center explained that the guide was prepared for clarification and guidance purposes only, and is not considered a binding legal reference, nor does it entail any legal obligations on the center. He also pointed out that the use of the singular form in the terms includes the plural unless the context requires otherwise, to ensure linguistic clarity and ease of use.
The center emphasized its commitment to periodically review the guide and update it as needed, in line with any regulatory or operational developments, to ensure that it keeps pace with developments in the infrastructure sector's laws and regulations.
Examples of terms used in the guide:
The guide includes a set of regulatory and legal terms related to infrastructure projects, most notably “license,” which is a document issued by the center to service providers or contractors in accordance with the executive regulations, authorizing them to start implementing a specific activity.
The guide also includes the “plan license,” which allows the implementation of approved infrastructure projects within the detailed comprehensive plan, as well as the “unplanned license” for emergency and urgent works.
It also includes a definition of “emergency authorization” for maintenance or remediation work that may affect health, safety, environment, or security, and requires immediate intervention to eliminate or prevent damage.
The guide defines an “urgent license” as a document issued to start unplanned work of an urgent nature, as well as a “self-license” which is granted to entities that carry out their work using their own resources within a specific geographical and temporal scope.
It also included definitions related to extending the license before its expiration in case the works are not completed, and renewing the license after its expiration when there is a need to complete the works or perform maintenance or modification at the site.
Permits and violations:
The guide introduces the term “permit” as a document issued to facilities working on infrastructure projects, in addition to the “general maintenance permit”, which allows the assignment of maintenance work within a specific geographical and temporal scope.
He also defined the “competent committee” concerned with examining grievances related to licenses and permits decisions, in addition to clarifying the concept of “violation” whether serious or non-serious, associated with violating the controls or requirements governing the work of infrastructure projects.
