EDS for public procurement: which key you need and how to get it

Author — Azat Masaurov. Checked against the law on 19.10.2026.

Which keys the NCA issues to businesses

On pki.gov.kz there are several key templates for legal entities. A supplier usually needs three of them:

• First head («Первый руководитель») — the key of the head listed in the register of legal entities. This is the company's main key.
• Employee with signing rights («Сотрудник с правом подписи») — for an employee trusted to sign documents. Their application is confirmed by the first head in the NCA personal account.
• Organization employee («Сотрудник организации») — a key for an employee without signing rights.

The other templates (for the Treasury-Client system and for information systems) are not needed by suppliers.

Sole proprietors get their key as individuals, in the Individuals section («Физические лица»), issued to their own IIN (individual identification number).

GOST or RSA. According to the NCA, since spring 2024 a single key in the GOST 2015 format is issued: it is used both to log in and to sign. Previously two files were issued: AUTH_RSA for logging in and RSA or GOST for signing. If you have an old-style key that has not yet expired, you can keep using it until the end of its term.

How to get an EDS remotely

The NCA lists four requirements:

• a valid identity card issued in Kazakhstan;
• a phone that receives SMS;
• a webcam on your computer or a phone with a camera;
• the NCALayer software installed.

Because remote issuance requires a Kazakhstan-issued ID, non-resident foreigners should see tparser.kz/en/guides/foreign-suppliers/.

The steps are:

1. On pki.gov.kz open Getting EDS keys («Получение ключей ЭЦП») → Legal entities («Юридические лица») and choose a template.
2. Enter the BIN (business identification number), then the IIN. The data is pulled from government databases.
3. Pass video identification in Digital ID: IIN, phone number, SMS code, then your face to the camera. If there is no camera, the system shows a QR code for your phone.
4. Choose where to store the key. The NCA warns that storing the key on a computer is unsafe; a secure hardware token is better.
5. Write down the application number. Once the application is approved, find it under Check application status («Проверка статуса заявки»), install the key via NCALayer and set a password.

The NCA does not store or recover passwords. If you forget yours, the key has to be revoked and issued again.

If it did not work online: a Public Service Center

After five failed video checks, access is blocked for 15 minutes. You can try again later, or submit an application at pki.gov.kz/poluchenie-con and go to a Public Service Center (CON) to confirm your identity there.

If your data is not in the database of individuals, the NCA refers you to the documentation department of the justice department in your city.

Validity and cost

Since 11 September 2026, new Rules for issuing and revoking EDS certificates have been in force (Order No. 522/НҚ of 28 August 2026). According to published reviews of the Rules, the validity period depends on where the key is stored:

• 3 years — on a secure token, in cloud storage or on an ID card with a chip;
• 1 year — in an ordinary file or in a mobile app.

According to the same sources, issuing and revoking an EDS is free. Check the text of the Rules before applying: adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/V2600039747. You can also call the NCA at 1414.

NCALayer and the crypto socket

NCALayer is the NCA's software that lets your browser work with an EDS: logging in to portals and signing documents. You can download it at ncl.pki.gov.kz/.

The crypto socket («криптосокет») is the public procurement portal's software for submitting price quotations. The portal has warned that from 30 September 2026 submitting price quotations is blocked if the crypto socket version has not been updated. Links to the installer are in the portal's announcement. More on requests for quotations on the new platform: tparser.kz/en/guides/request-for-quotations/.

Registering on the procurement portal

Since 31 August 2026, registration and login to the account go through the new interface of the Unified Procurement Platform: zakup.gov.kz. Everyone creates an account there, including those already registered on goszakup.gov.kz. The organization is not registered again: roles, rights and participation history are kept.

Open tenders, auctions and single-source purchases are still held on goszakup.gov.kz, requests for quotations on zakup.gov.kz. You can switch between the portals without logging in again. What to do after registering is described in the guide tparser.kz/en/guides/first-tender/.

Common mistakes

• The key expires on the day of submission. Check the expiry date in advance. You can reissue the key in the NCA personal account; it is better to do this while the old one is still valid.
• The employee has the wrong key. The Organization employee template is issued to an employee without signing rights. If the employee will sign bids, they need an Employee with signing rights key. Check in the account which actions are available to them on the portal before you bid.
• The head's key is with the accountant. The NCA prohibits passing keys and passwords to other people. Employees have their own keys, and rights can be delegated in the NCA account.
• Outdated NCALayer or crypto socket. The key is fine, but you cannot sign or submit a quotation. Update both programs in advance.
• Registering on the last day. Getting the key, installing the software and logging in to zakup.gov.kz for the first time all take time. Go through this before you find the purchase you want.

How not to miss relevant tenders

Once your EDS is ready, what remains is finding purchases in time. The Telegram bot @parsertenderkz_bot collects tenders from 29 platforms in Kazakhstan and sends the relevant ones right after publication, with a filter by sector, region and amount. The bot has an English interface. The first days are free: t.me/parsertenderkz_bot?start=ad_siteen.