This study investigates the influence of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) guidelines on the tender process of consultancy services in Indonesia, specifically for foreign loan-financed projects. It investigates the differences between Indonesia’s national regulations, laid out in Presidential Decrees, and lender-specific guidelines, which are mandatory when external funding is used. This qualitative research applied interviews with actors holding decision-making authority within the procurement process. The data were examined through a thematic analysis using NVivo 12 software. Two significant differences between the SFD guidelines and Indonesia’s national regulations were established. First, a manual process is stipulated by SFD guidelines, yet an electronic platform is preferred by Indonesia’s regulations, which triggers extensive delays. Second, obtaining a No Objection Letter (NOL) from a lender for every phase of the tender process is a time-consuming demand that creates bottlenecks situation and prolongs the process. The research emphasizes that critical issues arise when balancing such differing sets of regulations, which are counterproductive for a smooth and timely process. Thus, harmonized national and lender-specific regulations are needed to minimize delays and accelerate a smooth process of service procurements.