Security Tenders: Surviving the PSIRA Site Inspection

The Paperwork is Only the Beginning

In the security industry, submitting a compliant tender document is merely the 'ticket to the game'. The real adjudication happens during the Site Inspection. Security tenders are unique because government officials will physically visit your premises to verify your claims. If your office is a 'briefcase business' operating from a car boot or a shared workspace without a compliant control room, you will be disqualified immediately, regardless of your price.

The Control Room: The Heart of Compliance

The most common failure point is the Control Room. PSIRA regulations are specific. You cannot simply have a guard with a mobile phone sitting at a desk.

Critical Requirements

• Physical Structure: It must be a secure, lockable room, separate from the general reception area.
• Communication Infrastructure: You need a dedicated landline (not just a cell) and a fully functional Base Radio station linked to your deployed guards.
• The Occurrence Book (OB): This is a legal document. Inspectors will check if it is being filled in hourly. A blank OB suggests you are not actually monitoring sites.
• operator Grading: The person in the chair must be PSIRA registered, typically at Grade C or above.

Firearm Compliance: The High-Risk Zone

If you are bidding for 'Armed Response' or 'Armed Guarding', the scrutiny intensifies. The Firearms Control Act is strictly enforced.

The Firearm Safe Inspection

Inspectors will ask to see your safe room. They check:

1. SABS Compliance: The safe must meet SABS standards (Type B/2 or higher).
2. Fixing: It must be rawl-bolted into the floor or wall. If they can shake it loose, you fail.
3. Key Control: Who has the key? It must be a 'Responsible Person' appointed in writing.
4. The Register: Every gun taken out must be signed for. If a gun is missing from the safe and there is no signature in the book, that is a criminal offense.

The 'Provident Fund' Killer Clause

More security tenders are lost on this clause than any other. The Sectoral Determination requires all employers to contribute to the Private Security Sector Provident Fund (PSSPF).

Tenders now demand a 'Compliance Letter' from the PSSPF. If you are in arrears with your contributions—even by one month—you cannot get this letter. Without it, your bid is 'Non-Responsive'. You cannot fix this after the bid closes.

Uniforms and Vehicles

Inspectors will ask to see your uniform store. If you claimed to have 50 guards but you only have 5 shirts in stock, they will deduce you are lying on your capacity.

Furthermore, your uniforms must be Registered with PSIRA. You cannot just buy blue shirts from a retailer. Your badges and insignia must be unique and approved to ensure they don't resemble police or military uniforms.

Conclusion

Security is a grudge purchase for government, but liability is their fear. They choose providers who can demonstrate 'Command and Control'. Your office set-up needs to look like a military operation, not a casual business. Invest in your control room before you buy your next luxury car.