beginner45 minutes
Company Profile Setup Tutorial
Complete guide to setting up your company profile on Tenders-SA
Overview
A complete and professional company profile is essential for successful tender applications. This tutorial will guide you through setting up your company profile on Tenders-SA to maximize your chances of winning tenders.
What You'll Learn
How to complete your company registration details, setting up business information and contact details, configuring industry classifications and specializations, adding company credentials and certifications, setting up user roles and permissions, and optimizing your profile for tender searches.
Tutorial 1: Basic Company Information
Step 1: Access Company Profile Setup
Log in to your Tenders-SA account, navigate to 'My Company' from the dashboard, click 'Complete Company Profile', and select 'Start Setup Wizard'.
Step 2: Enter Company Registration Details
Complete all required registration information including company name (as registered with CIPC), registration number, company type, date of incorporation, addresses, tax information (tax reference number, VAT number, PAYE number, UIF number, COIDA number), and contact information (primary contact person, job title, email, phone numbers).
Critical
Ensure all information matches your official CIPC registration documents. Discrepancies can lead to application rejections.
Step 3: Verify Information Accuracy
Use verification checklist: company name spelled exactly as on CK documents, registration number format is correct, all addresses are complete and accurate, contact details are current and monitored, tax numbers are valid and active.
Tutorial 2: Business Classification and Specialization
Step 1: Select Industry Categories
Navigate to 'Business Classification', select primary industry category, choose up to 5 secondary categories, and add specific product/service classifications.
Step 2: Define Your Specializations
Define specializations based on your industry. Examples include: Construction companies (residential building, commercial building, road construction, structural steel, painting & waterproofing), Consulting services (business strategy, financial advisory, HR consulting, IT strategy, market research), Supply & distribution (medical equipment, office furniture, safety equipment, industrial chemicals, food & beverage).
Step 3: Set Geographic Coverage
Define your operational areas: primary provinces (where you have offices/operations), secondary provinces (where you can work with local partnerships), national coverage (indicate if you work nationwide), and international (specify if you work cross-border).
Best Practice
Be specific and accurate about your capabilities. Only select categories you genuinely work in, update specializations as your business grows, be realistic about geographic coverage, and include emerging or niche specializations.
Tutorial 3: Credentials and Certifications
Step 1: Add BBBEE Information
Navigate to 'BBBEE & Transformation', select your BBBEE status (Certificate Level 1-8, Exempted Micro Enterprise, Qualifying Small Enterprise, or Affidavit for EMEs), upload your BBBEE certificate or affidavit, and enter expiry date and verification details.
Step 2: Professional Registrations
Add relevant professional registrations including: Construction & Engineering (CIDB Registration, ECSA Registration, SACPCMP Registration, NHBRC Registration, SAFCEC Membership), Financial Services (SAICA Membership, SAIPA Membership, FSB/FSCA Licenses, IRBA Registration), Consulting Services (PMI Membership, IPMZ Membership, SACSSP Registration), and other registrations (SETA Accreditations, SARS Tax Compliance, Department of Labour Compliance, Environmental Compliance).
Step 3: Industry Certifications
Add quality and compliance certifications: ISO Certifications (9001, 14001, 45001, 27001), Safety Certifications (OHSAS 18001, construction safety), Quality Certifications (industry-specific standards), and Environmental certifications (green certifications, sustainability).
Step 4: Awards and Recognition
Include relevant awards and recognition: industry awards, excellence certificates, customer recognition, professional achievements, and innovation awards.
Pro Tip
Keep certificates current and upload new versions before they expire. Outdated certifications can negatively impact your applications.
Tutorial 4: Financial Information and Capacity
Step 1: Financial Statements
Navigate to 'Financial Information', upload audited financial statements (last 3 years), and enter key financial figures: annual turnover, asset value, equity/net worth, and working capital.
Step 2: Banking Details
Provide banking information: bank name and branch, account type and number, branch code, and banking reference contact.
Step 3: Insurance Information
Add insurance coverage details including general business insurance (public liability, professional indemnity, employers liability, motor vehicle, asset/property), construction specific insurance (contractors all risk, plant & equipment, performance guarantees, advance payment guarantees), professional services insurance (professional indemnity, cyber liability, directors & officers, fidelity guarantee), with minimum coverage requirements: Public Liability R5 million minimum, Professional Indemnity R2 million minimum, Employers Liability R10 million minimum.
Step 4: Capacity and Resources
Detail your operational capacity: number of employees, key personnel and qualifications, equipment and facilities, geographic reach, and project completion capacity.
Tutorial 5: Team and Personnel
Step 1: Key Personnel Profiles
Navigate to 'Our Team' and add profiles for directors/owners, senior management, technical specialists, and project managers.
Step 2: Personnel Qualifications
For each key person, include personal details (full name, job title, years with company, years of experience, areas of expertise), qualifications (academic qualifications, professional registrations, industry certifications, training courses, continuing education), experience (previous employment, key projects completed, industry experience, geographic experience, specialized skills), and contact details (email, phone, LinkedIn profile, professional memberships).
Step 3: Organizational Structure
Upload organizational chart showing reporting relationships, functional responsibilities, decision-making authority, and communication channels.
Tutorial 6: Branding and Marketing
Step 1: Company Logo and Branding
Navigate to 'Company Branding', upload company logo (high resolution), add company tagline or slogan, and upload relevant images: office/facility photos, project photos, team photos, and equipment photos.
Step 2: Company Description
Write compelling company descriptions including: company overview (50-100 words covering years in business, primary services/products, geographic coverage, key differentiators), mission statement (25-50 words), vision statement (25-50 words), core values (5-10 values), services description (100-200 words), and competitive advantages (50-100 words).
Step 3: References and Case Studies
Add client references and project case studies: client contact information, project descriptions, contract values, completion dates, and key achievements.
Tutorial 7: Settings and Preferences
Step 1: Notification Preferences
Navigate to 'Settings & Preferences' and set email notification preferences (new tender alerts, application reminders, deadline notifications, system updates), choose notification frequency, and select preferred communication channels.
Step 2: Privacy and Visibility Settings
Control your profile visibility: public profile visibility, document sharing preferences, contact information visibility, and marketing communication preferences.
Step 3: User Roles and Permissions
Set up team access with defined roles: Administrator (full system access, user management, company profile editing, all application permissions, financial information access), Application Manager (create and submit applications, document management, tender search and alerts, limited profile editing, cannot access financial data), Document Manager (upload and manage documents, document categorization, version control, cannot submit applications, cannot view financial data), Viewer (read-only access to view tenders and applications, read company profile, cannot edit or submit, cannot access documents or financial data).
Tutorial 8: Profile Optimization
Step 1: Completeness Check
Use profile completeness tool: navigate to 'Profile Dashboard', check completeness percentage, review missing information alerts, prioritize completing critical sections, and set target completion date.
Step 2: Keyword Optimization
Improve search visibility by including relevant industry keywords, using specific service descriptions, adding geographic coverage terms, including certification keywords, and updating regularly.
Step 3: Profile Verification
Get your profile verified: submit verification request, upload supporting documents, complete verification checklist, respond to verification queries, and display verification badge.
Verification Benefits
Verified profiles receive higher visibility in search results and are trusted more by procurement officials.
Best Practices for Company Profiles
Regular Maintenance
Keep your profile current and accurate: update contact information immediately when it changes, upload new certificates before old ones expire, add new services and capabilities as they develop, refresh project photos and case studies regularly, and monitor and respond to profile views and inquiries.
Professional Presentation
Use high-quality images and logos, write clear professional descriptions, ensure all information is consistent, proofread all content carefully, and maintain professional tone throughout.
Compliance and Accuracy
Ensure all information is truthful and accurate, keep certifications and registrations current, comply with all platform terms and conditions, respect privacy and confidentiality requirements, and update financial information annually.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Issue: Profile Not Showing in Searches
Solutions: Complete all required profile sections, add relevant keywords to descriptions, verify industry classifications are correct, check privacy settings aren't blocking visibility, and contact support if issues persist.
Issue: Document Upload Failures
Solutions: Check file formats (PDF preferred), verify file sizes are under limits, ensure documents are properly scanned, try different browsers if needed, and clear browser cache and cookies.
Issue: Verification Rejected
Solutions: Review rejection reasons carefully, provide additional supporting documents, ensure all information matches official records, update any incorrect information, and resubmit verification request.
Next Steps
Now that your company profile is complete: review your profile regularly for accuracy, update information as your business grows, monitor profile performance and visibility, respond promptly to inquiries, and build your reputation through successful projects.
Related Documentation
Account Setup Guide, Document Management Tutorial, Application Process Tutorial, Profile Optimization Guide
Help and Support
For profile setup assistance: browse our comprehensive documentation guides, contact support team at support@tenders-sa.org, use our professional profile review service, attend our monthly training workshops, and connect with other businesses in our community forum.