Professional employee wellness services (ews) for the national research foundation (nrf) – 5-Year contract

SCM enquiries: Sindisiwe Ntuli ([email protected]). Technical enquiries: Sino Simpson ([email protected]). Submission address: [email protected].

Submit bids electronically to [email protected] by the closing date and time. Maximum email size: 20MB. Use the official bid forms provided (do not re-type). Late bids will not be accepted. The two-envelope system applies: technical and price proposals must be submitted separately in a single outer envelope. Minor deviations may lead to disqualification. Major deviations (e.g., missing mandatory documents, scope/quality changes, or unfair competition) will disqualify the bid. The NRF will acknowledge receipt post-closure and publish bidder names on its website. Bids must include all returnable documents listed in the checklist (e.g., SBD 1, SBD 4, SBD 6.1, SBD 8, SBD 9, B-BBEE certificate/sworn affidavit, references, and proof of national footprint). Failure to comply with submission requirements may invalidate the bid.

Evaluation occurs in 5 stages: (1) Compliance to submission requirements (mandatory documents, no major deviations). (2) Technical evaluation against specifications (Stage 2A: written responses; Stage 2B: due diligence interviews/proof of concept if needed; Stage 2C: reference checks). Bidders must meet the minimum technical threshold to proceed. (3) Price/Preference evaluation: Lowest-priced bid receives max points (80 or 90). Preference points (B-BBEE) are added to the price score for final ranking. (4) Tax compliance check (7 working days to rectify non-compliance). (5) Award to the highest combined scorer. Price adjustments may be negotiated if outside fair market range. Collusion, fraud, or fronting will disqualify the bidder.

Scope: Provide Employee Wellness Services (EWS) for 5 years, including an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), to ~1,500 NRF employees across 7 provinces. Service provider must have a minimum of 5 years’ EWS experience and a national footprint (affiliates in all provinces). Key deliverables: (1) Psychosocial and Clinical Services: 24/7/365 multilingual (4+ languages) call center (phone, email, WhatsApp, SMS callback) staffed by psychologists, counselors, and social workers. Support areas include marital/family issues, workplace violence, trauma, substance abuse, financial/legal problems, stress management, and crisis intervention. (2) Face-to-face counseling: Up to 6 sessions per incident/year per employee, with a network of qualified professionals. (3) Managerial support: Unlimited telephonic consultations, conflict mediation, and training (e.g., change management, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution). (4) Trauma/Crisis Management: Counseling within 72 hours of incidents; Critical Incident Stress Debriefing. (5) Life Management Services: 24/7 advice on social, financial, and family matters (e.g., debt, legal contracts, divorce). (6) Financial counseling: Debt rehabilitation, garnishee order advice, and financial wellbeing programs. (7) Onsite counseling: Monthly at main branches; ad-hoc for remote sites. (8) Organisational Health: Wellness days/events with HRAs (blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, BMI, HIV/TB screening), executive wellness programs (45 senior managers/year), and quarterly health/wellness training. (9) Wellness coaching: 2 sessions/year for ~400 middle managers. (10) Incapacity/Absenteeism Management: Medical evaluations, functional capacity assessments, and occupational health practitioner support. (11) Bereavement/Hospital Support: Flowers/fruit baskets for hospitalizations (>3 days) or deaths (employee/immediate family). (12) Service Management: Dedicated Client Relationship Manager (CRM), marketing materials (wallet cards, posters), orientation sessions, monthly/quarterly/annual reports (aggregated, unidentified data), and employee wellness surveys.

Pricing must be submitted in South African Rands (ZAR), inclusive of VAT, income tax, UIF, and SDL. Use SBD 3 (pricing schedule) and SBD 3.2 (detailed pricing). Pricing is firm for the contract duration, except for adjustments due to: (a) increased employee numbers, (b) changes in regulated consultant hours. Price adjustments are shared equally between NRF and the provider. Contract ceiling price includes firm and estimated quantities. NRF pays only for verified delivered quantities per purchase order. Travel costs and disbursements are covered per NRF Travel Policy. Payment terms: Invoices are paid upon verification of delivery. Detailed cost breakdowns (e.g., bill of quantities) are optional. Preference points (B-BBEE) are added to the price score using SBD 6.1.

Mandatory: (1) Fully completed and signed SBD forms (SBD 1, SBD 4, SBD 6.1, SBD 8, SBD 9). (2) Tax Compliance: Submit SARS TCS PIN or CSD registration number. Foreign bidders must complete the tax questionnaire (SBD 1) and may require a SARS Confirmation of Tax Obligations letter. (3) B-BBEE: Minimum Level 3 status. Submit a valid B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit (for EMEs/QSEs). (4) Central Supplier Database (CSD) registration: Include Master Registration Number. (5) Professional Accreditation: Recognised by COHSASA, EAPASA, HPCSA, SACSSP, or Department of Health. Submit certified copies of valid certificates. (6) Experience: 5 years in EWS; 3 contactable references for similar projects (clients with >1,500 employees) in the past 5 years. (7) National Footprint: Proof of affiliates in all provinces (list per province). (8) Call Center Capacity: Physical address, pictures/brochures, and telephone numbers. (9) No bids from state employees or entities with state-employed directors/members. (10) Occupational Health and Safety: Valid Letter of Good Standing (COID Act), registration with Compensation Commissioner, and Section 37.2 agreement (OHS Act).