Consulting opportunity: develop management plans for five protected areas in addo-amathole biodiversity node

Bid document enquiries: Ms. Unathi Zinganto, Email: [email protected], Phone: 043 492 0871. Technical enquiries: Mr. Malaika Koali, Email: [email protected], Phone: 043 492 0680. Submission address: ECPTA Offices, 17-25 Oxford Street, Corner of Fleet and Oxford Street, East London CBD, East London, 5200 or P.O. Box 11235, Southernwood, East London, 5213. Fraud/Corruption reporting: Hotline: 0800 611 085, SMS: 33490, Email: [email protected], Website: www.whistleblowing.co.za.

Submit sealed bid documents in a marked envelope with the bidder’s name and bid number (E/01/26/27) to: (1) Physical deposit: Tender Box at ECPTA Offices, 17-25 Oxford Street, Corner of Fleet and Oxford Street, East London CBD, East London, 5200; or (2) Post to: The Chief Executive Officer, P.O. Box 11235, Southernwood, East London, 5213. Deadline: 11h00 on 23 June 2026. Late, incomplete, unsigned, or electronically submitted bids will be rejected. Mandatory returnable documents: EOI Notice, Invitation to Bid (SBD 1), Terms of Reference, Company Profile (with Company Experience and Team Composition), Bidders Disclosure (SBD 4), Anti-Fraud & Corruption form, Authority of Signatory, Joint Venture Form (if applicable). Failure to submit all required documents or demonstrate both company experience and team capability will result in immediate disqualification. Bids must be valid for 90 days. ECPTA has zero tolerance for fraud and corruption; report suspicions to Hotline: 0800 611 085, SMS: 33490, Email: [email protected], or Website: www.whistleblowing.co.za.

Phase 1 (EOI) evaluation: Shortlisting based on (1) Company Experience: Must have developed 5 protected area management plans for declared or proposed protected areas in at least 3 projects in South Africa in the last 7 years. Proof required via appointment letter and reference letter (on company letterhead) or appointment letter and reference form in the bid document. (2) Team Composition/Capacity: Must submit evidence of team composition and capabilities (organogram with roles, responsibilities, experience, and qualifications). CVs of key experts are not evaluated at this stage. Disqualification triggers: Failure to submit company profile demonstrating both experience and team capability; late, incomplete, unsigned, or electronically submitted bids; non-compliance with tax/CSD requirements; evidence of fraud, corruption, or conflicts of interest; bids from state employees or entities without approval; joint ventures without signed business agreements; bids from service providers with <70% completion on existing ECPTA contracts. Selection method: Cost-Quality Selection as per World Bank Procurement Regulations (November 2020).

Scope: Develop and draft 5 Protected Area Management Plans (PAMPs) and 5 Annual Operational Plans (AOPs) for candidate sites within the Addo-Amathole Biodiversity Node, in compliance with the National Environmental Management Protected Areas Act (Act 57 of 2003). Sites: Amandlambe (823ha, communal land), Yandella (1337ha, CPA-owned), Lower Blinkwater (3009ha, CPA-owned), UMthontsi (2500ha, CPA-owned), Collywobbles (242ha, communal land). Key deliverables: (1) Property descriptions with shapefiles aligned to cadastral boundaries. (2) Draft and finalize PAMPs and AOPs in consultation with landowners (communities) and stakeholders (e.g., traditional leaders, municipalities, conservation authorities). Maximum 3 meetings/workshops per site. (3) Stakeholder engagement reports (methods, local language use, notifications, minutes, audio recordings). (4) Project close-out report with all documentation per site. (5) Submit all deliverables (hard and electronic copies) including USB drive with records. Competencies required: Conservation planning/biodiversity management expertise, PAMPs development experience, knowledge of SA Protected Areas Expansion, policy/legal frameworks, facilitation skills, GIS/spatial information proficiency, social/ecological skills, conceptual/communication/writing abilities, Eastern Cape landscape knowledge, fluency in isiXhosa and English. Reporting: Day-to-day to Biodiversity Stewardship Facilitator; accountability to ECPTA Stewardship Manager: Biodiversity and Conservation. All reports in MS Office (Word/Excel); final PAMPs/AOPs in Word and PDF. Copyright retained by ECPTA. Contract duration: 10 months.

No pricing required at EOI stage. Bids must remain valid for 90 days. Successful bidder will sign a Service Level Agreement (SLA). Payment terms and invoicing schedule to be agreed post-award. Contract duration: 10 months (01 August 2026 – 30 June 2027).

Mandatory compliance: (1) Registration on National Treasury Central Supplier Database (CSD) – provide CSD number. (2) Tax Compliance: Submit SARS Tax Compliance Status (TCS) PIN or printed TCS certificate. If no TCS PIN, provide CSD number. For consortia/joint ventures, each party must submit separate TCS PIN/CSD number. (3) Anti-Fraud & Corruption: Submit completed SBD 4 (Bidder’s Disclosure) form. Bidders listed in Register for Tender Defaulters or List of Restricted Suppliers are automatically disqualified. (4) No bids accepted from persons in the service of the state, or companies with directors/members in state service, unless approved by Accounting Officer/Authority (proof required). (5) Joint ventures must submit a signed business agreement; failure results in disqualification. (6) All bid documents must be fully completed and signed; incomplete/unsigned bids are disqualified. (7) Service providers with <70% completion on existing ECPTA contracts at bid closure are disqualified. (8) World Bank Procurement Regulations (November 2020) apply, including Fraud and Corruption clauses. Bidders must permit Bank inspections/audits of all accounts, records, and documents related to procurement and contract execution.