Azure managed services provider sought by south african weather service (12-Month contract)

Enquiries: SCM Acquisition Department, South African Weather Service. Email: [email protected]. Submission email: [email protected].

Submit bids electronically to [email protected] by 30/04/2026 at 11h00. Late submissions are rejected. Use official forms (Annexure A, G, etc.)—do not re-type. Initial all bid pages. Incomplete submissions (e.g., missing Pricing Schedule Annexure G or SBD forms) are disqualified. SAWS reserves the right to reject bids for non-compliance, incomplete documentation, or market-related pricing. Bids become SAWS property and are not returned. Bid preparation costs are non-reimbursable. Subcontracting requires proof of agreement (e.g., subcontracting agreement). Joint ventures must submit a signed teaming agreement.

Evaluation follows a 4-phase process: 1) SCM Compliance: Verify completeness/correctness of documentation (CSD registration, SBD forms, tax compliance, B-BBEE certificate/affidavit). 2) Mandatory Requirements: Bidder must be a Microsoft Partner and provide proof of AZ-104 and AZ-700 certifications (one resource with both or two resources with one each). Non-compliance disqualifies the bid. 3) Functional Evaluation: Criteria include experience of key personnel (Project Manager and Azure Specialist, max 20 points each), team qualifications (additional certifications like AZ-500 or AZ-400, max 20 points), and contactable references (5+ letters = 40 points, 3-4 = 35, 1-2 = 15). 4) Price and Specific Goals: 80/20 preference point system (80 points for price, 20 for B-BBEE). Price scored using formula: Ps = 80(1 - (Pt-Pmin)/Pmin). B-BBEE points allocated per level (Level 1 = 20, Level 8 = 2, Non-compliant = 0).

Scope: Provide Azure Managed Services for 12 months. Key services: 1) Assessment and remediation of current environment. 2) Configuration and management of Microsoft Azure environment. 3) Provisioning of workloads as per SAWS requirements. 4) Infrastructure as a Service (daily governance). 5) Backups. 6) Networking. 7) Security (encryption, firewalls, identity/access management, threat detection). 8) Support and troubleshooting. 9) Monitoring and reporting (24/7/365 visibility). 10) Cost optimization. 11) Consumption reporting. Deliverables: Assessment/remediation plan, provisioned workloads, backup services, Iaas management, risk mitigation strategies, monitoring/maintenance reports, support, optimization/cost management, security/compliance measures, consultancy/advisory, dedicated resource for development/support, skills transfer to SAWS staff, and assigned project manager. Must ensure compliance with regulations, optimal performance, and disaster recovery objectives.

Pricing must be in ZAR, inclusive of VAT. Submit a ceiling price for the total 12-month project in Annexure G (Pricing Schedule). Provide a cost breakdown of the ceiling price. Indicate if rates are firm for the full period; if not, specify adjustment basis (e.g., CPI). Payment terms: 30 days from receipt of invoice. SAWS may request latest audited financial statements to verify bidder stability. Failure to provide may result in rejection.

1. CSD Registration: Must be registered on the Central Supplier Database (CSD) of National Treasury; provide CSD number. 2) Tax Compliance: Submit SARS Tax Compliance Status (TCS) PIN or certificate (apply via www.sars.gov.za). If no TCS PIN, provide CSD number. Foreign suppliers must complete Annexure A questionnaire if no SA tax obligations. 3) B-BBEE: Submit valid B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit (for EMEs/QSEs) to claim preference points (Level 1 = 20, Level 8 = 2, Non-compliant = 0). 4) Mandatory Certifications: Bidder must be a Microsoft Partner. Provide copies of resource certifications (AZ-104 Azure Administrator Associate and AZ-700 Azure Network Engineer Associate). 5) Disqualification Risks: Non-compliance with CSD, tax, or B-BBEE; incomplete/missing documents (SBD forms, pricing schedule); state employees or entities with state-employed directors/members; proven corrupt/fraudulent acts; or failure to provide requested financial statements. 6) Additional: No bids from persons/entities listed in the Register for Tender Defaulters or Restricted Suppliers.