Transaction advisor: richards bay dry bulk terminal PPP

Non-compulsory briefing: 26 October 2026 at 10:00 via Microsoft Teams.

Clarification requests close: 30 October 2026 at 16:30 Johannesburg time.

OneDrive link request closes: 29 October 2026 at 23:55 (Telkom Time).

Bid closing: 04 November 2026 at 23:55 (Telkom Time).

Enquiries

• Department: DBSA Supply Chain Management Unit
• Email: [email protected]
• Telephone: no telephonic questions are answered

Complaints

• Email: [email protected]

Submission

• Method: electronic via OneDrive link requested by email
• Physical submission: not accepted; no physical bids at DBSA offices

Submission channel: electronic only via a OneDrive link. Bidders must request the link by email; the request closes at 23:55 on 29 October 2026 (Telkom Time). Faxed and emailed bids are not accepted.

Folder structure: Folder 1 for Pre-Qualifying Criteria and Functional Evaluation; Folder 2 for Price/Financial Proposal. All bids must be submitted on the official forms provided and must not be re-typed.

Clarification requests: email only to [email protected], quoting the RFP number in the subject line. Requests are accepted up to and including 30 October 2026 at 16:30 Johannesburg time.

Returnable forms:

• SBD 4 (Declaration of Interest): discloses whether any director or shareholder is employed by the state or connected to the institution.
• SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim): claims B-BBEE preference points.
• Annexure A: Price Proposal Requirement.
• Annexure B: CV template for key personnel.
• Annexure C: SBD 6.1 and B-BBEE status level certificate.
• Annexure F: Certified CIPC company registration documents listing all members with percentages.
• Annexure G: Certified latest share certificates for companies.
• Annexure H: Breakdown of fees and work between consortium members, if applicable.
• Annexure I: Supporting documents for pre-qualifying and functional evaluation responses.
• Annexure J: General Condition of Contract.
• Annexure K: CSD Tax Compliance Status and Registration Requirements Report.

Disqualification risks: late bids, missing compulsory documents, failure to submit the two-folder tender, incomplete or unsigned returnable documents, and failure to respond to clarification requests within the stated timeframes.

Stage 1 – Administrative responsiveness (pre-qualifying criteria):

• Two-folder tender submission: mandatory.
• Responses to clarification requests within 48 hours: mandatory.
• Returnable documents completed and signed within 48 hours: mandatory.
• CSD Summary Report within 7 working days: mandatory.
• SARS Tax Pin within 7 working days: mandatory.

Stage 2 – Functional evaluation:

• Scored out of 100 points.
• Minimum qualifying score: 70/100.
• Minimum points must be achieved in each key personnel category; failure in any category disqualifies the bid.
• Project Director: experience and project evidence, 3 to 5 points.
• Technical Expert: experience and project evidence, 3 to 5 points.
• Financial Expert: experience and project evidence, 3 to 5 points.
• Economic Expert: experience and project evidence, 2 to 4 points.
• Legal and Regulatory Expert: experience and project evidence, 3 to 5 points.
• ESG Expert: experience and project evidence, 2 to 4 points.
• Methodology: 25 to 28 points.
• Company profile: 15 to 20 points, based on transport PPP projects over R500 million.

Stage 3 – Price evaluation under PPPFA regulations.

Stage 4 – Preferential points under the PPPFA 80/20 or 90/10 system.

Only bidders passing Stage 1 and scoring 70 points or higher in Stage 2 proceed to price evaluation. The preferred bidder is the lowest overall price unless DBSA cancels the RFP.

Scope: transaction advisor for the Richards Bay Dry Bulk Terminal Project.

Deliverables:

• Conduct a legal and regulatory feasibility study.
• Review and update existing feasibility studies.
• Prepare procurement documents for the private sector partner.
• Support commercial and financial close activities.

Required key personnel:

• Project Director
• Technical Expert
• Financial Expert
• Legal and Regulatory Expert
• Economic Expert
• ESG Expert

Technical support team: engineers (rail, ports, maritime, structural, mechanical, electrical), environmental specialist, and stakeholder management specialist.

Methodology must include: detailed work plan or Gantt chart, organogram showing all lead experts, and team support structure covering transport infrastructure planning, demand modelling, design, structuring, procurement, negotiation, CBA, and stakeholder management.

Methodology scoring: 25 to 28 points (Excellent 28, Good 25, Average 15, Poor 5, Non-responsive 0).

Required content:

• Demonstrate thorough understanding of the Terms of Reference and experience with transport (ports and rail) PPP feasibility studies, design, and financing.
• Innovative design of the approach to feasibility study, structuring, contracting, and procurement options.
• International PPP experience.
• Detailed work plan, i.e. Gantt chart (Level 3) with timeframes.
• Organogram showing all lead experts: project director, financial modeller, legal and regulatory, engineers, and environmental specialist.
• Team support: transport infrastructure planning, demand modelling, design, structuring, procurement, negotiation, CBA expert, stakeholder management specialist, and trainees.

Key personnel qualifications:

• Project Director: postgraduate degree (NQF 8 or above) in engineering, project management, law, finance, or economics; over 15 years' experience in large transport infrastructure feasibility studies or PPP implementation (R500 million or more) scores 5 points.
• Technical Expert: postgraduate degree (NQF 8 or above) in civil, rail, ports, maritime, mechanical, electrical, or similar; registered Professional Engineer or Technologist; over 15 years' experience in large PPP transport projects scores 5 points.
• Financial Expert: postgraduate degree (NQF 8 or above) in Commerce, Actuarial Science, Econometrics, Mathematics, or statistics; 15 or more years' experience in financial modelling for infrastructure projects scores 5 points.
• Legal Expert: law degree, registered with the Legal Practice Council or Bar Council, admitted attorney or advocate; over 15 years' experience scores 5 points.
• Economic Expert: degree in econometrics, finance, actuarial science, or mathematics; over 15 years' experience in cost benefit analysis scores 4 points.
• ESG Expert: postgraduate degree (NQF 8 or above) in Environmental Studies, Social Sciences, or equivalent; registered Professional Natural Scientist; over 15 years' post-registration experience scores 4 points.

Project evidence: only projects over R500 million are considered; bidders must indicate financial ranges or the project scores zero.

Company profile: at least 5 projects including 4 PPP projects with references scores 20 points; 3 projects including 2 PPP projects scores 15 points; 1 project including 1 PPP project scores 5 points; no PPP projects scores 0 points.

RFP accuracy: DBSA makes no representations or warranties that the RFP content is accurate, current, or complete, and accepts no liability for inaccuracies.

Discrepancies: bidders must promptly notify DBSA in writing of any discrepancy, ambiguity, error, or inconsistency.

Corrections: DBSA may correct issues and provide the correction to all bidders without attribution.

Qualifications: international qualifications require a SAQA equivalent; bidders must specify the NQF level and provide proof that the SAQA process was initiated.

Pricing form: Annexure A (Price Proposal Requirement).

Submission: price proposal submitted separately in Folder 2.

Pricing assumptions and preambles to schedule of quantities are referenced in the document but specific rates or bill of quantities are not provided in the extracted text.

Pricing errors: bidders must promptly notify DBSA of any pricing error discovered after submission, excluding clerical errors with no bearing on evaluation.

Bid validity: 120 calendar days from the closing time.

Price proposal: submitted separately in Folder 2.

Pricing form: Annexure A (Price Proposal Requirement).

Pricing errors: bidders must promptly notify DBSA of any pricing error discovered after submission, excluding clerical errors with no bearing on evaluation.

Bid security, bonds, guarantees, retention, and payment terms: not stated in the document.

CSD registration: mandatory for South African bidders; CSD Summary Report required.

Tax compliance: SARS Tax Compliance Status PIN or printed TCS certificate required for South African bidders.

B-bbee:

• EMEs (annual revenue up to R10 million): certificate from a registered independent auditor or accredited verification agency.
• Non-EMEs: original and valid B-BBEE status level verification certificate, certified copy, or sworn affidavit.

CIPC: certified company registration documents listing all members with percentages.

Share certificates: certified latest share certificates for companies.

Forms:

• SBD 4 (Declaration of Interest): discloses state employment or connections.
• SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim): claims B-BBEE preference points.

Foreign suppliers: no SARS TCS required if the bidder has no South African residence, branch, permanent establishment, or income source.

Consortia and joint ventures: each party must submit separate proof of tax compliance; a lead entity must be designated; Annexure H required for the breakdown of fees and work between members.

Annexure K: CSD Tax Compliance Status and Registration Requirements Report.

Risk assessment: DBSA will consider the bidder's history of poor performance regarding safety, health, quality control, or environment, and any serious and gross breach of contract, as part of due diligence on the preferred bidder.

ESG expert requirements: postgraduate degree (NQF 8 or above) in Environmental Studies, Social Sciences, or equivalent, and registration as a Professional Natural Scientist.

Experience: transport sector ESG aspects, environmental impacts, EIAs (especially rail and ports), environmental adaptation and mitigation, compliance framework and processes.

Project evidence: only environmental projects over R500 million are considered; bidders must indicate financial ranges or the project scores zero.

Contract validity: bids remain open for acceptance for 120 calendar days from the closing time.

Governing contract: General Conditions of Contract (GCC) and any special conditions of contract apply.

Confidentiality: all RFP information must be kept confidential and used only for developing a proposal.

Intellectual property: bids become the property of DBSA upon submission; bidders retain ownership of intellectual property in their bids and license DBSA to reproduce the bid for evaluation.

Due diligence: DBSA will conduct due diligence on the preferred bidder, considering judgements, criminal convictions, pending litigation, performance history, reputational harm, restrictions, vetting, and PEP checks.

Award discretion: DBSA may award the scope in full or part, subject to budget availability, and may negotiate to ensure value for money.

Objective criteria: bidders with five active awards and outstanding value may be excluded or included depending on project completion status or stalled projects.

Evaluation stages:

• Stage 1: administrative responsiveness and pre-qualifying criteria, including two-folder submission, 48-hour clarification and document response times, CSD Summary Report within 7 working days, and SARS Tax Pin within 7 working days.
• Stage 2: functional evaluation out of 100 points with a minimum qualifying score of 70/100; minimum points required in each key personnel category.
• Stage 3: price evaluation under PPPFA regulations.
• Stage 4: preferential points under the PPPFA 80/20 or 90/10 system.

Only bids passing Stage 1 and scoring 70 or higher in Stage 2 proceed to price evaluation.