Airfield and inner perimeter vegetation management

Closing date: 17 November 2026 at 12:00

Clarification deadline: 10 November 2026 at 16:00

Compulsory briefing: none (N/A)

Site inspection: none (N/A)

Enquiries (bidding procedure and technical):

• Name: Theo Nkomo
• Role: Buyer
• Email: [email protected]
• Telephone: 011 723 1400

Submission email: [email protected]

ACSA head office address:

Western Precinct, Aviation Park, O.R. Tambo International Airport, 1 Jones Road, Kempton Park, Gauteng, 1632

Postal address:

P O Box 75480, Gardenview, Gauteng, 2047

Submission method: email to [email protected]

• Bids must be submitted on or before 12:00 on 17 November 2026.
• Do not send the submission as one large attachment; split into at least four attachments of 4 MB each.
• Use only the official forms provided; do not retype them.
• Every page of the bid documents must be signed or stamped by the authorised signatory.
• Proof of authority (e.g. company resolution) must accompany the signed bid.
• Bids received after the closing time will not be accepted.
• Changes to a submission after closing are not allowed.
• Bids must remain valid for 120 business days; prices must stay firm during this period.

Returnable documents (mandatory unless noted):

• SBD 1 (Invitation to Bid): signed cover page with bidder and contact details.
• SBD 3.3 (Priced Offer): priced schedule of quantities; failure to price on the prescribed schedule disqualifies the bid.
• Declaration of Interest and Politically Exposed Persons form: discloses any relationship with ACSA employees or PEP/DPIP status.
• SBD 4 (Bidder's Disclosure Form): discloses any state employment and certifies independent bidding.
• SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim Form): claims B-BBEE and specific goal points.
• Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement: signed and returned with the bid.
• BEE certificate and scorecard, or QSE/EME affidavit.
• Verifiable medical certificate or report as proof of disability, if claiming disability preference.
• Tax PIN number (or CSD number if no TCS PIN).
• Certificate of incorporation showing ownership split.
• Central Supplier Database (CSD) report.
• VAT questionnaire.
• ACSA terms and conditions.

Disqualification risks:

• Missing any mandatory returnable document.
• Altering the bid document in any way.
• Contacting any ACSA employee other than the named buyer about this bid.
• Failing to comply with security vetting requirements.

Evaluation stages:

1. Functionality (minimum qualifying score: 75 out of 100)

• Equipment Availability (40 points maximum, minimum 40 points)
• Proof of ownership or lease agreements required for tractors, vehicles, slashers, rake machines and bale machines.
• Scoring: 3 heavy duty tractors (10 years or less) = 10; 1 long base trailer = 10; 2 slashers over 3 m wide (tractor-pulled) = 10; 1 rake machine, 1 bale machine and 3 chain saws = 5; 2 bakkies/trucks (7 years or less) = 5.
• Company Experience (60 points maximum, minimum 20 points)
• Reference letters only, on client letterhead, with contactable details, project description, value and duration.
• Only completed works accepted; ongoing works, purchase orders and letters of award are not evaluated.
• Each qualifying contract must be in grass cutting, vegetation management or tree felling in a live operational or high-traffic environment (e.g. airports, highways) with a contract value over R3 million including VAT.
• Scoring: 0 letters = 0; 1 letter = 20; 2 letters = 40; 3 letters = 60.

2. Price and B-BBEE (only for bidders passing functionality)

• 80/20 preference point system: 80 points for price, 20 points for specific goals.
• Specific goals points: B-BBEE Level 1 = 5, Level 2 = 4.5, Level 3 = 4, Level 4 = 3, Level 5 = 2, Level 6 = 0.5, Level 7 = 0.3, Level 8 = 0.1; black youth majority-owned = 5; black women majority-owned = 5; company majority owned by people with disabilities = 5; non-compliant = 0.

Scope: Provision of airfield and inner perimeter vegetation management at O.R. Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) for a period of six (6) months or until the contract value is depleted, whichever comes first.

Purpose: Maintain vegetation to comply with SACAA and ICAO requirements, ensure safety and security, manage bird and wildlife habitat, and reduce fire and OHS hazards.

Work includes:

• Grass cutting and vegetation management on airfield and airside areas to regulated height and standard.
• Clearing vegetation in the 3 m clearance line on the airfield's inner perimeter fence.
• Tree felling and removal (including stump treatment with herbicide).
• Shrub cutting and removal.
• Weed killing (billed per litre of undiluted product; product must not be harmful to the environment).
• Bush clearing (clearing of overgrown areas with trees shorter than 10 m, shrubs, tall grass and tall weeds).

After cutting, all cut grass must be raked and baled immediately to prevent it blowing onto aprons, taxiways and runways. The contractor must remove and dispose of all cut grass and trees from airside.

Measurement and payment:

• Personnel and vehicle permits: reimbursed at cost with no mark-up.
• Quantities in the Schedule of Quantities are indicative only; no commitment to spend the whole or any amount is implied.
• A contingency amount may be spent at the sole discretion of the service manager, subject to SCM approval.

Equipment and resources (minimum, contractor to supply all equipment, fuel, lubricants, maintenance, labour and supervision):

• 3 heavy duty grass cutting tractors
• 2 trucks/bakkies
• 1 long base trailer
• 4 brush cutters with blades
• 4 brush cutters with strings
• 4 blowing machines
• 1 rake machine (pulled by tractor)
• 2 slashers (pulled by tractor), at least 3 m wide
• 1 baling machine (pulled by tractor)
• 2 weed killing pumps (person carried)
• 3 each of hand rakes, spades and brooms
• Plastic refuse bags and consumables as required per shift
• Weed killing herbicides as required per shift
• Chain saw as required per shift

All vehicles and equipment requiring airside permits must comply with requirements (e.g. maximum age, markings, transponders, insurance).

Minimum human resources per shift:

• Dayshift: 1 supervisor, 4 drivers/operators, 10 general workers.
• Nightshift: 1 supervisor, 3 drivers/operators, 5 general workers.

Company experience is evaluated under functionality (60 points maximum).

Reference letters must be from completed works in grass cutting, vegetation management or tree felling in a live operational or high-traffic environment (e.g. airports, highways), each with a contract value over R3 million including VAT.

Reference letters must be on client letterhead, with contactable details, project description, value and duration. Purchase orders and letters of award are not accepted.

No specific key personnel qualifications are stated beyond the minimum staffing levels per shift.

Grass cutting and vegetation management must be done to the regulated height and standard to comply with SACAA and ICAO requirements.

After cutting, all cut grass must be raked and baled immediately to prevent it blowing onto aprons, taxiways and runways.

Weed killing product must not be harmful to the environment.

No specific quality certifications (e.g. ISO) are stated.

Pricing must be submitted on the prescribed pricing schedule (SBD 3.3). Failure to do so disqualifies the bid.

The schedule of quantities includes items for grass cutting (per hectare), weed killing (per litre of undiluted product), tree felling (per tree, less than 300 mm and more than 300 mm), bush clearing (per day), and provision for personnel and vehicle permits (at cost, no mark-up).

Quantities are indicative only; no commitment to spend the whole or any amount is implied.

Disbursements are reimbursed at actual cost with proof of expenses.

Pricing format: Bidders must price strictly in accordance with the pricing schedule (SBD 3.3). Failure to submit a priced offer using the prescribed schedule will lead to disqualification.

Reimbursement: Disbursements will be reimbursed at actual cost; the successful bidder must provide proof of expenses (e.g. certified invoices).

Validity: Prices must remain firm and valid for 120 business days from bid closing.

No bid security, bonds, guarantees or retention are stated in the document.

Tax compliance:

• Bidders must be tax compliant and submit their SARS Tax Compliance Status (TCS) PIN.
• Alternatively, a printed TCS certificate may be submitted with the bid.
• If no TCS PIN is available, a CSD number must be provided.
• In consortia, joint ventures or subcontracting arrangements, each party must submit a separate TCS certificate/PIN/CSD number.
• ACSA will not award to a bidder whose tax affairs are not in order.

CSD registration: A Central Supplier Database (CSD) report is a mandatory returnable document.

B-bbee:

• B-BBEE certificate and scorecard, or QSE/EME affidavit, required to claim preference points.
• Preference points for B-BBEE status levels as per the 80/20 system (see evaluation criteria).

Security vetting:

• ACSA is a National Key Point; bidders may be subject to security vetting. ACSA will not contract with a bidder that does not comply with vetting requirements.

Other:

• Certificate of incorporation showing ownership split is mandatory.
• No CIDB grading is required for this tender.

The contractor must comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Construction Regulations 2014.

A health and safety file must be submitted and approved by the client. All checklists and templates for the safety file will be provided to the contractor.

Vegetation management must reduce OHS hazards, including maintaining clear sightlines for aircraft and minimising fire risk.

Vegetation management must comply with general safety and environmental management regulations.

Weed killing products must not be harmful to the environment.

Management of vegetation also helps manage bird and wildlife habitat on the airfield.

Contract period: six (6) months or until contract value is depleted, whichever comes first.

Validity period: 120 business days; prices firm during this period.

Confidentiality: Bidders must not disclose any information from the bid process to third parties without ACSA's written approval. Third parties consulted must sign confidentiality agreements, which must be returned with the bid.

ACSA may award the whole or part of the bid, split the award, negotiate with shortlisted bidders, award to a bidder other than the highest scoring where objective criteria allow, reject the lowest acceptable bid, or cancel the bid.

Altering the bid document will lead to disqualification.

ACSA will not disclose bidder names until the process is finalised.

Security vetting is a condition of contract; ACSA will not contract with a non-compliant bidder.

Functionality is evaluated first, with a minimum overall threshold of 75 out of 100 points. Sub-criteria minimums: Equipment Availability 40/40, Company Experience 20/60.

Only bidders passing functionality proceed to price and B-BBEE evaluation.

Price is scored using the 80/20 preference point system (80 points for price, 20 for specific goals).