Appointment of a panel of recruitment agencies for a period of three (3) years

Closing date: 16 November 2026 at 11:00

Intention to Respond (Appendix B) and signed Non-Disclosure Agreement (Appendix C) due: 16 November 2026

Briefing session: none

Clarification questions deadline: 7 November 2026 (send to [email protected])

Final SABS clarification by: 11 November 2026

Publication date: 27 October 2026

Proposal validity: 120 days from submission date

Enquiries:

• Contact: Elvis Lebepe
• Email: [email protected]
• Role: RFP enquiries (all clarification questions must be sent to this address; contacting other SABS personnel risks disqualification)

Submission email: [email protected]

Physical address of SABS:

1 Dr Lategan Road, Groenkloof, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa

Submission method: electronic only.

• Submit proposals by email to [email protected].
• Quote the tender reference number and description in the email subject line.

Format and limits:

• Attach as PDF files; a compressed zipped folder is acceptable.
• Maximum attachment size: 14 MB.
• Submissions via a share link or "WeTransfer" are not accepted.

Timing:

• Proposals must be delivered before the closing date and time: 16 November 2026 at 11:00.
• Late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances; the bidder bears full responsibility for on-time delivery.

The submission email address is for proposals only. Do not send questions to it.

Returnable documents (all must be completed, signed and submitted):

• Appendix A — Tender Requirements / Scope of Work.
• Appendix B — Intention to Respond (accept/decline the RFP).
• Appendix C — SBD 4 Bidder's Disclosure: disclosing any employment by the state or relationships with the procuring institution.
• Appendix D — Signed Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA).
• Appendix E — SBD 6.1 Preference Points Claim Form: claiming points under the 2022 Preferential Procurement Regulations.
• Appendix F — Signed SABS Terms and Conditions; any variations must be submitted as Annexure F1 with clause number, rationale and alternative wording.
• Appendix G — CSD Report (or proof of banking details for international suppliers).
• Appendix H — B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit.
• Annexure I — Quotation / Fixed Rate (percentage placement fee).
• Appendix J — Management Summary (including Statement of Compliance).
• Appendix K — Statement of Compliance.
• Appendix L — The RFP document itself.
• Appendix M — Audited Financial Statements.
• Appendix N — Request for Proposal Enquiry (for submitting questions).

Disqualification risks:

• Any returnable document missing, unsigned, or incomplete.
• Failing to meet every requirement in the scope of work.
• A solution encumbered by any intellectual property rights.
• Misrepresentation of any material fact.

Evaluation follows three stages:

1. Administrative compliance — all returnable documents must be present and valid.
2. Functionality evaluation — scored on a 1–5 scale (Very Poor 1, Poor 2, Average 3, Good 4, Excellent 5) with a mandatory minimum threshold.

Functionality sub-criteria and weights:

• Company Experience (25%): years of experience in recruitment services (score rises from ≤5 years = 1 to >15 years = 5).
• Experience of Resource/Expertise (25%): combined years of experience of the core recruitment team (score rises from ≤3 years = 1 to ≥16 years = 5).
• Professional Registration (25%): proof of APSO registration; higher scores for current, in-good-standing membership.
• References (25%): at least 7 relevant, contactable reference letters from clients within the last 7 years. Fewer references score lower (1–3 letters = 1, 7+ = 5). Reference letters must state the specialty (executive search, head-hunting, standard recruitment).

Minimum qualifying functionality score: 70%.

3. Preference Points System (80/20):

• Only bidders scoring at least 70% on functionality proceed to this stage.
• Price: maximum 80 points.
• Specific goals: maximum 20 points, claimed on SBD 6.1 for:
• Black ownership: up to 10 points (100% black ownership), sliding to 0 for 0%.
• Black women ownership: up to 6 points (100% black women ownership), sliding to 0.
• Persons living with disabilities ownership: up to 4 points (100% ownership by persons with disabilities), sliding to 0.
• Failure to submit proof/documentation for specific goals means those points are not claimed.

Bidders whose proposals do not meet all scope requirements are not evaluated further. The SABS may request presentations or clarifications at its discretion.

SABS requires a panel of recruitment agencies to provide recruitment services on an as-and-when-required basis for a period of 36 months.

Scope of services:

• Recruitment and selection of vacancies at all levels.
• Head-hunting.
• Advertising of vacancies.
• Screening and shortlisting of candidates before referral to SABS.
• Background and reference checks, including criminal, qualification, credit and previous employment checks.
• Offer management and negotiation with successful candidates.
• Psychometric assessments.

Bidders must detail their capabilities in the proposal, referencing Appendix A (Scope of Work) and the mandatory evaluation criteria in section 5.3.

Company experience: functionality score based on years of recruitment services experience (≤5 years = 1 point, >15 years = 5 points). Resource experience: core team's combined years in recruitment (≤3 years = 1 point, ≥16 years = 5 points), with CVs showing years of service. Professional registration: APSO membership required for top scores. References: at least 7 relevant, contactable client reference letters not older than 7 years, clearly stating the specialty. Bidders must provide company profile and key personnel CVs.

The proposal must include a detailed description of the bidder's capabilities aligned with the scope of work (Appendix A) and functionality criteria (Section 5.3). SABS may inspect bidder premises at an agreed time to verify claims. Assumptions made by bidders must be documented. All information provided must be accurate and verifiable; misrepresentation leads to disqualification.

Pricing must be submitted as a fixed percentage (%) placement fee covering the entire recruitment process (Annexure I). SABS rates will be negotiated before contract signature; no payment is made for work before the formal agreement. Proposals are valid for 120 days. Audited financial statements (Appendix M) are required. No other pricing details or schedules are specified. Evaluation uses the 80/20 preference point system after functionality threshold is met.

Pricing format:

• Bidders must provide a fixed percentage (%) placement fee covering the entire recruitment process.

Payment/contractual terms:

• SABS rates will be negotiated with successful bidders prior to contract signature.
• No services may be rendered before a formal signed agreement is in place; SABS accepts no liability for costs incurred before that.

Validity:

• Proposals must remain valid for 120 days from the submission date.

Other financial documents:

• Audited financial statements (Appendix M) must be submitted.
• Bidders bear all costs of preparing and submitting their proposal; SABS will not reimburse any such costs.

Central Supplier Database (CSD):

• Registration on the National Treasury CSD is mandatory for all suppliers (via www.CSD.gov.za).
• A CSD report must be submitted with the proposal (Appendix G). International suppliers must provide proof of banking details.

Tax compliance:

• A valid tax clearance certificate (SARS) must be submitted.

B-bbee:

• A B-BBEE status level verification certificate or sworn affidavit must be submitted (Appendix H).
• Certificates must be issued by a SANAS-accredited verification agency, a registered auditor, or an accounting officer (per Close Corporation Act).

Professional registration:

• Proof of registration with the African Professional Staffing Organisation (APSO) is used for functionality scoring.

Other:

• Bidders must not be listed on the Register for Tender Defaulters or the List of Restricted Suppliers (automatic disqualification).
• SABS reserves the right to verify any claims, including premises inspections.

Contract duration: 3 years (36 months). A formal agreement will be signed only after award; SABS may modify scope before and after award. SABS reserves the right to cancel or discontinue the RFP at any time and will not be liable for bidder costs or damages. Successful bidders must sign the SABS Terms and Conditions; variations must be submitted as Annexure F1 with justification. No services may be rendered before the formal agreement is effective. Intellectual property developed for SABS vests in SABS; bidders must transfer all IP rights. Bidders must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement; confidentiality obligations survive the tender process indefinitely. SABS may require extensions of proposal validity at its discretion.

Evaluation flow: 1) Administrative compliance (all returnables). 2) Functionality scored on 1–5 across four criteria each weighted 25%: company experience (years in recruitment), core team combined experience, APSO registration status, and number of relevant contactable reference letters (minimum 7). Minimum functionality threshold: 70%. 3) 80/20 preference points: 80 for price, 20 for specific goals (black ownership up to 10 points, black women ownership up to 6, persons with disabilities ownership up to 4). Bidders failing any scope requirement are eliminated. SABS may request presentations.