Supplier quality management specification (qm 58) – mandatory quality requirements for ESKOM tenders

The tender is for the provision of a digital organisational culture diagnostic (employee voice survey). The contract is for a five-year subscription for approximately 43,600 employees. Category 4 applies, which involves a Main Supplier and Sub-supplier Capability and Capacity Assessment.

Eskom quality representative:

• Name: Bongi Tshabalala
• Role: Senior Advisor: Quality
• Date on form: 2026/11/02

Returnable documents:

• Form A (Tender & Contract Quality Document): must be completed and signed by the tenderer's quality representative to acknowledge and accept Eskom Supplier Quality Requirements as per specification 240-105658000 and ISO 9001 standard.

Pre-contract award quality requirements apply. Category 4 is selected, which involves a Main Supplier and Sub-supplier Capability and Capacity Assessment. Bidders must complete and sign Form A to acknowledge and accept the quality requirements.

The tender is for the provision of a digital organisational culture diagnostic (employee voice survey). The contract is for a five-year subscription for approximately 43,600 employees. The selected category is Category 4, which involves a Main Supplier and Sub-supplier Capability and Capacity Assessment.

The quality management system must align with ISO 9001 principles: customer focus, leadership, engagement of people, process approach, improvement, evidence-based decision making, and relationship management.

Post-contract award quality requirements apply, including contract execution, supplier quality performance monitoring, and supplier quality audits. Eskom retains rights of access, rights to information, preservation, quality audits related conditions, management of nonconformities, and special processes. The tenderer must accept Eskom Supplier Quality Requirements as per specification 240-105658000 and ISO 9001 standard.

Bidders must accept Eskom Supplier Quality Requirements as per specification 240-105658000 and ISO 9001 standard, evidenced by signing Form A.

This document is a service-level agreement (SLA) between Eskom Holdings SOC Limited (Eskom) and the Service Provider. It defines the services, service levels, roles and responsibilities, KPIs, penalties, and performance management for the Eskom Employee Voice Platform. The SLA must be read together with the main NEC3 TSC (Employee Voice Platform) contract.

Returnable documents:

• Signed Service Level Agreement (SLA) and main NEC3 TSC (Employee Voice Platform) contract.
• Completed and signed SBD 1 (Invitation to Bid): bidder and contact details.
• SBD 4 (Declaration of Interest): discloses any director or shareholder employed by the state or connected to the procuring institution.
• SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim): claims B-BBEE points under the PPPFA.
• SBD 8 (Declaration of Bidder's Past Supply Chain Management Practices).
• SBD 9 (Certificate of Independent Bid Determination): certifies no collusion or price disclosure.
• Authority to Sign / Board Resolution: authorises the named signatory to bind the bidder.
• Proof of CSD registration and valid tax compliance status PIN.
• Valid B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit (depending on annual revenue).
• Pricing schedule (SBD 3.1 / 3.2 / 3.3) completed and signed.

Submission method and address: Not stated in the provided document.

Closing time: Not stated in the provided document.

Disqualification risks:

• Any returnable form left unsigned or omitted.
• Quotations received after the closing time, regardless of reason.
• Failure to comply with mandatory eligibility requirements.

Evaluation stages:

1. Compliance check: all mandatory returnable documents must be submitted and signed.
2. B-BBEE preference points: claimed via SBD 6.1 under the PPPFA 80/20 or 90/10 system (threshold not stated in the provided document).
3. Price evaluation: pricing schedule must be completed and signed.

Minimum qualifying score: Not stated in the provided document.

Note: The document provided is a service-level agreement (SLA) and does not contain the full evaluation criteria. The main NEC3 TSC contract and the tender invitation should specify the scoring split and any minimum qualifying scores.

Scope of work:

• Provide, implement, configure, support and maintain a secure, anonymous, accessible and scalable cloud-hosted Eskom Employee Voice Platform.
• Six-month implementation period followed by a five-year subscription.
• Indicative sizing: approximately 43,613 employees, including 3,842 line managers and 338 HR Business Partners.

Service capabilities:

• Survey management: enterprise-wide engagement surveys, culture diagnostics, pulse surveys, targeted listening and follow-up surveys, with benchmarked frameworks and Eskom-specific questions.
• Participation: secure, anonymous, inclusive and accessible participation for geographically dispersed workforce, supported by multilingual capability and a response-rate improvement strategy.
• Platform administration: configure organisational hierarchies, authorised user roles, demographic attributes, anonymity thresholds, survey settings, communication workflows and support processes.
• Data enablement: secure employee master-data loading and approved exports. No direct Eskom system integration required initially. Future integrations require Eskom approval and formal change control.
• Analytics and reporting: dashboards, heat maps, key-driver analysis, trend analysis and actionable insights.
• Benchmarking: relevant South African, international, energy, utility and large-employer benchmarks.
• Action planning: structured action-planning outputs, ownership and progress tracking.
• Security and privacy: authorised access controls, confidentiality, anonymity and POPIA requirements. Hosting, data residency and cross-border processing require Eskom architecture, information-security and data-governance approval.
• Change and communication: stakeholder engagement, communication and rollout support, participation monitoring, response-rate improvement, training, knowledge management and skills transfer.
• Hosting and resilience: production and non-production environments with capacity management, availability, performance, scalability, security controls, backup, recovery and disaster-recovery arrangements.
• Testing and acceptance: Eskom-approved testing processes, including unit, system integration, user acceptance, security, accessibility, backup/restore and disaster-recovery tests.
• Operational support and exit: go-live hypercare, stabilisation, handover, incident, problem, request, release, patch and service-level management; monthly service reviews, root-cause analysis and continuous improvement; at expiry or termination, provide Eskom data and agreed artefacts in maintainable, accessible formats and support an orderly transition.

Training:

• Service Provider to provide training at implementation, covering solution features, navigation, etc.
• Hard-copy and/or electronic user manuals available on request.
• Eskom may recommend additional training sessions for continuous improvement.

Hours of service:

• Solution must be fully operational 24x7.
• Interruptions during working days require 5 working days' prior written notification and Eskom approval.
• Support on public holidays and weekends available as required.

Service desk:

• All solution-related issues logged with Service Provider's service desk.
• ITSM system must update end users via email on each call update.

Service levels:

• Request fulfilment: 90% acknowledged within 30 minutes; 90% resolved within 5 working days.
• Incident management: 95% acknowledged within 30 minutes; 95% responded to within 1 hour; 95% resolved within 8 hours.
• Problem management: 95% responded to within 8 hours; 95% resolved within 3 working days.
• Change management: all changes discussed and approved by Eskom in writing before implementation.

Data quality and anonymity:

• Validate approved employee master data, organisational hierarchies, survey configuration and reporting outputs before each survey launch and reporting release.
• Apply Eskom-approved anonymity thresholds and role-based access controls.
• Record validation results, exceptions and corrective actions in an agreed data-quality and privacy assurance report.

Access to Eskom premises:

• Site-specific safety induction required; Service Provider to provide own PPE.
• Onsite work requires authorised access and confirmation from nominated Eskom representative.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• EVP001: Response (MTTr) – 1 hour, 95%, Monthly, High weighting.
• EVP002: Resolution of Incidents (MTTR) – 8 hours, 95%, Monthly, High weighting.
• EVP003: General Requests – 3 days, 90%, Monthly, Medium weighting.
• EVP004: Survey Assurance (survey readiness) – To be agreed, Per survey launch, High weighting.
• EVP005: Survey Assurance (data quality and anonymity) – To be agreed, Per reporting release, Medium weighting.
• EVP006: Alerts/Notifications – As section 9.7.6, Monthly, Medium weighting.
• EVP007: Survey delivery – To be agreed, Monthly, High weighting.
• EVP008: Participation support – To be agreed, Monthly, High weighting.
• EVP009: Analytics and reporting – To be agreed, Monthly, High weighting.
• EVP010: Action planning – To be agreed, Monthly, High weighting.
• EVP011: Training and knowledge transfer – To be agreed, Monthly, Medium weighting.
• EVP012: Backup and disaster recovery – Recovery targets to be agreed, Monthly, High weighting.
• EVP013: Employee Voice Platform Availability – 99.50%, Monthly, High weighting.
• EVP015: Compliance to change management (Priority Incidents caused by changes) – <=2, Monthly, Low weighting.
• EVP016: Compliance to change management (Successful changes) – >2, Monthly, Low weighting.
• EVP017: Compliance to change management (Number of unauthorized changes) – 0, Monthly, Low weighting.
• EVP018: Customer Satisfaction Survey – 95%, Annually, Low weighting.

Penalties:

• R 15,000 per day per missed agreed milestone, limited to 15% of the contract value (implementation portion only).
• KPI penalties: 5% of service bill for high-weighting KPI failure, 3% for medium-weighting, none for low-weighting; maximum 10% of service bill per reporting period if multiple KPIs fail.

Service performance management:

• Starts 3 months from service commencement.
• Monthly reports due by 5th working day of the month.
• Service-level review meetings held monthly.
• SLA reviewed biannually or when Eskom's needs change.
• Customer satisfaction survey conducted twice a year.

Excuse performance:

• Service Provider relieved from obligations if non-performance results from Eskom's failure to perform an Eskom Dependency.
• Service Provider must escalate issues within 48 hours and propose a mitigation plan.

Contractual terms:

• SLA effective from signature of main NEC3 TSC contract.
• SLA constitutes the sole agreement; variations require written confirmation signed by both parties.
• Eskom may change, add or delete service levels on 60 days' written notice.
• New KPIs may be proposed by Eskom at least 60 days prior, maximum twice per calendar year.

Termination:

• Not explicitly stated in the provided document; refer to main NEC3 TSC contract.

Disqualification risks:

• Failure to meet mandatory eligibility requirements.
• Omission or non-signature of any returnable form.
• Late submission.
• Non-compliance with Eskom Information Security Policy (32-85).
• Failure to provide, procure and license the solution under the Service Provider's own name.

Pricing format:

• Pricing schedule (SBD 3.1 / 3.2 / 3.3) must be completed and signed.
• Billing schedule to be provided by Service Provider to validate volumes and services provided.

Bid security: Not stated in the provided document.

Guarantees: Not stated in the provided document.

Retention: Not stated in the provided document.

Payment terms:

• Timely payment by Eskom after all approved supporting documents have been submitted.
• Penalties recoverable in the form of a credit note against the reporting month's Billable Schedule.

Financial capacity thresholds: Not stated in the provided document.

Penalties:

• R 15,000 per day per missed agreed milestone, limited to 15% of the contract value (implementation portion only).
• KPI penalties: 5% of service bill for high-weighting KPI failure, 3% for medium-weighting, none for low-weighting; maximum 10% of service bill per reporting period if multiple KPIs fail.

Mandatory requirements:

• CSD registration: proof required.
• Tax compliance: valid tax compliance status PIN required.
• B-BBEE: valid B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit (depending on annual revenue) required to claim preference points.
• CIPC registration: not explicitly stated but likely required for company registration.
• Professional registrations: not stated in the provided document.
• Local content: not stated in the provided document.

Eskom-specific requirements:

• Compliance with Eskom Information Security Policy (32-85).
• Service Provider must provide, procure and license the solution under its own name.
• Service Provider must have the requisite authority to sign the contract.

Returnable forms:

• SBD 1 (Invitation to Bid)
• SBD 4 (Declaration of Interest)
• SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim)
• SBD 8 (Declaration of Bidder's Past Supply Chain Management Practices)
• SBD 9 (Certificate of Independent Bid Determination)
• Authority to Sign / Board Resolution
• Signed SLA and main NEC3 TSC contract
• Pricing schedule (SBD 3.1 / 3.2 / 3.3)

Note: The provided document is an SLA and does not contain the full compliance requirements. The main tender invitation and contract should specify all mandatory requirements.

This document is the PAYE Questionnaire for service contracts with the Eskom Group of Companies, applicable from 1 March 2026 to 28 February 2027. It is used to determine whether a contractor should be classified as an independent contractor, personal service provider, labour broker, or dependent contractor for tax purposes.

Group Tax email: [email protected]

Returnable documents:

• PAYE Questionnaire (Evaluation Pack A for companies/CCs/trusts, or Evaluation Pack B for individuals) must be completed, signed, and returned.
• Signed summary sheet and signed affidavits/declarations as directed by the questionnaire must be returned.
• Completed pack must be copied to Group Tax at [email protected].

Disqualification risks:

• Failure to sign required appendices may result in PAYE being withheld from payments.
• Inaccurate information may result in Eskom withholding taxes, interest, and penalties.

The PAYE Questionnaire determines the contractor's tax classification for PAYE withholding purposes.

For companies/CCs/trusts (Evaluation Pack A):

• Residence test: non-residents must sign Appendix 9 and have the pack referred to Eskom Group Tax.
• Number of employees exclusion: if the entity employs 3 or more full-time non-connected employees, sign Appendix 1 and Appendix 8.
• Connected person test: if no connected person will render services personally, sign Appendix 2 and Appendix 8.
• More than 80% of income test: if more than 80% of income comes from one client, sign Appendix 7 (PAYE withheld); otherwise sign Appendix 4.
• Place, control and supervision test: if duties performed mainly at Eskom premises and subject to Eskom control, sign Appendix 7; otherwise sign Appendix 3.
• Dominant impression test: based on answers, sign Appendix 7 (if PSP) or Appendix 8 (if independent).

For individuals (Evaluation Pack B):

• Service or people test: if providing a service, sign Appendix 5; if providing people, proceed to people test.
• People test: if providing people and paid by you, need valid IRP30 certificate; sign Appendix 6.
• Residence test: non-residents sign Appendix 9 and refer to Eskom Group Tax.
• Number of employees exclusion: if employing 3 or more full-time non-connected employees, sign Appendix 1 and Appendix 8.
• Place and control test: if duties performed mainly at Eskom premises and subject to control, sign Appendix 7; otherwise sign Appendix 3.
• Dominant impression test: based on answers, sign Appendix 7 (if employee) or Appendix 8 (if independent).

The questionnaire applies to contractors supplying services or labour to Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd and its subsidiaries, including Eskom Rotek Industries SOC Ltd, Eskom Enterprises SOC (Pty) Ltd, Escap SOC (Pty) Ltd, Eskom Finance Company SOC (Pty) Ltd, Eskom Foundation NPC, and Eskom National Transmission Company SA.

The pack is based on tax legislation for the 2026/2027 tax year and is subject to change.

The PAYE Questionnaire must be completed by all contractors supplying services or labour to Eskom.

Required forms (appendices) depend on answers to the questionnaire:

• Appendix 1: Affidavit confirming employment of three or more full-time employees who are not connected persons.
• Appendix 2: Affidavit confirming no connected person will personally render services to Eskom.
• Appendix 3: Affidavit confirming services will not be performed mainly at Eskom premises or under Eskom control.
• Appendix 4: Affidavit confirming not more than 80% of income is received from any one client.
• Appendix 5: Affidavit confirming an individual provides a service as opposed to people.
• Appendix 6: Declaration that the contractor is a labour broker.
• Appendix 7: Declaration that the contractor is a dependent contractor or personal service provider.
• Appendix 8: Declaration that the contractor is an independent supplier or contractor.
• Appendix 9: Declaration that the contractor is a non-resident of South Africa.

Failure to sign required appendices may result in PAYE being withheld from payments.

Closing date: 1 December 2026 at 08:00

Eskom requires a secure employee voice platform for approximately 43,600 employees, on a five-year subscription. The service provider must provide, implement, configure, support, and maintain the platform.

Compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1993 and the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 1993 is mandatory.

Supplier obligations:

• Align company processes with Eskom’s OHS requirements post-award.
• Provide evidence of a documented selection process for contractors and suppliers, covering competency, compliance, and OHS performance.
• Notify Eskom before appointing any sub-contractors or commencing work.
• Ensure all employees (including contractors) undergo both Eskom and company inductions.
• Implement an audit program to verify sub-contractor compliance with OHS requirements.
• Manage all non-conformances from all tiers of sub-contractors according to agreed performance and penalty mechanisms.

The specification sets the minimum quality requirements for existing and potential Eskom suppliers and the criteria for their evaluation, selection, registration, assessment, performance monitoring and auditing. Eskom partners with suppliers that commit to developing, implementing and maintaining a quality management system conforming to ISO 9001, and to continually improving it to strengthen service delivery and customer satisfaction. It applies across Eskom Holdings divisions, subsidiaries, suppliers and sub-suppliers, and forms part of Eskom RFI, RFQ and RFP processes and resulting contracts. The specification takes effect on the date of authorisation.

Returnable quality documents (per the category selected for this procurement)

• Form A (240-68099512): Tender and Contract Quality Requirements for Supplier Quality Management Specification 240-105658000/QM 58 and ISO 9001. Sections A and E must be completed, signed and returned with the bid to confirm acceptance of Eskom's quality requirements.
• Returnables listed in 240-12248652 (List of Tender Returnable) for the applicable category.
• Draft contract quality plan specific to the scope of work, meeting ISO 10005 minimum requirements.
• Where applicable, an example inspection and test plan (ITP) or quality control plan (QCP) from similar or previous work.
• Documented information for control of externally provided processes, products and services.
• Records of management review meetings (agenda, minutes, attendance registers, reports, presentations).
• Documented roles, responsibilities and authorities (organisation charts, job descriptions, work instructions, duty statements, manuals, procedures).

Category 1 additional returnables

• Valid ISO 9001 (or applicable QMS) certificate from an accredited certification body, latest applicable revision.
• Latest internal and external management system audit reports, including nonconformities and remedial actions.

Category 2 additional returnables

• QMS manual, quality policy, quality objectives, control of documented information, internal audit procedure, control of nonconforming outputs, and nonconformity and corrective action procedure.
• Latest internal audit reports, including nonconformities and remedial actions.

Only one quality category applies per procurement process.

Pre-contract award quality evaluation

• Eskom's quality representative selects the applicable supplier quality requirements using guideline 240-125473040 (Guideline for QM 58 Selection Criteria) and completes Form A.
• Bidders are assessed against the selected quality category (1, 2, 3 or 4); only one category applies per procurement process.
• Supplier quality submissions are scored using 240-168873697 (Supplier Quality Management: Tender Evaluation Scorecard).
• Main supplier and sub-supplier capability and capacity are assessed.
• Form A (Sections A and E) must be signed by the bidder to acknowledge and accept the Eskom quality requirements and ISO 9001 obligations.
• Category 1 requires a valid ISO 9001 (or applicable QMS) certificate; Category 2 requires objective evidence of a documented, implemented and maintained QMS conforming to ISO 9001.

Scope

• Sets the minimum quality requirements for existing and potential Eskom suppliers and the criteria for their evaluation, selection, registration, assessment, performance monitoring and auditing.
• Applies across Eskom divisions, subsidiaries, suppliers and sub-suppliers, and forms part of Eskom RFI, RFQ and RFP processes and resulting contracts.
• Suppliers must develop, implement, maintain and continually improve a quality management system (QMS) based on ISO 9001.

Quality management system

• A formal QMS conforming to the latest ISO 9001 (or an applicable QMS standard) is required, with the documented information ISO 9001 requires.
• Unless excluded by the selected category, a valid ISO 9001 certificate from an accredited certification body is required; this applies equally to the supplier and any manufacturing third parties.
• The main supplier must define and manage the quality assurance and control elements for each sub-supplier's scope, and run a sub-supplier performance management programme covering QMS verification, audits and surveillances, CQP and QCP review, nonconformity and defect management, inspection and test plans, risk management, documentation and communication.
• Eskom may request and perform assessments at sub-supplier facilities.
• The supplier must notify Eskom before making any change to the QMS or staff that affects the quality system.
• Where a new product or service is introduced, industry recommended practice or applicable codes apply where no SANS equivalent exists.

Quality plans

• Where required by the evaluation criteria or returnables, every product, service and process must have a documented, implemented and maintained contract/project quality plan and/or quality control plan (inspection and test plan).
• Contract quality plans (CQPs) must follow ISO 10005 and cover records management (material tests, positive material identification, material certification), free access for inspection, final documentation and manufacturing data book before shipment, welding controls (welder qualification records, welding procedure specifications, procedure qualification records), special installation and fabrication procedures, qualification and certification of personnel performing special processes (NDE, welding, coating, heat treatment), training records, and storage, preservation and maintenance instructions.
• CQPs must be submitted before the initial scope-of-work kick-off or pre-fabrication meeting and before manufacturing starts, whichever is earlier.
• Quality control plans / inspection and test plans must cover all stages in chronological order from contract review through materials verification, manufacturing, fabrication, assembly, final testing, commissioning, hand-over documentation and certification.
• QCPs/ITPs must be reviewed and accepted by Eskom or its inspection authority before work starts; later changes need Eskom's agreement.
• Once signed, ITPs and QCPs become addendums to the main contract and may be reviewed at Eskom's discretion.
• A separate QCP/ITP is required for each sub-supplier scope of work; the main supplier remains accountable for all sub-supplier QCPs/ITPs.
• QCP/ITP content must include the Eskom contract number and title, supplier order number, area of works, work description and activity dates, unique QCP/ITP number, sequence of operations, reference specifications/drawings/procedures with criticality risk rating, acceptance criteria with clause references, intervention points, sign-off provisions, and inspection and test records.

Meetings and oversight

• A quality kick-off meeting is held at contract start and, if required, at the start of each phase; 14 days' advance notice must be given to Eskom.
• Mandatory pre-inspection meetings are convened by Eskom or its inspection agency/AIA and must be attended by supplier and sub-supplier representatives, including quality representatives.
• Eskom may appoint resident quality inspectors at supplier or sub-supplier premises and on site; the supplier must provide workspace at no cost.
• Eskom may appoint any organisation as an approved inspection authority or inspection agency, and the supplier and its sub-suppliers may not obstruct that organisation's work.
• All applicable codes, standards and acceptance criteria must be available at the work location, in English and any workforce-appropriate language.

Preservation programme method

• The supplier must develop a preservation work plan and evaluate the execution performance of all parties providing material transportation, handling or storage.
• Oversight of material quality preservation plan preparation and execution is required at all work locations.
• A preservation records management process must comply with Eskom information management requirements and give Eskom ready access to all records.
• A documented programme must identify pre-operation preservation requirements for all physical assets, including bulk and consumable materials, equipment systems, system components and other procured goods transferred to project control but not yet in operational use.
• Where equipment and materials management is delegated, preservation requirements must be communicated to sub-suppliers.
• Compliance monitoring must start with the engineering instruction and its inclusion in procurement documentation, and continue until equipment or materials are incorporated into an operating system or structure.
• Evaluation frequency must anticipate transfers of responsibility between project functions (procurement, logistics, fabrication, construction) and between subcontracted service providers.
• The preservation programme must address temporary, long-term and in-transit preservation, including protection against atmospheric conditions, sunlight, temperature, soil, dust, humidity, salt spray and corrosive atmospheres, and procedures for coatings, coverings, fasteners and lines.

Quality management system requirements

• Suppliers and sub-suppliers must develop, implement, maintain and continually improve a formal QMS conforming to the latest ISO 9001 or an applicable QMS standard.
• The QMS must include the documented information ISO 9001 requires, such as a quality manual, quality plans, work procedures, work instructions, method statements and workflow documentation.
• Unless excluded by the selected category, a valid ISO 9001 certificate from an accredited certification body is required, for the supplier and any manufacturing third parties.
• Where a sub-supplier's scope covers design and development, manufacturing, maintenance, testing, storage, delivery, installation, commissioning or project management, the same QMS requirements apply; Eskom must confirm a changed entity (name change, merger, acquisition or cession) can still meet the contract requirements.
• The main supplier must define and manage the quality assurance and control elements for each sub-supplier's scope and run a sub-supplier performance management programme covering QMS verification, audits and surveillances, CQP and QCP review, nonconformity and defect management, inspection and test plans, risk management, documentation and communication.
• Eskom may request and perform assessments at sub-supplier facilities.
• The supplier must inform Eskom of any proposed changes to the QMS or staff affecting the quality system before implementing them.
• Where a new product or service is introduced, industry recommended practice or applicable codes apply where no SANS equivalent exists.
• Key definitions: hold points require Eskom's written authorisation before work proceeds; witness points require formal notification to Eskom or its inspection agency; intervention points include inspection, hold points, surveillances, witnesses, reviews and verifications.

Quality management system

• ISO 9001 (latest revision) QMS, or an applicable QMS standard, is mandatory; a valid ISO 9001 certificate from an accredited certification body is required unless excluded by the selected category.
• Form A (240-68099512) must be completed and signed, confirming acceptance of the Eskom quality requirements and ISO 9001 obligations.
• Returnables for the selected category (1, 2, 3 or 4) per 240-12248652 must be submitted.

Personnel

• Personnel performing special processes (NDE, welding, coating, heat treatment) must be suitably qualified and, where legally required, registered with statutory bodies.
• Quality management personnel must hold the applicable qualifications and certificates; Eskom may require the removal of personnel lacking relevant competence.

Sub-suppliers

• Sub-suppliers must meet the same QMS requirements where their scope covers design, manufacturing, maintenance, testing, storage, delivery, installation, commissioning or project management.
• The main supplier must manage sub-supplier quality performance and notify Eskom of changes affecting the quality system.

Preservation management (contract conditions)

• The supplier must run a preservation management programme covering the period from transfer of ownership or management responsibility, through temporary or long-term storage and transit, to final delivery at the point of use or installation.
• Storage and material control must follow manufacturer recommendations, specifications and project-specific requirements.
• Special precautions are required for valves, electrical motors and components, mechanical and rotating equipment, piping and fittings, instrumentation, flange faces, gaskets, coatings and insulation, including maintenance such as periodic shaft rotation, engine turnover and lubrication.
• Preservation requirements must be documented in purchase orders, work authorisations and communications with sub-suppliers, and communicated to project logistics, construction management, quality and security functions.
• Sub-supplier responsibility for executing preservation programme elements must be clearly assigned, including access to records and provision of equipment, tools or services.
• Preservation responsibilities must be defined within the project team and implemented at all work locations, with oversight assigned at every project stage.
• Eskom must have free and unrestricted access to all preservation records for inspection and audit.

The document is an Eskom eTendering system help manual for suppliers. It describes how to register, log in, upload tender documents, and finalise submissions electronically. The actual tender is for the appointment of a service provider to provide, implement, configure, support and maintain a secure Eskom Employee Voice Platform on a five-year subscription for approximately 43,600 employees.

For system problems: contact the buyer responsible for the published tender.

No specific contact names, emails, or telephone numbers are provided in the document.

Submission method: electronic via the Eskom eTendering system at https://eTendering.eskom.co.za.

• Bidders must first register on the eTendering system using a CSD number.
• An OTP is sent to the registered cellphone and email for login.
• Upload documents under the correct category (Technical, Commercial, Finance, etc.).
• A single file cannot exceed 50 MB; total upload size must not exceed 900 MB.
• After uploading all required documents, click "Finalize Submission" then "Finalise and Close Submission".
• A submission ID is emailed upon finalisation; retain this for future enquiries.
• Returnable documents: none specified beyond the requirement to upload under the correct category.

CSD number: required to gain access to the eTendering system to submit a bid.

No further evaluation criteria are stated in the provided document.

The document is a help manual for the Eskom eTendering system, not the tender specification.

The tender title indicates: Appointment of a service provider to provide, implement, configure, support and maintain a secure Eskom Employee Voice Platform on a five-year subscription for approximately 43,600 employees.

No technical specifications for the platform are included in the provided text.

CSD registration: required to access the eTendering system.

No other compliance requirements are stated in the provided document.

Returnable documents: none specified in the available document text.

Eskom requires an external, digitally advanced Employee Voice Platform to replace its previous internally run HCOE survey, which achieved a 36.5% response rate and was placed on hold in FY2024/25.

The platform must support enterprise-wide continuous listening, local and international benchmarking, advanced analytics, action planning and a response rate aligned with industry norms.

The five-year subscription covers approximately 43,600 employees across Eskom Group, divisions, subsidiaries, organisational units, business units, departments and sections.

The solution must be cloud-hosted, anonymous, inclusive, accessible and scalable, and must protect respondent identity through approved anonymity thresholds and role-based access.

The bidder must provide a complete, formally released and supported solution with a detailed implementation approach, project schedule, resource plan, technical architecture, security response, service model, assumptions, dependencies, exclusions and cost decomposition aligned to the pricing schedule.

Shortlisted bidders may be asked to demonstrate the platform against Eskom use cases and the mandatory requirements.

Submission channel and format are not specified in the scope of work; bidders must follow the main bid document for the submission method, address and closing time.

Returnable documents:

• Compliance matrix: traceable mapping of every mandatory requirement to the proposed solution.
• Implementation approach, project schedule, resource plan, technical architecture, security response, service model, assumptions, dependencies, exclusions and cost decomposition aligned to the pricing schedule.
• Five-year product and technology roadmap.
• Hosting architecture and sizing for production and non-production environments.
• Organogram and named team with qualifications, experience, certifications, availability and employment status, plus Eskom dependencies and total effort by role.
• Valid ISO 27001 certificate.
• Valid SOC 2 Type II report, with a bridge letter where the report is older than six months or the reporting cycle is not aligned to the financial year.
• Change management strategy, stakeholder plan, communication plan, training plan and knowledge-transfer programme.
• Integrated project plan in MS Project, Excel and PDF formats.
• Resource rates for authorised changes and optional services.

Shortlisted bidders may be required to demonstrate the platform against Eskom use cases and the mandatory requirements.

Evaluation stages and scoring are not set out in the scope of work; the main bid document governs the evaluation method and preference point system.

Stated evaluation inputs:

• Shortlisted bidders may be asked to demonstrate the platform against Eskom use cases and the mandatory requirements.
• A traceable compliance matrix must address every mandatory requirement.
• Minimum team roles: Project Director, Survey Methodology Expert, Platform/Technical Lead, Analytics and Insights Lead, Change and Communication Specialist, Fieldwork Coordinator and PMO Coordinator.
• Personnel replacements require Eskom approval and must be equivalent or better than the person leaving.
• Benchmarking capability must cover local and international comparators for energy, utility and large-employer sectors.

Scope

• Supply, implement, configure, support and maintain a secure, anonymous, inclusive, accessible and scalable Employee Voice Platform on a five-year subscription.
• Coverage: approximately 43,600 employees across Eskom Group, divisions, subsidiaries, organisational units, business units, departments and sections.
• Baseline volumes (end-July 2026 BRS): 43,613 employees including fixed-term contract staff; 3,842 line managers and 338 HR Business Partners, both included in the employee total.
• Volumes are indicative; the bidder must size the platform for concurrency, performance, storage and response times, including 5,000 concurrent users.
• Services include survey methodology, benchmarking, rollout support, analytics, reporting, action planning, change management, training, knowledge transfer, support, maintenance and continuous improvement.

Platform functionality

• Engagement, culture diagnostic, pulse, targeted listening and follow-up surveys.
• Administrator configuration of survey cycles, dates, populations, segments, questions, communications and participation rules.
• Benchmarked engagement, employee experience and high-performance culture frameworks, with dimensions, scoring, benchmark sources, sample bases, dates, sectors and methodology disclosed.
• Eskom-specific questions that do not compromise survey integrity, validity, benchmark comparability, scoring or reporting.
• Question libraries, reusable templates, rating scales, open-ended and matrix questions, branching and skip logic.
• Statistical reliability and validity outputs.
• Participation by web link, mobile-compatible access and QR code, with duplicate and invalid submission prevention and completion confirmation.
• Surveys in at least three South African official languages approved during design.
• Accessibility for Persons Living with Disabilities, including assistive-technology compatibility.
• Preloaded organisational hierarchy and demographic attributes without manual participant entry.
• Real-time dashboards and standard reports for executive, management, HR, divisional, regional and functional users, with role-based drill-down and enforced anonymity thresholds.
• Heat maps, key-driver analysis, trend analysis and priority-focus-area identification.
• Local and international benchmarking against energy, utility and comparable large-employer groups.
• Action plans linked to results, dimensions, organisational areas and priorities, each with an accountable owner.
• Manager guidance, action-plan templates and recommended interventions.
• Response-rate monitoring by organisational, demographic, participation and channel dimensions.
• Reports exportable to PDF, Excel and PowerPoint under role-based access and confidentiality controls.
• Employee high-level summary of results after each survey.

Implementation and integration

• Initial implementation requires secure data loading and export; no direct integration with Eskom systems is required at the start.
• Future approved integration with identity and access systems, SAP HCM, Power BI, approved repositories, security monitoring and other Human Capital platforms.
• Secure interfaces, APIs and documented import/export processes; REST and SOAP support; Common Information Message or proprietary message structures.
• Application-level integration services built by the bidder; Eskom Integration team handles middleware.
• Integration Centre of Excellence governance and SOA Workgroup artefacts apply to all approvals.
• Development outside the integration platform must use Eskom standards such as .NET, Java and Python; code checked into Eskom's repository.

Hosting and resilience

• Cloud-hosted with production and non-production environments.
• South African and/or European Union hosting preferred where feasible.
• Hosting, cross-border processing and disaster recovery locations subject to Eskom Enterprise Architecture, Information Security, Data Governance and POPIA approval.
• Real-time replication to a secondary or disaster recovery site in a different region.
• Disaster recovery and backup restore plans defined and tested annually, with results shared with Eskom Cybersecurity.

Testing and assurance

• Configuration, unit, system, user acceptance, security, vulnerability, penetration, performance, accessibility, backup/restore and disaster recovery testing.
• Unit test results required before the next test cycle; signed-off test closure report before each test milestone.
• Eskom governance approvals before production deployment, including Physical Architecture Approval before build and Pre-Transfer Approval before go-live.

Service and support

• Hypercare, defect resolution, business and support handover, project close-out.
• SLA reporting, incident and problem records, improvement plans, release plans and monthly service reviews for the five-year term.
• Work Completion Certificates against approved deliverables before invoicing.
• Exit support with Eskom data and agreed artefacts in maintainable, accessible formats.

Training and change

• Role-based training for up to 43,600 employees, approximately 3,842 managers and 338 HR Business Partners, and administrators and support users.
• Training plans, user manuals, administrator guides, manager guides, support documentation, attendance records, competency confirmation and effectiveness measures.
• Training delivered before users take on operational responsibilities and before survey launch or go-live.
• Change management strategy, stakeholder plan, communication plan, launch materials, FAQs, manager guides, employee packs, escalation mechanisms and response-rate improvement strategy.

Implementation lifecycle: mobilisation, discovery, solution design, configuration, data preparation, testing, training, change enablement, launch, go-live, hypercare, operational support and continuous improvement.

Integrated project plan: covering all work packages, milestones, dependencies, resources, deliverables, acceptance points, risks, quality activities and Eskom governance approvals; supplied in MS Project, Excel and PDF formats.

Data preparation: employee master data loaded, refreshed, validated and securely managed; no historical migration initially; any approved historical data use or future integration governed through Eskom architecture, security, privacy and change-control processes.

Rollout: accommodate Eskom's scale, geographically dispersed workforce, field operations, diverse employee groups, organisational structure and confidentiality requirements; rollout strategy must aim for a response rate aligned with industry norms.

Parallel runs: support parallel runs as necessary to maintain business continuity during cut-over.

Change management: change management, communication, training, knowledge transfer, go-live readiness, hypercare, operational handover and an exit plan guaranteeing Eskom access to and export of its data.

Solution design: approved solution architecture, configuration design, functional specification, data design, security design, hosting design, operational model, support model and implementation plan, with traceability to Annexure A.

Build and deploy: configure the platform, benchmarked survey frameworks, Eskom-specific questions, organisational hierarchy, demographic attributes, roles, anonymity thresholds, communication workflows, dashboards, reports, action-planning functions and support processes; prepare environments, test configurations, data loads, launch plans, cutover plans, go-live checklists, rollback arrangements, backup and recovery procedures.

Go-live and handover: support launch, monitor participation and service performance, provide response-rate interventions, stabilise the platform, resolve defects, complete business and support handover, and close implementation after acceptance.

Project management: deliver project charter, detailed schedule, deliverable breakdown structure, RACI, resource plan, risk and issue registers, quality plan, communication plan, change-control log, cash-flow forecast, weekly reports, meeting packs, acceptance certificates and close-out report; list work packages, milestones, tasks, dependencies, assumptions, exclusions, fixed-cost deliverables and payment milestones; list excluded deliverables; weekly progress reports; daily or weekly technical meetings; Delivery Acceptance Certificates with approved test details.

Named team: organogram and named team with qualifications, experience, certifications, availability and employment status; Eskom dependencies and total effort by role must be stated.

Minimum roles: Project Director, Survey Methodology Expert, Platform/Technical Lead, Analytics and Insights Lead, Change and Communication Specialist, Fieldwork Coordinator and PMO Coordinator.

Replacements: require Eskom approval and must be equivalent or better than the person exiting.

Evidence: role of each person, education with supporting certificates, relevant experience and skills, and relevant product certifications with supporting certificates.

Integration experience: previous experience implementing integration solutions on the proposed product, exposing services for middleware communication such as SOAP and REST services.

Benchmarking experience: relevant local and international comparative benchmarking experience.

Organisational experience: experience with organisational culture, survey, technology and comparable large-organisation environments.

Testing scope: configuration, unit, system, user acceptance, security, vulnerability assessment, penetration, performance, accessibility, backup/restore and disaster recovery testing, as applicable.

Test governance: unit test results required before the next test cycle or level; signed-off test closure report required before a test milestone is completed.

Quality plan: the bidder must deliver an approved quality plan, risk and issue registers, change-control log and acceptance certificates.

Governance approvals: Physical Architecture Approval before build and Pre-Transfer Approval before go-live; all required Eskom governance approvals before production deployment; deployment evidence and an approved go-live readiness pack.

Service quality: SLA targets for defect response and support; incident, problem, known-issue and improvement records maintained; monthly service reviews.

Security assurance: ISO 27001 certification; SOC 2 Type II report where applicable; disaster recovery and backup restore plans tested annually with results shared with Eskom Cybersecurity.

Deliverable quality: all Eskom-specific deliverables, configurations, reports, action plans, data extracts, documentation, scripts and artefacts in maintainable formats.

Cost decomposition aligned to the pricing schedule.

Deliverable Breakdown Structure showing each fixed-cost deliverable and its cost, plus the total cost of all deliverables.

Payment schedule forecast and actuals tracking, updated monthly.

Schedule must reflect mobilisation, design, configure, test, train, deploy, hypercare, operate and exit stages.

Projected monthly cash flow.

Resource rates required for authorised changes and optional services.

Invoicing only against approved deliverables supported by Work Completion Certificates.

Pricing format

• Cost decomposition aligned to the pricing schedule.
• Deliverable Breakdown Structure showing each fixed-cost deliverable and its cost, plus the total cost of all deliverables.
• Payment schedule forecast and actuals tracking, updated monthly.
• Schedule must reflect mobilisation, design, configure, test, train, deploy, hypercare, operate and exit stages.
• Resource rates required for authorised changes and optional services.

Contract term

• Five-year subscription and operational service term.
• Contract includes platform subscription, support, maintenance, security updates, product upgrades, service management, incident management, agreed enhancements, benchmarking updates and continuous improvement for five years.

Payment

• Invoicing only against approved deliverables supported by Work Completion Certificates.

Bid security, guarantees, retention and payment terms are not stated in the scope of work; the main bid document governs these.

Security and privacy

• Valid ISO 27001 certificate required.
• Valid SOC 2 Type II report required where personal information or intellectual property is processed in the cloud.
• SOC 2 summaries provided at no cost up to once every 12 months on Eskom's written request; deficiencies addressed at no cost to Eskom.
• Bridge letter required at no cost where the SOC 2 report is older than six months or the reporting cycle is not aligned to the financial year, covering no more than three months.
• POPIA compliance in South Africa and GDPR compliance in the European Union where the cloud service is hosted and where data subjects are located.
• Integration with Eskom identity providers (Microsoft Active Directory, Entra ID) using SAML 2.0, OAuth 2.0 and OAuth 2.1 for multi-factor authentication and single sign-on.
• Privileged access management onboarding, such as CyberArk.
• Role-based access control.
• Encryption: AES-256 at rest, TLS 1.3 or later in transit, SHA-256 or stronger for integrity.
• Support for post-quantum cryptography algorithms ML-KEM, ML-DSA and SLH-DSA.
• Encrypted audit trails and user activity logs with limited administrator access.
• PII masking in non-production environments.
• Daily incremental encrypted backups kept offsite.
• Database behind the perimeter firewall; DDoS protection and web application firewall for all internet-facing applications.
• e-Discovery capability and integration with SIEM technologies such as Syslog, Windows event logging, SNMP and API.
• Cyber security breach notification to Eskom immediately or within 24 hours.
• Notification within one month of significant changes to the business, platform or hosting provider that could affect the security assessment or SOC audit opinion.
• Patch management process with patches tested in non-production before production deployment.

Data governance

• Employee Voice records, reports, action plans, audit logs and knowledge-transfer artefacts retained for at least seven years.
• Eskom retains ownership of its data and project-specific intellectual property.
• Continued access to and export of all Eskom data at contract expiry or termination.
• No historical data migration initially unless Eskom approves use of historical survey results for trend analysis.

Personnel

• Named team with qualifications, experience, certifications, availability and employment status.
• Replacements require Eskom approval and must be equivalent or better.

Health and safety

• Compliance with Eskom health and safety policies, standards, procedures and statutory regulations.
• Mandatory health and safety induction for all personnel before site or system access; proof of completion required.
• Refresher training and safety briefings as required; non-compliance may lead to suspension of work or removal from site.

Compliance: the vendor must comply with all applicable Eskom health and safety policies, standards, procedures and statutory regulations at all times.

Site rules: adherence to site-specific safety rules, risk assessments, permit-to-work requirements, incident reporting protocols and use of appropriate personal protective equipment.

Induction: mandatory health and safety induction for the vendor and all assigned personnel before commencing any work; covers Eskom safety standards, site hazards, emergency procedures, environmental requirements and compliance expectations.

Proof: proof of successful induction completion must be submitted to Eskom before access to site or systems is granted.

Ongoing compliance: personnel must remain compliant throughout the project and attend refresher training or safety briefings as required.

Consequences: non-compliance may result in suspension of work, removal from site or other contractual remedies.

Remote work: work may be performed remotely and at Eskom facilities for mobilisation, workshops, testing, training, go-live and support; the bidder must state on-site assumptions and comply with access, induction, health, safety, security and confidentiality requirements.

Contract term: five-year subscription and operational service term, including platform subscription, support, maintenance, security updates, product upgrades, service management, incident management, agreed enhancements, benchmarking updates and continuous improvement.

Technology changes: the bidder must maintain a supported, secure and current service throughout the term; the product roadmap must cover releases, upgrades, end-of-support dates and migration paths; security patches tested in non-production before production deployment; new analytics, automation, AI, accessibility and integration capabilities subject to Eskom governance and commercial approval.

Change control: scope, time and cost changes subject to formal Eskom change control and delegated approvals; approved changes recorded in governance records and reflected in the baseline, price and delivery schedule; changes noted in steering committee minutes; resource rates required for authorised changes and optional services.

Data ownership: Eskom retains ownership of its data and project-specific intellectual property; continued access to and export of all Eskom data at contract expiry or termination; deliverables in maintainable, editable formats including source code and scripts.

Exit: the provider must support orderly transition and provide Eskom data and agreed artefacts in maintainable, accessible formats at contract expiry or termination.

Service management: service performance reporting, incident and problem records, SLA reports, improvement plans, release plans and monthly service reviews during the subscription term.

Invoicing: Work Completion Certificates completed against approved deliverables before invoicing.

Payment schedule: projected monthly cash flow and monthly update of the payment schedule, reflecting mobilisation, design, configure, test, train, deploy, hypercare, operate and exit stages.

The scope of work does not set out the scoring split, preference point system or minimum qualifying score; the main bid document governs these.

Stated evaluation inputs:

• Shortlisted bidders may be required to demonstrate the platform against Eskom use cases and the mandatory requirements.
• A traceable compliance matrix must address every mandatory requirement.
• Minimum team roles: Project Director, Survey Methodology Expert, Platform/Technical Lead, Analytics and Insights Lead, Change and Communication Specialist, Fieldwork Coordinator and PMO Coordinator.
• Personnel replacements require Eskom approval and must be equivalent or better.
• Benchmarking capability must cover local and international comparators for energy, utility and large-employer sectors.

This document is a third-party security risk assessment questionnaire that must be completed by the supplier. It is generic and applicable to all service providers. The responses will be used to assess the security posture of the prospective supplier and the service or system within the scope of the RFP before a contract is concluded.

Assessment basis

• The questionnaire determines the supplier's security posture and that of the proposed service; incomplete or weak responses affect the outcome before a contract is concluded.

Returnable security evidence

• Valid SOC reports must be submitted: SOC 1 Type II where financial data is stored and SOC 2 Type II where personal and intellectual property data are stored. Where these are not yet held, the planned audit date must be stated.
• Disaster recovery and backup restoration test results, architecture and network diagrams, and application security test reports such as SAST and DAST must be made available.

Response discipline

• Every item requires a Yes, No or N/A answer, with written elaboration where the answer is No and attached procedures where requested.

Hosting and data flows

• The hosting region and data centre operator must be declared, with South Africa or the EU preferred.
• A supplier using a third-party data centre must ensure the host complies with the agreement, accept responsibility for the host's acts, and be jointly and severally liable with it for breach.
• Any transfer of Eskom data outside South Africa must be disclosed, and Eskom may restrict transfers to certain jurisdictions.

Contractual acceptance

• Acceptance of Eskom's data ownership, access, audit, retention and disposition rights.
• Acceptance of the confidentiality and data security indemnity and the intellectual property infringement indemnity.
• Agreement to mitigate, at no additional cost to Eskom, any risks arising where the offering deviates from Eskom's requirements.

The questionnaire is a generic third-party security risk assessment for the proposed service or system. It covers:

• Data ownership, storage, retention, and disposition.
• Security controls, confidentiality, and privacy.
• Data location and cross-border data flows.
• End-of-service and contract termination procedures.
• Service availability, disaster recovery, and business continuity.
• Insurance, indemnification, and liability.
• Data protection and access controls.
• Policies, standards, and reactive security.
• Compliance and electronic discovery.

The tenderer must provide, implement, configure, support and maintain a secure Eskom Employee Voice Platform on a five-year subscription for approximately 43,600 employees.

Returnable documents:

• E-Tendering Training Acknowledgement Form (Annexure L): must be fully completed, signed, and submitted to Eskom within the prescribed period. Failure to do so renders the tenderer non-responsive and disqualified.

Submission method: via the E-Tendering Solution (electronic).

Mandatory compliance: submission of the fully completed E-Tendering Training Acknowledgement Form within the prescribed period. Non-submission or incomplete submission results in disqualification.

Mandatory: E-Tendering Training Acknowledgement Form must be fully completed and submitted within the prescribed period.

Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd invites proposals for the provision, implementation, configuration, support and maintenance of a secure Employee Voice Platform on a five-year subscription for approximately 43,600 employees.

Tender pack contents (Annexures)

• Annexure A: Authorisation Form.
• Annexure B: Acknowledgement Form.
• Annexure C: Tenderer's Particulars.
• Annexure D: Integrity Declaration Form (read the Supplier Integrity Pact on the Eskom Tender Bulletin).
• Annexure E: CPA Requirements for Local Goods/Services.
• Annexure F: CPA(IG) for Foreign Goods/Services, if applicable.
• Annexures G1 to G4: SBD 6.2 local production and local content declarations — not applicable unless designated materials are included.
• Annexure H: SBD 1 Invitation to Bid, required from all bidders.
• Annexure I: SBD 6.1 Preference Points Claim Form (PPPFA 2022).
• Annexure J: SBD 4 Bidders Disclosure.
• Annexure K: Tax Evaluation Questionnaire.
• Annexures L and M: E-tendering Help Manual acknowledgement and supplier manual.
• Annexure N: Scope of Work.
• Annexures O1 and O2: NEC PSC and SLA.
• Annexure P: Pricing Schedule/BOQ.
• Annexure Q: OHS (Safety).
• Annexures R1 to R4: Quality requirements, Form A, Supplier Quality Management Specification and Method Statement template.
• Annexure S: SDL&I Requirements.
• Annexure T: Technical Evaluation Criteria.
• Annexure U: Third Party Security Risk Assessment Questionnaire.
• Reverse e-auction and CIDB CSDG/CPG annexures are not applicable.

Closing date and time: 01 December 2026 at 10h00

Clarification meeting: 19 November 2026 at 10:00, on MS Teams — non-compulsory

• Bidders must confirm intention to attend with the Eskom Representative, giving the name, position and contact details of each proposed attendee, and must send their email addresses for the MS Teams meeting.

Clarification queries deadline: 05 working days before the tender submission deadline

Tender issue date: 13 November 2026

Tender validity period: 180 days from the closing date and time

Eskom Representative (all queries and clarifications)

• Name: Nndanganeni Maguvhe
• Telephone: 011-800-2719
• Email: [email protected]
• Queries must be addressed in writing to the Eskom Representative only; no other Eskom official may be approached.

Procurement Manager

• Name: Mercilia Makhuba
• Role: Middle Manager Procurement (Acting)

Fraud and corruption reporting

• Telephone: 0800 11 2722
• Email: [email protected]

Submission channel

• Eskom e-tendering site: https://etendering.eskom.co.za

Submission method

• Electronic submission only, via the Eskom e-tendering site: https://etendering.eskom.co.za
• No hard copies will be accepted.
• Late submissions will not be accepted.
• It is the bidder's responsibility to ensure the submission is uploaded before the closing time.

Format and packaging

• All documents must be submitted in PDF.
• The price list must be submitted in PDF and/or an Excel copy.
• Upload under the folders: Technical, Commercial, Financial, Quality, SHE, SDL&I and other.
• Maximum upload size: 500 MB per document; total submission limited to 4 GB.
• Zip or condensed files may not be uploaded.
• The submission status must be indicated as complete.
• If a bid is resubmitted, only the latest version is accepted and all earlier submissions are void.

Returnable forms and documents (all must be completed, signed where required and submitted by the closing date and time)

• Annexure A (Authorisation Form): authorises the named signatory to bind the bidder; a certified copy of the enabling resolution or power of attorney must be attached.
• Annexure B (Acknowledgement Form): confirms receipt and completeness of the tender pack and addenda.
• Annexure C (Tenderer's Particulars): records the bidder's details.
• Annexure D (Integrity Pact Declaration): commits the bidder to Eskom's Supplier Integrity Pact.
• Annexure E (CPA for local goods/services) and Annexure F (CPA(IG) for imported goods/services), if applicable.
• Annexure H (SBD 1 Invitation to Bid): the offer cover page, required from all bidders including foreign suppliers.
• Annexure I (SBD 6.1 Preference Points Claim): claims B-BBEE preference points under the PPPFA 2022 regulations.
• Annexure J (SBD 4 Bidders Disclosure): discloses directors' or shareholders' state employment or connections.
• Annexure K (Tax Evaluation Questionnaire): determines whether the entity is a personal service provider for PAYE.
• Annexure L (E-tendering Help Manual acknowledgement) and Annexure M (E-tendering Help Manual for suppliers).
• Annexure N (Scope of Work), Annexure O1 (NEC PSC) and Annexure O2 (SLA).
• Annexure P (Pricing Schedule/BOQ): completed pricing schedule.
• Annexure Q (OHS/Safety), Annexures R1 to R4 (Quality), Annexure S (SDL&I), Annexure T (Technical Evaluation Criteria) and Annexure U (Third Party Security Risk Assessment Questionnaire).
• Joint ventures: letter of intent or valid JV agreement showing each partner's rights, obligations and profit-sharing ratios; written confirmation that the JV operates as a single incorporated business entity for the contract; and confirmation of a single designated JV bank account independent of the individual partners.

Disqualification risks

• Any disqualifiable returnable not completed, signed or submitted by the closing date and time.
• Failure to upload the tender documents renders the bid non-responsive.
• Non-disqualifiable returnables not submitted by closing may be requested in writing within 5 working days; failure to comply leads to disqualification.
• Alternative tenders are not allowed.

Technical evaluation (two stages)

• Stage 1 — Desktop evaluation. Minimum qualifying score: 75%.
• Functional: 40%
• Architecture: 20%
• Cloud: 15%
• Security: 25%
• Total: 100%, threshold 75%
• Stage 2 — Demonstration. Minimum qualifying score: 75%.
• Only bidders achieving 75% in the desktop evaluation proceed to the demonstration stage.
• The bidder's functionality score is the score achieved in stage 2, and this determines whether the 75% threshold is met.

Price and preference points (80/20 system)

• Price: scored out of 80 points.
• Specific goals: scored out of 20 points under the PPPFA.
• Ranking: price score plus specific goals score, ranked highest to lowest.
• Failure to submit evidence of a specific goals claim does not disqualify the bid, but scores 0 points for that goal.

Price evaluation basis

• Prices evaluated inclusive of VAT and corrected for arithmetical errors.
• Contingencies in any bill of quantities or activity schedule are excluded.
• Adjusted for acceptable variations, deviations or alternative tenders.
• Net present value comparison of each adjusted tender based on the tendered programme and prices, price adjustment factors, exchange rate fluctuations and other risk parameters.
• Unconditional discounts are taken into account; conditional discounts are not, but are applied at payment.

Other

• Objective criteria: not applicable.
• Reverse e-auction: not applicable.
• Tender opening: no public opening; tenders downloaded electronically and prices are not read out.

Scope

• Provision, implementation, configuration, support and maintenance of a secure Eskom Employee Voice Platform.
• Five-year subscription covering approximately 43,600 employees.
• Detailed scope set out in Annexure N (Scope of Work).
• Service levels set out in Annexure O2 (SLA).
• Contract based on the NEC3 Professional Services Contract (Annexure O1).

Technical evaluation focus areas

• Functional (40%), Architecture (20%), Cloud (15%) and Security (25%).
• A demonstration stage applies after the desktop evaluation.
• A Third Party Security Risk Assessment Questionnaire (Annexure U) must be completed.
• Technical Evaluation Criteria are set out in Annexure T.

Quality and method

• Quality requirements per QM 58 and ISO 9001 (Annexure R2, Form A).
• Supplier Quality Management Specification (Annexure R3).
• A method statement based on the scope of work must be compiled and submitted (Annexure R4).
• SDL&I requirements per Annexure S.

A method statement based on the scope of work must be compiled and submitted (Annexure R4).

The Baseline OHS Risk Assessment must be accompanied by the methodology used for the risk assessment.

Quality returnables (Annexures R1 to R4)

• List of Tender Returnables / Quality Requirement Document: submit all returnables for sections A, B and E per the list (Category 4).
• Form A: Tender & Contract Quality Requirements for QM 58 and ISO 9001 — complete sections A and E and sign.
• Supplier Quality Management Specification: comply with the selected requirements per Category 4.
• Method Statement template: compile and submit a method statement based on the scope of work.
• COIDA original certificate of good standing, or proof of application, from the Compensation Fund or a licensed compensation insurer (South African bidders only).

Pricing Schedule/BOQ (Annexure P) must be completed and submitted, in PDF and/or an Excel copy, unless already contained in the contract.

• Upload size limit: 500 MB per document; total submission limited to 4 GB.
• Prices are evaluated inclusive of VAT, corrected for arithmetical errors and excluding contingencies.
• Unconditional discounts count for evaluation; conditional discounts are applied only at payment.
• Price carries 80 points; specific goals carry 20 points under the 80/20 system.
• Reverse e-auction is not applicable.

Payment terms

• Contracts valued below R50 000 000 including VAT: payment within 30 days of receipt of undisputed invoices.
• Contracts valued above R50 000 000 including VAT: payment within 60 days of receipt of undisputed invoices.

Pricing

• Completed pricing schedule required (Annexure P), submitted in PDF and/or Excel.
• Prices evaluated inclusive of VAT, corrected for arithmetical errors and excluding contingencies.
• Unconditional discounts count for evaluation; conditional discounts are applied only at payment.
• Eskom reserves the right to negotiate with preferred bidders where tendered prices are not market-related.

Security and guarantees

• Provision of security for performance: not applicable.

Financial capacity evidence (due diligence, prior to award)

• Latest approved annual financial statements of the tendering company (not the parent or ultimate holding company); drafts and management accounts are not accepted.
• Statements must include a signed director's report, a signed auditor's/reviewer's/compiler's/accounting officer's report, statement of financial position, statement of comprehensive income, statement of changes in equity, statement of cash flows and notes.
• A signed copy of the public interest score (for unaudited South African entities), giving the actual score, indicating owner-management and whether statements were externally prepared.
• Copies of ITA34C for the current and previous years of assessment (for unaudited South African entities).
• Unincorporated JVs or SPVs: each partner must submit its own annual financial statements with all the above items.

Mandatory eligibility

• Meet the eligibility criteria and not be under any restriction to do business with Eskom or State-Owned Companies.
• Proof of valid and current CSD registration (CSD number or CSD report) is a mandatory contractual requirement.

Grounds for disqualification

• Nationality of a country on an international sanctions list (applies to proposed subcontractors and suppliers too).
• Submitting more than one tender, individually or as a JV/consortium partner.
• A JV or consortium agreement that does not state the parties are jointly and severally liable for contract execution.
• A conflict of interest, including a controlling partner or majority shareholder in common, or a relationship giving access to information about or influence over another tenderer's bid or the Employer's decisions.
• A tender signed by a non-authorised person.
• Being restricted by National Treasury, on the Tender Defaulters list, or restricted by Eskom (including its directors).
• Subcontracting 100% of the Scope of Work.

Tax

• Certified tax clearance certificate required from foreign bidders with a South African footprint but not registered on CSD and without a SARS pin, and from local bidders that have not provided a SARS e-filing PIN for verification or a CSD profile/number.
• Foreign suppliers with no South African footprint must complete SBD 1 but need no proof of tax compliance.

Employment Equity

• Bidders that are designated employers under the Employment Equity Act must provide proof of compliance, including proof of submission of the Employment Equity report to the Department of Labour (South African bidders only).

Safety and quality

• COIDA original certificate of good standing, or proof of application, from the Compensation Fund or a licensed compensation insurer (South African bidders only).
• OHS acknowledgement form, Baseline OHS Risk Assessment with methodology, valid Letter of Good Standing, and an OHS policy signed by the CEO complying with OHS Act Section 7.
• Quality returnables for sections A, B and E (Category 4), Form A completed and signed, Supplier Quality Management Specification and a method statement.

B-bbee

• Preference points claimed via SBD 6.1 (Annexure I) under the PPPFA 2022 regulations; proof of B-BBEE status level or a sworn affidavit must be submitted to claim points.

CIDB

• CIDB requirements, Contract Skills Development Goals and Contract Participation Goals are not applicable.

Subcontracting

• Main contractors are discouraged from subcontracting to their own subsidiaries; any such subcontracting must be declared in the tender.

OHS and SHEQ requirements (Annexure Q)

• Signed acknowledgement of Eskom's OHS legal and other requirements.
• Baseline OHS Risk Assessment identifying, assessing and managing safety, health and environmental risks related to the scope of work, submitted together with the methodology used.
• Valid Letter of Good Standing (COIDA or equivalent).
• OHS policy signed by the CEO, complying with OHS Act Section 7.
• Additional SHEQ requirements may apply per the scope of work.
• Documents must be uploaded under the SHE folder on the e-tendering site.

Contract form

• The contract conditions are the NEC3 Professional Services Contract.
• The tender is for the whole of the contract.

Payment terms

• Contracts below R50 000 000 including VAT: payment within 30 days of undisputed invoices.
• Contracts above R50 000 000 including VAT: payment within 60 days of undisputed invoices.

Eligibility restrictions

• Bidders must not be under restriction to do business with Eskom or State-Owned Companies.
• Bidders with the nationality of a sanctioned country are ineligible; this applies to proposed subcontractors and suppliers as well.
• A bidder may not submit more than one tender, individually or as a JV/consortium partner.
• JV or consortium agreements must state joint and several liability for contract execution.
• Eskom reserves the right to negotiate with preferred bidders where prices are not market-related.
• Subcontracting to own subsidiaries is discouraged and must be declared.

Technical evaluation is in two stages.

• Stage 1: Desktop evaluation, threshold 75%.
• Functional 40%, Architecture 20%, Cloud 15%, Security 25%; total 100%, threshold 75%.
• Stage 2: Demonstration, threshold 75%.
• Only bidders meeting the 75% desktop threshold proceed to the demonstration; demonstration clarification is provided only to those bidders.
• The functionality score is the stage 2 score and determines whether the 75% threshold is met.

Preference points

• Price: 80 points.
• Specific goals: 20 points under the PPPFA.
• Ranking combines price and specific goals scores, highest to lowest.
• No evidence of a specific goals claim means 0 points for that goal, not disqualification.

Eskom requires the appointment of a service provider to provide, implement, configure, support and maintain a secure Employee Voice Platform on a five-year subscription for approximately 43,600 employees. The platform must enable systematic capture, analysis, and action on employee feedback, sentiment, perceptions, and experiences across the employee lifecycle, with continuous listening capabilities, analytics, and AI-driven insights.

Bidders must complete all mandatory returnables and technical evaluation worksheets as specified in the tender documentation.

Returnable documents include:

• Completed technical evaluation workbook with all worksheets: Scoring Summary, Key Requirements, Functional, Architecture, Cloud, Security, Load Testing Scenario, and Demonstration.
• Mandatory evidence for each technical requirement, referenced by file number, section, and page number in the tender submission.
• Performance testing results for 5,000 concurrent users as per the Load Test Scenario.
• Reference letters from individual projects/clients for implementation experience.
• Product documentation, screenshots, and examples demonstrating compliance with functional requirements.

Submission method and address: Not stated in the provided document.

Closing time: 1 December 2026 at 08:00 (from tender record).

The technical evaluation uses a weighted scoring system with thresholds. Bidders must meet or exceed the threshold in each category to pass.

Key Requirements (weight 1, threshold 0.75):

• KR1: Proven solution with active implementations at organisations with 30,000+ employees. Scoring: >5 implementations (16.67%), 2-5 (8.33%), 1 (5.56%), none (0%). Show stopper.
• KR2: Solution mature in market for >5 years (16.67%), 2-5 years (8.33%), at least 1 year (5.56%), not used (0%). Show stopper.
• KR3: Implementation experience with at least 5+ years; quickest implementation at large organisation: <3 months (13.89%), 3-6 months (6.94%), 6-12 months (4.63%), >12 months (0%). Critical.
• KR4: Voice of Employee (VoE) as core solution; standard/configuration (13.89%), customization preserved (6.94%), development not preserved or not possible (0%). Critical.
• KR5: Anonymous survey portal for employees, FTCs, learners; standard/configuration (13.89%), customization preserved (6.94%), development not preserved or not possible (0%). Critical.
• KR6: Support access: local onsite (11.11%), hybrid (5.56%), online (0%). Very important.
• KR7: Performance for 5,000 concurrent users with documented testing; meets expected (13.89%), partially meets (6.94%), no results or fails (0%). Critical.

Desktop Evaluation (weights: Functional 0.4, Architecture 0.2, Cloud 0.15, Security 0.25; total threshold 0.75):

• Functional threshold: 0.30 (score to meet threshold).
• Architecture, Cloud, Security thresholds: not explicitly stated but overall threshold is 0.75.

Demonstration (weight 1, threshold 0.75):

• Demonstration of the solution; must meet threshold.

Minimum qualifying score: 75% (0.75) for Key Requirements, Desktop Evaluation, and Demonstration.

The platform must support approximately 43,613 registered employees, with a minimum of 3,000 concurrent active users during company-wide survey cycles, and proven scalability to at least 5,500 concurrent users, with ability to scale beyond on request.

Performance requirements:

• Page response time < 3 seconds
• Survey page load < 2 seconds
• Dashboard refresh < 5 seconds
• Report generation < 30 seconds
• Survey submission < 5 seconds
• Survey submission success rate > 99.9%
• Platform availability 99.9%+ SLA
• Failed transactions < 0.1%
• Data loss 0
• Peak throughput ≥ 950 TPS
• Support at least 5,000 concurrent survey participants and 1,000 transactions per second

Functional requirements (from BRS):

• Configuration and management of employee engagement, culture diagnostic, pulse, targeted listening, and follow-up surveys.
• Survey cycle configuration: opening/closing dates, target populations, organisational segments, questions, communication schedules, participation rules.
• Benchmarked survey frameworks for engagement, experience, high-performance culture.
• Ability to add Eskom-specific questions without compromising integrity.
• Configurable question libraries, templates, rating scales, open-ended, matrix, branching/skip logic.
• Statistical analysis outputs for reliability and validity.
• Secure participation via web, mobile, QR codes; maintain anonymity.
• Surveys in at least three South African official languages.
• Accessibility for Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWD) with assistive technologies.
• Duplicate/unauthorised submission prevention; confirmation and recording of completion.
• Progress indicators, navigation, mandatory validation, save-and-resume, review before submission.
• Secure access controls for eligible participants within survey period.
• Targeted invitations, reminders, notifications via email/mobile.
• Upfront loading of organisational hierarchy and demographics.
• Real-time role-based dashboards for executives, management, HR, divisional, regional, functional users.
• Drill-down to permitted levels with anonymity thresholds.
• Heat maps, key-driver analysis, trend analysis, priority focus areas.
• Graphical visualisations of engagement scores, experience, high-performance, response rates, benchmarks.
• Benchmark comparisons against local/global energy, utility, large-employer datasets.
• Action plans with accountable owners, tracking, monitoring.
• Manager guidance, action-plan templates, recommended interventions.
• Response-rate monitoring during active surveys.
• Reporting outputs: executive/manager dashboards, response-rate, benchmark, heat maps, key-driver, action-planning, trend, access/audit, statistical; export to PDF, Excel, PowerPoint.

Business/implementation services:

• Response-rate improvement service: minimum 65% response rate, target 80% or higher.
• Change enablement and survey campaign support: launch communications, employee info packs, noddy guides, manager guides, FAQs, escalation guidance.
• Knowledge management and skills-transfer programme for Eskom stakeholders.
• User manuals, training guides, administrator guides, support documentation.
• Implementation, configuration, testing, deployment, cutover, post-launch support.

No specific compliance requirements (e.g., CSD, tax, B-BBEE, CIDB) are stated in the provided document.

The project involves providing a digital organisational culture diagnostic (employee voice survey) for Eskom employees.

Required returnable documents (quality deliverables) as per Tender Quality Requirements Ref 240-105658000:

• Quality method statement using Method Statement Template Ref 240-126469599.
• Quality policy approved by top management.
• Quality objectives approved by top management.
• Organisation chart and responsibility matrix including quality management function.
• Documented information for control of externally provided processes (evaluation, selection, monitoring, re-evaluation of external providers).
• Completed and signed Form A.
• All documents must be objective evidence of a documented QMS compliant with ISO 9001 (certification not required).

Evaluation is based on the quality management system requirements as per Tender Quality Requirements Ref 240-105658000.

• A documented quality management system compliant with ISO 9001 is required; certification is not mandatory.
• Quality policy and quality objectives must be approved by top management.
• A quality method statement must be provided, using Method Statement Template Ref 240-126469599.
• An organisation chart and responsibility matrix must include the quality management function.
• Documented information for control of externally provided processes must cover evaluation, selection, performance monitoring, and re-evaluation of external providers.
• Form A must be completed and signed.
• Scoring: Section A (QMS requirements) score option 2 or 3; Section B (evidence of QMS in operation) score 2; Section E (user-defined additional requirements) score 1.

The department requires the provision, implementation, configuration, support, and maintenance of a secure Eskom Employee Voice Platform (a digital organisational culture diagnostic / employee voice survey) for approximately 43,600 employees. The contract is for a five-year subscription.

The annexure sets out Eskom's Supplier Development, Localisation and Industrialisation (SDL&I) objectives for the Employee Voice Platform contract. Scope: organisational culture diagnostic — Eskom One Voice (Employee Voice Survey), over a 5-year duration. Preference points are awarded on an 80/20 system, with up to 20 points for specific goals. SDL&I commitments are not scored but become contractual obligations. Objective criteria are not mandatory at closing but are a condition for contract award.

Returnable documents

• Valid B-BBEE certificate from a SANAS-accredited verification agency, sworn affidavit or CIPS affidavit — required to claim preference points and as a condition of contract award.
• B-BBEE improvement or retention plan — due within 30 days of signing the contract.
• SDL&I performance reports — submitted biannually on the Data Collection Template.
• Electronic signatures on sworn affidavits are not accepted.

Preference point system: 80/20

• Price: 80 points.
• Specific goals: maximum 20 points.
• Totals are rounded to two decimal places; the bid scoring the highest points is awarded the contract.

B-BBEE status level points (80/20)

• Level 1: 20
• Level 2: 18
• Level 3: 14
• Level 4: 12
• Level 5: 8
• Level 6: 6
• Level 7: 4
• Level 8: 2
• Non-compliant: 0

Failure to submit preference point documentation

• The bid is not disqualified, but scores 0 out of 20 for specific goals and may only score points out of 80 for price.

Objective criteria

• Not mandatory at tender closing but a condition for contract award; failure to meet them may result in the second-ranked bidder being recommended for award.
• Designated sectors, CIDB skills development, the National Industrial Participation Programme and mandatory subcontracting as a condition of award: not applicable.

SDL&I objectives

• Do not form part of scoring, but the commitments made become contractual obligations.

Scope

• Organisational culture diagnostic — Eskom One Voice (Employee Voice Survey).
• Provision, implementation, configuration, support and maintenance of a secure Eskom Employee Voice Platform on a five-year subscription.
• Coverage: approximately 43,600 employees.
• Duration: 5 years.

SDL&I deliverables

• Local procurement content: proposals must separate local and imported components per the Price Schedule; local content is total spending minus the imported component.
• Procurement spend on entities with at least 51% black ownership: encouraged for both indirect (overhead) spend and direct subcontractor spend.
• Subcontracting: activities that may be subcontracted to designated black-owned enterprises must be submitted as a proportion of local procurement content.
• Jobs: proposals for the type and number of jobs created and retained in South Africa.
• Skills development: upskilling of currently unemployed graduates from South African universities and TVET campuses; one candidate must be skilled for every R2 million of cumulative spend through purchase orders or instructions; proof of appointment (letter of competence, proof of attendance, service contract or certificate of compliance) required; candidates drawn from all provinces and representative of national demographics; implementation required one month after the threshold is reached.

• Retention: 2.5% of every invoice amount (excluding VAT) is retained for failure to submit SDL&I performance reports or failure to meet SDL&I obligations.
• Retained funds are released to the contractor once compliance results are positive.
• Skills development: the tenderer bears the full cost; Eskom makes no financial contribution. Tenderers may approach their SETA for grants, subsidies and incentives and SARS for tax rebates.

B-BBEE evidence

• Valid B-BBEE certificate from a SANAS-accredited verification agency, sworn affidavit or CIPS affidavit — required to claim preference points and as a condition of contract award.
• Electronic signature on a sworn affidavit is not accepted.
• Annual total revenue up to R10 million (EME): a sworn affidavit may be submitted.
• Annual total revenue up to R50 million (QSE): must comply with all elements of the QSE scorecard for its sector, unless at least 51% black owned, in which case a sworn affidavit is required.
• Annual total revenue above R50 million: a valid B-BBEE certificate is required.

Sworn affidavit validity

• Deponent's names and identity number must match the identity document.
• Designation as director, owner or member must be indicated.
• Enterprise name per CIPC registration documents and business address must appear.
• Percentage of black ownership, black female ownership and designated group (black beneficiaries for specialised enterprises under Statement 004) must be completed with no blank spaces.
• Total revenue for the year under review and whether it is based on audited financial statements or management accounts must be indicated.
• Financial year end used to determine total revenue must be stipulated.
• B-BBEE status level must be ticked (one level only).
• Empowering supplier status must be indicated; QSEs must select the basis.
• Deponent and Commissioner of Oaths must sign on the same date; the Commissioner must sign and stamp in the deponent's presence.
• The Commissioner of Oaths may not be an employee or ex officio of the enterprise.

B-BBEE improvement

• A B-BBEE improvement or retention plan must be submitted within 30 days of signing the contract.
• Level 1 to 3: maintain the status.
• Level 4: reach Level 3 by the end of Year 1 and maintain it thereafter.
• Level 5 to 8 or non-compliant: reach Level 4 by the end of Year 1 and Level 3 by the second anniversary.