Facilitation of a 6-month market link growth programme for 20 msmes — edtea kwazulu-natal

Compulsory briefing session: 14 October 2026 at 10:00 (venue: 270 Jabu Ndlovu Street, EDTEA Head Office, Pietermaritzburg, 141 Boardroom, 1st Floor). Attendance is mandatory; a signed attendance certificate (Section J) must be submitted with the bid.

Closing date and time: 20 October 2026 at 15:00.

Bid validity period: 60 days from closing date.

SCM / Administrative enquiries:

• Contact: Admin Office
• Telephone: (033) 264 2579 / (033) 264 2862
• Email: [email protected]

Technical enquiries:

• Contact: Sihle Mazibuko
• Telephone: 082 808 0191
• Email: [email protected]

Submission address (bid box):

Ground Floor Foyer

270 Jabu Ndlovu Street

Pietermaritzburg

Service delivery address:

Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs

270 Jabu Ndlovu Street

Pietermaritzburg

Submission method: physical deposit in the bid box at Ground Floor Foyer, 270 Jabu Ndlovu Street, Pietermaritzburg.

Closing: 20 October 2026 at 15:00. Late bids will not be accepted.

Bidders must sign the official submission register at reception upon delivery; couriers or drivers must be informed of this requirement.

Documents must be submitted on the official forms provided (no retyping); photocopies are allowed only if they bear an original signature.

Each bid must be in a separate sealed envelope marked with the bidder's name and address, the bid number (Q28 EDTEA 26/27) and the closing date.

No bids by post, fax, telegraph or electronic means will be considered.

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

• SBD 1 (Invitation to Bid, Part A & Part B): offer cover page and acceptance of terms.
• Section B: List of Returnable & Compulsory Documents (completed).
• Section C: Special Instructions (read only).
• Section D: Registration on Central Supplier Database (read only).
• Section E: Declaration that CSD Information is Correct and Up to Date: certifies CSD details are accurate; incorrect or outdated information may disqualify the bid.
• SBD 3.3 (Pricing Schedule – Professional Services): ceiling price, hourly/daily rates, phase costs, travel expenses; offer valid for 60 days from closing date.
• Section G (Quotation Offer): total price including VAT, amount in words, completion/delivery period.
• SBD 4 (Bidder's Disclosure): declares any director/shareholder employed by the state or connected to the procuring institution; false declaration disqualifies the bid.
• SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim Form): claims specific-goal points (HDI – People Living with Disability 5 points; RDP – Youth 15 points) with supporting documents.
• Section J: Official Briefing Session Certificate: proves attendance at the compulsory briefing.
• Section K: Questionnaire Replies (only when goods are involved).
• Section L: Special Conditions of Contract (read only).
• Section M: General Conditions of Contract (read only).
• Section N: Authority to Sign Quotation: board resolution or letter authorising the signatory.
• Section O: Schedule Variations from Goods or Services Information (if applicable).
• Annexure A: Terms of Reference.
• Annexure B: Evaluation Grid.
• Annexure C: CV Format.
• Annexure D: Statement of Exclusivity and Availability.

Disqualification risks:

• Any compulsory returnable form left unsigned or omitted.
• Failure to attend the compulsory briefing session.
• Bid received after closing time.
• Bidder or any director/shareholder employed by the state without disclosure.
• CSD registration not valid at closing time.
• Tax compliance status (SARS TCS PIN or CSD number) not provided.

Four-stage evaluation process:

Step 1 – Administrative Compliance: verification that all compulsory returnable documents (Sections A–O and Annexures A–D) are submitted and correctly completed. Non-compliance renders the quotation invalid.

Step 2 – Functionality: minimum qualifying score of 60% required to proceed. Detailed functionality criteria and scoring are set out in Annexure B (Evaluation Grid) and Annexure C (CV Format).

Step 3 – Preferential Point Evaluation (80/20 system): Price 80 points; Specific Goals 20 points. Specific goals and required evidence:

• HDI – People Living with Disability: 5 points – completed ownership demographic form, doctor's medical/disability certificate, CIPC certificate.
• RDP – Youth: 15 points – completed ownership demographic form, CIPC certificate, copy of identity document.

Failure to submit supporting documents results in zero points for that goal.

Step 4 – Price Negotiation: department reserves the right to negotiate price with the recommended bidder.

Offer validity: 60 days from closing date.

Scope: Appointment of a service provider to facilitate a Market Link Growth Programme for twenty (20) MSMEs for the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) in KwaZulu-Natal.

Contract period: 6 months from signing of the Service Level Agreement.

Detailed terms of reference, deliverables, methodology, key personnel requirements and evaluation grid are contained in Annexure A (Terms of Reference), Annexure B (Evaluation Grid) and Annexure C (CV Format) – these annexures were not fully extracted but are referenced as compulsory returnable documents.

Quality requirements are governed by the General Conditions of Contract (GCC) and any Special Conditions of Contract (SCC).

Goods supplied must conform to standards mentioned in the bidding documents and specifications (GCC clause 4.1).

Supplier must permit purchaser to inspect records and premises at reasonable hours; inspections/tests may be conducted during production or on completion.

Cost of inspections/tests borne by purchaser if supplies comply; by supplier if they do not.

Non-compliant supplies may be rejected; supplier must replace at own cost and risk.

Warranty period: 12 months after delivery/acceptance or 18 months after shipment (whichever earlier) for goods; defects must be remedied within period specified in SCC.

No specific ISO or quality management system certifications are mentioned in the extracted sections.

Pricing schedule: SBD 3.3 (Professional Services).

Bidders must submit a ceiling price inclusive of all applicable taxes.

Rates: hourly and daily rates for each person/position involved.

Phases: cost per phase with man-days to be spent.

Travel expenses: actual costs only (rate/km, total km, class of air travel, etc.); proof of expenses must accompany certified invoices.

Offer validity: 60 days from closing date.

Rates firmness: bidders must indicate whether rates are firm for the full contract period; if not, basis for adjustments (e.g. CPI) must be provided.

Period for commencement after acceptance: to be stated.

Estimated man-days for completion: to be stated.

Pricing format: SBD 3.3 (Professional Services) – firm ceiling price inclusive of all applicable taxes (VAT, PAYE, UIF, SDL). Bidders must provide hourly and daily rates for personnel, cost per phase with man-days, and travel expenses (actual costs only, proof required with certified invoices).

Offer validity: 60 days from closing date.

Performance security: within 30 days of contract award, the successful bidder must furnish performance security of an amount specified in the Special Conditions of Contract, in the form of a bank guarantee/irrevocable letter of credit or a cashier's/certified cheque.

Payment terms: payment within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice accompanied by a delivery note and proof of fulfilment of obligations; payment in Rand unless otherwise stipulated in the SCC.

Price adjustments: only as authorised in the SCC or through bid validity extension.

No bid security or retention percentages are stated in the extracted sections.

Mandatory eligibility and compliance:

• Central Supplier Database (CSD) registration: supplier must be registered on CSD (www.csd.gov.za) at closing time; non-registration leads to disqualification.
• Tax compliance: valid SARS Tax Compliance Status (TCS) PIN or printed TCS certificate; each party in a consortium/joint venture/sub-contractor must submit a separate TCS PIN/certificate/CSD number.
• No bid will be considered from persons in the service of the state, companies with directors who are persons in the service of the state, or close corporations with members who are persons in the service of the state.
• B-BBEE / Specific Goals: 80/20 preference point system applies. Points claimed for HDI (People Living with Disability – 5 points) and RDP (Youth – 15 points) require supporting documents as listed in the evaluation criteria.
• Compulsory briefing session attendance (Section J certificate).
• Authority to Sign (Section N) – board resolution or letter authorising the signatory.
• All returnable forms (Sections A–O, Annexures A–D) completed and signed.
• CIPC registration certificate required for specific-goal claims.
• No CIDB grading requirement (services, not construction).
• No local-content percentage stated.

No specific occupational health and safety requirements, safety plans or HSE compliance details are stated in the extracted sections. The General Conditions of Contract contain standard force majeure and liability clauses but no dedicated health and safety provisions for this service contract.

No specific environmental impact, sustainability or environmental management requirements are stated in the extracted sections. The procurement is for a Market Link Growth Programme facilitation service; environmental clauses are not referenced.

Contract period: 6 months from signing of Service Level Agreement.

Offer validity: 60 days from closing date.

Performance security: required within 30 days of award; amount specified in SCC; form: bank guarantee/irrevocable letter of credit or cashier's/certified cheque; returned within 30 days after completion of obligations including warranty.

Warranty (goods): 12 months after delivery/acceptance at final destination or 18 months after shipment, whichever ends first (GCC clause 15).

Payment: within 30 days of valid invoice with delivery note; in Rand unless SCC states otherwise.

Price adjustments: only as authorised in SCC or bid validity extension.

Contract amendments: only by written amendment signed by both parties.

Assignment: not permitted without purchaser's prior written consent.

Subcontracting: must notify purchaser in writing; does not relieve supplier of liability.

Delays: supplier must notify purchaser promptly; purchaser may extend time with or without penalties; penalties calculated at current prime interest rate per day of delay on delayed goods/services.

Termination for default: purchaser may terminate if supplier fails to deliver/perform, breaches other obligations, or engages in corrupt/fraudulent practices; excess procurement costs recoverable; restriction penalty up to 10 years from public sector possible.

Force majeure: standard GCC definition; includes wars, floods, epidemics, etc.

Inspections and tests: pre-bid testing at bidder's cost; contract inspections at purchaser's cost if compliant, supplier's cost if non-compliant; non-compliant supplies may be rejected and replaced at supplier's cost and risk.

Intellectual property indemnity: supplier indemnifies purchaser against third-party patent, trademark, industrial design claims.

Confidentiality: supplier may not disclose contract documents/specifications without purchaser's prior written consent.

General Conditions of Contract (GCC) apply, supplemented by Special Conditions of Contract (SCC).

See main evaluationCriteria section for the four-stage process. Additional detail: functionality minimum qualifying score is 60%. Functionality criteria and weightings are defined in Annexure B (Evaluation Grid) and key personnel are assessed via Annexure C (CV Format). Price negotiation (Step 4) is reserved for the recommended bidder.