Edrms supply, implementation, training, support and maintenance for atns — five-year contract

Closing

• 27 January 2027 at 14h00 CAT.

Compulsory briefing session (mandatory)

• Date: 18 November 2026
• Time: 11:00
• Venue: Microsoft Teams
• Meeting ID: 388 936 228 251 084 1
• Password: PU6PA7LP
• Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3889362282510841?p=ZwkOZMYgCuogRoJWd6
• Attendance is registered by signing the attendance register; no separate proof is required.
• Bidders joining more than 30 minutes after the session starts will not be admitted.
• Failure to attend and sign the register makes the bid non-responsive.

Clarification queries

• Written queries using the Appendix A Form of Questionnaire: by 07 December 2026 at 17h00 CAT.
• ATNS responses: by 14 December 2026 at 17h00 CAT.
• No queries or clarification requests will be considered after 14 December 2026 at 17h00 CAT.

Bid validity

• Proposals must remain valid for 120 days from submission; extensions may be requested in advance with justification, and ATNS may approve or decline.

Pre-closure enquiries

• Contact: Bright Blessie
• Role: Specialist: Demand Management
• Email: [email protected]
• Copy to: [email protected]

Post-closure enquiries

• Contact: Andy Ngubane
• Role: Specialist: Acquisition Management
• Email: [email protected]
• Copy to: [email protected]

Enquiry rules

• The tender reference number and description must appear in the subject line.
• Pre-closure queries must be submitted on the Appendix A Form of Questionnaire.

Submission address (hard copy)

ATNS Company Limited

Eastgate Office Park, Block C

South Boulevard Road

Bruma, 2298

South Africa

Submission method

• Online: National Treasury e-Submission (e-Tender) system.
• Hard copy: delivered to the ATNS bid box at ATNS Head Office.
• Email submissions will not be accepted or processed.
• Bidders must choose one method only; submitting through both is not permitted unless ATNS authorises it.

Hard copy requirements

• One original, one copy, and one PDF version on USB.

Submission address

ATNS Company Limited

Eastgate Office Park, Block C

South Boulevard Road

Bruma, 2298

South Africa

Bid structure — two parcels

• Parcel A (Phases 1 and 2): Volume 1A general instructions and administrative requirements, excluding SBD 3.3 and SBD 6.1.
• Parcel B (Phase 4): SBD 3.3 Pricing Schedule, SBD 6.1 Preference Points Claim Form, CSD report, CIPC documents, shareholder certificates, ID copies of shareholders, and a valid B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit for EMEs/QSEs.

Returnable documents

• SBD 1 (Invitation to Bid): completed and signed; an unsigned or missing form renders the bid non-responsive.
• SBD 3.3 (Pricing Schedule – Professional Services): fully completed and signed; a missing or incomplete price renders the bid non-responsive.
• SBD 4 (Declaration of Interest): completed and signed by each party to the bid; omission renders the bid non-responsive.
• SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim Form): used to claim specific goals points.
• SBD 7 (Contract Form): completed and signed by the successful bidder.
• Proof of CSD registration, or proof of application for registration.
• Valid SARS Tax Compliance Status PIN, valid for the full bid validity period.
• Proof of registration with relevant professional bodies, or OEM accreditation/authorisation.
• Proof of authority to sign, such as a company resolution.

Disqualification risks

• Late submission; late bids are not accepted.
• Submitting by email.
• Any returnable form missing or unsigned.
• No price or an incomplete price.
• Failure to attend the compulsory briefing session and sign the attendance register.
• Failure to submit the required reference letters.

Four-stage evaluation

Phase 1 — Administrative

• Valid SARS Tax Compliance Status PIN, valid for the full bid validity period.
• Where an administrative requirement is not met or cannot be verified, ATNS may reject the bid or accept it on condition that supplementary information is submitted within seven (7) days; that information must address administrative matters only and may not be substantive.

Phase 2 — Mandatory

• Attendance at the compulsory briefing session and signature of the attendance register.
• Minimum of three (3) contactable reference letters for successful EDRMS implementations completed within the past five (5) years.
• Failure on any mandatory requirement may result in rejection.

Phase 3 — System demonstration

• Shortlisted bidders conduct a live demonstration of the proposed EDRMS, in person or virtually.
• The demonstration must be based on the proposed solution, not a generic product presentation; ATNS may introduce use-case scenarios.
• Assessed against 10 functionality areas: document management; electronic records management; version control; workflow and business process automation; search and retrieval; metadata management; retention and disposal management; security and access controls; reporting and audit trails.
• Scoring: all 10 requirements demonstrated = 100 points; 7 to 9 = 80 points; 0 to 6 = 0 points.
• Minimum threshold: 80 out of 100.
• Failure to attend or conduct the demonstration may result in a score of zero.

Phase 4 — Price and preference points for specific goals

• Preference point system: 80/20 or 90/10, determined by the value of the lowest acceptable tender.
• Price points are calculated against the lowest acceptable tender.
• Specific goals points:
• 51% Black Owned: 5.00 points under 90/10, 10.00 points under 80/20.
• 30% Black Woman Owned: 5.00 points under 90/10, 10.00 points under 80/20.
• Claims must be made in SBD 6.1.
• Supporting evidence: CSD registration report, CIPC documents, shareholder certificates, ID copies of shareholders, and a B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit for EMEs/QSEs.
• Evaluation is in terms of the Preferential Procurement Regulations, 2022.

Procurement

• A turnkey Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS) for ATNS, covering supply, implementation, configuration, data migration, integration, training, change management, maintenance, upgrades and support.
• Contract period: five (5) years.

Solution design and planning

• Inception and requirements validation workshops.
• Project implementation plan, data migration plan, system configuration and deployment strategy, change management and communication plan, and user acceptance testing documentation.

Core system functionality

• Enterprise document management and electronic records management.
• Workflow automation with configurable multi-step workflows, multi-level approvals, document routing, email notifications, administrator-managed configuration, and automated task assignment and escalation.
• Document and information classification, metadata management, retention and disposal management, archiving, audit trails, search and retrieval, reporting and analytics, access and permission management, and version control.

File plan and records management

• Implementation of the ATNS approved file plan, records classification, retention schedules, disposal and archival processes, management of physical and electronic records, and complete audit histories of record activities.

Digitisation and capture

• Scanning and ingestion of physical records, OCR capability, metadata capture during scanning, and automatic indexing for retrieval.

Systems integration

• Microsoft 365, Microsoft Outlook, Active Directory, ERP systems, existing ATNS internal applications, web services through APIs, and authentication services.

Security

• Role-based access control, multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, encryption of data at rest and in transit, comprehensive audit logging, digital signature capability, and information classification management.

Reporting

• Standard operational reports, compliance reports, audit reports, user activity reports, customised reporting, and dashboard reporting.

Training

• System administration, end-user functionality, records management processes, file plan implementation, retention schedules, security and user permissions, workflow management, and records retrieval.

Support and maintenance

• Software support, system maintenance, patches and upgrades, incident and service request resolution, a helpdesk facility, periodic system health assessments, and monthly support reports.

Functional requirements (FR1–FR17)

• File plan alignment; workflow management; NARSSA minimum mandatory metadata; lifecycle records management; governance and compliance with NARSSA, POPIA, PAIA and MISS; integration with internal systems; prescribed security features; indexing and metadata; high-level and customisable reporting; access and permission management; handling of large data volumes; search functionality; version control with audit trail; capture, imaging and digitisation; online functional application support; information classification per ATNS categories; on-premise deployment with capability to migrate to a private cloud.

Non-functional requirements (NFR1–NFR5)

• Usability: user-friendly interface and efficient search and retrieval.
• Security and privacy: protection of user access and permissions, and information security classification.
• Performance: reduction of duplication, collaboration and knowledge sharing, API-based integration with internal systems, and management of electronic documents and records.
• Scalability: support for large data volumes without performance degradation, plus audit trails and document tracking.
• Compatibility: version control and lifecycle management of electronic records in line with approved policies and retention schedules.

Legislative and regulatory compliance

• NARSSA, POPIA, PAIA, PAJA, PFMA, ECTA, MISS, and the ATNS Records Management Policy and Procedure Manual.

Relocation

• The solution must be relocatable, migratable, reconfigurable and fully operational at an alternative ATNS facility during the contract period, with technical support, configuration, migration, testing and commissioning provided, and architecture that is portable and not tied to the current office location.

Experience

• The service provider must be suitably qualified and experienced to supply, implement, configure, train on, support and maintain an enterprise EDRMS.
• A minimum of three (3) contactable reference letters for successful EDRMS implementations is mandatory.
• Reference letters must be on official client letterhead, indicate the services rendered and the scope of work performed, be signed and dated by an authorised representative, and include contact details (email and/or telephone).
• The referenced work must have been completed within the past five (5) years.
• Letters of appointment, project award notifications and contracts will not be accepted in place of reference letters.

Planning deliverables

• Inception and requirements validation workshops.
• Project implementation plan.
• Data migration plan.
• System configuration and deployment strategy.
• Change management and communication plan.
• User acceptance testing documentation.

Compliance framework

• The solution must comply with NARSSA, POPIA, PAIA, PAJA, PFMA, ECTA, MISS, and the ATNS Records Management Policy and Procedure Manual.

Contract period

• Support and maintenance run for five (5) years.

Relocation

• The EDRMS must be capable of relocation, migration, reconfiguration and full operation at an alternative ATNS facility if ATNS moves during the contract period.
• The service provider must supply the technical support, configuration, migration, testing and commissioning needed for the move with minimal disruption to business.
• The architecture must be portable and not tied to the current office location, and relocation must be done in consultation with ATNS.

Pricing form

• SBD 3.3 (Pricing Schedule – Professional Services) must be fully completed and signed and submitted with the bid, along with any other price-related documents requested.
• All costs for the assignment must be included in the prescribed pricing schedule and returned as part of the submission.
• Any budget amount shown is a guide only; bidders must submit a fair and reasonable costing.
• A bid with no price or an incomplete price will be deemed non-responsive.
• Omitting a specified element such as fees or reimbursable costs may render the bid non-responsive.
• Price is evaluated in Phase 4 against the lowest acceptable tender under the applicable 80/20 or 90/10 preference point system.

Pricing

• Pricing must be submitted on SBD 3.3 (Pricing Schedule – Professional Services), fully completed and signed, together with any other price-related documents requested.
• All costs for the assignment must be allowed for in the prescribed pricing schedule and returned with the bid.
• Any budget amount indicated is a guide only; bidders must submit a fair and reasonable costing.
• A bid with no price or an incomplete price will be deemed non-responsive.
• Omitting a specified pricing element, such as fees or reimbursable costs, may render the bid non-responsive.

Insurance and contract security

• The successful bidder must hold adequate professional indemnity insurance.
• The contract includes a retention clause for non-satisfactory completion.

Delivery and remedies

• If the contractor cannot deliver within the delivery period, at the quoted price, or as specified, ATNS must be given immediate written notice; ATNS may apply the remedies in the General Conditions of Contract.

Validity

• Proposals must remain valid for 120 days from submission.

Registration and tax

• Registration on the National Treasury Central Supplier Database (CSD) is mandatory; proof of registration or proof of application must be submitted, and no bid will be awarded to an unregistered bidder.
• A valid SARS Tax Compliance Status PIN must be submitted and must remain valid for the full bid validity period; a printed TCS certificate is also acceptable.
• Where no TCS PIN is available but the bidder is registered on the CSD, the CSD number must be provided.
• Consortia, joint ventures and sub-contractors must each submit a separate TCS/PIN/CSD number.
• Bids without any of the above will be deemed non-responsive.

Ownership and empowerment evidence

• B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit (EMEs and QSEs) to claim preference points.
• CSD registration report, CIPC documents, shareholder certificates, and ID copies of shareholders.

Professional registration

• Proof of registration with relevant professional bodies, or OEM accreditation/authorisation; a distributor or reseller must attach a valid OEM authorisation letter.
• Bids without this proof will be deemed non-responsive.

Standard forms

• SBD 1 (Invitation to Bid): completed and signed; omission renders the bid non-responsive.
• SBD 4 (Declaration of Interest): completed and signed by each party; omission renders the bid non-responsive.
• SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim Form): claims specific goals points under the Preferential Procurement Regulations, 2022.
• SBD 3.3 (Pricing Schedule – Professional Services): completed and signed.
• SBD 7 (Contract Form): signed by the successful bidder.
• Proof of authority to sign, such as a company resolution.

Exclusion

• Bids will not be considered from persons in the service of the state, companies with directors in the service of the state, or close corporations with members in the service of the state.

Bidding structure

• Bidders must declare their bidding structure (individual, joint venture, consortium, with sub-contractors, or other) and whether they bid as OEM, authorised distributor/reseller, or other.

Contract formation

• A contract exists only once reduced to writing in a formal contract and, where applicable, a Service Level Agreement signed by the designated representatives of both parties.
• The successful bidder must accept the General Conditions of Contract and the standard terms and conditions, which include retention for non-satisfactory completion, breach of contract, confidentiality, and a requirement for adequate professional indemnity insurance.
• ATNS may negotiate terms, including price, with one or more bidders; negotiation does not constitute an award or a promise to award.
• ATNS is not obliged to accept the lowest or any bid, and may contract with one bidder for all functions or with different bidders for different functions.

Variation and cancellation

• ATNS may vary the scope and terms and will notify bidders in writing if it does.
• The procurement may be postponed or cancelled at any stage before a contract is concluded.

Rejection

• ATNS will reject a bid where the recommended bidder has committed a proven corrupt or fraudulent act in competing for the contract.
• ATNS may disregard a bid where the bidder or any director has abused ATNS's supply chain management system, committed proven fraud or improper conduct in relation to that system, or failed to perform on a previous contract where proof exists; such conduct is reported to National Treasury.

Additional information

• ATNS may request additional information in writing during evaluation; replies must be submitted within seven (7) working days or as otherwise indicated, failing which the bid may be disregarded.
• Unsolicited additional information will not be accepted.

Confidentiality and intellectual property

• Bid information must be kept confidential and used only to prepare the bid.
• Copyright in all documentation relating to the contract belongs to ATNS; the successful bidder may not disclose information, documentation or products to other clients without written approval from the accounting authority or its delegate. This survives termination.

Delivery and retention

• The contractor must notify ATNS immediately in writing if it cannot deliver within the delivery period, at the quoted price, or as specified; ATNS may apply the remedies in the General Conditions of Contract.
• On termination, the bidder must hand over all project documentation and deliverables on demand, with no right of retention.
• Amendments or variations are valid only if in writing and signed by both parties.

Waiver

• Waiver of a breach does not prejudice the waiving party's remedies for any continuing or other breach, and no delay or indulgence operates as a waiver of any right.

Stage 3 — System demonstration (100 points, minimum 80)

• Shortlisted bidders demonstrate the proposed EDRMS live, in person or virtually.
• The demonstration must reflect the proposed solution rather than a generic product presentation; ATNS may request use-case scenarios.
• Assessed areas: document management; electronic records management; version control; workflow and business process automation; search and retrieval; metadata management; retention and disposal management; security and access controls; reporting and audit trails.
• Scoring: all 10 areas demonstrated = 100 points; 7 to 9 = 80 points; 0 to 6 = 0 points.
• Failure to attend or conduct the demonstration may result in zero for this criterion.

Stage 4 — Price and specific goals

• The 80/20 or 90/10 preference point system applies, determined by the lowest acceptable tender.
• Price points are calculated against the lowest acceptable tender.
• Specific goals: 51% Black Owned — 5.00 points (90/10) or 10.00 points (80/20); 30% Black Woman Owned — 5.00 points (90/10) or 10.00 points (80/20).
• Points must be claimed in SBD 6.1.
• Verification documents: CSD report, CIPC documents, shareholder certificates, ID copies of shareholders, and a B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit.
• Evaluation follows the Preferential Procurement Regulations, 2022.