Implementation and support of an integrated pos, inventory management and invoice automation solution for the csir (five-year contract)

RFP issued: 10 November 2026

Last date for enquiries/clarifications: 24 November 2026 at 16:30

Closing date and time: 27 November 2026 at 16:30

RFP validity period: 120 calendar days from the closing date

• No compulsory briefing session or site visit is scheduled.
• All dates and times are South African standard time.
• CSIR may extend the closing date at its discretion; the RFP requirements then apply equally to the extended deadline.

Enquiries

• Channel: CSIR Electronic Bid Submission Portal (EBSP) query function only
• Direct contact with CSIR personnel about this RFP is not permitted during the process

Submission

• Method: electronic submission via the CSIR Electronic Bid Submission Portal
• Portal registration: www.tenders.csir.co.za

Supplier registration

• National Treasury Central Supplier Database: www.csd.gov.za

Submission method

• Electronic only, through the CSIR Electronic Bid Submission Portal (EBSP). Bids not submitted through the portal are eliminated.
• Bidders must register on the portal first: www.tenders.csir.co.za.
• Where a consortium, joint venture or sub-contractor is involved, the principal/main party must be the registered portal user.
• All queries and responses run through the portal.

Closing

• 27 November 2026 at 16:30 (South African standard time).
• The portal rejects late entries automatically. CSIR accepts no liability for bandwidth, traffic or upload failures; upload early.

Packaging

• Submit as three separate folders: (1) Mandatory Returnable Documents; (2) Technical Proposal and other essential documents; (3) Pricing Proposal, Preference Points Award Form and B-BBEE evidence.
• Subject-reference every submission with the RFP number and RFP description.
• Maximum 20MB per file.
• File names must be short and simple, up to 50 characters.
• Documents shared via cloud links (WeTransfer, Google Drive, Dropbox or similar) are not accepted.
• Proposals must be signed by a duly authorised person.

Returnable documents

• Annexure A — SBD 1: bidder identification and contact details, signed as the offer cover page.
• Annexure E — Proposal Form and List of Returnable Documents: the mandatory returnable documents table; omission eliminates the bid.
• Annexure F — Certificate of Acquaintance with the RFP.
• Annexure G — Preference Point Award Form: claims preference points.
• Annexure H — SBD 4: Declaration of Interest, disclosing any state employment or connection to the CSIR by directors, shareholders or members.
• Annexure I — RFP Declaration and Breach of Law Form.
• Annexure J — Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement.
• Annexure D — Pricing Schedule / Bill of Quantities, completed strictly in the prescribed format.
• Valid B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit.
• Latest CSD registration report (RSA suppliers only).

Disqualification risks

• Bid not submitted through the EBSP.
• Late submission.
• Any mandatory returnable document omitted.
• Bidder listed on National Treasury's Register of Tender Defaulters or List of Restricted Suppliers.
• Counter conditions, amendments to RFP conditions, or qualifying any RFP condition.
• Submission at an incorrect location or address.
• Cloud-link submissions.

Four sequential phases; a bid must clear each phase to reach the next.

Phase 1 — Elimination

• Only bids meeting every Phase 1 criterion proceed.
• Eliminated: bids not submitted via the EBSP; bidders on the National Treasury restricted suppliers list or Register of Tender Defaulters; bids missing mandatory returnable documents listed in Annexure E.

Phase 2 — Technical / functional evaluation (100 points)

• Minimum qualifying score: 70% overall.
• Minimum qualifying score: 50% on each individual criterion.
• Bids below either threshold are eliminated before price and preference points.
• Scoring is per Annexure C (Technical Evaluation Matrix/Rubrics).
• Weightings: POS functionality 15; inventory and centralised store management 15; system integration capability 15; reporting and management information 10; invoice automation capability 10; implementation methodology 10; support, maintenance and service levels 5; security, compliance and governance 5; company profile (years of operation and relevant experience) 5; contactable references for similar POS and inventory projects 10.

Phase 3 — Price and preference points (100 points)

• Evaluated out of 100 points, split 80/20 or 90/10 for price and preference points respectively.
• Applied per Annexure G (Preference Point Award Form).

Phase 4 — Objective criteria

• CSIR may award to a bidder that did not score the highest points, in terms of section 2(1)(f) of the PPPFA (Act 5 of 2000), where the bidder offers best value for money.
• Directors, shareholders or officers must not be formally charged with fraudulent or illegal conduct that could harm the CSIR's reputation.
• Bidders must submit the latest three audited annual financial statements and show a current ratio greater than 1 in each of those three financial years.

Other evaluation features

• CSIR may request a Best and Final Offer (BAFO), presentations from shortlisted bidders (at the bidder's cost), site inspections, product evaluations or explanatory meetings.
• CSIR may post-tender negotiate on technical, transformation, price, conditions precedent and contractual terms.
• CSIR may award the RFP as a whole or in part, or to multiple bidders.

Scope

• Implementation and support of an integrated Point of Sale (POS), inventory management and invoice automation solution for the CSIR, for a period of five (5) years.
• The full service offering must meet all requirements set out in Annexure B (Terms of Reference / Technical Specification / Scope of Services).

POS functionality

• Multi-outlet operations, sales processing, configurable payment types, integrated card terminals, debit and credit card transactions, contactless payments, mobile wallet / QR-code / voucher payments, corporate account and purchase-order billing, menu management, discounts, refunds, void controls, split billing and offline trading capability.

Inventory and central store management

• Central store control, unit-level inventory, stock issuing, transfers, stock-on-hand visibility, recipe-based deductions, purchase order generation and approval, mobile approval, barcode scanning, waste tracking, variance reporting and stock reconciliation.

System integration

• Integration with finance, procurement, the event booking system, online ordering, payment gateway, inventory, central store, invoice automation and other relevant CSIR systems.
• Bidders must provide the integration architecture, data flow, costs, timelines, responsibilities, dependencies and post-implementation support.

Reporting and management information

• Real-time dashboards, payment reconciliation reports, end-of-day reconciliation by payment type, transaction-level audit trails, VAT reporting, stock valuation, sales reports, inventory movement reports, variance and waste reports, scheduled exports and consolidated management reports.

Invoice automation

• OCR / AI data extraction, invoice capture, invoice verification, approval workflow, exception management, duplicate invoice detection, audit trails, integration with goods receipting and stock records, and export to finance, ERP, procurement, POS or inventory systems.

Implementation and support

• Project plan, configuration, data migration, integration testing, user acceptance testing, go-live support, transition approach, training and hypercare support.
• Helpdesk support, incident logging, response and resolution times, escalation procedures, remote and onsite support, after-hours support, software updates, security patches, hardware support and service review arrangements.

Security and compliance

• POPIA compliance, PCI DSS compliance where applicable, PCI PTS-approved payment terminals, EMV chip and contactless payment compliance, P2PE where proposed, mobile/tablet POS payment security, secure software lifecycle, vulnerability management, payment regulatory compliance, role-based access, audit trails, segregation of duties, backup, disaster recovery, data hosting, data ownership and CSIR ICT governance requirements.

Technical proposal must include

• Company profile covering years of operation, experience and local support capability.
• Detailed technical proposal for the POS, inventory management, central store management and invoice automation solution.
• System architecture description, stating whether the solution is cloud-based, on-premises or hybrid.
• Detailed response to all functional requirements, including POS functionality, inventory control, central store management, stock reconciliation, invoice automation, reporting and user access controls.
• Inventory and central store functionality detail: stock issuing, transfers, stock-on-hand visibility, recipe-based deductions, waste tracking, variance reporting, purchase order functionality and stock reconciliation.
• Hardware compatibility response: proposed hardware, minimum specifications, barcode scanning, tablet/mobile functionality, hardware restrictions, warranty and support arrangements.
• Implementation methodology and project plan: configuration, data migration, user acceptance testing, go-live and hypercare support.
• Contactable references for similar POS and inventory projects.

Scored experience requirements

• Company profile, including years of operation and relevant experience: 5 of the 100 technical points.
• Contactable references for similar POS and inventory projects: 10 of the 100 technical points.
• Company profile must also show local support capability.

Technical proposal content required

• Detailed technical proposal describing the proposed POS, inventory management, central store management and invoice automation solution.
• Description of the proposed system architecture, stating whether it is cloud-based, on-premises or hybrid.
• Detailed response to all functional requirements: POS functionality, inventory control, central store management, stock reconciliation, invoice automation, reporting and user access controls.
• Inventory and central store functionality: stock issuing, transfers, stock-on-hand visibility, recipe-based deductions, waste tracking, variance reporting, purchase order functionality and stock reconciliation.
• Hardware compatibility response: proposed hardware, minimum specifications, barcode scanning, tablet/mobile functionality, hardware restrictions, warranty and support arrangements.
• Implementation methodology and project plan: configuration, data migration, user acceptance testing, go-live and hypercare support.

Verification of claims

• The CSIR may verify or investigate any claim about experience, qualifications, capacity, resources, quality, certifications, ownership, subcontracting, local content or compliance status at any stage of the process or during the contract.
• False, misleading, inaccurate, fraudulent or non-credible claims, or fronting, may lead to disqualification, rejection of the bid, termination of negotiations, cancellation of the award or contract, recovery of losses, reporting to authorities and restriction from future public-sector work.

Verification and audit

• The CSIR may verify any information in a bid, request documentary proof, and carry out site inspections, product evaluations or explanatory meetings before or after adjudication to confirm the nature and quality of the offering.
• The CSIR may, on reasonable notice, inspect or audit a bidder's compliance with the POPI Act safeguards.

Implementation quality

• The implementation methodology criterion carries 10 of the 100 technical points and covers the project plan, configuration, data migration, integration testing, user acceptance testing, go-live support, transition approach, training and hypercare support.
• Support, maintenance and service levels carry 5 points and cover helpdesk support, incident logging, response and resolution times, escalation procedures, remote and onsite support, after-hours support, software updates, security patches, hardware support and service review arrangements.
• Security, compliance and governance carry 5 points and cover POPIA, PCI DSS where applicable, PCI PTS-approved terminals, EMV chip and contactless compliance, P2PE where proposed, secure software lifecycle, vulnerability management, role-based access, audit trails, segregation of duties, backup, disaster recovery, data hosting, data ownership and CSIR ICT governance.

Pricing submission

• Pricing must be submitted strictly in the format of Annexure D (Pricing Schedule / Bill of Quantities), as a separate document from the technical proposal.
• All pricing in South African Rand, inclusive of all applicable taxes and net of all unconditional discounts.
• A full cost breakdown and total cost of ownership must be provided.
• Prices subject to escalation or exchange rate fluctuation must be flagged, with the currency, the rate of exchange used and its source stated. The ROE must be the rate at 12:00 (South African time) on the date the RFP was issued, and an escalation formula must be supplied.
• Prices must include travel, freight, insurance until acceptance and duty where applicable.
• The bidder confirms that quoted prices and rates cover all work and items specified and all obligations under any resulting contract; mistakes in prices and calculations are at the bidder's own risk.

International quotations

• Quoted on a DAP (Named Place of Destination) Incoterms 2020 basis, with a cost breakdown covering EXW price, inland cost up to the FCA point, international freight (CPT or equivalent) and insurance if arranged by the supplier.
• CSIR maintains an open marine insurance policy; suppliers need not arrange separate insurance unless requested.
• Before award, CSIR may confirm or amend the delivery term to FCA (Named Place of Delivery) Incoterms 2020, any Incoterm up to DAP, or another mutually agreed Incoterm.
• International quotations are assessed on total landed cost, delivery reliability, compliance with export/import requirements, technical conformance and supplier capability; the award may not go to the lowest price.

Payment

• Payment is made in terms of the CSIR Payment Terms and Conditions.
• CSIR does not ordinarily make advance or upfront payments. If it agrees to an advance at its sole discretion, it may require an Advance Payment Guarantee from a recognised financial institution acceptable to the CSIR, covering the full advance amount; failure to provide it may result in rejection of the advance request or termination of negotiations.

Documents submitted with the pricing folder

• Pricing proposal per Annexure D.
• Valid B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit.
• Latest CSD registration report (RSA suppliers only).

Pricing format

• All pricing in South African Rand, inclusive of all applicable taxes and net of all unconditional discounts.
• Pricing must be submitted strictly in the format of Annexure D (Pricing Schedule / Bill of Quantities).
• A full cost breakdown and total cost of ownership must be provided.
• Prices subject to escalation or exchange rate fluctuation must be flagged, with the currency, the rate of exchange used and its source stated. The ROE must be the rate at 12:00 (South African time) on the date the RFP was issued, and an escalation formula must be supplied.
• Prices must include travel, freight, insurance until acceptance and duty where applicable.
• Pricing and preference point credentials must be submitted as a separate document; no pricing information may appear in the technical proposal.

International quotations

• Quoted on a DAP (Named Place of Destination) Incoterms 2020 basis, with a cost breakdown covering EXW price, inland cost up to the FCA point, international freight (CPT or equivalent) and insurance if arranged by the supplier.
• CSIR maintains an open marine insurance policy; suppliers need not arrange separate insurance unless requested.
• Before award, CSIR may confirm or amend the delivery term to FCA (Named Place of Delivery) Incoterms 2020, any Incoterm up to DAP, or another mutually agreed Incoterm.
• International quotations are assessed on total landed cost, delivery reliability, compliance with export/import requirements, technical conformance and supplier capability; the award may not go to the lowest price.

Payment

• Payment is made in terms of the CSIR Payment Terms and Conditions.
• CSIR does not ordinarily make advance or upfront payments. If it agrees to an advance at its sole discretion, it may require an Advance Payment Guarantee from a recognised financial institution acceptable to the CSIR, covering the full advance amount. Failure to provide it may result in rejection of the advance request or termination of negotiations.
• No goods or services may be delivered without an official CSIR purchase order; the purchase order number must appear on the invoice, and invoices without it are returned unpaid.

Security and guarantees

• Where applicable, the successful bidder may be required to lodge a guarantee in an amount determined by the CSIR at its sole discretion.

Financial capacity

• Bidders must submit the latest three audited annual financial statements and demonstrate a current ratio greater than 1 in each of those three financial years.
• CSIR may request audited financial statements or other documents for due diligence to confirm the bidder can execute the contract.

Bid cost

• Bidders bear all costs of preparing, submitting and presenting their response; CSIR is not liable for any bid costs or damages.

Registration and tax

• Self-registration on National Treasury's Central Supplier Database (CSD) is mandatory; the unique CSD registration number must be supplied. Only foreign suppliers with no locally registered entity are exempt.
• Tax compliance is mandatory. A recommended bidder found non-compliant is notified in writing and has seven (7) working days to provide written SARS proof of compliance or proof of an arrangement to meet outstanding tax obligations; failing that, the bid is rejected.
• CSIR may withdraw an award or cancel a contract if the bidder was not tax compliant at award, fails CSD verification, or does not remain tax compliant for the full contract term.

B-bbee

• A valid B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit must be submitted to claim preference points, in the Pricing and B-BBEE folder.
• Preference points are awarded per Annexure G (Preference Point Award Form) under the 80/20 or 90/10 system.

Exclusion

• No award to a bidder whose name, members, directors, partners or trustees appear on National Treasury's Register of Tender Defaulters or List of Restricted Suppliers.
• No award where directors, shareholders or officers are formally charged with fraudulent or illegal conduct that could harm the CSIR's reputation.

Joint ventures and consortia

• A joint venture agreement signed by both parties, indicating the lead partner and the split of work.
• A valid B-BBEE certificate, consolidated B-BBEE scorecard or sworn affidavit.
• The latest Tax Compliance Status (TCS) or CSD report for each joint venture partner.
• Proof of ownership / shareholder certificates.
• Company registration certificate(s).

Screening and vetting

• Acceptance is conditional on the successful bidder and its personnel being screened and cleared by the appropriate authorities to a level commensurate with the goods or services.
• The bidder is responsible for obtaining clearance; CSIR may require screening of the bidder, its shareholders, directors and other office bearers, and the same applies to sub-contractors.
• The bidder must supply and maintain a list of project personnel showing their clearance status.

Data protection

• Bidders must comply with the POPI Act and the CSIR's internal data protection governance requirements, and must ensure personnel, agents, representatives, contractors, sub-contractors and mandataries do the same. CSIR may audit compliance on reasonable notice.

Other compliance obligations

• All documentation must be in English.
• Counter conditions, amendments to RFP conditions, or qualifying any RFP condition invalidate the bid.
• Omission to disclose material information, factual inaccuracy or misrepresentation may disqualify the bid or cancel any resulting contract.
• Bidders must comply with all regulatory prescripts applicable to the goods or services, including industry-specific regulations, and may be asked for evidence.
• Any actual or potential conflict of interest must be reported to the CSIR in writing immediately; unresolved conflicts are grounds for disqualification.

Contract formation

• On award, the CSIR and the successful bidder conclude an agreement based on the draft Supplier Agreement, in the format of the draft Service Level Indicators in Annexure K.
• Bidders are invited to comment on the draft Service Level Indicators, explain each comment or proposed amendment, and mark changes in an identifiable colour font or using track changes.
• CSIR may accept or reject any proposed amendment that is unacceptable or poses a risk.
• Timeous finalisation of the agreement is an absolute precondition to appointment. If the recommended bidder fails to sign within the stipulated time, CSIR may cancel the award, negotiate with the second-ranked bidder, or take other reasonable action.
• The bid forms part of the contract by reference; where the bid and the Service Level Agreement conflict, the Service Level Agreement prevails.

Guarantee

• Where applicable, the successful bidder may be required to lodge a guarantee in an amount determined by the CSIR at its sole discretion.

Misrepresentation

• Misrepresentation in a bid may lead to termination and a claim by the CSIR, even after the Service Level Agreement or purchase order is concluded.

Screening and vetting

• Acceptance is conditional on the successful bidder and its personnel being screened and cleared by the appropriate authorities to a level commensurate with the goods or services.
• Obtaining clearance is the bidder's responsibility; CSIR may require screening of the bidder, its shareholders, directors and other office bearers, and the same applies to sub-contractors.
• The bidder must supply and maintain a list of project personnel showing clearance status.

Costs, liability and indemnity

• Bidders bear all costs of preparing, submitting and presenting their response and all other bid-process costs; CSIR is not liable to compensate a bidder for any costs or damages arising from participation.
• A bidder who breaches the bid conditions indemnifies the CSIR against resulting costs and damages, including investigation costs, repetition of the bid process, and enforcement of intellectual property or confidentiality obligations.

Precedence, law and confidentiality

• The RFP document prevails over information given at any briefing session, oral or written, unless that information expressly amends the document by reference.
• South African law governs the bid and the bid response process, with exclusive jurisdiction of the South African courts.
• Bid information may not be disclosed except as required by law, court or a regulatory authority; the RFP pack may not be distributed or reproduced except to prepare a bid, and must be returned to the CSIR on request.
• Bidders must obtain the CSIR's written approval before releasing any information about the potential work or the process that follows the bid; failure may result in disqualification and civil action.

Funding and intellectual property

• If funds are no longer available, the CSIR may terminate the agreement or suspend all or part of the services on notice; the bidder must stop delivery and minimise expenditure, and is entitled to payment in full for services delivered up to the date of cancellation or suspension.
• The CSIR retains ownership of the intellectual property in the RFP documents, which may be used only for RFP purposes.
• Bidders retain intellectual property rights in their proposals but grant the CSIR the right to reproduce copyrighted works for the tender process.
• Intellectual property created, generated, coded or designed to meet the CSIR's business requirements under this bid remains the perpetual exclusive property of the CSIR, with full access including security keys and access codes during and after the appointment.
• A bidder using third-party intellectual property warrants that it has the rights to do so and indemnifies the CSIR against related claims.

Tax compliance and exclusions

• No award to a bidder who is not tax compliant. A recommended bidder found non-compliant is notified in writing and has seven (7) working days to provide written SARS proof of compliance or of an arrangement to meet outstanding obligations, failing which the bid is rejected.
• CSIR may withdraw an award or cancel a contract if the bidder was not tax compliant at award, fails CSD verification, or does not remain tax compliant for the full contract term.
• No award to a bidder whose name, members, directors, partners or trustees appear on National Treasury's Register of Tender Defaulters or List of Restricted Suppliers; CSIR may withdraw an award or cancel a contract if the bidder is blacklisted by another government institution at any time.

The CSIR reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to:

• Extend the closing date.
• Correct mistakes in the bid documents or the tender process before the closing date and time.
• Verify any information in a bidder's submission and request documentary proof.
• Conduct site inspections, product evaluations or explanatory meetings, before or after adjudication, to verify the nature and quality of the offering.
• Award to a bidder that did not score the highest points, in terms of section 2(1)(f) of the PPPFA, where that bidder offers best value for money.
• Request a Best and Final Offer (BAFO).
• Request audited financial statements or other documents for due diligence on the bidder's ability to execute the contract.
• Award the RFP as a whole or in part, or to multiple bidders.
• Cancel or terminate the tender process at any stage, including after the closing date, after presentations, after evaluation, or after preferred bidders have been notified.
• Post-tender negotiate on any element, including technical, transformation, price, conditions precedent and contractual terms.
• Request presentations from shortlisted bidders, with all preparation costs borne by the bidder.
• Decline to award to a bidder associated with a security breach that materially harms other entities, or whose directors or officers face fraud or illegal-conduct charges that would harm the CSIR's reputation.
• Source goods or services elsewhere if the market price falls below the contract price; the supplier is notified in writing and given a defined period to respond, and if no mutually acceptable adjustment is reached the CSIR may source elsewhere or terminate the contract.

Due diligence and risk assessment

• CSIR may perform due diligence and risk assessment on recommended bidders before award to ensure public money and services are not exposed to unacceptable risk.
• Bidders must comply with all regulatory prescripts applicable to the goods or services, including industry-specific regulations, and with ethical business practices, and must provide evidence on request.
• The recommended bidder must consent in the agreement to continuous, in-depth due diligence throughout the contract term.

Conflict of interest, corruption and fraud

• CSIR may disqualify a bidder whose members (other than minority shareholders in listed shares), indirect members holding at least 15% (other than listed shares), directors or senior management engage in collusive tendering or anti-competitive conduct, seek unofficial assistance from a government entity's representatives, offer or accept inducements, pay fees or commissions contingent on an award, have done so in the past, or have been found guilty of fraud, forgery or unethical conduct by a court, administrative or regulatory authority.
• A bidder who identifies an actual or potential conflict of interest must notify the CSIR in writing immediately; unresolved conflicts are grounds for disqualification.

Minimum standards are applied in four sequential phases.

Phase 1 — Elimination

• Only bidders complying with every Phase 1 criterion proceed to technical/functional evaluation.
• Eliminated: bids not submitted through the CSIR Electronic Bid Submission Portal; bidders on National Treasury's restricted suppliers list or Register of Tender Defaulters; bids missing mandatory returnable documents listed in Annexure E.

Phase 2 — Technical/functional evaluation

• Scored out of 100 points against the criteria in Annexure C.
• Minimum threshold: 50% per individual criterion and 70% overall.
• Only bidders meeting or exceeding both thresholds proceed to price and preference points.

Phase 3 — Price and preference points

• Scored out of 100 points, split 80/20 or 90/10 between price and preference points.
• Applied per Annexure G (Preference Point Award Form).

Phase 4 — Objective criteria

• CSIR reserves the right to award to a bidder that did not score the highest total points, in terms of section 2(1)(f) of the PPPFA (Act 5 of 2000).