Panel of contractors for 3gb–6gb general building works – free state department of education tender

Closing: 4 December 2026 at 11:00.

Briefing session: none will be held.

Bid validity: 180 days from the closing time; if the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, validity extends to the close of business on the next working day.

Panel term: three years from the date of appointment.

Bidding procedure enquiries

• Contact: K Rampai
• Telephone: 051-4041873
• Email: [email protected]

Technical enquiries

• Contact: Ms S De Kock
• Email: [email protected]
• Alternative email: [email protected]

Submission address

Department of Education

Acquisition Management Sub-Directorate

N8 Gateway Office Park, Plot 22

C/O Rudolf Greyling & AW Louw Avenue

Estoire

Bloemfontein, 9301

Submission method: sealed envelope deposited in the bid box; courier delivery also accepted.

Bid box address:

Department of Education

Acquisition Management Sub-Directorate

N8 Gateway Office Park, Plot 22

C/O Rudolf Greyling & AW Louw Avenue

Estoire

Bloemfontein, 9301

The bid box is outside, to the left of the doors at Entrance 3.

Envelope marking: bid number E7/2026/2027 and closing date must be clearly shown on the sealed envelope.

Closing time: 11:00 on 4 December 2026. Late bids are not accepted and may be returned unopened.

Format: use only the bid documents issued by the Free State Department of Education; do not redraft the forms; complete all pages; bind the document securely so pages cannot come loose.

Corrections: correction fluid (e.g. Tippex) invalidates the bid; a correction must be a single line through the entry with the bidder's signature and date alongside, leaving the original entry legible.

Electronic transmission: bids sent by telegram, telex, facsimile or similar apparatus are not considered.

Compulsory grading table: bidders must select the CIDB GB level applied for in the table in Section 6; failure to complete it makes the submission non-responsive.

Returnable documents:

• SBD 1 (Invitation to Bid): complete in full and sign as the offer cover page.
• SBD 4 (Declaration of Interest): complete and sign whether or not any interest exists; disclose any relationship with a department employee.
• SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim): not applicable at panel stage; issued per project when a Bill of Quantities is priced.
• CIDB printout report.
• CSD printout report.
• Proof of authority to sign, such as a company resolution.
• Documentation for functionality evaluation and documentation required under the special requirements and special conditions.
• SBD 7 contract form: signed by the successful bidder on award.

Stage 1 — eligibility and responsiveness: CIDB registration at the grade applied for, CSD registration, tax compliance, completed compulsory grading table and all returnable documents.

Stage 2 — functionality: bidders are scored on functionality; the department may require a presentation.

Minimum qualifying score:

• Grade 3GB: 60 points.
• Grades 4GB, 5GB and 6GB: 70 points.

Bidders below the minimum are disqualified and excluded from the panel.

Stage 3 — price and preference: no price evaluation takes place when the panel is established. Price and preference apply only when a Bill of Quantities is issued to panel members for a specific project.

Preference system on project bids: 90/10 or 80/20 under the Preferential Procurement Regulations 2022, determined by the estimated value or lowest acceptable offer of the project. The panel itself is expected to exceed R50 million over three years, which points to 90/10.

Specific goals on project bids (90/10 / 80/20 points):

• Black ownership: 25%–50% earns 1 / 2 points; 51% or more earns 3 / 6 points.
• Women ownership: 25%–50% earns 1 / 2 points; 51% or more earns 2 / 4 points.
• Free State-based enterprise: 5 / 10 points.
• Total specific goals: 10 / 20 points.

Joint ventures and consortiums are not evaluated.

Purpose: establish a panel of pre-qualified general building contractors that the Free State Department of Education can call on for infrastructure projects as and when required.

Scope: general building works in CIDB classes 3GB, 4GB, 5GB and 6GB — construction, extension, installation, renewal, renovation, alteration or dismantling of permanent shelter structures, and work not classed as civil, electrical, mechanical or specialist works.

Coverage: approximately 919 public ordinary and farm schools across five Free State districts.

Work allocation:

• Inclusion on the panel is not a contract, framework agreement or guarantee of work.
• Projects are allocated through a secondary competitive bidding process.
• At least seven panel members with the appropriate CIDB grading are invited to price each project against its scope and Bill of Quantities.
• Work may only start once an official appointment letter is issued.
• No appointment letter may be issued after the panel term ends; appointments made before the end may run until project completion.

CIDB grading and project value bands:

• 3Gb: r1 000 001 – r3 000 000.
• 4Gb: r3 000 001 – r6 000 000.
• 5Gb: r6 000 001 – r10 000 000.
• 6Gb: r10 000 001 – r20 000 000.

Contract form: JBCC contract per project, edition specified in the bid document and appointment letter, provided at no additional cost.

Bid presentation: the bid document must be clearly labelled, divided into defined sections and securely bound.

Bidders must be CIDB-registered in the general building class at the grade applied for (3GB, 4GB, 5GB or 6GB).

Bidders must show the experience and qualifications needed to carry out construction, renovation, refurbishment and related projects for the department.

Functionality documentation must be attached to support the experience and qualification claims.

No pricing schedule is completed at panel stage; SBD 3.1 and the Bill of Quantities do not apply yet.

Panel admission is decided on functionality alone.

Panel members are invited to price a Bill of Quantities when a project arises, and are then scored on price (90 or 80 points) and specific goals (10 or 20 points).

The 90/10 or 80/20 system is fixed per project by its estimated value or lowest acceptable offer.

SBD 6.1 is completed only when a Bill of Quantities is priced.

Pricing: no prices are submitted for panel admission; pricing happens only when a Bill of Quantities is issued for a specific project.

Remuneration: no payment arises from panel membership; payment is for work satisfactorily completed, measured and certified against the approved priced Bill of Quantities and contract conditions, subject to verification by the project manager, principal agent or quantity surveyor.

Payment terms: within 30 days of receipt of all required documentation that is correct in every respect, as prescribed by the PFMA.

Invoices: the income tax number and VAT number (where applicable) must appear on invoices.

Preference points: price carries 90 or 80 points and specific goals 10 or 20 points, applied only at project Bill of Quantities stage.

Penalties for fraudulent preference claims: recovery of costs, losses and damages, cancellation of the contract with damages, a financial penalty more severe than the preference obtained, and restriction from state business for up to 10 years.

CSD registration: compulsory; submit a CSD printout report.

Tax: submit a SARS tax compliance status PIN or a printed TCS certificate; where no PIN is available, provide the CSD number.

CIDB: registration at the grade applied for (3GB, 4GB, 5GB or 6GB); submit a CIDB printout report.

State employment: no bid is considered from a person in the service of the state, a company with such a director, or a close corporation with such a member; a government employee may not hold a business interest in an entity doing business with the provincial government.

Restricted suppliers: bidders on the national list of restricted bidders, suppliers or persons, or on the Register for Tender Defaulters or List of Restricted Suppliers, are disqualified.

Joint ventures and consortiums: not allowed.

Local content: use of local production and local content is encouraged.

Labour law: compliance with labour legislation and other applicable law is required; the department may request employee payslips where sectoral minimum wages apply.

Due diligence: the department may verify submissions before award or during the contract, including announced or unannounced site visits; misrepresentation may disqualify the bid.

Declarations: the bidder must confirm the information is true, the signatory is authorised, and documentary proof will be supplied on request.

Standard forms: SBD 1, SBD 4 and SBD 6.1 as listed under submission; SBD 7 signed on award; GCC conditions per the National Treasury website apply.

Panel term: three years from appointment.

Panel membership is not a contract, framework agreement or guarantee of work; it is a database of pre-qualified contractors.

Projects are allocated by secondary competitive bidding, with at least seven suitably graded panel members invited per project.

Work may only begin on an official appointment letter; no appointment letter may be issued after the panel term ends, but appointments made before the end may run to project completion.

Each project is governed by a JBCC contract, with the edition stated in the bid document and appointment letter, supplied at no cost.

Payment follows measurement and certification of completed work against the priced Bill of Quantities.

The department may monitor contract compliance through site inspections and documentary checks, and may terminate the contract for corrupt or fraudulent conduct.

The Accounting Officer may accept or cancel any bid in the department's interest and may waive minor non-compliance.

Fraudulent preference claims may lead to recovery of losses, cancellation, a financial penalty and restriction from state business for up to 10 years.

Functionality is the only evaluation at panel stage; the department may call for a presentation.

Minimum functionality scores: 60 points for 3GB; 70 points for 4GB, 5GB and 6GB. Bidders below the threshold are disqualified.

No price or preference scoring occurs during panel establishment.

When a Bill of Quantities is issued for a project, bids are scored under the Preferential Procurement Regulations 2022 on the 90/10 or 80/20 system, chosen by the project's estimated value or lowest acceptable offer.

Specific goals at project stage: black ownership, women ownership and Free State-based status, carrying 10 or 20 points in total.