Supply of real-time locomotive GPS trackers for TRANSNET freight rail (5.5-Year contract)

The scope of requirements: detailed technical specification is provided in Annexure A (BBH 7777 Real-Time Locomotive GPS Tracker), read with Annexure B (SLA Locomotive GPS Tracking Service). Applicable locomotives: Transnet has a locomotive fleet of approximately 2,918, with about 1,800 active and 1,118 in need of repair. The applicable locomotives for this tender is the active fleet of approximately 1,900 locomotives (subject to change), with additional locomotives covered through contract variation. Deployment will be across the Transnet Freight Rail operating network in South Africa, across all relevant TFR Business Units: Manganese, ABL/CAB, SAC, MMC, Coal, Iron Ore.

Closing date: 03 September 2026 at 14:00 PM.

Pre-proposal briefing: non-compulsory, held on MS Teams on 18 August 2026 at 11:00 AM for approximately 2 hours. Bidders must confirm attendance by emailing [email protected] before 17 August 2026.

Clarification deadline: RFP Clarification Request Form must be submitted to [email protected] before 31 August 2026.

Bid validity period: 13 May 2027.

A non-compulsory pre-proposal RFP briefing will be conducted on MS Teams on the 18th of August 2026 at 11H00 AM for approximately 2 hours. The briefing session will start punctually and information will not be repeated for late arrivals. Respondents wishing to attend must send their email addresses to [email protected] before the 17th of August 2026.

Technical and bidding procedure enquiries: Emmanuel Moriri, email [email protected].

Clarifications: submit the RFP Clarification Request Form to [email protected] before 31 August 2026.

Complaints: email [email protected].

Submission channel: Transnet e-Tender Submission Portal at transnetetenders.azurewebsites.net. Bidders must register their own company profile and log an intent to bid before uploading documents. Each upload is limited to 30 MB; multiple uploads are permitted. Submit at least a day before closing to avoid technical issues; late submissions are not accepted.

Returnable documents: complete and sign the SBD 1 form (invitation to bid), the Proposal Form (Section 5) listing all mandatory returnable documents, the RFP Declaration Certificate of Acquaintance and Breach of Law Form (Section 6), the RFP Declaration and Breach of Law Form (Section 7), the RFP Clarification Request Form (Section 8), the Specific Goals Points Claim Form (Section 9), and the Protection of Personal Information section (Section 10). Sign, stamp and date the bottom of each page before uploading.

Disqualification risks: late submission, incomplete or unsigned returnable documents, submitting through another company's profile, collusion with other bidders, and material deviation from the standard terms and conditions.

Returnable documents: Respondents must submit mandatory returnable documents, returnable documents used for scoring (e.g., proof of Specific Goals claims, B-BBEE certificates, CIPC certificates), and essential returnable documents. Non-submission of mandatory documents by closing date results in disqualification. Non-submission of scoring documents results in automatic score of zero for the applicable criterion. Essential documents may be requested later, and failure to submit may result in disqualification.

Evaluation is a paper exercise; compliance with technical requirements is assessed from submitted documentation (e.g. drawings, data sheets). The awarded bidder must conduct a pretest of equipment performance to validate compliance.

Stage 1: Prequalification — administrative and substantive responsiveness. Bids must be lodged on time, all returnable documents completed and signed, and the bid must contain a priced offer.

Stage 2: Technical and functional assessment — minimum threshold of 85% (1,112 points out of 1,390). Annexure C comprises 87 requirements: 62 essential clauses (89% weighting, max 1,240 points) and 25 desirable clauses (11% weighting, max 150 points). Failure to reach the threshold results in disqualification.

Stage 3: Commercial/pricing and specific goals evaluation — price weighted 80/90 points and specific goals 20/10 points. Price formula: PS = 80 (1 − (Pt − Pmin)/Pmin) or PS = 90 (1 − (Pt − Pmin)/Pmin). Specific goals preference points are awarded per Section 4.1 of the Specific Goals Claim Form.

Post-tender negotiations may be conducted if the price is not market-related, sequentially with the highest ranked bidder first. Transnet may split the award between more than one supplier per Business Unit (Manganese, ABL/CAB, SAC, MMC, Coal, Iron Ore) if advantageous; if only one bidder reaches Stage 3, 100% is awarded to that bidder.

Scope: supply of real-time locomotive GPS trackers for a period of 5.5 years. Detailed technical specification is in Annexure A (BBH 7777 Real-Time Locomotive GPS Tracker), read with Annexure B (SLA Locomotive GPS Tracking Service).

Applicable locomotives: Transnet has a fleet of approximately 2,918 locomotives, of which about 1,800 are active and 1,118 need repairs. The tender applies to the active fleet of approximately 1,900 locomotives (subject to change); additional locomotives are covered through contract variation.

Deployment: across the Transnet Freight Rail operating network in South Africa, covering all relevant business units — Manganese, ABL/CAB, SAC, MMC, Coal, and Iron Ore.

Tracking data requirements: accuracy and completeness should approach 100%. The system must support measuring adherence to execution plans, providing reliable data on train placement and clearance at loading sites, early detection of deviations and incidents, indicating when rescheduling is needed, determining real-time train positions, and supplying accurate actual time parameters for continuous improvement.

Green economy: bidders must submit details of their entity's environmental policies, including waste disposal, recycling and energy conservation.

The evaluation is a paper exercise; bidders must respond comprehensively to the technical evaluation criteria in Annexure C, which comprises 87 requirements (62 essential and 25 desirable). The awarded bidder must conduct a pretest for equipment performance to validate compliance with the technical requirements. The supplier is fully responsible for the acts and omissions of persons directly or indirectly employed by them, and must comply with all requirements stated in the RFP.

No specific experience or qualification requirements are stated in the document. Bidders must register their own profile on the Transnet e-Tender Submission Portal and submit their bid through that profile. Each company must register its own profile; no company may submit a bid on behalf of another company, regardless of being a subsidiary or holding company. In the case of a joint venture, any of the parties may use its registered profile to submit a bid on behalf of the joint venture.

Technical compliance is evaluated from submitted documentation (e.g. drawings, data sheets). The awarded bidder must conduct a pretest for equipment performance to validate compliance with the specification. Transnet may split the award between more than one supplier per Business Unit if advantageous in terms of cost efficiency, risk mitigation, supplier capacity, delivery timelines, quality assurance, transformation and operational resilience.

Pricing and delivery schedule: Respondents are required to complete the BOQ in full. Incomplete price schedule will be disqualified. The pricing schedule includes cost breakdowns for all business units and per business unit (SAC, Coal, MMC, Iron Ore, etc.) for the 5.5-year period, with items for initial installation, monthly subscription, and annual license and maintenance, with quantities and total prices in ZAR, excluding and including VAT.

Pricing: complete the Bill of Quantities (BOQ) in full; an incomplete price schedule results in disqualification. Prices must be quoted in South African Rand inclusive of VAT. Prices must be quoted on a delivered basis to the Transnet Freight Rail operating network in South Africa.

Pricing schedule items: initial installation, monthly subscription, and annual license and maintenance, for the 5.5-year period. Quantities are estimates; orders are on an 'as and when required' basis. Discounts are only considered if offered unconditionally. For imported goods, the rate of exchange must be the South African Reserve Bank rate on the date of the bid advertisement.

Final pricing scores are rounded to two decimal places. Transnet may not award if the price is not market-related and may negotiate with the highest ranked bidder, then the second and third ranked bidders, or cancel the RFP.

Tax compliance: bidders must have a valid Tax Compliance Status PIN from SARS or a CSD number; each party in a joint venture or consortium must submit a separate TCS certificate or CSD number. Foreign suppliers with no local registered entity need not register on the CSD.

B-BBEE: a B-BBEE status level verification certificate or sworn affidavit (for EMEs and QSEs) must be submitted for compliance with the B-BBEE Act.

Employment Equity Act: bidders must comply with the requirements of the Employment Equity Act, including Section 53.

Health and safety: the successful bidder must submit a COIDA letter of good standing, a Safety Plan, a completed Section 37(2) agreement, medical fitness certificates, and a safety file before starting any activities, in line with the TFR Health & Safety Specification and the E7/1 specification for work near railway lines and high voltage equipment.

Security clearance: the successful bidder, its personnel and subcontractors may need security clearance to CONFIDENTIAL/SECRET/TOP SECRET level, at the bidder's own cost.

Returnable forms: SBD 1 (Invitation to Bid), SBD 4 (Declaration of Interest), SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim), SBD 8 (Declaration of Past Supply Chain Management Practices), SBD 9 (Certificate of Independent Bid Determination), and the RFP Declaration Certificate of Acquaintance and Breach of Law Form.

The successful bidder must comply with the TFR Health & Safety Specification and the specification for general work and works on, over, under or adjacent to railway lines and near high voltage equipment (E7/1). Before starting any activities, the bidder must submit to Transnet a COIDA letter of good standing, a Safety Plan, a completed Section 37(2) agreement, medical fitness certificates, and a safety file, in line with the Health and Safety Act and other applicable legislation.

Green Economy / Carbon Footprint: Transnet wishes to understand the company's position with regard to environmental commitments, including key environmental characteristics such as waste disposal, recycling and energy conservation. Bidders must submit details of their entity's policies in this regard.

Risk: Transnet may not award the contract if the price offered is not market-related. Transnet may negotiate a market-related price with the highest scoring bidder, then the second highest, then the third, or cancel the RFP.

Security Clearance: Acceptance of this bid could be subject to the condition that the Successful Respondent, its personnel, and its subcontractor(s) must obtain security clearance from the appropriate authorities to the level of CONFIDENTIAL/SECRET/TOP SECRET. Obtaining the required clearance is the responsibility of the Successful Respondent. Acceptance is also subject to the condition that the Successful Respondent will implement all such security measures as the safe performance of the contract may require.

Compliance requirements: Compliance to all applicable Transnet and Government policies and procedures will be adhered to. A TFR Health & Safety Specification and a specification for general work and works on, over, under or adjacent to railway lines and near high voltage equipment (E7/1) will be issued to the successful tenderer. The successful tenderer must submit to Transnet COIDA letter of good standing, Safety Plan, complete Section 37(2) agreement, medical fitness certificates, and a safety file before start of any activities to ensure compliance with Health and Safety Act and other applicable legislation and standards.

Evaluation criteria: The evaluation will be a paper exercise to select the best bidder, where compliance to technical requirements in the specifications will be evaluated through submission of required documentation. The awarded bidder should conduct a pretest for equipment performance to validate compliance. Proposed splits award: TFR requires all service providers to submit bids for the full scope. Transnet reserves the right to split the award between more than one supplier per Business Unit (Manganese, ABL/CAB, SAC, MMC, Coal, Iron Ore) if advantageous. If only one bidder goes through to Stage 3, there will be no split award and 100% will be awarded to that bidder. Transnet reserves the right to cancel the award or contract if the appointed supplier designs for a different scope.