Samrc RFI 26/02: institutional repository solutions and services – market information request

Contact: Supply Chain Management

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.samrc.ac.za

Submission method: email to [email protected]

Closing date and time: 02/10/2026 at 11:00 AM (SAST)

Returnable documents:

• Completed Respondent Information Schedule (Part A and Part B), including organisation details, nature of respondent, primary contact, South African presence, and relevant experience.
• Completed Service Provider Response Schedule (section 5.9) in full.
• Repository brochures, technical datasheets (if applicable), and supporting documentation.
• Evidence of ownership, distribution rights, or authority to support the proposed product in South Africa, where applicable.
• Reference details for comparable systems supplied or supported in the past five years.

Note: This is an RFI, not a tender. No contract will be awarded. Participation is voluntary and at the respondent's own cost.

No formal evaluation criteria apply, as this is an RFI for market intelligence only. Responses will not be evaluated as bids or proposals and will not confer an advantage in any future procurement process. The information gathered will be used to refine requirements, assess market capacity, and determine the most appropriate procurement method.

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) seeks information on Institutional Repository (IR) solutions and associated services.

Scope of work:

• Repository platform: name, vendor, version, deployment model (Cloud, SaaS, On-Premises, Hybrid), licensing model, architecture, roadmap, implementation timelines, hosting options, data portability and exit arrangements.
• Functional requirements: self-submission workflow, configurable submission forms, multi-stage workflow approvals, role-based access, metadata schema configuration (Dublin Core, Qualified Dublin Core), OAI-PMH harvesting, batch import/export, RIS and BibTeX imports, full-text indexing and search, faceted browse, embargo and license management, persistent identifiers (Handle/DOI), ORCID integration, usage statistics, research reporting, Open Access support, FAIR principles, digital preservation and checksum validation, versioning and audit trails, SDG/thematic tagging, responsive interface, API access, bulk metadata editing, custom branding.
• Technical requirements: infrastructure (architecture, OS, databases, cloud platforms, hosting regions, data residency, scalability, storage, performance, availability, monitoring, backup, disaster recovery); security (encryption in transit and at rest, RBAC, audit logging, SSO, MFA, patching, vulnerability management, incident notification, privacy, data retention, secure deletion, security certifications); integrated capabilities (Microsoft Entra ID/Active Directory, institutional SSO, CRIS platforms, library management/discovery systems, ORCID, DOI, Crossref, DataCite, OAI-PMH, SWORD, REST APIs, analytics tools, Creative Commons license integration).
• Support and maintenance: service desk, support hours, SLAs, escalation, monitoring, upgrades, security patching, training, documentation, reporting, exit and transition support.
• Implementation approach: methodology, governance, resources, discovery, design, configuration, testing, migration, integration, training, change management, go-live, stabilisation, handover, timeline.
• Market intelligence: available technologies, industry practices, standards, risks, mitigation, opportunities.

The solution should support Open Access principles while enabling controlled access where appropriate.

Respondents must provide non-binding indicative pricing, separating capital costs from recurring and optional costs, stating currency, validity period, assumptions, and applicable taxes.

Pricing components:

• Licensing model and subscription options
• Once-off implementation and configuration costs
• Data and metadata migration costs
• Hosting and infrastructure costs
• Annual support and maintenance fees
• Training and change-management costs
• Optional modules and managed services
• Professional services rates
• Third-party products, subscriptions, or recurring fees
• Pricing assumptions, exclusions, escalation, and currency

Indicative pricing is for market and price analysis only and will not constitute a quotation or offer.

No formal compliance requirements (CSD registration, B-BBEE, CIDB, tax clearance) are specified, as this is an RFI. Respondents must be suitably qualified service providers. The Respondent Information Schedule requires company registration number, VAT number (if applicable), CSD number (if registered), and country of registration. Evidence of manufacturer authorisation or distribution rights is required where applicable.