Land access, operational support, consultation, and optional pilot/drone services for drone-based research activities (RFQ ilabs/rfq 2026/27:207)

Closing date: 02 October 2026

Closing time: 11:00

Enquiries (technical and SCM):

• Email: [email protected]
• Telephone: 021 843 1000
• Address: PO Box 722, Somerset West, 7129, South Africa

Submission address:

iThemba LABS, ATT: SCM Department, Old Faure Road, Faure, 7131

Submission method: email

Submission email: [email protected]

Closing time: 02 October 2026 at 11:00

Late proposals/quotations/bids will not be accepted.

Changes made by the bidder to the RFQ template and its terms and conditions will not be considered after the closing date and time.

Returnable documents (all must be completed and signed where applicable):

• SBD 4 (Bidder's Disclosure): discloses whether any director, shareholder, or person with controlling interest is employed by the state or has a relationship with anyone at the procuring institution. False disclosure disqualifies the bid.
• SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim): claims B-BBEE preference points under the 80/20 system. Must be accompanied by a B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit (for local bidders).
• Pricing completed (or submit an official/formal quotation).
• CSD Summary Report (from www.csd.gov.za).
• Proof of landowner permission for the survey area.
• Landowner consent for temporary placement and use of sealed radioactive point sources.
• Access to fire extinguishers.
• First-aid equipment.
• Safety procedures or designated safety contact.

Optional (if offering pilot/drone services):

• UASOC, relevant operations specifications, insurance, and site-specific flight permissions.
• Proof of valid RPL/RPC, relevant endorsements, experience with suitable UAS, availability, and pricing.
• UAS model details, technical specifications, aircraft registration, and UASLA.

Evaluation stages: administrative compliance, functionality, price, and B-BBEE.

Preference point system: 80/20 (80 points price, 20 points B-BBEE status).

Contract awarded to the tenderer scoring the highest points, subject to section 2(1)(f) of the PPPFA.

If all bids received are more than R 1 000 000.00, this request is automatically cancelled.

Bidders must be tax compliant (verified via CSD and tax compliance status PIN).

Scope: Provision of land access, operational support, technical consultation, and optional pilot and drone services for drone-based research activities.

Context: Supports the PANGoLINS project, which deploys sensitive radiation equipment to chart gamma radiation. Airborne deployment requires access to suitable research sites, pilots, and uncrewed airborne systems.

Work location: A significant portion at iThemba LABS, Cape Town facilities (planning, mission preparation, testing, integration, technical consultation, operational support). Field trials require an off-site flight area.

Mandatory site requirements:

• At least 100 m × 100 m survey area plus safe operating space for visual-line-of-sight flights up to 30 m above ground level.
• Location within 150 km of iThemba LABS, Faure, Cape Town.
• Proof of landowner permission.
• Landowner consent for temporary placement and use of sealed radioactive point sources.
• Access to fire extinguishers.
• First-aid equipment.
• Safety procedures or designated safety contact.

Operational support and consultation: mission planning, technical advice, flight-test planning, site assessments, safety reviews, assistance with research flight operations, and regulatory procedures (registration of iThemba LABS own craft, UASOC, UASLA).

Optional capabilities:

• Pilot services: flights under a valid UASOC; submit UASOC, operations specifications, insurance, and site-specific flight permissions.
• Qualified drone pilots: proof of valid RPL/RPC, relevant endorsements, experience with suitable UAS, availability, and pricing. iThemba LABS reserves the right to approve pilots.
• Supplier-provided drones: UAS model details, technical specifications, aircraft registration, UASLA, and suitability. All UAS subject to iThemba LABS approval.

Research payload: iThemba LABS will provide a 3 kg research payload for supplier-provided drones. Payload integration and compatibility with aviation, navigation, and communications systems must be verified jointly before research flights.

Contract period: Two years. No minimum quantity of work is guaranteed.

Operational support and consultation throughout the contract period: mission planning, technical advice, flight-test planning, support at iThemba LABS facilities in Cape Town, site assessments, safety reviews, and assistance with research flight operations.

Consultation includes assistance with regulatory procedures: registration of iThemba LABS own craft, certification (UASOC), and UASLA for corporate operations.

Respondents must provide: site details, landowner permissions, safety measures, restrictions, organisational information, consultation capability, pilot/drone capability, experience, and pricing information.

Optional pilot/drone services: flights under a valid UASOC; submit UASOC, operations specifications, insurance, and site-specific flight permissions.

Pilots: proof of valid RPL/RPC, relevant endorsements, experience with suitable UAS, availability, and pricing. iThemba LABS reserves the right to approve pilots.

Supplier-provided drones: UAS model details, technical specifications, aircraft registration, UASLA, and suitability. All UAS subject to iThemba LABS approval.

Research payload: iThemba LABS provides a 3 kg payload; integration and compatibility with aviation, navigation, and communications systems must be verified jointly before research flights.

Pilots: proof of valid Remote Pilot Licence/Certificate (RPL/RPC), relevant endorsements, experience with suitable UAS, availability, and pricing. iThemba LABS reserves the right to approve proposed pilots.

Respondents must provide information on consultation capability, pilot/drone capability, and experience.

Pricing: Prices quoted in ZAR, excluding VAT unless otherwise stated.

Pricing schedules to complete:

• Operational support and consultation: Operational support (per month), Technical consultation (per hour), Support at iThemba LABS (per day), Mission planning (per mission).
• Land access: General access (per day), Exclusive site use (per day), Extended hours (per hour).
• Pilot services (optional): Pilot services (per hour), Pilot standby (per day), Flight reporting (per mission).
• Supplier-owned UAS services (optional): Flight hour rates.

A separate quotation may be submitted.

Prices must be valid for at least 60 days from closing date.

Prices must be firm and inclusive of VAT (note: pricing schedule says exclude VAT unless otherwise stated – conflicting; flag for clarification).

Payment terms: 30 days from date of invoice received.

As a schedule 3A public entity, payment terms are 30 days from date of invoice.

If bidder proposes shorter payment terms (e.g., 7/14 days from delivery), a Payment Guarantee may be required to mitigate risk.

Advance payments: A payment guarantee approved by iThemba Labs Finance will be accepted.

A firm delivery period must be indicated.

CSD registration: Mandatory. Bidders must be registered on the National Treasury's Central Supplier Database (www.csd.gov.za). Bids from unregistered bidders are not considered.

Tax compliance: Bidders must be tax compliant. CSD and tax compliance status PIN are the approved verification methods.

B-BBEE: Submit a B-BBEE certificate accredited with SANAS or a sworn affidavit if claiming specific goals.

SBD 4 (Bidder's Disclosure): Mandatory.

SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim): For South African companies.

CSD Summary Report: Must be provided.

Mandatory safety requirements:

• Access to fire extinguishers.
• First-aid equipment.
• Safety procedures or a designated safety contact.
• Landowner consent for temporary placement and use of sealed radioactive point sources (iThemba LABS manages the sources and radiation authorisations through its radiation-protection personnel).

Contract period: Two years. No minimum quantity of work is guaranteed.

Payment terms: 30 days from date of invoice received. As a schedule 3A public entity, payment terms are 30 days from date of invoice.

If bidder proposes shorter payment terms (e.g., 7/14 days from delivery), a Payment Guarantee may be required.

Advance payments: A payment guarantee approved by iThemba Labs Finance will be accepted.

A firm delivery period must be indicated.

Late proposals/quotations/bids will not be accepted.

Changes made by the bidder to the RFQ template and its terms and conditions will not be considered after the closing date and time.

Bidders failing to provide mandatory RFQ requirements may be disqualified.

This RFQ is subject to the PPPFA, Preferential Procurement Regulations 2022, and the General Conditions of Contract (GCC).

This RFQ constitutes a request for pricing and capability information. The resulting appointment, if any, will be for two years. No minimum quantity of work is guaranteed.

Mandatory requirements:

• CSD registration (www.csd.gov.za).
• Tax compliance (CSD and tax compliance status PIN).
• B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit if claiming specific goals.
• SBD 4 and SBD 6.1.
• CSD Summary Report.
• Site requirements: 100 m × 100 m survey area, within 150 km of iThemba LABS, proof of landowner permission, landowner consent for radioactive sources, fire extinguishers, first-aid equipment, safety procedures.

Optional: UASOC, operations specifications, insurance, flight permissions, RPL/RPC, UAS details.

Evaluation by Supply Chain Management for administrative compliance, functionality, price, and B-BBEE.

80/20 preference point system (80 price, 20 B-BBEE).

Contract awarded to highest scoring tenderer.

If all bids exceed R 1 000 000.00, the request is automatically cancelled.

Bidders must be tax compliant.