Request for information: integrated pest management and fumigation services for government office buildings

Mandatory registrations and qualifications:

• Active company registration with SAPCA and PCSIB.
• All pest control operators (PCOs) and supervisors on site must hold valid P-Registration certificates from DALRRD in structural pest control, fumigation, or relevant sub-categories.
• Fumigators must be registered with DALRRD and have at least 12 months' practical experience, or a relevant biological degree.
• Provide a valid certificate of registration with relevant fumigation bodies/associations.
• Provide a letter of good standing with the Office of the Compensation Commissioner of the Department of Employment and Labour.
• Provide the name of the active ingredient of each pesticide to be used, together with its material safety data sheet (MSDS).
• Be familiar with banned or restricted agricultural remedies as per the 2017 gazette and 2024 review.
• For bee removal: registration with DALRRD (renewable every two years), evidence of training/competence in bee handling and removal.
• For snake handling: snake relocation certificates, proof of appropriate snake-handling training, and relevant provincial wildlife permits/authorisations.
• Compliance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 is required.

Scope of services:

• Integrated pest management for government office buildings, including prevention, control, and eradication of crawling insects (cockroaches, ants, bedbugs, fleas, silverfish, carpet beetles), rodents (rats, house mice), wood-destroying organisms (subterranean termites, wood beetles), flying insects (houseflies, drain flies, mosquitoes), stinging organisms (bees, wasps, hornets), and nuisance pests (bird lice, feral pigeons/birds, snakes).
• Services include removal and/or relocation of bees and other unwanted animals from infrastructure, which may require work at height.
• Provide all necessary access equipment (ladders, mobile elevated work platforms) suitable for public areas, not obstructing pedestrian or vehicular movement without safety controls.

Service frequencies:

• Kitchens, canteens, food prep areas: bi-weekly or monthly treatments.
• Administrative offices and wards: monthly treatments.
• Waste storage areas and external drains: weekly or bi-weekly treatments.
• Termite audits and inspections: bi-annually.
• Emergency turnaround: urgent/high-risk emergencies (e.g., bee swarms, venomous snakes) within 2 hours of notification; standard call-outs (re-infestation between scheduled visits) within 24 hours at no additional cost.

Method of servicing:

• Pre-service coordination with the authorised facility representative.
• Site inspection of interior and exterior, including kitchens, offices, wards, stores, waste areas, drains, roof spaces, service ducts.
• Pest identification and assessment; establish baseline.
• Complete site-specific risk assessment and method statement before treatment.
• Integrated pest-management plan prioritising prevention, sanitation, exclusion, proofing, habitat modification, monitoring, and mechanical controls; pesticides only where these are insufficient.
• Product selection by the responsible PCO; only currently registered products; organophosphates prohibited.
• Treatment preparation: notify occupants, secure/evacuate area, protect food and equipment, display warning signs, confirm re-entry period.
• Specific treatments: cockroaches (gel baits, dusts, targeted residual spray); rodents (numbered, lockable, tamper-resistant external bait stations, non-chemical traps indoors, record bait consumption, remove carcasses); flying insects (sanitation, glue-board UV units, targeted residual, ULV cold misting or thermal fogging only where justified); termites (soil trenching, drilling and injection, baiting, targeted wood treatment); bees/birds/snakes (trained specialists, safe relocation, non-lethal proofing).
• Specialised fumigation treated as separate specialist service with registered personnel and documented plan covering sealing, evacuation, gas monitoring, leak detection, aeration, formal clearance before re-entry.
• Safe execution: PPE as per risk assessment, label, SDS; chemicals mixed and applied strictly per label.
• Waste and spill control: carry spill-control materials; collect empty containers, contaminated materials, carcasses for lawful disposal; retain Safe Disposal Certificate where applicable.
• Service completion: ventilate, remove warning controls only when safe, confirm re-entry time, obtain acknowledgement of delivery note/service sheet.
• Service records: record date, location, pest, observations, product/active ingredient, registration number, quantity used, application method, applicator, bait-station activity, corrective actions, follow-up date.
• Reinspect treated areas and respond to reinfestation call-outs within contracted turnaround time.

Maintenance and reports:

• Maintain records of equipment, consumables, inspection lists, staff attendance registers; available on request.
• Produce monthly reports: daily resource deployment, ad hoc costs, monthly contract fee, consumable allocation per facility with costing, walk-around findings, non-conformances, actions taken.
• Control documents placed at Area Offices to confirm activities carried out per specifications.

Target pests and permitted active ingredients:

• Cockroaches/crawling insects: Fipronil, Imidacloprid, Deltamethrin, Cypermethrin, Abamectin; spot-gel baiting, targeted low-pressure residual spray.
• Rodents: Brodifacoum, Difenacoum, Bromadiolone; lockable tamper-proof external bait stations, non-toxic traps/glue-boards indoors.
• Subterranean termites: Imidacloprid, Fipronil, Chlorantraniliprole; soil trenching and high-pressure drill injection at 1-metre intervals.
• Flies/flying insects: Tiamethoxam, Azamethiphos, Natural Pyrethrins + PBO; glue-board UV traps, residual wall spray, ULV thermal fogging in waste areas.
• Bees/wasps/avian pests: Permethrin dust (bees/wasps); 304 SS bird spikes, UV-stabilized netting (birds); swarm relocation via apiculturist, non-lethal bird proofing.

Chemical requirements:

• Each offered product must have a current product-specific registration under Act 36 of 1947.
• Legally permitted and appropriately registered for intended use in South Africa.
• Appropriate for the specific pest and application area.
• Used strictly per manufacturer's instructions and label.
• Supported by current Safety Data Sheets (SDS).
• Clearly labelled and traceable; within expiry date; stored and transported safely.
• Applied by appropriately trained personnel.
• Suitable for use in occupied office environments when used per approved application requirements.
• Selected to minimise risks to employees, visitors, contractors, food, equipment, environment.
• All chemicals must be registered (DALRRD) and adhere to SANS 10133.
• Contractor shall maintain a chemical register indicating chemicals used at each site.

Application equipment:

• Hand compression sprayer (2–4 bar) for surface application of emulsion or suspension.
• Bellows/bulb dusters/manual dusters for small to medium areas.
• Machine electrical duster for large volumes.
• Cold misting machines (ULV) for areas where noise/smoke is a problem or smaller areas.
• Thermal foggers for areas where cold misting is too small.
• Management program should include detection and identification.

Areas to be treated:

• Offices: control of cockroaches, ants, flies, mosquitoes, other nuisance pests using low-disruption methods.
• Kitchens/canteens: high-priority monitoring and control of cockroaches, ants, flies, rodents.
• Ablution facilities: control of cockroaches, flies, ants, other moisture/drainage pests.
• Storerooms: rodent and insect monitoring and treatment.
• Refuse areas: rodent, fly, other pest control, including source reduction.
• Parking/basement areas: rodent, cockroach, crawling-insect control.
• Roof/ceiling spaces: inspection and control of rodents, birds, other pests.
• External areas: monitoring and control of ants, mosquitoes, flies, rodents, other pests.
• Sensitive areas: targeted treatments minimising risk to employees, visitors, equipment, building operations.

Legislation and standards:

• Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act (Act 36 of 1947): all PCOs and supervisors must hold valid P-Registration certificates from DALRRD.
• Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act 85 of 1993): strict adherence to General Administrative Regulations, Construction Regulations, and Hazardous Chemical Agents Regulations.
• National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998) and Waste Act.
• SABS 0248:1993: Code of Practice for Handling and Disposal of Waste Materials within Health Care Facilities.
• Minimum requirements for Handling and Disposal of Hazardous Waste (Department of Water Affairs and Forestry).
• National Regulations on Healthcare Risk Waste (NEMWA Act, 59 of 2000).
• SANS 10133: Code of Practice for Application of Pesticides in Food-Handling and Food-Processing Establishments.
• SANS 10014: Safe Handling, Storage, and Disposal of Pesticides.
• SANS 10156: Wood-preserving chemicals and structural termite treatment specifications.
• SANS 10206: Handling, storage and disposal of pesticides.
• ISO 9001 / ISO 14001 / ISO 45001 compliance.
• Hazardous Substances Act, 1973 (Act 15 of 1973) and National Road Traffic Act for chemical transport.
• Agricultural Pest Act (36/1983) control measures as per amendment GN R1511 22 November 2019 for beekeepers and bee removal services.
• National Environmental Management: Biodiversity (NEMBA) Act 10 of 2004.
• Animals Protection Act of 1962.
• TOPS framework permits for restricted activities, specifically conveying/moving/translocation.

Health and safety:

• Comply with all applicable South African OHS, pesticide, environmental and municipal requirements.
• Only appropriately trained, competent and legally authorised personnel may apply pesticides.
• Site-specific risk assessment before treatment.
• Provide product label and current SDS for each chemical.
• Chemicals correctly labelled, securely stored, transported and handled.
• Appropriate PPE provided and worn.
• Notify employees and visitors before treatment; restrict or evacuate areas.
• Specify re-entry period; employees not to return until safe.
• Ventilate indoor areas after treatment where required.
• Protect or remove food, beverages, utensils, food-contact surfaces.
• Protect computers, servers, electrical equipment, documents, sensitive assets.
• Have procedures for pesticide exposure, ingestion, spills, fire, other emergencies.
• First-aid arrangements and emergency contact info available.
• Spill-control materials and procedures.
• Dispose of empty containers, contaminated materials, hazardous waste per requirements.
• Immediately report any chemical exposure, injury, spill, property damage or other incident to the client.
• Maintain treatment records.
• SHE file contents, COID, public liability insurance, OHS Act compliance, pest-control operator certificates, chemical registers, emergency plans, monthly service reports.