Ifrs 18 implementation advisory services for DBSA, funds and agencies (three-year appointment)

DBSA is a development finance institution wholly owned by the South African government, mandated to mobilise public and private resources for sustainable development projects in South Africa, SADC and the wider continent. It reports under IFRS and is subject to the PFMA, sections 27 to 31 of the Companies Act and the JSE Debt and Specialist Securities Listings Requirements. It is exempt from income tax but complies with all other South African taxes, including employees' tax and VAT.

IFRS 18 introduces defined categories in the statement of profit or loss, enhanced aggregation and disaggregation requirements, and new disclosures on Management-Defined Performance Measures. DBSA's current reporting framework, accounting policies, processes and systems were designed around existing IFRS requirements and do not fully align with IFRS 18. Without a proper assessment and implementation, the bank risks IFRS non-compliance, inconsistent reporting, increased audit findings and reduced comparability and transparency.

The appointed provider must perform an impact assessment, identify reporting and system gaps, develop an implementation roadmap and provide technical accounting guidance for a compliant and efficient transition from IAS 1 to IFRS 18.

Compulsory briefing session (virtual, Microsoft Teams)

• Date: 18 November 2026
• Time: 14:00 to 15:00
• Attendance is compulsory; non-attendance disqualifies the bid.
• Meeting ID: 381 029 753 558 357 3
• Passcode: qw9Wd6S4
• The link opens 15 minutes before the meeting; bidders must register with full details to gain access.

OneDrive submission link requests

• Deadline: 26 November 2026 at 16:00 Johannesburg time.

Clarification requests

• Must be submitted at least three working days before the submission date.

Closing

• Date: 27 November 2026
• Time: 23:55

Bid validity

• 120 calendar days from the closing time.

Enquiries and clarification requests

• Unit: DBSA Supply Chain Management Unit
• Email: [email protected]
• No telephonic questions will be answered.
• Clarification requests must quote the RFP number in the email subject line.

Complaints about the tendering process

• Email: [email protected]
• Complaints about the conduct of a DBSA employee must be marked for the attention of the Chief Executive Officer and delivered to the DBSA physical address.

Submission

• Method: electronic upload via OneDrive link requested from [email protected]
• No physical submission address is used.

Submission method

• Electronic submission only, via a OneDrive link obtained from DBSA.
• No physical, faxed or emailed bids will be accepted.
• Bidders must request the OneDrive submission link by email from [email protected], quoting the RFP number in the subject line.
• Link requests close on 26 November 2026 at 16:00 Johannesburg time; later requests may be disregarded.
• Bidders must nominate one dedicated contact person (name, email address and telephone number) for the link.
• Bidders must upload the bid using the correct bidder document and tender link; if an upload problem occurs, sufficient evidence of the attempt and the error must be provided before the cut-off.
• DBSA accepts no responsibility for incorrect bidder email addresses or for the bidder's own technical, network or ISP failures.

Bid format

• Submit in two separate folders: Folder 1 for pre-qualifiers and the functionality proposal; Folder 2 for the price proposal.
• All bids must be completed on the official forms provided; retyped forms are not accepted.
• Follow the prescribed sequence when attaching annexes.

Returnable documents (all must be completed, signed and included; omission may disqualify)

• Original bid document, Parts A to E.
• Annexure A: price proposal requirement.
• Annexure B: SBD 4 Declaration of Interest.
• Annexure C: SBD 6.1 preference points claim plus B-BBEE status level certificate or sworn affidavit.
• Annexure D: certified CIPC registration documents listing all members with percentages (close corporations).
• Annexure E: certified copies of the latest share certificates (companies).
• Annexure F: consortium fee and work split, if applicable.
• Annexure G: supporting documents for the pre-qualifying and functional criteria.
• Annexure H: General Conditions of Contract.
• Annexure I: CSD tax compliance status and registration requirements report.
• Proof of authority to sign the bid (for example a directors' resolution).

Disqualification risks

• Late submission, or submission by any channel other than the OneDrive link.
• Missing or unsigned returnable documents.
• Failure to answer DBSA clarification requests within the stated response times.
• Non-attendance of the compulsory briefing session.

Evaluation stages

1. Administrative responsiveness (pre-qualifying)

• Two-folder submission format.
• Attendance of the compulsory virtual briefing session.
• Registration of key resources, with proof of SAICA or relevant accounting professional registration for the Partner/Director and the Senior Manager/Associate Director.
• CSD registration and registration to do business with DBSA, with a CSD summary report.
• Active SARS tax compliance PIN.
• Completed and signed returnable documents.
• Clarification response times: 48 hours for standard conditions, returnable documents and tax PIN; 7 working days for the CSD summary report. Failure to respond in time makes the bid non-responsive.

2. Functionality (100 points; minimum qualifying score 70/100)

• Proposed resource experience and qualifications: 60 points.
• Partner/Director (CA(SA)): 15 or more years of technical advisory experience = 30 points; more than 10 but fewer than 15 years = 21 points; fewer than 10 years = 0 points.
• Senior Manager/Associate Director (CA(SA)): 10 or more years = 30 points; more than 7 but fewer than 10 years = 21 points; fewer than 7 years = 0 points.
• Company experience: 15 points.
• 10 or more years in IFRS technical accounting advisory, financial reporting and IFRS implementation within banking, financial services or development finance = 15 points.
• More than 7 but fewer than 10 years outside that sector = 11 points.
• Fewer than 7 years = 0 points.
• References: 15 points.
• Four or more qualifying reference letters = 15 points; three = 10 points; fewer than three = 0 points.
• Letters must be on client letterhead, signed by an authorised client representative, include client contact details, describe the actual services, and state the contract start and end dates.
• Panel appointment letters do not count and must not be submitted.
• References will be verified for authenticity.
• Project plan and value-added services: 10 points.
• Full project plan with clearly demonstrated value-added services = 10 points; project plan without demonstrated value-added services = 7 points; neither = 0 points.
• Bids scoring below 70/100 on functionality are eliminated and not evaluated on price and preference.

3. Price and specific goals (PPPFA 2022, 80/20)

• Price: 80 points.
• Specific goals (B-BBEE status level): 20 points.
• The recommended preferred bidder is the bidder with the lowest overall price among those that passed stages 1 and 2, unless DBSA cancels the RFP.

4. Risk analysis and objective criteria (applied to the highest-ranked bidders)

• Re-verification of an active tax compliance PIN at recommendation stage.
• Full CSD registration and no misrepresentation in the bid.
• Online verification of professional registration documents; DBSA may require independent documentary proof within 48 hours, with a contactable email and telephone reference, failing which the bid is non-responsive.
• No listing on the Register of Tender Defaulters; no conflict of interest; no fraud and corruption convictions; no removal from an organ of state contract for non-performance.
• A bidder whose DBSA award was terminated for non-performance in the 18 months before closing is ineligible; a written non-performance notice in the 12 months before award may lead to exclusion.
• PEP and Procure Check screening; a negative result may lead to exclusion.
• A bidder with five active awards with outstanding value may be excluded, unless the outstanding value is 10% or less or at least one project has stalled for six months or more or is on indefinite hold.
• Due diligence covers judgements and criminal convictions, pending litigation, liquidation or business rescue, performance history, reputational harm, restricted or blacklisted status, vetting, and financial ratio analysis.

Purpose

• Appoint a service provider to help DBSA, its funds and agencies implement IFRS 18 Presentation and Disclosure in Financial Statements, transitioning from IAS 1, over three years.

Scope of work

• Conduct an IFRS 18 impact assessment and gap analysis across financial statement presentation, underlying financial data, systems configurations, internal controls and governance processes.
• Identify reporting and system gaps.
• Develop a detailed implementation roadmap to achieve readiness before the IFRS 18 effective date.
• Review and update accounting policies.
• Provide technical accounting guidance for a compliant and efficient transition.
• Support implementation of the new categories in the statement of profit or loss, the aggregation and disaggregation requirements, and the new disclosures on Management-Defined Performance Measures (MPMs).

Context

• DBSA is a development finance institution wholly owned by the South African government, reporting under IFRS and subject to the PFMA, sections 27 to 31 of the Companies Act and the JSE Debt and Specialist Securities Listings Requirements.
• Current reporting frameworks, policies, processes and systems were built on existing IFRS requirements and do not fully align with IFRS 18.

Team requirements

• The team proposed in the bid must be the team that delivers the work.
• Any replacement requires prior written DBSA approval and must have qualifications, skills and experience equal to or better than the original, including comparable years of experience.

The provider must assess how IFRS 18 changes financial statement presentation, underlying financial data, systems configurations, internal controls and governance processes. DBSA, its funds and agencies currently have no comprehensive assessment of the IFRS 18 impact and no detailed implementation plan for readiness before the standard's effective date. The engagement must therefore deliver an impact assessment, a gap analysis, an implementation roadmap and ongoing technical accounting guidance for the transition from IAS 1 to IFRS 18.

Key resources

• Partner/Director: must be CA(SA) with practical experience in accounting advisory and financial reporting, and extensive experience interpreting and implementing IFRS in banking, financial services or development finance, including IFRS impact assessments, gap analyses, accounting policy reviews and support for new and amended IFRS standards.
• Senior Manager/Associate Director: must be CA(SA) with practical experience in accounting advisory and IFRS implementation; DFI experience is an advantage; must have worked in accounting technical roles with banks, financial institutions or DFIs.
• Both resources must provide proof of SAICA or relevant accounting professional registration.

Experience scoring

• Partner/Director: 15 or more years = 30 points; more than 10 but fewer than 15 years = 21 points; fewer than 10 years = 0 points.
• Senior Manager/Associate Director: 10 or more years = 30 points; more than 7 but fewer than 10 years = 21 points; fewer than 7 years = 0 points.
• Company: 10 or more years in IFRS technical accounting advisory, financial reporting and IFRS implementation within banking, financial services or development finance = 15 points; more than 7 but fewer than 10 years outside that sector = 11 points; fewer than 7 years = 0 points.

References

• Four or more qualifying reference letters = 15 points; three = 10 points; fewer than three = 0 points.
• Letters must be on client letterhead, signed by an authorised client representative, include client contact details, describe the actual services, and state the contract start and end dates.
• Panel appointment letters do not count and must not be submitted.
• References will be verified for authenticity.

Project plan requirements

• The project plan must show resource availability for the next three years and name the partner and director responsible for the assignment.
• It must demonstrate capacity to deliver on time and effectively, with indicative timelines for preparation, review, quality assurance and delivery of key deliverables.
• Value-added services must be clearly demonstrated, including best-practice insights into accounting developments in banking and financial services and the innovation the bidder would bring to DBSA.
• Scoring: full project plan with clearly demonstrated value-added services = 10 points; project plan without demonstrated value-added services = 7 points; neither = 0 points.

Team continuity

• The team proposed in the bid must be the team that delivers the work.
• Any replacement requires prior written DBSA approval and must have qualifications, skills and experience equal to or better than the original, including comparable years of experience.

Pricing requirements

• The price proposal must be submitted in Folder 2, separate from the technical proposal.
• The pricing schedule is set out in Annexure A1.
• Price carries 80 of the 100 points in the third evaluation stage.
• The lowest overall price among bids that pass responsiveness and functionality is recommended for award.
• If a bidder discovers an error in its submitted pricing after submission, it must notify DBSA promptly; clerical errors with no bearing on evaluation are excluded.

Pricing

• Price proposal must be submitted in Folder 2, separate from the technical proposal.
• Pricing schedule is set out in Annexure A1.
• Price carries 80 of the 100 points in the third evaluation stage.
• The lowest overall price among bids that pass responsiveness and functionality is recommended for award.

Bid validity

• Bids must remain open for acceptance for 120 calendar days from the closing time; this may be extended by written mutual agreement.
• A bidder who does not accept a subsequent validity extension is excluded from the process while it continues.

Costs

• Bidders bear all costs of preparing and lodging their bids; DBSA does not reimburse any bid costs.

No bid security, performance bond, guarantee, retention or turnover threshold is stated in the available text.

Registration and tax

• South African bidders must be registered on the National Treasury Central Supplier Database (CSD) and registered to do business with DBSA.
• A CSD summary report must be submitted.
• An active SARS tax compliance status PIN must be submitted; a printed tax compliance status may also be provided.
• Consortia, joint ventures and subcontractors: each party must submit its own tax compliance proof, PIN and CSD number.
• Foreign bidders with no South African residency, branch, permanent establishment or source of income are not required to obtain a SARS tax compliance PIN.

B-bbee

• A B-BBEE status level verification certificate, certified copy or sworn affidavit must be submitted.
• Bidders with annual total revenue of R10 million or less (EMEs) must submit a certificate from a registered independent auditor or an accredited verification agency.
• Bidders other than EMEs must submit an original and valid B-BBEE certificate or certified copy, or a sworn affidavit.
• B-BBEE status level is scored at 20 points under the 80/20 preference system.

Professional registration

• The Partner/Director and Senior Manager/Associate Director must be CA(SA) and provide proof of SAICA or relevant accounting professional registration.

Returnable forms

• SBD 4 Declaration of Interest: discloses any state employment or connection between the bidder's principals and DBSA.
• SBD 6.1 Preference Points Claim: claims B-BBEE preference points.
• Certified CIPC registration documents and share certificates, as applicable.
• Proof of authority to sign the bid.

Exclusion grounds

• Listing on the Register of Tender Defaulters.
• Conflict of interest, fraud or corruption convictions, or removal from an organ of state contract for non-performance.
• A DBSA award terminated for non-performance within the 18 months before closing.
• Misrepresentation in the bid.
• Five active awards with outstanding value, subject to the stated exceptions.

Contract formation

• No binding contract exists until DBSA executes a formal written contract with the successful bidder.
• Each bid is an irrevocable offer to provide the services on the terms of the RFP.
• A bid may not be conditional on board approval, the bidder's own due diligence, regulatory approval, third-party consent or a wish to negotiate commercial terms; DBSA may disregard any such bid.

Bid validity

• Bids must remain open for acceptance for 120 calendar days from the closing time, extendable by written mutual agreement.
• A bidder who does not accept a validity extension is excluded from the process while it continues.

Late bids

• Bids received after the closing time or lodged in the wrong manner are disqualified.
• DBSA may accept a late bid only where the delay was caused by DBSA, access to the tender box was denied or hindered, or a major incident prevented delivery, and the integrity of the process is not compromised.
• Late bids are opened only to identify the bidder and are generally returned within five working days.

DBSA's rights

• DBSA may suspend or cancel the process, change the structure or timing, extend any date, terminate a bidder's participation, request further information, negotiate with one or more bidders, call for new bids, reject late bids or reject non-compliant bids.
• DBSA may award the scope in full or in part, subject to budget availability, and may negotiate to protect value for money.

Bid ownership and confidentiality

• Submitted bids become DBSA property; bidders retain ownership of their intellectual property and license DBSA to reproduce the bid for evaluation.
• Bids are treated as confidential, subject to legal disclosure, government investigation, DBSA advisers and National Treasury disclosure requirements.
• Bidders must keep the RFP and related information confidential and use it only to prepare their proposal.

Conduct

• No unauthorised contact with DBSA staff or advisers during the process.
• No collusion or anti-competitive conduct; DBSA may disqualify a bidder immediately.
• No improper assistance from DBSA employees; DBSA may disqualify a bidder immediately.
• Bidders must disclose any actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest and notify DBSA immediately if one arises later; failure may lead to immediate disqualification.
• Misrepresentation, collusion, failure to disclose accurate ownership, financial or B-BBEE information, corrupt activity, or harassment of DBSA employees will not be tolerated.

Complaints

• Complaints must be submitted in writing to the Supply Chain Management Unit at [email protected] as soon as the cause arises, setting out the basis, the effect on the complainant, background information and the desired outcome.
• Complaints about an employee's conduct must be marked for the attention of the Chief Executive Officer and delivered to the DBSA physical address.

Functionality (100 points; minimum 70 required to proceed to price and preference)

• Proposed resource experience and qualifications: 60 points.
• Partner/Director (CA(SA)): 15 or more years of technical advisory experience = 30 points; more than 10 but fewer than 15 years = 21 points; fewer than 10 years = 0 points.
• Senior Manager/Associate Director (CA(SA)): 10 or more years = 30 points; more than 7 but fewer than 10 years = 21 points; fewer than 7 years = 0 points.
• Company experience: 15 points.
• 10 or more years in IFRS technical accounting advisory, financial reporting and IFRS implementation within banking, financial services or development finance = 15 points.
• More than 7 but fewer than 10 years outside that sector = 11 points.
• Fewer than 7 years = 0 points.
• References: 15 points.
• Four or more qualifying reference letters = 15 points; three = 10 points; fewer than three = 0 points.
• Letters must be on client letterhead, signed by an authorised client representative, include client contact details, describe the actual services, and state the contract start and end dates.
• Panel appointment letters do not count and must not be submitted.
• References will be verified for authenticity.
• Project plan and value-added services: 10 points.
• Full project plan with clearly demonstrated value-added services = 10 points; project plan without demonstrated value-added services = 7 points; neither = 0 points.

Price and specific goals (PPPFA 2022, 80/20)

• Price: 80 points.
• Specific goals (B-BBEE status level): 20 points.
• The lowest overall price among bids that pass responsiveness and functionality is recommended for award, unless DBSA cancels the RFP.

Risk analysis and objective criteria

• Re-verification of an active tax compliance PIN at recommendation stage.
• Full CSD registration and no misrepresentation.
• Online verification of professional registration documents; DBSA may require independent documentary proof within 48 hours, with a contactable email and telephone reference, failing which the bid is non-responsive.
• No listing on the Register of Tender Defaulters; no conflict of interest; no fraud and corruption convictions; no removal from an organ of state contract for non-performance.
• A DBSA award terminated for non-performance in the 18 months before closing makes the bidder ineligible; a written non-performance notice in the 12 months before award may lead to exclusion.
• PEP and Procure Check screening; a negative result may lead to exclusion.
• A bidder with five active awards with outstanding value may be excluded, unless the outstanding value is 10% or less or at least one project has stalled for six months or more or is on indefinite hold.