Armed security escort and asset-in-transit services for SARS high risk assets, illicit detained and confiscated goods (3 years)

Closing

• Date: 17 November 2026
• Time: 11:00
• Late submissions are not accepted.

Briefing session (non-compulsory)

• Date: 26 October 2026
• Time: 11:00
• Venue: virtual, on Microsoft Teams
• Meeting ID: 317 678 157 178 138
• Passcode: 7Gj9nS7F

Question and answer process

• Bidders may submit written questions from 16 October 2026 to 6 November 2026.
• SARS responds to written questions from 16 October 2026 to 13 November 2026.
• Questions and answers are published on the National Treasury e-Tender Portal and the SARS website; the e-Tender Portal is the primary communication channel.

Other

• RFP advertised and the pack available for download from 16 October 2026.
• Proposal validity: 180 calendar days from the closing date; SARS may extend it with the bidder's consent.
• All dates and times are South African Standard Time.

Enquiries

• Email: [email protected]
• All communication must be addressed to the SARS Tender Office, reference this RFP, and go through this address only.
• General enquiries, Pretoria Head Office, weekdays 08:00–16:00: 012 422 4078

Submission address

SARS Procurement Tender Office

Lehae La SARS

299 Bronkhorst Street

Nieuw Muckleneuk, Brooklyn

Pretoria, 0181

Postal address

Private Bag X923

Pretoria, 0001

Fraud and anti-corruption reporting

• Hotline: 0800 002 870
• Email: [email protected]

Issuing official

• Kenneth Pillay, Acting Lead Acquisition Management: Procurement

Submission method

• Physical delivery only: deposit the proposal in the SARS tender box at the main entrance, or send it by courier, to arrive before the closing time.
• Proposals received after the closing date and time are not accepted, whatever delivery method was used.
• All proposals and supporting documents must be in English.

Submission address

SARS Procurement Tender Office

Lehae La SARS

299 Bronkhorst Street

Nieuw Muckleneuk, Brooklyn

Pretoria, 0181

Packaging and copies

• One hardcopy: an A4 ring-bound lever arch file.
• One electronic copy: a USB memory stick holding a complete copy of the hardcopy; the bidder carries the risk if the electronic copy is incomplete.
• Both must be sealed in an outer envelope marked with the bidder's name and address, the bid number and the closing date.
• Technical and pricing content must be in separate folders: Folder 1 for technical, Folder 2 for price and B-BBEE/specific goals.
• A proposal not in the prescribed format may be disqualified in whole or in part.

Returnable documents

• SBD 1 (Invitation to Bid): signed offer cover page with bidder and contact details — non-submission disqualifies.
• SBD 4 (Declaration of Interest): discloses whether directors, shareholders or members are employed by the state or connected to the procuring institution — non-submission disqualifies.
• SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim): claims B-BBEE/specific goals points — no submission means zero points for those goals.
• Signed General Conditions of Contract (GCC); the recommended bidder signs the agreement on award.
• Proof of CSD registration with the CSD Master Registration Number.
• Three most recent years of annual financial statements.
• B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit, the pricing response template, and the SBD 6.1 in Folder 2.
• Supplier Cost and Risk Assessment Questionnaire: each consortium, joint venture or subcontractor party completes a separate signed questionnaire covering corporate governance, management experience, restrictions and disputes, key suppliers and customers, and financial position, with certified supporting documents.

Disqualification risks

• Any prequalification document left unsigned or omitted.
• Pricing response template or bill of quantities not completed in full.
• Subcontracting, or an intention to subcontract.
• Contacting SARS employees, officials or third parties involved in the RFP outside the official enquiry channel.
• Failure to meet any mandatory evaluation criterion.

Evaluation runs in four gates; a bid must pass each gate to be evaluated further.

Gate 0 — prequalification

• Administrative documents must be completed and signed by an authorised representative.
• Where a bid is incomplete, SARS may allow up to seven working days to remedy; failure to reach full compliance with the SBDs after that grace period results in disqualification.

Gate 1 — mandatory

• Bidders failing any mandatory criterion are disqualified and their proposals are not evaluated further.

Gate 2 — technical (functionality)

• Scored out of 100.
• Minimum qualifying score: 70/100. Bids below this are disqualified.
• Experience in providing the services: 15 points — three reference letters for escorting high value assets or collecting and transporting cash in the past three years, on client letterhead, showing company name, contact name, phone number, contract duration, service description and a contract value of at least R1 million including VAT per year (1 letter = 5 points, 2 = 10, 3 = 15).
• Infrastructure and capabilities: 55 points — regional footprint 8, control room 6, escort and CIT vehicles 13, firearms 10, CIT/asset-in-transit officers 6, compliance training plan 6, PPE and uniform acquisition 6.
• Service offerings: 30 points — service delivery methodology 8, communication process 8, business continuity plan 7, operational management structure 7.

Gate 3 — price and B-BBEE/specific goals

• Price: 80 points.
• Specific goals: 20 points.
• Total: 100 points.
• Preference point system: 80/20.
• Price points are calculated against the lowest acceptable proposal; every line item in the pricing response template must be completed.
• Specific goals points require a completed SBD 6.1 plus a valid B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit; no claim, or missing supporting documents, scores zero.

Gate 4 — consolidation

• Price and specific goals points are added to give a score out of 100 and to rank bidders.

Post-tender

• SARS may use subject matter experts in the evaluation.
• SARS may conduct a financial risk analysis and due diligence on recommended bidders and may decline to award where the outcome falls outside its risk appetite.

Scope

• Armed security service provider for the protection and escorting of SARS high risk assets and illicit detained or confiscated goods in transit, as and when required, for three years.
• Movement of high value assets such as cash and other high value goods identified by SARS between SARS offices, banking institutions, ports of entry, private areas or virtual warehouses, and safe storage facilities or state warehouses.
• A single bidder must deliver all components of the service nationally across all regions.
• Services must follow prescribed performance standards and collection schedules.

Regions

• Region A: Gauteng North (including Witbank) and Gauteng South (including Standerton).
• Region B: North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga (excluding Standerton and Witbank).
• Region C: Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
• Region D: Northern Cape and Free State.

Operational requirements

• National control room monitoring all escort and CIT vehicles, with satellite tracking, remote CCTV monitoring, base station and two-way radio communication, panic alarms, landline communication to emergency stakeholders and drones.
• Regional depots or offices with proof of ownership or a lease agreement and proof of address such as municipal utility bills.
• Escort and CIT vehicles registered in the bidder's name, including armoured CIT vehicles.
• Registered handguns and automatic rifles with licence numbers available in the regions.
• CIT or asset-in-transit officers registered with PSIRA under the bidder's name, listed with name and surname, PSIRA number, employee number and region.
• Approved training plan or procedure for qualifying and re-qualifying officers on firearms handling in line with PSIRA and the Firearms Control Act, 2000.
• Documented procedure for acquiring, issuing and re-issuing uniforms and PPE, including bullet-resistant jackets and firearm holsters, aligned with section 35 of the PSIRA Act.
• Service delivery methodology covering deployment of CIT and asset-in-transit vehicles, monitoring of vehicles in transit, and incident and emergency reporting to the control room and the client.
• Communication process supported by vehicle tracking reports.
• Business continuity plan covering power failure, vehicle breakdowns, hijackings and accidents.
• Operational management structure with role descriptions covering the senior executive, national contract manager, regional supervisors and escort/CIT officers.
• Security vetting of personnel, occurrence book maintenance, emergency evacuation plan, incident and emergency reporting, and management security operational meetings.
• Insurance cover is required.

Pricing

• Every line item in the SARS pricing response template must be completed; the price must be all-inclusive of all goods and services in scope.
• An incomplete pricing response template or bill of quantities may score zero for price or disqualify the bid.
• Price carries 80 of the 100 points in the price and specific goals evaluation.

Financial statements

• Submit complete annual financial statements for the three most recent financial periods in the name of the bidding entity.
• Statements must be audited or independently reviewed in line with the public interest score under the Companies Act, and must include the statement of profit and loss and other comprehensive income, statement of financial position, statement of cash flows, statement of changes in equity or net assets, and accompanying notes.
• If the latest audited or independently reviewed statements are not available, submit draft annual financial statements or the latest management accounts together with the three most recent audited or independently reviewed sets.
• Bidders trading for fewer than three financial periods must submit a signed letter confirming this, the statements they can provide, and any other information clarifying their financial history.

Financial risk and guarantees

• SARS may run a financial risk analysis and may decline to award where the outcome indicates high risk.
• SARS may request further evidence of financial capability, including holding or parent company accounts, management accounts, a signed letter from a recognised financial institution confirming capital availability with bank statements, and credit rating reports.
• Where a subsidiary bids using the holding company's financial statements, the holding company must provide a performance guarantee signed by a financial service provider undertaking to cover risks if the bidder is awarded.
• SARS may require a financial guarantee from the recommended bidder before award.
• Incorporated joint ventures submit the joint venture's financial statements; unincorporated joint ventures or consortia submit the statements of each party.

Registration and tax

• All bidders must register on the Central Supplier Database at www.CSD.gov.za and provide the CSD Master Registration Number; the recommended bidder must be registered before an award letter, purchase order or contract is issued.
• A valid tax compliance status PIN or CSD number must be provided; foreign suppliers with no South African tax obligations or trading history complete the SBD 1 questionnaire.

Mandatory compliance (Gate 1) — failure disqualifies

• Valid PSIRA letter of good standing.
• Valid COIDA letter of good standing from the Department of Labour and Employment.
• Valid letter of good standing from the Private Security Sector Provident Fund, or a letter of exemption plus proof of good standing with an alternate fund.
• Proof of accreditation of the bidder's own shooting range, or a memorandum of understanding or contract showing access to a shooting range certified in line with SABS and the Firearms Control Act, 2000.

B-BBEE and specific goals

• Evidence: a valid B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit in the name of the bidding entity, submitted with a completed SBD 6.1.
• EME (turnover below R10 million a year): valid B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit.
• QSE (turnover between R10 million and R50 million a year): valid B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit.
• Large enterprise (turnover above R50 million a year): valid B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit.
• Unincorporated joint ventures or consortia must submit a consolidated B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit prepared for each separate proposal.
• Specific goals points are awarded for EME or QSE status, at least 51% black ownership, at least 30% black women ownership and at least 51% black youth ownership.
• No claim, or missing supporting documents, means zero points for specific goals.

Ownership and structure

• Trusts must submit a registered trust deed showing the trustees and beneficiaries.
• Joint ventures and consortia must submit the agreement identifying all parties, ownership percentages, functions and responsibilities, anticipated revenue shares, and the lead partner holding power of attorney; each party completes SBD 4 and submits CSD proof, and members are jointly and severally liable.
• Subcontracting is not permitted; a bidder who subcontracts or intends to subcontract is disqualified.

Disclosure

• Bidders must disclose any restriction from doing business with government, any contract terminated before expiry, and any existing, previous or pending legal disputes with SARS or other institutions.

Technical evaluation (Gate 2)

• Scored out of 100; minimum threshold 70 points to proceed to the price and B-BBEE/specific goals evaluation.
• Experience in providing the services: 15 points. Three reference letters for escorting high value assets or collecting and transporting cash in the past three years, on client letterhead, showing company name, contact name, phone number, contract duration, service description and a contract value of at least R1 million including VAT per year. 1 letter = 5 points, 2 = 10, 3 = 15.
• Infrastructure and capabilities: 55 points.
• Regional footprint: 8 points (1 region 2, 2 regions 4, 3 regions 6, 4 or more regions 8), with proof of depot ownership or lease and proof of address.
• Control room: 6 points, awarded only where the control room has all monitoring and tracking capabilities (satellite tracking, remote CCTV, base station and two-way radio, panic alarms, landline to emergency stakeholders, drones).
• Escort and CIT vehicles: 13 points (5 CIT armoured and 5 escort vehicles = 5; 10 and 10 = 10; 15 and 15 = 13), with registration documents and photos; no partial submission accepted.
• Firearms: 10 points (3–7 handguns and 3–7 automatic rifles = 3; 7–14 and 7–14 = 6; 14–20 and 14–20 = 10), with licence numbers; no partial submission accepted.
• CIT or asset-in-transit officers: 6 points (fewer than 15 nationally = 2; 15–20 = 4; more than 20 = 6), listed with name, PSIRA number, employee number and region; no partial submission accepted.
• Compliance training plan: 6 points for an approved plan or procedure for qualifying and re-qualifying officers on firearms handling per PSIRA and the Firearms Control Act, 2000.
• PPE and uniform acquisition: 6 points for a documented process aligned with section 35 of the PSIRA Act, covering bullet-resistant jackets and firearm holsters.
• Service offerings: 30 points.
• Service delivery methodology: 8 points (one area 2, two areas 5, all three areas 8) covering deployment of CIT and asset-in-transit vehicles, monitoring of vehicles in transit, and incident and emergency reporting to the control room and client.
• Communication process: 8 points (detailed procedure without a sample tracking report 4; with a sample tracking report 8).
• Business continuity plan: 7 points for a plan showing how the control room keeps operating and how service continues during power failure, vehicle breakdowns, hijackings and accidents.
• Operational management structure: 7 points (structure without role descriptions 0; covering one or two levels 3; covering all levels 7).

Price and B-BBEE/specific goals (Gate 3)

• Price 80 points, specific goals 20 points, total 100.
• 80/20 preference point system.
• Price points are calculated against the lowest acceptable proposal.
• Specific goals points require a completed SBD 6.1 with a valid B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit; no claim scores zero.
• Price and specific goals points are added to rank bidders out of 100.