Supply and delivery of pine shavings (horse bedding) for a 24-Month period — nhls gauteng

Closing: 20 October 2026 at 12:00

Issue date: 12 October 2026

Clarification queries: submit to Clayton Losper by 16:00 on 16 October 2026; NHLS shares its responses with other bidders

Briefing session: none — no formal briefing will be held

Bid validity: 90 business days from the closing date, first day excluded and last day included

Contract period: 24 months

No formal briefing session will be held. Bidders with specific queries must email them to the NHLS contact named in the communication section.

Enquiries (bidding procedure and technical)

• Contact: Clayton Losper
• Email: [email protected]

Submission

• Method: email
• Submission email: [email protected]

Post-closing communication

• Contact: Ruth Springbok
• Email: [email protected]

Unsuccessful bidders may request written reasons for non-award from the contact person named on the SBD 1 form.

Submission

• Method: email to [email protected]
• Closing: 20 October 2026 at 12:00
• Late bids are not accepted.
• Bids must be submitted on the official forms provided; the forms may not be retyped.
• Every returnable section must be signed, stamped and dated.
• The signatory must state the capacity in which they sign and attach proof of authority, such as a company resolution.
• Quotations must not contain material relating to any other quotation or proposal; additional conditions must be raised in an accompanying letter.

Mandatory returnable document — omission disqualifies the bid

• Section 4 Quotation Form: the priced offer on the prescribed schedule.

Essential returnable documents — NHLS will allow one further opportunity to submit by a set deadline; continued failure may disqualify

• Section 1 SBD 1: bidder identification and contact details, signed as the offer cover page.
• Section 5 Certificate of Acquaintance with RFQ Documents: confirms the bidder has studied and accepts the RFQ conditions; a false or incomplete certificate disqualifies the bid.
• Section 6 RFQ Declaration and Breach of Law Form: discloses relationships with NHLS staff and confirms the bid was prepared independently; incomplete or inaccurate disclosure disqualifies the bid and may bar future NHLS business.
• Section 7 Specific Goals Claim Form: claims preference points for specific goals.
• Section 8 Protection of Personal Information: consent to processing of personal information.
• CSD registration report.
• Tax Compliance Certificate.

Scoring documents — omission does not disqualify but scores zero for the affected criterion.

Other

• The successful bidder must sign the written contract form (SBD 7) and complete an NHLS Supplier Declaration Form for vendor registration.
• Returnable documents, including B-BBEE proof, must remain valid for the contract term; failure to renew entitles NHLS to terminate immediately without liability.
• Bidders must confirm submission of each returnable document in the tables provided.

Mandatory returnable documents — omission by the closing date and time disqualifies the bid

• Section 4 Quotation Form.

Essential returnable documents — NHLS allows one further opportunity to submit by a set deadline; continued failure may disqualify

• Section 1 SBD 1 Form.
• Section 5 Certificate of Acquaintance with RFQ Documents.
• Section 6 RFQ Declaration and Breach of Law Form.
• Section 7 Specific Goals Claim Form.
• Section 8 Protection of Personal Information.
• CSD registration report.
• Tax Compliance Certificate.

Scoring documents — omission does not disqualify but scores zero for the affected criterion.

Other

• All returnable sections must be signed, stamped and dated.
• The successful bidder must keep all returnable documents, including B-BBEE proof, valid for the contract term; failure to submit renewals when due entitles NHLS to terminate the agreement immediately without liability.

Preference system: 80/20 — price 80 points, specific goals 20 points, total 100 points.

Stage 1 — Administrative responsiveness (must be passed)

• Bid lodged on time.
• All returnable documents and schedules completed and returned by the closing date and time.
• Validity of all returnable documents verified.
• Bid signed by an authorised person.

Stage 2 — Substantive responsiveness (must be passed)

• General and legislative qualification criteria met.
• Bid contains a priced offer (Section 4 Quotation Form).
• Bid materially complies with the scope and specification.

Stage 3 — Weighted scoring

• Price: 80 points, scored as Ps = 80 x (1 - (Pt - Pmin) / Pmin), where Pt is the price of the bid under consideration and Pmin the lowest acceptable price.
• Specific goals: 20 points, claimed on the Section 7 Specific Goals Claim Form.
• Final pricing scores are rounded to two decimal places.
• The evaluation table lists a functionality/technical minimum threshold of 80%, but no functionality criteria or weightings are set out in the RFQ.

Stage 4 — Post tender negotiation (if applicable)

• NHLS may decline to award where the price is not market-related, and may negotiate or cancel the RFQ.
• Negotiation is sequential: the highest-ranked bidder first, then the second and third ranked bidders if required.
• Bids and any best and final offers remain valid through negotiation until award.

Stage 5 — Award

• The successful bidder is notified by Letter of Award, after which the final contract is concluded.

Scope

• Supply and delivery of pine shaving (horse bedding) to NHLS/NICD over a 24-month period.
• Fine pine shavings are the small cuts produced when milling kiln-dried Southern yellow pine lumber, spread on a stall floor as horse bedding.

Quantities and packing

• 450 bags every two months.
• Bag size: 10 kg.

Product requirements

• Moisture content: maximum 15%.
• Dust content: maximum 2%.
• Texture: coarse flakes / small cuts.
• Good moisture absorption.
• Manufactured from clean, untreated pine timber.
• Free of chemicals, preservatives, paints, adhesives and other harmful substances.
• Dry, absorbent and suitable for equine bedding.
• Free of excessive dust to limit respiratory risk to horses and stable personnel.
• Free of mould, fungus, foreign objects, stones, plastic, metal, glass and other contaminants.
• Free of sharp wood fragments that could cause injury.
• Consistent particle size suitable for horse bedding.
• Freshly produced and stored under dry conditions before delivery.

Pricing

• Quote on the Section 4 Quotation Form: item description, unit, quantity and rate in ZAR.
• Total price exclusive of VAT, plus VAT at 15% where applicable.
• Submit a breakdown of the pricing.
• All prices quoted in South African Rand, inclusive of VAT.
• State the delivery lead-time from date of purchase order in days or weeks.
• Disbursements not specifically priced will not be accepted.
• Discounts are considered in the final evaluation only if offered unconditionally.
• Final pricing scores are rounded to two decimal places.

Other

• Bid validity: 90 business days from the closing date.
• NHLS may negotiate a market-related price with the highest-ranked bidder, then the second and third ranked bidders, or cancel the RFQ.
• Failure to deliver within the quoted lead-time allows NHLS to cancel the order and recover the cost of re-quoting or accepting a less favourable offer.

Registration and tax

• Self-registration on National Treasury's Central Supplier Database (CSD) is compulsory; no award may be made to an unregistered bidder. Only foreign suppliers with no locally registered entity are exempt.
• Submit a SARS Tax Compliance Status PIN, or a printed TCS certificate, with the bid.
• Where no TCS PIN is available, provide the CSD number.
• Tax compliance must be maintained for the entire contract term.
• Consortia, joint ventures and subcontractors: each party must register on the CSD and submit its own TCS certificate, PIN or CSD number.

Exclusion

• Bids are not considered from persons in the service of the state, companies whose directors are, or close corporations whose members are.
• Bidders listed on the Register for Tender Defaulters or the List of Restricted Suppliers are automatically disqualified.

B-BBEE and specific goals

• Preference points are claimed on the Section 7 Specific Goals Claim Form under the 80/20 system, 20 points in total.
• Evidence: a valid B-BBEE certificate from a SANAS-accredited verification agency, or a DTI/CIPC B-BBEE certificate for EMEs, or a sworn affidavit.
• The rural, underdeveloped area or township goal also requires a lease agreement, municipal statement, or letter from a councillor or traditional council confirming the owner's address.
• A sworn affidavit that does not meet the prescribed financial thresholds earns no points.
• Joint ventures and consortia must submit an agreement showing each party's ownership and work percentages; points are proportional to the qualifying parties.

Other

• Compliance with all applicable national and local laws, and with the Employment Equity Act including Section 53.
• Acceptance may be conditional on the successful bidder, its personnel and subcontractors obtaining security clearance at CONFIDENTIAL/SECRET/TOP SECRET level, at the bidder's cost.
• Bidders must not canvass NHLS officers or employees between the closing date and award; collusion results in automatic disqualification and restriction from doing business with organs of state.

Specific goals claim — 80/20 system, 20 points in total

• 51% owned by black people: 4 points.
• 51% owned by black people who are women: 4 points.
• 51% owned by black people with disabilities: 2 points.
• 51% owned by black people who are youth: 4 points.
• 51% owned by black people living in rural areas, underdeveloped areas or townships: 2 points.
• Exempted Micro Enterprise (EME) and/or qualifying small enterprise (QSE): 4 points.

Evidence required

• A valid B-BBEE certificate from a SANAS-accredited verification agency, or a DTI/CIPC B-BBEE certificate for EMEs, or a sworn affidavit.
• For the rural, underdeveloped area or township goal, also a lease agreement, municipal statement, or letter from a councillor or traditional council confirming the owner's address.
• A sworn affidavit that does not meet the prescribed financial thresholds earns no points.

Joint ventures and consortia

• The agreement must show each party's ownership and work percentages and must form part of the submission.
• NHLS evaluates the consolidated B-BBEE certificate together with the agreement to allocate points proportionally; a 50:50 joint venture in which only one party qualifies for a 2-point goal receives 1 point.

Contract conditions

• NHLS Legal Counsel reviews and may accept or reject the bidder's proposed contractual terms before any award.
• Acceptance may be conditional on the successful bidder, its personnel supplying the goods and its subcontractors obtaining security clearance at CONFIDENTIAL/SECRET/TOP SECRET level, at the bidder's cost, and on implementing all security measures the safe performance of the contract requires.
• The successful bidder must comply with all applicable national and local laws and with the Employment Equity Act, including Section 53.
• No changes to a submission are accepted after the closing date and time.
• A quotation is deemed to be an offer; any exceptions must be clearly and specifically indicated.
• Bid validity: 90 business days from the closing date, first day excluded and last day included; NHLS may request an extension on the same terms if evaluation is not finalised, and the successful bid remains valid until the final contract is concluded. A bidder who does not respond to an extension request before it expires is excluded from the process.

NHLS rights

• Modify the goods or services and call for re-bids; reject non-conforming quotations; disqualify late quotations; not necessarily accept the lowest-priced or an alternative bid; place an order at any time after the closing date; award only part of the goods or services; cancel the process; validate submitted information and request supporting evidence, audited financial statements or other due diligence material; refuse changes to bid rates after the closing date or award unless the contract provides for it.
• Cancel the contract and ask National Treasury to place the bidder on the Database of Restricted Suppliers for up to 10 years where a contract was awarded on incorrect information or on any other basis recognised in law.

Governance

• NHLS will not conclude a transaction without considering governance protocols, determining the counterparty's DPIP or FPPO status, and conducting a risk assessment and due diligence.
• Contracts concluded with a DPIP or FPPO are published annually on the NHLS website, including the successful bidder where applicable.

Tax compliance

• Bidders must be tax compliant when submitting and remain compliant for the whole contract term under all applicable tax legislation, including the Income Tax Act, 1962 and the Value Added Tax Act, 1991.
• Submit the SARS Tax Compliance Status PIN so NHLS can verify the taxpayer profile and status; a printed TCS certificate may be submitted instead.
• Where no TCS PIN is available but the bidder is registered on the CSD, provide the CSD number.
• Consortia, joint ventures and subcontractors: each party must submit a separate TCS certificate, PIN or CSD number.
• Tax compliance requirements also apply to foreign bidders and individuals.

Central Supplier Database

• Self-registration on National Treasury's CSD is compulsory; no award may be made to an unregistered bidder. Only foreign suppliers with no locally registered entity are exempt.
• Where consortia, joint ventures or subcontractors are involved, each party must be registered on the CSD and its tax status is verified through the CSD.

Exclusion

• No bids are considered from persons in the service of the state, companies whose directors are, or close corporations whose members are.
• Failure to provide or comply with these particulars may render the bid invalid.