Travel management company (tmc) for mining qualifications authority (mqa) – contract ending 31 march 2030

Returnable forms

• SBD 4 (Bidder's Disclosure): discloses whether any director, shareholder or person with a controlling interest is employed by the state or connected to the procuring institution, and any interest in related enterprises; must be completed, signed and submitted with the bid.

7 December 2026 at 09:00

Evaluation criteria:

• Preference point system: 80/20 for this tender (requirements up to R50 million total estimated value)
• Price evaluation: 80 points allocated, calculated as 80 multiplied by the ratio of the lowest acceptable tender price to the tender under consideration
• Specific goals: 20 points total, comprising 15 points for B-BBEE Status Level of Contributor and 5 points for the promotion of Black Woman/Youth/Disable/Rural area
• Verification: A valid B-BBEE Certificate or Sworn Affidavit must be submitted to verify preference point claims; failure to submit required documentation results in no points for specific goals

Compliance requirements:

• B-BBEE verification: A valid B-BBEE Certificate or Sworn Affidavit must be submitted to support preference point claims for B-BBEE status level contributor
• Specific goals verification: Documentation must accompany claims for promotion of Black Woman/Youth/Disable/Rural area to substantiate transformation objectives

Bidding procedure enquiries

• Contact: Ms Tsholo Dilape
• Email: [email protected]

Technical enquiries

• Contact: Ms Wicky Mkhize
• Email: [email protected]

Closing date: 07 December 2026 at 11:00.

Offer validity: 120 days from the closing date.

Returnable form:

• SBD 3.3 (Pricing Schedule – Professional Services): complete and sign, stating a ceiling price covering all phases and all expenses inclusive of all applicable taxes, hourly and daily rates per person and position, cost per phase, man-days, travel and other expenses, commencement period, estimated man-days, and whether rates are firm for the full contract period.

Certified invoices must be rendered for all charges, and proof of expenses must accompany invoices.

Scope: Travel management company services for the Mining Qualifications Authority for a period ending 31 March 2030.

Pricing schedule content:

• Person and position, with hourly rate and daily rate
• Phases, cost per phase, and man-days to be spent
• Travel expenses, including rate per kilometre, total kilometres, and class of air travel; only actual costs are recoverable and proof must accompany certified invoices
• Other expenses such as accommodation, telephone, and reproduction costs; proof must accompany invoices
• Period required to commence after acceptance of bid
• Estimated man-days for completion of the project
• Whether rates are firm for the full contract period, or the basis for adjustment (for example consumer price index)

Ceiling price: based on total estimated time for completion of all phases, including all expenses inclusive of all applicable taxes.

All applicable taxes include value-added tax, pay as you earn, income tax, unemployment insurance contributions, and skills development levies.

Certified invoices must be rendered for all charges.

Proof of expenses must accompany invoices.

Offer validity: 120 days from the closing date.

Rates: bidders must state whether rates are firm for the full contract period or provide the adjustment basis.

MQA requires a Travel Management Company to provide comprehensive travel management services for staff and stakeholders (local and international) for a period ending 31 March 2030. Services include accommodation, car rental, shuttle, airline ticketing, visa services, and incidental services (revalidation, re-routing, refunds, cancellations, itineraries). The TMC must operate 24/7/365, provide an online booking tool, consolidate invoicing, manage third-party providers, ensure cost savings, and deliver extensive reporting. The contract aims to replace internal travel management with a professional service achieving cost containment, traveller satisfaction, and risk management.

Closing: 7 December 2026 at 09:00

No compulsory briefing session stated

No site visit stated

No clarification deadline stated

Technical/Project enquiries:

• Name: Wicky Mkhize
• Email: [email protected]
• Telephone: 011 547 2642

Supply Chain enquiries:

• Name: Tsholo Dilape
• Email: [email protected]
• Telephone: 011 547 2628

Submission address: Not specified in document

Closing: 7 December 2026 at 09:00

Submission method: Not specified in document

Returnable forms (Phase 1A compliance):

• Proof of CSD registration
• Valid Tax Clearance Certificate (SBD 2) or Tax PIN
• B-BBEE Certificate (SANAS/IRBA) or sworn affidavit (EME)
• SBD 4: Declaration of Interest
• SBD 6.1: Preference Points Claim Form

Mandatory memberships (Phase 1B):

• Valid ASATA membership
• Valid IATA membership

Personnel requirements:

• Must name proposed resources for evaluation (zero score if omitted)
• CVs and certified copies of qualifications for each
• Qualification certification date stamp valid within 6 months of closing

Company experience:

• Minimum 3 reference projects in past 5 years with letters on client letterhead, signed, dated, with contactable details

Foreign qualifications:

• SAQA evaluation certificate required

Disqualification risks:

• Missing any Phase 1A document
• Missing ASATA or IATA membership
• Unnamed personnel (zero score on criterion)
• Incomplete or unsigned forms

Outstanding information: May be requested within 5 working days (non-substantive only)

Three-phase evaluation:

Phase 1: Compliance & mandatory requirements (pass/fail)

Phase 2A: Functionality evaluation (60 points, minimum 40/60 to proceed)

• Company experience: 30 points (5+ years, 3+ similar projects)
• Account Manager qualification: 10 points (Bachelor's degree in Travel Management/Sales/Business/Communications/Marketing/Customer Relationship/Business Administration)
• Account Manager experience: 5 points (7+ years in travel management)
• Senior Travel Consultant qualification: 10 points (National Diploma minimum in hospitality/tourism/business)
• Senior Travel Consultant experience: 5 points (5+ years in travel/hospitality)

Phase 2B: Online Booking Tool demonstration (40 points, minimum 32/40)

• Demonstrate 9 elements: management integration, end-to-end coordination, online booking process flow, automated order linking, MQA negotiated rate configuration, access to new rates, notification workflows, mobile application, on-demand data/reporting

Phase 3: Pricing & Specific Goals (80/20 preference points system)

• Price: 80 points
• Specific goals: 20 points
• B-BBEE status: 15 points (Level 1=15, 2=14, 3=10, 4=8, 5=6, 6=5, 7=4, 8=2, non-compliant=0)
• Black woman ownership ≥50%: 2 points
• Black youth ownership ≥50%: 1 point
• Black disability ownership ≥50%: 1 point
• Black rural ownership ≥50%: 1 point

Scope: Travel management services for MQA staff and stakeholders (local and international)

Services:

• Accommodation, car rental, shuttle services, airline ticketing, visa services
• Incidental services: issuance/delivery, revalidation, re-routing, re-issuance, reconfirmation, refunds, cancellations, itinerary preparation

Availability:

• Normal hours: Monday-Friday 08:00-17:00
• After-hours and emergency: 24/7/365

Systems:

• Online self-service system for traveller profiles
• Online Booking Tool (OBT) demonstration required
• Minimum 3 price comparisons per travel request
• Consolidated invoicing (weekly/monthly/quarterly)
• Transition plan from incumbent provider

Financial:

• Audited financial statements for past 3 years
• 30-day bill-back facility if no lodge card
• MQA lodge card in place; TMC processes payments and consolidates via corporate card vendor

Compliance:

• POPIA adherence
• Cost management per National Treasury cost containment instructions

Reporting:

• Minimum 3 standard monthly reports
• Quarterly and annual travel reviews
• 18 specific report types (after-hours, complaints, consultant productivity, long-term accommodation, leisure extensions, class upgrades, commission reconciliation, creditor ageing, daily invoices, lodge card reconciliation, no-show, cancellation, receipt delivery, BSP, refund log, open voucher, open age invoice analysis)

Account management:

• Dedicated Account Manager
• SLA management and customer satisfaction surveys
• Workshops/training for travel bookers

Value-added services:

• Destination information (health, weather, visas, alerts, hotels, transport, airport rules, business etiquette, baggage policies)
• Electronic voucher retrieval (web/mobile)
• SMS notifications
• Travel audits
• Global travel risk management
• VIP services for executives

Staffing requirements:

• Senior, Intermediate, Junior Consultants
• Travel Manager (Operational)
• Finance Manager/Branch Accountant
• Admin Back Office (Creditors/Debtors/Finance Processors)
• Strategic Account Manager
• System Administrator (General Admin)

Company: 5+ years relevant travel management experience in public/private sectors, 3+ similar projects in past 5 years with reference letters

Account Manager: Bachelor's degree in Travel Management/Sales/Business/Communications/Marketing/Customer Relationship/Business Administration; 7+ years experience in travel management environment

Senior Travel Consultant: National Diploma minimum in hospitality/tourism/business management; 5+ years experience in travel/hospitality industry with international/domestic reservation, fares/ticketing, customer service, online platforms, geographical knowledge, VIP/executive handling, public sector knowledge

Team: Senior, Intermediate, Junior Consultants; Travel Manager; Finance Manager; Admin; Strategic Account Manager; System Administrator

Foreign qualifications: SAQA evaluation certificate required

Certification: Certified copies of qualifications, date stamp valid within 6 months of closing

Service levels: Defined in SLA, managed and monitored

Performance reviews: Monthly reports comparing actual achievements against Annual Workplan targets

Inception meeting: First day of project to establish milestones, deliverables, timeframes

Reporting requirements:

• Inception Report and Annual Workplan
• Project progress reports at key milestones
• Ad-hoc reports per Annual Workplan
• Project close-out report (work done, outputs, consultations, skills transferred, successes/failures, lessons, recommendations)
• Minimum 3 standard monthly reports at no cost
• Quarterly and annual travel reviews
• 18 specific SLA report types

Customer satisfaction: Surveys conducted to measure TMC performance

Workshops/training: Provided to travellers and travel bookers

Data security: All data secured, inaccessible to unauthorised parties (POPIA compliance)

Escalation: Issues hampering milestones escalated immediately to MQA project manager

Refer Annexure A: Pricing Schedule

Transaction fee: Fixed amount per service, subject to CPI adjustment

Fee basis: Linked to cost of service delivery, not percentage of third-party service value

Booking split: Estimated percentage split between traditional and online bookings required

Currency: South African Rand including VAT

Price negotiation: Permitted with preferred bidder under stated principles

Bill-back facility: 30-day account required if lodge card not offered

Lodge card: MQA has travel lodge card; TMC processes payments and consolidates via corporate card vendor

Invoicing: Consolidated invoices with supporting documentation on agreed period

Pricing model:

• Transaction fee: fixed amount per service, subject to CPI adjustment
• Fee linked to cost of service delivery, not percentage of third-party service value
• Must indicate estimated split between traditional and online bookings
• Quoted in South African Rand including VAT

Price negotiation:

• MQA may negotiate with preferred bidder
• Principles: no unfair second opportunity, no detriment to other bidders, no higher price than submitted

Payment terms:

• 30-day bill-back account facility required if lodge card not offered
• MQA has travel lodge card; TMC processes air, accommodation, ground transport payments and consolidates via corporate card vendor
• Consolidated invoices with supporting documentation (Travel Authorisation/Purchase Order) on agreed period (weekly/monthly/quarterly)
• Travel supplier accounts settled timeously

Financial capacity:

• Audited financial statements for past 3 financial years required

Mandatory registrations:

• Central Supplier Database (CSD) registration
• Valid Tax Clearance Certificate (SBD 2) or Tax PIN
• Valid ASATA membership
• Valid IATA membership

B-bbee:

• B-BBEE Certificate (SANAS accredited or IRBA registered auditor) or sworn affidavit (EME)
• Non-submission = zero preference points

Standard forms:

• SBD 4: Declaration of Interest
• SBD 6.1: Preference Points Claim Form

Personnel:

• Named resources with CVs and certified qualifications
• Qualification certification date stamp valid within 6 months of closing
• Foreign qualifications require SAQA evaluation certificate

Experience evidence:

• Minimum 3 reference projects in past 5 years
• Reference letters on client letterhead, signed, dated, with contactable details
• Confirming successful completion within timeframes

Minimum thresholds:

• Functionality: 40/60 points
• OBT demonstration: 32/40 points

Preference points (80/20):

• B-BBEE Level 1=15, 2=14, 3=10, 4=8, 5=6, 6=5, 7=4, 8=2, non-compliant=0
• Black woman ownership ≥50%: 2 points
• Black youth ownership ≥50%: 1 point
• Black disability ownership ≥50%: 1 point
• Black rural ownership ≥50%: 1 point

No specific occupational health and safety requirements stated beyond general travel risk management and duty of care for travellers

No environmental or sustainability requirements stated

Contract duration: Ending 31 March 2030

Commencement: On signing of service provider contract or SLA

Termination: MQA may terminate for clear evidence of non-performance or poor quality

Multiple awards: MQA may award to more than one bidder at its sole discretion

Payment: Only for acceptable work completed and timeously delivered

Due diligence: MQA may undertake due diligence on qualifying service providers

Site inspection: MQA reserves right to inspect appointed service provider premises to verify capacity, resources, compliance

General conditions: Subject to Supply Chain Management general conditions of contract

Non-award: MQA reserves right not to award the bid

Full evaluation criteria captured in evaluationCriteria section

Reference letter requirement

• Bidders must use the Annexure A reference letter template to obtain clear, verifiable references from current or former clients.
• References must relate to past or ongoing projects relevant to the bid.
• The template requires the bidder legal name, client legal name, project description, recommendation (yes or no with reasons if no), project duration with start and end dates, contact person name, contact person contact details, reference date, signature, and company letterhead.

Appointment of a travel management company (TMC) for the Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA) for a period ending 31 March 2030.

Closing date and time: 7 December 2026 at 11:00. Non-compulsory briefing session: 19 November 2026 at 10:00.

Contact: Ms. Tsholo Dilape, Telephone: 011 547 2628, Email: [email protected]

Contact: Ms. Wicky Mkhize, Telephone: 011 547 2600, Email: [email protected]

Submission address: [email protected]

Delivery address: No.7 Anerley Road, Parktown Johannesburg, 2193

Bids must be submitted electronically to [email protected] by 7 December 2026 at 11:00, or hand-delivered to the bid box at MQA Head Office (Block B Reception), No.7 Anerley Road, Parktown Johannesburg, 2193. Late bids will not be accepted. A non-compulsory briefing session will be held on 19 November 2026 at 10:00 AM via Microsoft Teams. All bids must be submitted on official forms provided; required forms include SBD1 (Invitation to Bid) and SBD7 (Contract Form).

This bid is subject to the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act, 2000 and the Preferential Procurement Regulations. Bidders must comply with tax obligations and submit a SARS TCS PIN or CSD number. Persons in the service of the state, companies with directors in the service of the state, or close corporations with members in the service of the state are ineligible. Consortiums or joint ventures must submit separate tax compliance documentation for each party. Required forms include SBD1 (Invitation to Bid) and SBD7 (Contract Form).

Appointment of a travel management company (TMC) for the Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA) for a period ending 31 March 2030. Scope covers travel agency, tour operator, reservation service and related activities.

SARS tax compliance status (TCS PIN) or CSD number is mandatory. Bidders must not be persons in the service of the state, nor have directors or members in the service of the state. Consortiums or joint ventures must submit separate tax compliance documentation for each party.