Five-year as-and-when supply of removable switch disconnectors and switchblades for 11kv and 22kv networks — kwazulu-natal and free state operating units

Submission platform

• Bids are submitted electronically through Eskom's eTendering system, a web-based portal reached from the Eskom Tender Bulletin.
• Bidders register their details together with a CSD number; a one-time PIN is sent to the registered cell phone and email address for login.
• After login the bidder selects the tender reference, creates a new submission, uploads files under the correct category (Technical, Commercial, Financial) and finalises the submission.
• A confirmation email carrying the submission ID is issued; bidders should retain it for later enquiries.
• The portal is best used with Microsoft Edge; registration details such as name, organisation, CSD number and cell phone number can be edited after registration.
• System problems with the Tender Bulletin, eTendering or OpenText should be reported to the buyer responsible for the tender.

Compulsory clarification meeting / site visit

• Where the Tender Data identifies a site visit or clarification meeting as compulsory, attendance is mandatory and non-attendance disqualifies the bid.
• Date, time and venue are stated in the Tender Data.

Closing

• Tenders must be uploaded and finalised on the eTendering portal by the advertised closing date and time (South African Standard Time, GMT+2).
• Late tenders are not accepted and are returned unopened.
• Bidders must monitor the Eskom Tender Bulletin and National Treasury e-Tender Portal for addenda and any extension of the closing date.

Enquiries

• All enquiries must be addressed in writing to the Eskom Representative named in the Invitation to Tender.
• No other Eskom official may be approached.
• Communication must be in English and in a format that creates a permanent record.
• Clarification requests and Eskom's responses are published on the platform where the tender was advertised, without naming the bidder.

System support

• For problems with the Tender Bulletin, eTendering or OpenText systems, contact the buyer responsible for the published tender.

Submission channel

• Eskom eTendering portal: https://eTendering.eskom.co.za

Submission channel

• Electronic submission only, via the Eskom eTendering portal at https://eTendering.eskom.co.za, reached through the Eskom Tender Bulletin (https://tenderbulletin.eskom.co.za).
• Physical delivery to a tender box is not accepted for this e-tendering process.
• A CSD number is required to register for and access the eTendering portal.
• Upload documents under the correct category (Technical, Commercial, Financial) and click Finalise Submission before the closing date and time.
• File limits: no single file may exceed 50MB; the combined upload may not exceed 900MB.
• Files must be PDF or Excel, uncorrupted and downloadable; the bidder carries the risk of any upload failure or network delay.
• The system closes at the closing time; no late or post-closing changes are possible.

Returnables

• Acknowledgement Form: confirms receipt of the tender documents and states whether the bid covers the whole or part of the scope.
• Supplier Integrity Pact and Integrity Declaration Form: signed commitment to ethical conduct and to no collusion, fraud or bid rigging.
• B-BBEE certificate, sworn affidavit or CSD report: required at closing where the B-BBEE level is a pre-qualification criterion.
• Proof of authority to act as agent: authenticated copy, where an agent bids for a principal.
• SDL&I Undertaking: must be completed and submitted by contract award.
• Designated materials and local content threshold information: due by contract award.
• All returnables must be fully completed; a mandatory returnable missing at closing disqualifies the bid.
• The tender must be signed by a duly authorised signatory, who is held liable for the bid.
• Tenders must be submitted in English and remain valid for the stated validity period, extendable on Eskom's request.

Evaluation sequence

1. Basic compliance check — failure renders the bid non-responsive.
2. Mandatory returnables — a missing mandatory document at closing disqualifies the bid.
3. Pre-qualification criteria, where stipulated.
4. Functionality, where applicable — bidders must meet the minimum threshold stated in the Tender Data to proceed.
5. Financial analysis — Eskom assesses the financial risk of contracting with the bidder; if the risk is too high and no acceptable mitigating factors exist, the bid is not considered for award.
6. Price and Specific Goals scoring.

Preference points

• System: 90/10 or 80/20, as stated in the Tender Data.
• Price is evaluated on the criteria in the Tender Data, taking into account CPA, FOREX, commodity exposure, unconditional discounts, technical adjustment, present value and forecast invoicing rates.
• Specific Goals: scored against supporting documentation; failure to submit proof scores zero for Specific Goals but does not disqualify.
• B-BBEE: scored from the CSD report or the certificate/affidavit supplied. If B-BBEE is a pre-qualification criterion, proof must be submitted at closing or the bid is disqualified. Where it is not a pre-qualification criterion, missing, expired or fraudulent proof scores zero PPPFA points without disqualification.
• Ranking: price score plus Specific Goals score, ranked highest to lowest.
• Objective criteria may be applied under section 2(1)(f) of the PPPFA; functionality and B-BBEE scorecard elements may not be used as objective criteria.
• Reverse e-auction may be used (90/10 or 80/20); where it applies, tenders must be submitted without prices and any prices included are disregarded.
• No criterion is measured twice across evaluation phases.

Arithmetical errors

• Where figures and words differ, the amount in words prevails.
• Errors checked include misplaced decimal points, incomplete pricing schedules or bills of quantities, multiplication and addition errors, and exchange rates quoted to fewer than four decimal places.
• Eskom notifies the bidder, who must confirm or accept corrected prices; refusal to accept the correction results in rejection.

Scope

• Manufacture, test and supply ex-works of estimated quantities of removable switch disconnectors and removable switchblades.
• Application: 11kV and 22kV networks.
• Demand basis: as and when required.
• End user: Distribution, Central East Cluster — KwaZulu-Natal and Free State Operating Units.
• Contract period: five (5) years.
• Open to all tenderers, including manufacturers, distributors and resellers.

Delivery and cataloguing

• Supply is ex-works.
• The successful tenderer may be required to provide cataloguing information per item after award and to label all materials to Eskom's labelling specification.
• Where cataloguing applies, the pricing schedule must carry a cataloguing line item; Eskom pays for cataloguing.

Capacity and SHEQ

• Bidders must prove that safety, health, environmental and quality (SHEQ) systems, policies and capabilities are in place at closing and/or contract award; all SHEQ costs and personnel must be reflected in the tender.
• Sub-contracting the full scope is not permitted; a bid based on 100% sub-contracting is ineligible.

Pricing

• Prices in South African Rand unless the Invitation to Tender states otherwise.
• Rates and prices must include all duties, taxes (including VAT) and levies applicable 14 days before the closing date and time.
• Rates and prices are fixed for the contract duration and are not subject to adjustment except as provided in the Invitation to Tender.
• Where part payment in another currency applies, prices are submitted in Rand at the exchange rate and base date stipulated in the Invitation to Tender.
• The exchange rate used must be quoted to at least four decimal places.

Security and insurance

• Where performance security is required, the bidder must name at least two financial institutions it is likely to approach; Eskom may reject an unsuitable institution.
• Insurance provided by Eskom may not cover the full requirements of the conditions of contract; bidders should obtain qualified advice.

Financial standing

• Eskom evaluates the bidder's financial statements and may impose mitigating requirements; a bidder posing too high a risk, or refusing the mitigating factors, is not considered for award.
• Eskom does not reimburse any bid preparation, testing or negotiation costs.

Registration and standing

• CSD registration with a valid CSD number is required to access the eTendering portal.
• The bidder, or any of its principals, must not be restricted from doing business with Eskom or any State-Owned Company.
• CIPC registration and, where relevant, professional-body registration apply.

B-bbee

• Evidence: valid B-BBEE certificate, sworn affidavit or CSD report.
• Where the B-BBEE level is a pre-qualification criterion, proof must be submitted at closing or the bid is disqualified.
• Where it is not a pre-qualification criterion, missing, expired or fraudulent proof scores zero PPPFA points without disqualification.
• Fraud or fronting is reported to the B-BBEE Commission; suspension from business with any State-Owned Company can follow for up to 10 years.

CIDB

• Where the Tender Data stipulates a CIDB grading as a qualification criterion, the bidder must be registered with the CIDB at closing, or be capable of registration within 21 working days of closing.
• Proof of CIDB registration is mandatory at closing where applicable; only proof of application may be accepted at closing, with the actual registration printout due by contract award.

Other compliance

• Compliance with National Treasury instruction notes, CIDB regulations, dtic designated local content and production requirements, PPPFA regulations, the Amended B-BBEE Codes, COIDA, the OHS Act and Eskom's SHEQ requirements.
• Designated materials and local content threshold information must be submitted by contract award.
• SDL&I Undertaking must be submitted by contract award.
• Misrepresentation or falsification of any information, certificate, affidavit or document disqualifies the bid.
• Contract Skills Development Goals apply to contracts of 12 months or more and R5 million or more (services) or CIDB grade 7 or higher (engineering and construction).
• Contract Participation Goals apply to qualifying construction works contracts.

Additional evaluation detail

• Functionality: where applied, bidders are scored against functionality criteria and must meet the minimum threshold in the Tender Data to progress.
• Price: evaluated on the criteria in the Tender Data, including CPA, FOREX, commodity exposure, unconditional discounts, technical adjustment, present value and forecast invoicing rates.
• Specific Goals: scored on supporting documentation; failure to meet them or to submit proof scores zero points within the 90/10 or 80/20 allocation, without disqualification.
• B-BBEE: scored from the CSD report or certificate/affidavit; missing, expired or fraudulent proof scores zero PPPFA points unless B-BBEE is a pre-qualification criterion, in which case the bid is disqualified.
• Ranking: price and Specific Goals scores are added and suppliers ranked highest to lowest.
• Objective criteria may be applied under PPPFA section 2(1)(f); functionality and B-BBEE scorecard elements may not be used as objective criteria.
• Reverse e-auction, using the 90/10 or 80/20 system, may be used; where it applies, tenders are submitted without prices.
• No criterion is measured twice across evaluation phases.