Appointment of a service provider to review, clean up, capture, expedite, organise and progress tia funding applications for six months

Closing date: 26 October 2026 at 11:00

Briefing session (non-compulsory): 13 October 2026 at 14:30 via Microsoft Teams

Briefing session link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3378735485983076?p=38JX0pVOBlYPPgdbwd

Tender validity period: 120 days after closing date

Non-compulsory briefing session: 13 October 2026 at 14:30 via Microsoft Teams. Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3378735485983076?p=38JX0pVOBlYPPgdbwd

Enquiries:

• Contact: Nana Modiba
• Email: [email protected] (not for tender submissions)
• Telephone: not stated
• Note: quote TIA008/2026 in the subject line for tender enquiries

Submission:

• Email: [email protected]

Submission method: email only, to [email protected]. Files larger than 200MB will be blocked; divide into parts of 200MB or less and label the subject line 'TIA008/2026 – PART 1', 'PART 2', etc. Closing date: 26 October 2026 at 11:00. Late proposals and presentations will be disqualified.

Proposal format:

• Main proposal limited to 30 pages, excluding appendices and attachments.
• Must be one single document, not a collection of individual documents.
• Must follow the specified section headings (Introduction and company overview; Summary of experience in data and administration management; Data analytics and management capabilities; Database/list of experts; Understanding of TIA's purpose; Project plan; Grand total budget/costing).
• Appendices: budget/costing or proposed rates; resumes of data analysts/capturers (max 2 pages each); resumes of experts (max 2 pages each); resumes of key individuals actively delivering the service (max 2 pages each).

Returnable forms (all must be completed and signed):

• SBD 1 (Invitation to Bid): bidder and contact details, signed as the offer cover page.
• SBD 4 (Bidder's Disclosure): declares whether any director or shareholder is employed by the state or connected to the procuring institution; false declaration disqualifies.
• Proof of authority (e.g., company resolution) for the signatory.
• SARS Tax Compliance Status PIN or CSD number; each party in a consortium/JV/sub-contractor must submit separately.
• B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit (for EMEs/QSEs) to claim preference points.

Three-stage evaluation:

Stage 1 – Functionality/Technical evaluation of written proposals (minimum qualifying score: 70%). Weighted criteria:

• Organisational experience (weight 0.10): scored 0–5 by years of relevant operating experience (5 = 10+ years; 4 = 7–9; 3 = 5–7; 2 = 3–5; 1 = <3; 0 = not specified).
• Client references (weight 0.15): scored 0–5 by number and relevance of signed contactable reference letters (minimum 3, maximum 5).
• Experience of data analytics team (weight 0.25): scored 0–5 on average years of similar experience from resumes.
• Experience of technical expertise team (weight 0.25): scored 0–5 on coverage of all 12 specialist areas and average specialist experience.
• Methodology for data clean-up, capturing and movement of applications (weight 0.05): scored 0–5 on explanation of eight processes with responsible roles, control steps and outputs.
• Provisional project plan (weight 0.20): scored 0–5 on inclusion of nine components with responsible persons and dates.

Stage 2 – Presentation of proposals via Microsoft Teams, max 45 minutes including questions (minimum qualifying score: 70%). Criteria:

• Demonstration of proposed funding-application process (weight 0.30): seven sequential activities.
• Mobilisation, project plan and delivery management (weight 0.35): four components.
• Demonstration of data controls and reporting tools (weight 0.35): five key areas.

Stage 3 – Preference points under the 80/20 system (only for bidders meeting 70% in both stages 1 and 2):

• Price: 80 points.
• Specific goals: 20 points total.
• At least 51% Black ownership: 5 points (CSD report).
• At least 51% Black Women ownership: 5 points (CSD report).
• At least one Black youth owner: 5 points (certified ID).
• At least one owner with a disability: 5 points (doctor's letter).

TIA requires a service provider to deploy a team of practitioners to work alongside TIA employees to review, clean up, capture, expedite, organise and progress funding applications through TIA's internal processes for six months. The team will operate under the direction of designated TIA officials and complement, not replace, TIA's technical expertise.

Key deliverables:

• Cleaned, verified and updated funding-application information and records.
• Complete and accurately captured application information on TIA-approved systems and trackers.
• Clear identification and recording of missing information and outstanding actions.
• Properly organised electronic application files with adequate supporting documentation and audit trails.
• Support to internal teams to expedite processing of long-outstanding and delayed funding applications.

Technical expertise required (experts available on an ad hoc basis at short notice) in the following areas:

• Health and biotechnology (diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics, medical devices, digital health, indigenous knowledge-based health innovations).
• Commercial (market access, financial modelling, potential markets and offtakers).
• Legal (IP, contracts, compliance).
• Agriculture, agro-processing and food security technologies.
• Energy technologies (renewable energy, energy storage, hydrogen, clean fuels, energy efficiency, off-grid solutions).
• Climate change, water and environmental technologies.
• Advanced manufacturing and industrial technologies.
• ICT and digital innovation (AI, data analytics, cybersecurity, digital platforms, fintech, edtech, govtech, IoT).
• Mining and minerals technologies.
• Space, geospatial and related technologies.
• Ocean economy and marine technologies.
• Indigenous knowledge systems and bioeconomy technologies.

Reporting and control requirements:

• Weekly progress reports (applications received, reviewed, completed, outstanding, referred, escalated and progressed).
• Monthly consolidated reports (throughput, ageing, bottlenecks, risks and corrective actions).
• Final close-out report at end of assignment with status of all applications, work completed, outstanding matters and handover recommendations.
• Inception report and project plan must be submitted and approved by TIA before work commences.
• Key personnel replacements must be at equivalent or higher competency and subject to TIA assessment.

The methodology must explain how the bidder will: (1) assess and categorise applications; (2) verify and correct application data; (3) capture information on TIA-approved systems and trackers; (4) identify and record missing information and outstanding actions; (5) organise electronic files and supporting documents; (6) maintain an audit trail for each application; (7) move applications to the required internal processing stage; and (8) reduce the backlog of long-outstanding and delayed applications. The provisional project plan must include: mobilisation and kick-off activities; names and allocation of deployed personnel; work stages and tasks; milestones and completion dates; dependencies and provision for unforeseen circumstances; data-verification and capturing controls; weekly reports; monthly reports; and a final close-out report and handover. On award, the service provider must submit an updated inception report and project plan for TIA approval before work commences, covering deployed resources, allocation arrangements, methodology, controls and reporting processes. TIA may change or extend deadlines/milestones by agreement. Specific numerical throughput targets may be agreed during mobilisation once volume, complexity and status have been validated.

Bidders must demonstrate relevant operating experience in reviewing, cleaning up, capturing, expediting, organising and processing funding application data or an equivalent process. Provide up to five contactable client references from the last five years for similar services, in one table in the body of the proposal, with signed reference letters on client letterhead attached as appendices. Only the first five listed clients will be assessed. Resumes of supervisors, data analysts and data capturers must be attached as appendices (max 2 pages each). The technical team must cover all 12 specialist areas listed in the TORs, with specialists averaging at least 3 years of experience in their named area (higher scores for more years). Key individuals actively delivering the service (e.g., project manager, data analyst) must have resumes attached (max 2 pages each); do not list employees or directors who will not play an active role.

Quality assurance is a key part of the assignment. The service provider must obtain TIA approval for the data clean-up and verification process, data capturing process, application processing support process, application tracking and workflow process, and quality assurance process. All deliverables must be approved by TIA, including cleaned and verified records, captured application information, administratively reviewed applications, identification of missing information, and electronic files with audit trails. Weekly progress reports and monthly consolidated reports must be approved. A final close-out report must be submitted at the end of the assignment.

Pricing must be in South African Rand and inclusive of VAT. The proposal must include a grand total budget/costing table, with individual budget/costing tables in the appendices.

Line items required:

• Data clean up and verification.
• Data capturing (also specify hourly rate and maximum number of hours separately).
• Application processing support and reducing backlogs of outstanding and delayed funding applications (also specify hourly rate and maximum number of hours separately).
• Movement of applications through the applicable internal workflow.
• Technical experts on an ad hoc basis (specify hourly rate).
• Identification and recording of missing information and outstanding actions.
• Organisation of electronic application files, supporting documentation and audit trails.
• Application tracking, quality assurance, data controls and reporting (weekly, monthly and final close-out reports).
• Other costs (specify).
• Total.

No bid security, bonds, guarantees, retention or payment terms are stated.

Mandatory requirements (failure to meet any will disqualify):

• Registration on the Central Supplier Database (CSD) at the time of appointment.
• Compliant tax status on the CSD at the time of appointment.
• Inclusion of a quotation for the work.
• Submission of proposals and presentations by the due date and time.

Tax compliance:

• Submit a SARS Tax Compliance Status PIN or CSD number; each party in a consortium/JV/sub-contractor must submit separately.
• Bidders may also submit a printed TCS certificate.
• Bids from persons in the service of the state, or companies/close corporations with directors/members in the service of the state, will not be considered.

B-bbee:

• A B-BBEE status level verification certificate or sworn affidavit (for EMEs and QSEs) must be submitted to qualify for preference points.
• Specific goals for 20 points under the 80/20 system: 51% Black ownership, 51% Black Women ownership, Black youth ownership, and owner with disability (proof as per evaluation criteria).

Other:

• Bidders must not appear on the Register for Tender Defaulters or the List of Restricted Suppliers.
• All documentation must be in English.

Third stage evaluation under the 80/20 preferential point system applies only to bidders that meet the 70% minimum for both written proposals and presentations. Specific goals for 20 points: at least 51% Black ownership (5 points; CSD report); at least 51% Black Women ownership (5 points; CSD report); at least one owner is Black youth (5 points; certified ID); at least one owner has a disability (5 points; doctor's letter). Price is 80 points (quotation). Total 100 points. A B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit (for EMEs/QSEs) must be submitted to qualify for preference points.

Tender validity period: 120 days after the closing date. Duration of contract: 6 months. TIA may amend RFP conditions, validity period or specifications, or extend the closing date/time, before the closing date, with written notice to all bidders. TIA may verify any information in a proposal, not appoint any bidder, vary or amend terms before finalisation of adjudication, and disqualify a proposal or cancel a contract for omission of material information, factual inaccuracy or misrepresentation. TIA is not obliged to accept the lowest or any proposal, and may award the contract in whole or in part without giving reasons. Appointment is subject to agreement on mutually acceptable contractual terms; if agreement is not reached within 30 days of appointment, TIA may appoint the next-ranked bidder. TIA may cancel or withdraw the RFP in whole or in part without liability. Bidders must prepare for a possible presentation, with at least 4 days' notice. TIA's decision is final and binding. TIA may disregard a submission if the bidder or any director has abused the SCM system of any government institution, committed fraud or improper conduct, failed to perform on a previous contract, or is restricted from doing business with the public sector.

Mandatory requirements (failure to meet any will disqualify the proposal): bidders without a compliant tax status on the Central Supplier Database (CSD) at the time of appointment; bidders not registered on the CSD; bidders who do not include a quotation for the work; and proposals and presentations submitted late. Bidders must also complete the standard bidding documents (SBD 1, SBD 4) and provide proof of authority to sign. All documentation must be in English.

First stage – functionality/technical evaluation of written proposals (minimum qualifying score 70%). Weighted criteria: organisational experience (0.10), client references (0.15), data analytics team experience (0.25), technical expertise team experience (0.25), methodology (0.05), and provisional project plan (0.20). Second stage – presentation via Microsoft Teams, max 45 minutes, minimum qualifying score 70%. Criteria: demonstration of proposed funding-application process (0.30), mobilisation/project plan/delivery management (0.35), and demonstration of data controls and reporting tools (0.35). Third stage – preference points under the 80/20 system.