TIA007/2026 — end-to-end implementation of the uif labour activation programme (lap) in the waste management sector, all nine provinces

• Advert date: 13 November 2026.
• Briefing session: 19 November 2026 at 10:00, online via Microsoft Teams. Attendance is not compulsory.
• Enquiries: to be raised before the briefing session; quote TIA007/2026 in the subject line.
• Closing: 8 December 2026 at 11:00.
• Bid validity: 120 days after the closing date.
• Project implementation period: 6 months.
• Contract duration: 12 months.
• Possible presentation: TIA would give at least 4 working days' notice before the presentation date.

Enquiries

• Contact: Bongani Mtshali
• Email: [email protected]
• Telephone: 012 472 2816
• The enquiry email address may not be used for tender submissions.

Submission

• Method: email
• Submission email: [email protected]
• Subject line must quote TIA007/2026; split submissions must be labelled PART 1, PART 2 and so on.

General

• The same contact person and telephone number handle both bidding-procedure and technical enquiries.

Submission method

• Electronic submission by email only: [email protected].
• Files larger than 200MB are blocked by TIA servers; split large submissions into parts of 200MB or less and mark the subject line with the part number, e.g. TIA007/2026 – PART 1.
• Bids must be submitted on the official forms supplied; retyped forms are not accepted unless the bid document prescribes otherwise.
• Late bids are not accepted.

Returnable documents

• SBD 1 (Invitation to Bid): signed offer cover page carrying the bidder's contact, tax and CSD details.
• SBD 4 (Declaration of Interest): discloses any state employment, family or business relationship with staff of the procuring institution and interests in related enterprises.
• SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim Form): claims the specific-goal preference points.
• Proof of authority to sign the bid, such as a company resolution.
• SARS tax compliance status PIN or printed TCS certificate; every consortium member, joint venture party and subcontractor must submit its own PIN, TCS certificate or CSD number.
• B-BBEE status level verification certificate or sworn affidavit (EMEs and QSEs) to claim preference points.
• Signed client reference letters or completion certificates for programme experience.
• CVs, copies of qualifications and signed availability declarations for key personnel.
• Detailed activity-based budget and preliminary cash-flow plan supporting the prices.
• Completed pricing schedule (Section 10), quoted in South African Rand.
• SBD 7 (Contract Form): completed and signed by the successful bidder on award.

Disqualification risks

• Proposal not submitted before the closing date.
• Any mandatory requirement in Section 7 not met.
• Omission of material information, factual inaccuracy or misrepresentation of fact.
• Failure to comply with the tender terms and conditions.
• Bids from state employees, companies with such directors or close corporations with such members are not considered.

Two-phase evaluation

• Phase 1 tests functionality of every proposal that meets the mandatory requirements.
• Minimum qualifying score: 70% weighted. Proposals below 70% do not proceed.
• Phase 2 applies the 80/20 preference point system to proposals that passed Phase 1.

Phase 1 — functionality weights and scoring

• Programme implementation experience: 0.20 (out of 5).
• Key personnel qualifications and experience: 0.20 (out of 5).
• Implementation methodology covering all thirteen Scope of Work areas: 0.35 (out of 5).
• Milestone-based project plan and national rollout: 0.15 (out of 5).
• Track record in workplace exposure, placement and enterprise partnerships: 0.10 (out of 5).
• Maximum possible weighted score: 1. Minimum qualifying weighted score: 70%.

Programme experience scoring

• 5 = five or more programmes in the five years before closing, covering (a) to (c) with at least two also covering (e) or (f).
• 4 = four programmes covering (a) to (c), at least one also covering (e) or (f).
• 3 = three programmes covering (a) and at least one of (b) to (f).
• 2 = two programmes covering (a), at least one also covering (f) — the mandatory minimum.
• 0 = fewer than two qualifying programmes or evidence not verifiable.
• Qualifying activities: (a) QCTO/SETA-accredited occupational or skills training for unemployed persons; (b) publicly funded labour-activation or employment programmes including recruitment, verification and stipend administration; (c) workplace exposure, work-integrated learning and placement with verified outcomes; (d) entrepreneurship, new venture creation, incubation or enterprise development support; (e) waste management, recycling, circular economy or environmental management training; (f) programmes delivered across multiple provinces.

Key personnel scoring

• All six functions must be covered: programme management; skills development and quality assurance; financial management and beneficiary administration; employment and enterprise development; innovation management; monitoring and evaluation.
• 5 = all six functions covered, Programme Manager with relevant tertiary qualification and 8+ years' comparable experience, each specialist with a relevant qualification and 5+ years' applicable experience.
• 4 = 7 years' Programme Manager experience and 4 years' specialist experience.
• 3 = 6 years' and 3 years'.
• 2 = 5 years' and 3 years'.
• 1 = minimum requirements met only (Programme Manager: relevant tertiary qualification and 5 years; specialists: relevant qualification or 3 years).
• 0 = any function uncovered or minimum requirements not met.

Methodology and project plan scoring

• Methodology: 5 = all thirteen areas addressed with specific, practical, verifiable methods; 4 = all thirteen with minor gaps; 3 = all thirteen at a basic level; 2 = one or two areas missing; 1 = three or more areas missing; 0 = no methodology submitted.
• Project plan: 5 = plan covers all 10 deliverables, all 9 provinces and all 7 planning components within the 6-month implementation period; 0 = no plan, or it omits a deliverable, a province or a planning component, or exceeds 6 months.

Placement track record

• 5 = five or more signed reference letters; 4 = four; 3 = three; 2 = two; 1 = one.

Phase 2 — 80/20 preference points

• Price: 80 points, based on the total bid price including VAT.
• Specific goals: 20 points.
• At least 51% Black ownership: 5 points (CSD report or share register).
• At least 51% Black women ownership: 5 points (CSD report or share register).
• At least one Black youth owner: 5 points (certified ID).
• An owner with a disability: 5 points (doctor's letter confirming the disability).
• Any specific goal not met scores 0.

Purpose

• Appoint one suitably qualified and capacitated service provider to implement the UIF Labour Activation Programme end to end in the waste management sector on behalf of the Technology Innovation Agency.
• The programme aims to improve employability, entrepreneurship and economic participation of unemployed beneficiaries through accredited skills development, workplace exposure, placement, enterprise development and innovation support in the waste management and circular economy value chains.

Beneficiaries

• Approximately 3,400 unemployed beneficiaries to be recruited, verified and enrolled.
• Recruitment primarily through the Employment Services System South Africa (ESSA) and Public Employment Services; alternative databases may be used where a fair selection process is followed.
• At least 70% of recruits must be UIF contributors, former contributors, or children of contributors — a key compliance requirement.
• Delivery distributed across all nine provinces, with the programme mix per province aligned to that region's waste-management challenges and absorption capacity.

Training and content

• At least six months of accredited, quality-assured training recognised by the QCTO and/or the relevant SETA.
• Approved curricula, accredited training providers and qualified facilitators; compliant assessment, moderation and certification arrangements.
• Focus areas: waste management, circular economy and environmental management; new venture creation, marketing, business administration, hazardous-materials handling, waste-management innovation and digital or IoT-enabled applications. Additional areas only with TIA's approval.
• Innovation and applied problem-solving integrated throughout: opportunity identification, design thinking, product and service improvement, digital enablement and basic business model development.

Implementation scope (Sections 3.1 to 3.11)

• Beneficiary mobilisation, recruitment, eligibility screening, fair selection, enrolment and onboarding.
• Province-by-province delivery planning: site readiness, beneficiary allocations, cohort schedules, logistics and stakeholder coordination.
• Workplace exposure and work-integrated learning; suitable host-site placements secured, with documented commitments from hosts and employers before any placement.
• Structured employment placement and labour-market absorption, including employer engagement, beneficiary matching, verified placement and post-placement tracking.
• Enterprise development and self-employment support for beneficiaries able to establish viable waste-management or circular-economy enterprises or co-operatives.
• Identification and referral of suitable beneficiaries and emerging enterprises to TIA innovation programmes, Living Labs, Centres of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Technology Stations.
• Beneficiary support, attendance, participation and retention monitoring, stipend administration, safeguarding, grievance handling, beneficiary replacement and corrective-action procedures, and POPIA-compliant records.
• Occupational health, safety and environmental compliance at every delivery and workplace site, including PPE for beneficiaries where required.
• Monitoring and evaluation system recording enrolment, attendance, progress, completion, certification, workplace exposure, placement and enterprise outcomes, continuing for the post-training period set in the service level agreement.
• Monthly, quarterly, milestone, financial and outcome reports in TIA's formats, with auditable evidence for every output and claim; final beneficiary and outcome records, reconciliations, asset and record handover, audit-ready archive, lessons learned and final impact reports at close-out.

Delivery partners

• The provider mobilises the project team, accredited training providers, delivery sites and systems, and must due-diligence, contract, document and manage every delivery partner, consortium member and subcontractor.

Methodology submission (weighting 0.35)

• Must address all thirteen Scope of Work areas (Sections 3.1 to 3.13) with specific, practical and verifiable methods.
• 5 = all thirteen areas with specific, practical, verifiable methods; 4 = all thirteen with minor gaps in detail; 3 = all thirteen at a basic level; 2 = one or two areas missing; 1 = three or more areas missing; 0 = no methodology submitted.

Content the methodology must cover

• Recruitment through ESSA and PES with at least 70% UIF contributors or former contributors.
• At least six months of QCTO and/or SETA accredited training.
• Integration of innovation and applied problem-solving.
• Workplace exposure, placement and enterprise pathways.
• Referral to innovation enablers in the ecosystem.
• Beneficiary support, safeguarding, POPIA and occupational health and safety compliance.

Project plan and national rollout (weighting 0.15)

• A milestone-based plan delivering the programme within six months of appointment.
• Must include a province-by-province rollout across all nine provinces, beneficiary allocations, cohort schedules, site readiness, resources and timeframes linked to the ten expected deliverables.
• 5 = all 10 deliverables, all 9 provinces and all 7 planning components within the prescribed 6-month period; 0 = no plan submitted, any deliverable, province or planning component omitted, or the period exceeded.

Programme experience (weighting 0.20)

• Scored on programmes successfully completed in the five years before the closing date.
• Mandatory minimum: two programmes covering accredited QCTO/SETA occupational or skills training for unemployed persons, at least one of which must also cover multi-province delivery.
• Qualifying activity types: accredited occupational or skills-development training; publicly funded labour-activation or employment programmes (UIF, Department of Employment and Labour, SETA or other government-funded) including recruitment, verification and stipend administration; workplace exposure, work-integrated learning and placement with verified outcomes; entrepreneurship, new venture creation, incubation or enterprise development support; waste management, recycling, circular economy or environmental management training; multi-province delivery.
• Each programme must be supported by a signed client reference letter or completion certificate stating the services, period, approximate beneficiary numbers and satisfactory completion, with a contactable authorised representative.
• Scoring: 5 = five or more programmes covering the required items with at least two also covering waste/circular-economy or multi-province delivery; 4 = four such programmes with at least one covering those; 3 = three programmes; 2 = the two-programme mandatory minimum; 0 = fewer than two or unverifiable evidence.

Key personnel (weighting 0.20)

• All six functions must be covered: programme management; skills development and quality assurance; financial management and beneficiary administration; employment and enterprise development; innovation management; monitoring and evaluation.
• Programme Manager: relevant tertiary qualification and at least 5 years' comparable experience.
• Each specialist: relevant qualification and at least 3 years' applicable experience.
• Combined roles must preserve segregation of duties.
• Submit organisational structure, CVs, copies of qualifications and signed availability declarations.
• Scoring: 5 = Programme Manager with 8+ years and specialists with 5+ years; 4 = 7 years and 4 years; 3 = 6 years and 3 years; 2 = 5 years and 3 years; 1 = minimum requirements met only; 0 = any function uncovered or minimum requirements not met.

Placement track record (weighting 0.10)

• Reference letters demonstrating learner placement with host employers, incubators and enterprise-support partners, covering workplace exposure, placement and post-training transition.
• Scoring: 5 = five or more signed letters; 4 = four; 3 = three; 2 = two; 1 = one.

Training accreditation

• At least six months of accredited training recognised by the QCTO and/or the relevant SETA.
• Approved curricula, appropriately accredited training providers and qualified facilitators.
• Compliant assessment, moderation and certification arrangements.
• Evidence of accreditation, facilitator competence, learner assessment, moderation and certification must be retained for TIA verification.

Programme quality and verification

• Every deliverable is subject to verification and formal acceptance by TIA against predetermined performance indicators, agreed milestones, quality standards and documentary evidence requirements.
• An integrated beneficiary management, monitoring, evaluation and reporting system must record and verify enrolment, attendance, progress, completion, certification, workplace exposure and placement.
• Verified outcomes for employment, self-employment, enterprise creation and progression through the innovation pipeline must be tracked during implementation and for the post-training period set in the service level agreement.
• Monthly, quarterly, milestone, financial and outcome reports in TIA's formats, fully supported by complete, valid and auditable evidence.
• At close-out: final beneficiary and outcome records, completed reconciliations, record and asset handover where applicable, IP management, an audit-ready archive, documented lessons learned and final programme and impact reports.

Pricing format

• Complete the pricing schedule in Section 10, pricing all services under the Scope of Work (Section 3) and Expected Deliverables (Section 4) for 3,400 beneficiaries.
• All prices in South African Rand, with unit price excluding VAT and total price excluding VAT per line.
• Bidders must state the management fee as a percentage of approved programme costs.

Cost categories and quantities

1. Programme mobilisation, provincial rollout and delivery planning and management — 6.
2. Beneficiary recruitment, screening, UIF eligibility verification (at least 70% UIF contributors or former contributors), selection, enrolment and onboarding — 3,400.
3. Accredited training and quality assurance, including curricula, facilitators, assessment, moderation and certification, at least six months — 3,400.
4. Workplace exposure, host-site agreements, employer engagement and matching — 3,400.
5. Employment creation and enterprise development: verified placement, self-employment support, mentoring, incubation and support to establish waste-management or circular-economy enterprises or co-operatives — 80%.
6. Innovation and applied problem-solving integrated into training — 20%.
7. Innovation pipeline and ecosystem linkages: screening of innovation concepts and referral to ecosystem enablers — 20%.
8. Beneficiary support, safeguarding and health and safety: retention support, grievance handling, POPIA records, PPE and OHS compliance — 3,400.
9. Beneficiary stipends: payment, administration and reconciliation against verified attendance and proof of payment — 3,400, at not less than R2,000 per learner.
10. Monitoring, evaluation, reporting and close-out: M&E system, outcome tracking, monthly, quarterly, milestone, financial and close-out reports, audit-ready archive — 6.
11. Management fee: percentage of approved programme costs per implementation stage, stated by the bidder.

Pricing conditions

• Prices are firm for the full six-month implementation period and include subcontractor and delivery-partner costs.
• Payment follows the reimbursement model only for deliverables verified and accepted by TIA with auditable evidence; no advance payment.
• Stipends and training fees are reimbursed only against proof of payment and verified attendance and participation records.
• The management fee may not be charged on disallowed or unverified expenditure.
• A detailed activity-based budget and preliminary cash-flow plan must accompany the pricing.
• The total bid price including VAT is used for the 80/20 preference point evaluation.

Pricing format

• Complete the pricing schedule in Section 10, pricing every service under the Scope of Work and Expected Deliverables for 3,400 beneficiaries.
• All prices quoted in South African Rand.
• Prices must be firm for the full six-month implementation period and include all delivery costs, including subcontractor and delivery-partner costs.
• A detailed activity-based budget and preliminary cash-flow plan must be attached in support of the prices.
• Total bid price including VAT is used for the 80/20 price evaluation.

Pricing schedule categories and quantities

1. Programme mobilisation, rollout and delivery planning and management — quantity 6.
2. Beneficiary recruitment, verification and enrolment — 3,400.
3. Accredited training and quality assurance (training fees) — 3,400.
4. Workplace exposure — 3,400.
5. Employment creation and enterprise development — 80%.
6. Innovation and applied problem-solving — 20%.
7. Innovation pipeline and ecosystem linkages — 20%.
8. Beneficiary support, safeguarding and health and safety — 3,400.
9. Beneficiary stipends — 3,400, at not less than R2,000 per learner.
10. Monitoring, evaluation, reporting and close-out — 6.
11. Management fee — bidder states the percentage of approved programme costs.

Payment terms

• The UIF does not pay programme funds in advance.
• Funding is on a reimbursement basis: TIA claims from the UIF only after financial, delivery and administrative requirements for each stage are satisfied.
• Payment is made only for deliverables verified and accepted by TIA and supported by complete, auditable evidence.
• Stipends and training fees are reimbursed only against proof of payment and verified attendance and participation records.
• The management fee is calculated on approved programme costs for each implementation stage and may not be charged on disallowed or unverified expenditure.

No bid security, performance guarantee or retention provision is stated.

Mandatory requirements (disqualifying if not met)

• The bidder must be a legally registered entity in South Africa.
• Registration on the National Treasury Central Supplier Database (CSD).
• Compliance with applicable tax requirements by the time of appointment.
• The proposal must be submitted before the closing date.

Tax and entity evidence

• Submit a SARS tax compliance status PIN to allow verification of the taxpayer profile; a printed TCS certificate is also accepted.
• Where no TCS PIN is available but the bidder is registered on the CSD, a CSD number must be provided.
• Consortium, joint venture and subcontractor members must each submit a separate TCS certificate, PIN or CSD number.
• Bids are not considered from persons in the service of the state, companies with such directors, or close corporations with such members.

Ownership and preference evidence

• B-BBEE status level verification certificate or sworn affidavit for EMEs and QSEs is required to qualify for preference points.
• CSD report or share register to prove at least 51% Black ownership and at least 51% Black women ownership.
• Certified ID for Black youth ownership; a doctor's letter confirming disability.

Declarations and forms

• SBD 4 (Declaration of Interest): discloses state employment, relationships with staff of the procuring institution and interests in related enterprises.
• SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim Form): claims the specific-goal points.
• Proof of authority to sign, such as a company resolution.
• SBD 7 (Contract Form): signed on award.
• Bidders listed on the Register for Tender Defaulters or the List of Restricted Suppliers are automatically disqualified.

Grounds on which TIA may reject a bid

• Abuse of any government supply chain management system.
• Proven fraud or improper conduct in relation to such systems.
• Proven failure to perform on a previous contract.
• Restriction from public-sector business after fraudulent preference claims or failure to meet contract goals.

No CIDB grading requirement applies; the work is a service, not construction.

• Occupational health, safety and environmental requirements must be enforced at every delivery site and workplace site.
• PPE must be provided for beneficiaries where required.
• Documented safeguarding, grievance-handling, beneficiary-replacement and corrective-action procedures must be in place.
• POPIA-compliant records must be maintained throughout the programme.
• Beneficiary support and retention must be monitored, along with attendance and participation.
• Health, safety, safeguarding and POPIA compliance form part of the thirteen methodology areas assessed in the functionality evaluation.

• Training and activation activities focus on waste management, the circular economy and environmental management.
• Beneficiaries are equipped to address waste beneficiation, recycling, reuse, e-waste, resource efficiency and green enterprise creation.
• Learners are exposed to technology that improves waste collection, sorting, recycling and beneficiation.
• The programme supports township, rural and community-based entrepreneurs to develop scalable clean-technology solutions.
• Delivery is geographically spread across all provinces, with the programme mix per province selected according to that region's waste-management challenges and economic prospects.
• Environmental compliance requirements apply at every delivery and workplace site.

Appointment

• The contract goes to the bidder that is fully capable of handling it and whose proposal is technically acceptable and financially advantageous to TIA.
• Appointment is subject to the parties agreeing mutually acceptable contractual terms. If no agreement is reached within 30 days of appointment, TIA may appoint the second-rated bidder, and so on.
• The successful bidder signs a written contract form (SBD 7).

TIA's rights

• TIA may amend terms of reference, validity period, specifications or extend the closing date or time before closing, notifying bidders in writing.
• TIA may verify any information in a proposal, decline to appoint any bidder, and vary or amend the RFP terms before adjudication is finalised.
• TIA may award the RFP as a whole or in part, and may cancel or withdraw it in whole or in part, without giving reasons or incurring liability.
• TIA is not obliged to accept the lowest proposal. Its decision on proposals received is final and binding.

Bidder obligations and consequences

• The respondent carries all costs of preparing and submitting the proposal.
• Omission of material information, factual inaccuracy or misrepresentation may disqualify the proposal or lead to cancellation of any subsequent contract.
• Failure to comply with any stated term or condition invalidates the proposal.
• Bidders must be ready to present their proposal if required, with notification no later than four working days before the presentation date.
• TIA may disregard a submission where the bidder or a director abused any government SCM system, committed proven fraud or improper conduct, failed to perform on a previous contract, or was restricted from public-sector business for fraudulent preference claims or failure to meet contract goals.

Period

• Bid validity: 120 days after the closing date.
• Project implementation period: 6 months. Contract duration: 12 months.

Phase 1 — functionality

• Mandatory requirements must be met first; only then is functionality scored.
• Minimum qualifying weighted score: 70%. Proposals below this do not proceed.
• Weighted criteria: programme implementation experience 0.20; key personnel qualifications and experience 0.20; implementation methodology across all thirteen Scope of Work areas 0.35; milestone-based project plan and national rollout 0.15; workplace exposure, placement and enterprise partnership track record 0.10.
• Programme experience is evidenced by signed client reference letters or completion certificates stating services, period, approximate beneficiary numbers and satisfactory completion, with a contactable authorised representative.
• Key personnel must cover six functions (programme management; skills development and quality assurance; financial management and beneficiary administration; employment and enterprise development; innovation management; monitoring and evaluation) with segregation of duties preserved.
• Methodology must address recruitment through ESSA and PES with at least 70% UIF contributors or former contributors, at least six months of QCTO and/or SETA accredited training, innovation and applied problem-solving, workplace exposure, placement and enterprise pathways, referral to innovation enablers, and beneficiary support, safeguarding, POPIA and occupational health and safety compliance.
• The project plan must cover all 10 deliverables, all 9 provinces and all 7 planning components within the prescribed 6-month implementation period.

Phase 2 — preference points

• Proposals passing Phase 1 are scored on the 80/20 system.
• Price: 80 points, based on the total bid price including VAT.
• Specific goals: 20 points — 5 points each for at least 51% Black ownership, at least 51% Black women ownership, at least one Black youth owner, and an owner with a disability.
• Proof required: CSD report or share register for ownership claims, certified ID for youth ownership, doctor's letter for disability.
• Total available: 100 points.