Design and develop just transition finance mechanism (jtfm) – RFP in gauteng

Compulsory briefing: 27 August 2026 at 10H30 AM (Johannesburg time), online via Microsoft Teams. The link will be accessible 15 minutes before the meeting. Bidders must nominate one dedicated contact person and request the link by 04 September 2026 at 16H30. Clarification requests must be submitted by 04 September 2026 at 16H30. Closing date: 10 September 2026 at 23H55. Bids must remain valid for 120 calendar days from the closing time.

Compulsory briefing session will be held online via Microsoft Teams on 27 August 2026 at 10H30 AM (Johannesburg time). Bidders must use the provided link and complete their details fully to gain access. The link will be accessible 15 minutes before the meeting. Bidders must nominate one dedicated contact person (name, email, phone) and request the link by 04 September 2026 at 16H30.

Queries must be directed to the DBSA Supply Chain Management Unit via email at [email protected]. No questions will be answered telephonically. Complaints about the tendering process must be submitted in writing to [email protected].

Bids must be submitted electronically via a OneDrive link provided by DBSA. No physical, faxed, or emailed bids will be accepted. Bidders must request the submission link by emailing [email protected], quoting the RFP number, at least three working days before submission. The link request deadline is 04 September 2026 at 16H30. Submissions must be organised into two folders: Folder 1 for Pre-Qualifying Criteria and Functional Evaluation, and Folder 2 for Price/Financial Proposal. All bids must be submitted on the official forms provided, not re-typed. Late bids will not be accepted. Bidders must provide proof of attempting to upload if system issues arise. Returnable documents include: Part A (Invitation to Bid), Part B (Terms and Conditions), Part C (Checklist), Part D (Conditions of Tendering), Part E (Specifications/Terms of Reference), Annexure A (Price Proposal), Annexure B (SBD4 Declaration of Interest), Annexure C (SBD6.1 and B-BBEE certificate), Annexure F (CIPC registration documents), Annexure G (share certificates), Annexure H (consortium fee breakdown if applicable), Annexure I (supporting documents for pre-qualifying and functional criteria), Annexure J (General Conditions of Contract), and Annexure K (CSD Tax Compliance Status report). Failure to include all documents may result in disqualification.

Bidders must submit their bids electronically via a OneDrive link, with two separate folders: Folder 1 for Pre-Qualifying Criteria and Functional Evaluation, and Folder 2 for Price/Financial Proposal. Required documents include: Part A (Invitation to Bid), Part B (Terms and Conditions), Part C (Checklist), Part D (Conditions of Tendering), Part E (Specifications/Terms of Reference), Annexure A (Price Proposal), Annexure B (SBD4 Declaration of Interest), Annexure C (SBD6.1 and B-BBEE certificate), Annexure F (CIPC registration documents), Annexure G (share certificates), Annexure H (consortium fee breakdown if applicable), Annexure I (supporting documents for pre-qualifying and functional criteria), Annexure J (General Conditions of Contract), and Annexure K (CSD Tax Compliance Status report).

Evaluation is in three stages. Stage 1: Administrative responsiveness test. Pre-qualifying criteria include: two-folder submission, attendance of the compulsory briefing, CSD registration, and a SARS Tax PIN. Bidders must respond to clarification requests within 48 hours. Stage 2: Functional evaluation with a minimum threshold of 70%. Criteria: Company Experience (35 points) - financing mechanisms, blended finance, Just Transition Finance, institutional design; Project Team and Key Personnel (30 points) - Team Leader, Institutional Design and Governance Specialist, Blended Finance/Investment Specialist, Environmental/Social/Gender Specialist, Just Transition Facilitation Specialist; Methodology and Technical Approach (35 points) - understanding of assignment, stakeholder engagement, institutional and governance framework development, financial architecture design. Only completed assignments with signed client reference letters count for scoring. Stage 3: Price evaluation under PPPFA regulations, with the lowest price preferred. The DBSA may apply objective criteria, including excluding bidders with a cumulative order book of 5 awards with outstanding value, unless the outstanding value is 10% or less or a project has stalled for 6 months or more. The DBSA may conduct due diligence on the preferred bidder, including financial stability, criminal convictions, pending litigation, performance history, reputational harm, vetting, and PEP checks.

The consultant will design and develop a Just Transition Finance Mechanism (JTFM), including an operationalisation framework, for supporting community groups impacted by the climate transition. The methodology must cover: understanding of the JTFM objectives, diagnostic assessment approach, financing mechanism design methodology, stakeholder engagement, co-design methodology, institutional and governance framework development, and financial architecture design. The methodology must be practical, coherent, and implementation-oriented, with a clear pathway to a sustainable, scalable financing mechanism. The proposed methodology should demonstrate how the bidder will undertake the diagnostic assessment, stakeholder engagement and co-design process, institutional and governance design, financial architecture development, operationalisation planning and implementation roadmap. The methodology should be evidence-based and aligned with Just Transition principles.

Bidders must provide a detailed methodology demonstrating understanding of the assignment objectives, scope, deliverables, and expected outcomes. The methodology should cover: understanding of the JTFM objectives, diagnostic assessment approach, financing mechanism design methodology, stakeholder engagement, co-design methodology, institutional and governance framework development, and financial architecture design. The methodology must be practical, coherent, and implementation-oriented, with a clear pathway to a sustainable, scalable financing mechanism. The methodology should demonstrate how the bidder will undertake the diagnostic assessment, stakeholder engagement and co-design process, institutional and governance design, financial architecture development, operationalisation planning and implementation roadmap. The methodology should be evidence-based and aligned with Just Transition principles. The methodology is scored out of 35 points, with sub-criteria: understanding of the assignment (5 points), stakeholder engagement and co-design methodology (10 points), workplan and implementation roadmap (10 points), QMS compliant with SANS 9000/ISO 9001 (5 points), and sustainability and scalability (5 points).

Bidders must demonstrate company experience in financing mechanisms, Just Transition Finance, blended finance, and institutional design. Company experience is scored out of 35 points: Financing Mechanisms and Blended Finance Experience (20 points) - six or more completed relevant assignments with reference letters = 20, four to five = 15, two to three = 10, one = 5, none = 0. Just Transition Finance and Institutional Design Experience (15 points) - five or more completed relevant assignments with at least three demonstrating direct Just Transition and/or Institutional Design experience = 15, three to four with at least two = 12, one to two with at least one = 8, relevant assignments with no direct experience = 4, none = 0. Key personnel requirements: Team Leader (10 points) - minimum NQF Level 9 qualification in Finance, Economics, Development Finance, Public Policy, Business Administration or related field, and at least 10 years of demonstrated experience in financing mechanism design, blended finance, institutional development, governance frameworks, and stakeholder management; Institutional Design and Governance Specialist (5 points) - minimum NQF Level 8 qualification and at least 5 years of experience in institutional design, governance frameworks, organisational development, and policy formulation; Blended Finance/Investment Specialist (5 points) - minimum NQF Level 8 qualification and at least 5 years of experience in blended finance, investment facility design, development finance, investment appraisal, and financing instruments; Environmental, Social and Gender Specialist (5 points) - minimum NQF Level 8 qualification and at least 5 years of experience in environmental and social safeguards, ESMF development, gender mainstreaming, social impact assessment, and inclusive development programmes; Just Transition Facilitation Specialist (5 points) - minimum NQF Level 8 qualification in Development Studies, Social Sciences, Public Policy, Community Development, Economics or related field, and at least 5 years of experience in Just Transition programmes, community development, stakeholder engagement, participatory planning, livelihood development, socio-economic development programmes, or inclusive development initiatives. Detailed CVs must be submitted in accordance with Annexure B.

The methodology must include a Quality Management System (QMS) compliant with SANS 9000, ISO 9001, or an equivalent certified standard, including quality assurance and quality control mechanisms. The DBSA makes no representations or warranties about the accuracy or completeness of the RFP content. Bidders must notify the DBSA in writing of any discrepancies, ambiguities, errors, or inconsistencies in the RFP.

Bidders must submit a price proposal in Annexure A, including a breakdown of fees and work spread between consortium members (Annexure H if applicable). The price proposal is evaluated in the Third Stage, with the lowest price preferred, subject to PPPFA regulations. Bidders must notify the DBSA of any errors in pricing after submission.

Bidders must be registered on the Central Supplier Database (CSD) and provide a CSD summary report. South African bidders must submit a valid tax compliance status (TCS) PIN issued by SARS, or a printed TCS. Foreign suppliers must complete a questionnaire to determine tax compliance requirements. Bidders must submit a B-BBEE status level verification certificate or sworn affidavit. EMEs (annual revenue ZAR10 million or less) must submit a certificate issued by a registered auditor or accredited verification agency. Other bidders must submit original or certified copy of their B-BBEE certificate. Bidders must submit certified copies of CIPC registration documents (Annexure F) and share certificates (Annexure G). The bid is subject to the General Conditions of Contract (GCC) and any special conditions. Bids must remain open for acceptance for a minimum of 90 days from closing time. Bidders must comply with confidentiality, conflict of interest, anti-competitive conduct, and fraud prevention provisions.

Bidders must submit a B-BBEE status level verification certificate or sworn affidavit. EMEs (annual revenue ZAR10 million or less) must submit a certificate issued by a registered auditor or accredited verification agency. Other bidders must submit original or certified copy of their B-BBEE certificate. The DBSA reserves the right to substantiate any preference claims.

The project team must include an Environmental, Social and Gender Specialist with a minimum NQF Level 8 qualification in Environmental Science, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Gender Studies or related field, and at least 5 years of demonstrated experience in environmental and social safeguards, ESMF development, gender mainstreaming, social impact assessment, and inclusive development programmes. The methodology must address environmental and social safeguards.

The bid is subject to the General Conditions of Contract (GCC) and any special conditions. Bids must remain open for acceptance for a minimum of 90 days from closing time. The DBSA may negotiate with bidders, accept bids in part or whole, and reserves the right to cancel the RFP. Bidders must comply with confidentiality, conflict of interest, anti-competitive conduct, and fraud prevention provisions. The DBSA may conduct due diligence on bidders, including financial stability, criminal convictions, and PEP checks. Bids must not be conditional on board approval, due diligence, regulatory approval, third-party consent, or negotiation of commercial terms. The DBSA may seek clarification and enter into discussions with bidders. The DBSA may invite bidders to give presentations, conduct site visits, provide references, or attend panel interviews.

Bidders must be registered on the Central Supplier Database (CSD) and provide a CSD number. South African bidders must submit a valid tax compliance status (TCS) PIN issued by SARS, or a printed TCS. Foreign suppliers must complete a questionnaire to determine tax compliance requirements. Bidders must submit B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit. Bidders must submit all compulsory documents as per the checklist. Failure to provide required information may result in disqualification.

The evaluation process has three stages. Stage 1: Administrative responsiveness test, including pre-qualifying criteria such as two-folder submission, attendance of compulsory briefing, and submission of required documents (CSD registration, tax PIN). Stage 2: Functional evaluation with a minimum threshold of 70%. Criteria include: Company Experience (35 points) - financing mechanisms, blended finance, Just Transition Finance, institutional design; Project Team and Key Personnel (30 points) - Team Leader, Institutional Design and Governance Specialist, Blended Finance/Investment Specialist, Environmental/Social/Gender Specialist, Just Transition Facilitation Specialist; Methodology and Technical Approach (35 points) - understanding of assignment, stakeholder engagement, institutional and governance framework development, financial architecture design. Stage 3: Price evaluation in accordance with PPPFA regulations, with the lowest price preferred. Bidders must provide verifiable evidence including reference letters, CVs, and methodology. The DBSA may apply objective criteria, including excluding bidders with a cumulative order book of 5 awards with outstanding value, unless the outstanding value is 10% or less or a project has stalled for 6 months or more. The DBSA may conduct due diligence on the preferred bidder, including financial stability, criminal convictions, pending litigation, performance history, reputational harm, vetting, and PEP checks.