Legal panel services for tasez (36 months)

Closing date: 18 September 2026 at 12h00 (compulsory). Compulsory briefing session: 4 September 2026, 12:00–14:00 at TASEZ Central Hub, Manitoba, The Willows 340-Jr, Pretoria, 0081 (attendance mandatory). Last date for clarification questions: 11 September 2026 (5 calendar days before closing). Tender documents available from 27 August 2026 on www.tasez.co.za. RFP validity period: 120 calendar days from closing date.

SCM Office: telephone 012 940 6378, email [email protected]. Technical queries: same contact. Named contact for document queries: Ms Lucia Buda ([email protected]). Submission address: The Procurement Officer, Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone, Building 21, CSIR, Meiring Naudé Road, Brummeria, Pretoria (Gauteng).

Submission method: hand-delivered only to the tender box at TASEZ Main Gate, Building 21, CSIR Campus, Meiring Naudé Road, Brummeria, Pretoria. Envelope must be sealed and marked "For attention: Supply Chain Management" with RFP number TASEZ/RFP005/2026, closing date/time, company name and return address. One original hard copy plus a flash disk containing a scanned copy of the signed original must be submitted. Electronic submissions are not accepted. Bidders must initial every page of the RFP document on the bottom right-hand side. Late bids (including telegram, telex, email, facsimile) will not be considered. Amended bids may be submitted in a separate envelope marked "Amendment to bid" before closing, but only if an original bid is also submitted. Validity period: 120 calendar days from closing date.

Three-stage evaluation:

Stage 1 – Administrative compliance (pass/fail): CIPC/partnership registration, JV agreement/power of attorney (if applicable), valid tax clearance certificate or SARS tax pin, valid CSD report (≤3 months old), valid Letter of Good Standing (Department of Labour or RMA), valid B-BBEE certificate (SANAS-accredited for QSE/Generic; sworn affidavit for EME), completed and signed SBD 1, SBD 6.1, SBD 6.2.

Stage 2 – Mandatory returnables (pass/fail): SBD 4 (Declaration of Interest) fully completed and signed; valid Legal Practice Council registration certificate at closing.

Stage 3 – Technical/functionality (minimum 70/100 points): Company experience (40 points) – minimum 5 signed reference letters on client letterhead with contactable details, issued within last 5 years, covering legal services; purchase orders/award letters not accepted. Key resource experience (40 points) – Lead Partner/Director/Practitioner: 10+ years post-admission = 20 pts, 5–9 years = 10 pts, 2–4 years = 5 pts, <1 year = 0; Senior Associate: 10+ years = 20 pts, 5–9 years = 10 pts, 2–4 years = 5 pts, <1 year = 0. Team must include at least one admitted attorney other than the lead. Key personnel qualifications (20 points) – Lead and Associate each: LLM or equivalent = 10 pts, LLB or equivalent = 5 pts, none = 0. Any bid scoring <70 total or below minimum in any criterion is eliminated.

Stage 4 – Price and B-BBEE (80/20 preference points system). Risk assessment on top 3 bidders using 3 years' audited financial statements.

Appointment of a panel of law firms to provide legal services to TASEZ for 36 months. Panel members are not guaranteed work; utilisation based on specialty required. Services required across six practice areas:

1. Corporate & Contract Law – advise on corporate transactions, review complex/special project contracts, provide contract-related opinions; experience in corporate transactions, excellent research and drafting skills.
2. Labour & Employment Law – legal opinions, assist in disciplinary hearings, arbitration, dispute resolution (initiator or chairperson); litigation experience, regulatory framework knowledge, dispute resolution fora knowledge.
3. General Litigation – conduct litigation on behalf of TASEZ, manage pleadings and documents, provide oral/written advice; knowledge of High Court, Magistrate Court, Labour Court processes.
4. Constitutional & Administrative Law – opinions on constitutional/administrative/international law, draft public/private international agreements, ensure constitutional compliance; experience in constitutional/administrative/international law opinions, extensive knowledge of SA constitutional/administrative/international law.
5. Opinions on Legislation and Legal Topics – opinions on TASEZ mandate, opinions for CEO/Board; extensive experience providing legal opinions in public sector to CEOs/Boards.
6. General Legal Advice & Due Diligence – general legal expertise, due diligence, fraud investigations.

Service providers must be available on short notice (sometimes within 24 hours) and deliver within agreed timeframes; failure may result in de-listing. Successful bidders must enter into a Service Level Agreement with TASEZ. Fees with detailed cost breakdown per resource level must be quoted.

Company experience: minimum 5 signed reference letters on client letterhead with contactable details, issued within last 5 years, covering legal services relevant to the six practice areas. Purchase orders/award letters not accepted. Key personnel: Lead Partner/Director/Practitioner (admitted attorney) with comprehensive CV; Senior Associate (admitted attorney) with comprehensive CV. Team must include at least one admitted attorney other than the lead. Qualifications: Lead and Associate each require LLM or equivalent (10 pts) or LLB or equivalent (5 pts). Experience points: Lead – 10+ years post-admission (20), 5–9 years (10), 2–4 years (5), <1 year (0). Associate – 10+ years (20), 5–9 years (10), 2–4 years (5), <1 year (0). Failure to name resources results in non-evaluation of those criteria.

Pricing must be VAT inclusive, in ZAR, firm and fixed for the contract duration. Total bid price declared on Price Declaration Form (compulsory) must match pricing schedule. Costing must follow the provided template; incomplete price list renders bid non-responsive. All delivery, labour and associated costs included. TASEZ may assess market-relatedness and negotiate with preferred bidder(s) per SCM processes and Preferential Procurement Regulations 2017. Top 3 bidders must submit 3 years' audited financial statements for risk assessment. Evaluation uses 80/20 preference points system (price 80, B-BBEE 20).

Total bid price (VAT inclusive, in ZAR) must be declared on the Price Declaration Form and match the pricing schedule; prices must be firm and fixed for the contract duration. Costing must follow the provided template; incomplete price list renders bid non-responsive. Delivery, labour and all costs included. TASEZ reserves the right to assess whether pricing is market-related and to negotiate with preferred bidder(s) per internal SCM processes and Preferential Procurement Regulations 2017. Top 3 bidders subject to risk assessment using 3 years' audited financial statements. Bid preparation costs are for the bidder's account.

Mandatory compliance documents:

• CIPC/partnership registration documents.
• JV agreement and Power of Attorney (if joint venture).
• Valid SARS tax clearance certificate or tax pin; each JV partner must submit separate tax clearance/CSD report.
• Valid CSD report (not older than 3 months) with business registration, directorship, tax compliance, banking details.
• Valid Letter of Good Standing (Department of Labour or RMA).
• B-BBEE: minimum status level 3 contributor. SANAS-accredited verification certificate required for QSE/Generic entities; EMEs (turnover <R3m) may submit sworn affidavit or CIPC certificate; QSEs with ≥51% black ownership and EMEs >R3m turnover must submit SANAS-accredited certificate to meet 40% sub-minimum on skills scorecard.
• Completed and signed SBD 1 (Invitation to Bid), SBD 4 (Declaration of Interest), SBD 6.1 (Preference Points Claim), SBD 6.2 (Local Production and Content).
• Legal Practice Council registration certificate valid at closing.
• No directors/members in service of the state; not on Register of Tender Defaulters; no fraud/corruption convictions in past 5 years; no conflict of interest with other bidders or TASEZ officials.
• Foreign suppliers must complete residency questionnaire and provide proof of local presence if claimed.
• 30% SMME involvement target for Generic entities (turnover >R50m) via sub-contracting to previously disadvantaged groups and/or local black-owned companies (turnover <R50m) where scope permits.

Contract duration: 36 months from letter of award/signed contract. Contract based on Service Level Agreement (SLA). General Conditions of Contract (GCC) incorporated as annexure and binding whether returned or initialled. Governing law: South African law. Precedence order applies. Limitation of liability clause included. Confidentiality: all RFP information is proprietary to TASEZ and must be kept confidential; no disclosure without prior written consent. Tax compliance must be maintained throughout bid validity and contract. TASEZ reserves right to conduct site visits to verify bid information. Misrepresentation during contract lifecycle is grounds for action. Preparation costs borne by bidder. Indemnity provisions apply. RFP defaulters and restricted suppliers excluded. Legislative frameworks: PPPFA 2000, Preferential Procurement Regulations 2017, GCC, and any special conditions. Supplier due diligence will be conducted. Requirements after award include delivery of securities, bonds, guarantees, proof of insurance within 3 weeks of receiving completed agreement.

See evaluationCriteria section above for full three-stage evaluation detail. Additional note: bidders must address and respond to all areas of the evaluation criteria; any bid not covering all criteria will not be evaluated. TASEZ reserves the right to validate reference letters as part of due diligence.