WAN connectivity services implementation & maintenance – 60-Month government tender in gauteng

Closing: 18 September 2026 at 11:00 AM (South African time).

Compulsory virtual briefing: 09 September 2026 at 11:00 AM on Microsoft Teams (Meeting ID: 350 611 096 014 120, Passcode: 8Mh7dR7r). Non-attendance disqualifies the bidder.

Clarification queries: must be submitted in writing to [email protected] at least 5 days before the closing date.

Compulsory virtual briefing session on 09 September 2026 at 11:00 AM via Microsoft Teams. Meeting ID: 350 611 096 014 120, Passcode: 8Mh7dR7r. Non-attendance disqualifies the bidder.

SCM and technical enquiries: [email protected]

Phone: +27 11 207 2600

Address: MICT SETA Head Office, Supply Chain Management, 19 Richards Drive, Gallagher Convention Centre, Gallagher House, Level 3 West Wing, Midrand.

All enquiries must be in writing, referencing the bid number.

Submit one hard copy and one USB in a sealed envelope marked with the RFB reference number, deposited in the tender box at MICT SETA Head Office reception, 19 Richards Drive, Gallagher Convention Centre, West Wing, Level 3, Midrand. Late bids are not accepted regardless of reason. The pricing schedule and related annexure must be in a separate sealed envelope. All documentation must be in English. Canvassing of any MICT SETA officer or employee between closing and award will result in disqualification. Bids must remain valid for 120 days from closing.

Returnable forms (all must be completed, signed, and submitted):

• SBD 1 (Invitation to Bid): bidder and contact details, signed as offer cover page.
• SBD 4 (Declaration of Interest): discloses any state employment or connection.
• SBD 6.1 (Preferential Procurement Claim Form): claims B-BBEE points.
• Form A (Bidder's Eligibility): declares no procurement prohibition, no bankruptcy, no corrupt practices, and truthfulness of information.
• CSD Registration Report.
• CIPC registration documents.
• Valid Tax Clearance Certificate or SARS-issued verification PIN.
• Certified copy of director(s) ID(s) not older than 6 months.
• Shareholding Certificate.
• Joint venture/consortium/subcontracting agreement (if applicable).
• Financial Statements for 2024/2025 FY.
• Attendance register of the compulsory virtual briefing session.

Returnable Documents Checklist: CSD Registration Report, SBD 1 fully completed, CIPC registration documents, Bidder's eligibility Form A, Valid Tax Clearance Certificate(s) or SARS verification PIN, SBD 4 Declaration of Interest, SBD 6.1 Preferential Procurement Claim Form, Joint venture/consortium/sub-contracting agreement (if applicable), Certified copy of director(s) ID(s) not older than 6 months, Shareholding Certificate, Pricing/Financial Proposal envelope and USB (separate sealed envelope), Financial Statements for 2024/2025 FY.

Three-stage evaluation:

Stage 1 – Mandatory Criteria (pass/fail):

• Attendance at the compulsory virtual briefing session.
• Valid ICASA Electronic Communications Network Services (ECNS) certificate.
• ISO 27001 and 27018 certificates for the proposed email filtering solution.
• Project Team Certification: Project Manager (PMP/Prince2 Practitioner or equivalent), Technical Lead (OEM certification of SD-WAN vendor), Microsoft Resource (Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert or Fundamentals).
• OEM accreditation letters for the proposed email filtering, SD-WAN, and backup solutions (direct from OEM, or via distributor with two letters).

Stage 2 – Functional Evaluation (100 points, minimum threshold 80 points):

• Solution Proposal (30 points): must meet or exceed all WAN connectivity requirements in the scope.
• Experience and References (10 points): five or more signed reference letters from RSA clients with 5 years' experience = 10 points; fewer letters score proportionally less.
• Implementation Plan (10 points): detailed plan covering project team, deliverables, sub-activities, timelines.
• Risk Management Plan (20 points): covering 13 specified risk categories (connectivity, security, cutover, etc.).
• Project Team (30 points): CVs of Project Manager (10 pts), Technical Lead (10 pts), Microsoft Resource (10 pts) – points based on years of relevant experience.

Stage 3 – Pricing and Specific Goals (80/20 or 90/10 preference point system): price and B-BBEE points per PPPFA.

The appointed service provider must implement, support, and maintain a Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) solution for 60 months covering:

• Last Mile and WAN for 6 sites: Midrand (2x150Mbps), Bloemfontein (2x20Mbps), Durban (2x20Mbps), Cape Town (2x20Mbps), East London (2x20Mbps), Klerksdorp (2x10Mbps). Fibre primary, active-passive failover, 98% uptime. Service desk: 1-hour response, 4-hour resolution.
• Internet: 200Mbps uncapped breakout, 98% uptime.
• APN: secured corporate APN for 300 users, unlimited data, Active Directory integration.
• VPN: highly secured, AD-integrated.
• 3rd Party Connectivity: IPsec to hosted systems.
• Email Filtering: Mimecast or equivalent, 300 mailboxes, hosted in SA, 99% anti-spam, 100% anti-malware, ISO 27001/27018, 100% availability.
• Email Archiving: cloud-based, hosted in SA, unlimited storage, POPIA-compliant.
• Security Services: NGFW, IPS, DMZ, proxy, VPN, 99% availability, monthly reporting.
• Hosted Backup: backup of Office 365 (A5) and Azure servers, unlimited storage/retention, quarterly restore tests, zero egress fees.
• Microsoft O365 (A5) Support: proactive monitoring of Exchange Online, OneDrive, Teams, SharePoint.
• Azure Active Directory Services: user account management, security, Group Policy.
• Maintenance: quarterly health checks, capacity planning, risk register, software deployment, DR testing.
• Service Take-On: no downtime during office hours (07:00-17:00 weekdays), manage transfer from current provider.

The proposed solution must include secure connectivity, application performance optimisation, network resilience, cybersecurity controls, real-time monitoring, and support for cloud-first and hybrid strategies. The implementation plan must cover project team, deliverables, sub-activities, and timelines. The risk management plan must address 13 specific risks including connectivity interruption, SD-WAN errors, security gaps, and cutover failure.

The bidder must have at least 5 years' experience in providing similar WAN connectivity services within the last 5 years. Key personnel: Project Manager (PMP/Prince2 Practitioner, minimum 5 years WAN experience), Technical Lead (OEM SD-WAN certified, minimum 5 years SD-WAN deployment), Microsoft Resource (Microsoft 365 Certified Administrator Expert or Fundamentals, minimum 5 years O365 platform support). ICASA certification and Microsoft certification are required.

The appointed service provider must perform quarterly health checks on all technologies, capacity management on WAN links, and maintain a risk register. The solution must provide real-time monitoring and reporting, with audit logs. The provider must manage availability of all platforms and perform software deployment without impacting operations. Quarterly DR testing is required.

Pricing must be submitted on the provided schedule in a separate envelope. The schedule includes 11 service lines with once-off and monthly costs for 60 months. Sub-total, 15% VAT, and grand total must be shown. The pricing schedule is for illustration; bidders must provide detailed costing. Bid validity 120 days.

Pricing must be submitted in a separate sealed envelope using the provided pricing schedule. The schedule requires:

• Once-off cost and monthly cost for each of 11 service lines (Last Mile & WAN, Internet, APN, VPN, 3rd Party Connectivity, Email Filtering, Email Archiving, Security Services, Hosted & Backup, O365 A5 Support, Azure AD).
• Monthly cost multiplied by 60 months.
• Sub-total, VAT at 15%, and grand total.

Bid validity: 120 days from closing date. No bond or guarantee is specified.

Mandatory registrations and certifications:

• CSD registration (National Treasury Central Supplier Database).
• Valid tax compliance status (SARS TCS PIN or CSD number).
• CIPC registration.
• ICASA Electronic Communications Network Services (ECNS) licence.
• ISO 27001 and 27018 certification for the proposed email filtering solution.
• OEM accreditation to supply, install, configure, and maintain the proposed email filtering, SD-WAN, and backup solutions (direct OEM or via authorised distributor).
• Key personnel certifications: Project Manager (PMP/Prince2 Practitioner), Technical Lead (OEM SD-WAN certification), Microsoft Resource (Microsoft 365 Certified Administrator Expert or Fundamentals).
• Minimum 5 years' experience in similar services within the last 5 years.

Returnable forms:

• SBD 1 (Invitation to Bid)
• SBD 4 (Declaration of Interest)
• SBD 6.1 (Preferential Procurement Claim Form)
• Form A (Bidder's Eligibility)
• CSD Registration Report
• CIPC registration documents
• Valid Tax Clearance Certificate or PIN
• Certified copy of director(s) ID(s) not older than 6 months
• Shareholding Certificate
• Joint venture/consortium/subcontracting agreement (if applicable)
• Financial Statements for 2024/2025 FY

Bid is subject to the Government Procurement: General Conditions of Contract. MICT SETA does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any bid, and shall not be liable for bid preparation costs. No bid is accepted until a formal contract or letter of intent is executed. MICT SETA reserves the right to cancel, withdraw, or amend the RFB at any stage, to award to one or more bidders, and to negotiate with preferred bidders. The successful bidder must comply with MICT SETA confidentiality processes, including a non-disclosure agreement, and the POPI Act. Bidders must not canvass MICT SETA officers or employees between closing and award. The bidder bears all costs of bidding.

Bid information is proprietary and must not be disclosed without MICT SETA's consent. The bid is subject to the General Conditions of Contract. No bid is accepted until a formal contract is executed. The technical proposal must not contain pricing. MICT SETA may cancel or amend the RFB. The bidder bears all costs. Bids valid for 120 days. Late bids and canvassing result in disqualification.

Mandatory requirements: compulsory briefing attendance, ICASA ECNS licence, ISO 27001/27018 for email filtering, OEM accreditations for email filtering/SD-WAN/backup, and certified key personnel. Functional requirements: detailed solution proposal, 5 reference letters, implementation plan, risk management plan, and CVs with experience.

Same as standard evaluationCriteria section: three-stage evaluation with mandatory pass/fail, functional (100 points, threshold 80), and pricing/specific goals. Functional sub-criteria: solution proposal (30), references (10), implementation plan (10), risk management (20), project team (30).