Managed voice and data services for cms – 4-Year RFP tender in gauteng

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A compulsory hybrid briefing session will be held on 14th September 2026 at 11:00 am. All interested parties must send their RSVP by 11th September 2026 to [email protected]. Bidders must join the meeting 30 minutes before the start to avoid technical delays. Failure to attend the compulsory briefing session will lead to automatic disqualification.

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Any award(s) made as a result of this RFP will be subject to the following terms and conditions:

10.1. Liquidated Damages

The successful Bidder agrees to negotiate in good faith with the CMS, and a Liquidated Damages

provision will specify an amount payable or creditable to the CMS if the Bidder fails to comply with

the implementation schedule mutually agreed in the contract award.

10.2. Payment Schedule and Invoicing

The successful Bidder agrees to negotiate in good faith with the CMS for a progress payment

schedule based on significant milestones identified in the scope of work and/or the implementation

schedule included in the resulting contract. Bidders should include a suggested payment schedule

in their proposal.

10.3. Prime Sponsor Terms and Conditions

Any award resulting from this RFP will be issued subject to the terms and conditions of the prime

funding agency, in this case, CMS. Proposals submitted by Bidders who are unable to accept said

terms will be considered non-responsive.

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11. Rejection of proposals

11.1. CMS may reject non-responsive bids, including, without limitation, bids which contain the following defects:

a. Failure to conform to the rules or requirements contained in the RFP, including the instructions

for submitting a proposal and the proposal format guidelines.

b. Failure to sign the entire original bid documentation (including additional submissions by the

Bidder).

c. Proof of collusion among Bidders, in which case all proposals involved in the collusive action will

be rejected.

d. Non-compliance with any applicable law, unauthorised additions or deletions, conditional bids,

incomplete bids, or irregularities of any kind which may tend to make the bid incomplete,

indefinite or ambiguous as to its meaning.

e. Provisions reserving the right to accept or reject an award or to enter into a contract containing

terms and conditions that are contrary to those in the solicitation.

f. Furthermore, the contract with the successful bidder may be subject to conditions, such as

(i) the successful Bidder should maintain its BBBEE status for the duration of the contract and

(ii) the Bidder should provide additional documentation, such as a new tax clearance certificate,

upon expiry of the previous version.

12. Contract identification

12.1. Prime Contractor

The CMS prefers to work with a single prime contractor for all product and implementation services.

Nevertheless, if vendors wish to partner, they must submit a single proposal to an established entity

that will be the primary point of contact and contracting authority.

12.2. Vendor Prime Contractor Responsibility

If a vendor’s proposal includes equipment, hardware, software, or services to be supplied by other

entities, the proposing vendor should act as the prime contractor for procuring all products and

services. The vendor, as the prime contractor, should be the sole point of contact and responsible

for payment of all charges arising from the purchase of the Security Services. The vendor, acting as

primary contractor, should take full responsibility for rendering services by its subcontractor(s). Each

subcontractor used by the vendor on this project shall be required to submit full identification of their

company to the CMS on the form titled Subcontractor Identification, found in Annexure F to this RFP.

13. Entire agreement

The contract executed pursuant to this RFP will state the entire agreement between the parties in respect of

the subject matter covered therein and supersedes any previous or contemporaneous oral or written

proposals, statements, discussions, negotiations, or other agreements. However, this RFP and the Bidder’s

response will be incorporated by reference into the contract.

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14. Additional information

CMS may request additional information either from the Bidder or others to verify the Bidder’s ability to meet

the requirements of this RFP successfully.

15. National treasury requirements

Within ten (10) working days after the closure of the advertised competitive bid, the CMS will publish on its

website the names of all bidders that submitted bids in relation to the particular advertisement.

Information on the successful bid will be made available on the CMS website. In addition to the above, the

successful bidder will be checked against the Register of Defaulters and the List of Restricted Suppliers on

the National Treasury database.

16. Registration on national treasury central supplier database (csd)

Bidders must be registered on the CSD. Confirmation of registration in the form must be submitted together

with the bid documents.

17. Joint venture

17.1. Joint venture or Consortium means an association of persons for the purpose of combining their

expertise, property, capital, efforts, skill, and knowledge in an activity for the execution of a contract.

Bidders that submit bids as a Joint Venture, Consortium or Trust must comply with the following

Instructions for Submitting Proposals: Bids must be submitted in the format described. Bids sent via fax or email will not be accepted. Late bids will not be accepted. Submit one signed original, two additional hard copies, and a USB. Original bid document must be initialled on every page. Pricing Schedule must be in a separate sealed envelope. Bids must be sealed and outer package marked with RFP number. Envelope 1 – Technical Proposal: cover page on company letterhead with company name, RFP number, bid description; table of contents; executive summary; all annexures completed and signed. Annexures: A – SBD 1 Invitation to Bid; B – Proof of Authority (company resolution); C – SBD 4 Declaration of Interest; D – Response to Mandatory Technical Criteria; E – Response to Weighted Technical Criteria; F – SBD 6.1 Preference Points Claim Form; G – Proposal Adherence Checklist; H – specified document. Envelope 2 – Pricing Proposal: complete SBD 3.3 Pricing Schedule, all prices include VAT, submit in separate sealed envelope marked 'Envelope 2 – Pricing Proposal'. Compliance with all submission requirements is mandatory. Submission address: CMS – Tender Box, Block A, Eco Glades 2 Office Park, 420 Witch-Hazel Avenue, Eco Park, Centurion, 0157.

No eligibility criteria specified

1.1. Council for Medical Schemes hereby request reputable and experienced bidder/s to submit a proposal

as per the following specifications:

a) 200 Mbps Fibre: Managed Voice and Data Contract for the CMS Head Office.

b) Line speed: 200 Mbps fibre.

c) The bidder should provide a router that includes redundancy in case of a device failure.

d) Provide Uncapped internet service.

e) Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Virtual Private Network (VPN)

f) 1:1 Contention Ratio

g) Internet breakout – 200 Mbps.

h) Porting our existing share call number 0861123267 and ensuring that trunks are going to the

Qcontact platform for our customer service.

i) CMS 012 range numbers landlines are currently on MS Teams, and the trunks are currently with

Mtn.

j) 30 Static and fully routable IP Addresses to accommodate services hosted within the CMS Data

Centre

k) Council of Medical Schemes already has a 200Mbps fibre link with the current service provider

contracted to the CMS, and fibre is available in the precinct and surrounding areas. Refer to the

diagram below.

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J) The CMS is making use of the Mimecast Mail Archiving service, and MX records should point to and from that

service.

1.2. CMS Network Diagram

1.3. Short Messaging Solutions (SMS) Solution

a) Provisioning of an SMS solution which will allow for easy integration into existing systems in use at

Cms.

b) SMS can be cloud-based, but cloud services should be localised (within the borders of South Africa).

1.4. Ongoing Support and Maintenance.

a) Proposal to include provisioning and installation of networking devices (router, voice gateway) and

renting thereof for the period four years.

b) Proposal to include professional fees/consulting fees associated with the setup and configuration of

all services (DNS resolution, MX records, and SMS services.

c) 24X7X365 client support is required.

d) We require access to an online self-service business tool for monitoring the network’s utilisation

statistics (data, voice, fax and sms) 24 hours a day. This system should also be able to alert CMS

Technical staff via email or SMS to any outage or high-utilisation event on the provided network

solution.

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e) The support SLA should include a detailed incident management prioritisation procedure, which will

be annexed to the SLA once agreed.

f) The bidder must provide comprehensive on-site support and warranty for the duration of the contract,

with a four (4) hour response or turnaround time

g) The successful bidder should guarantee a maximum 4-hour response time. on the replacement of

faulty equipment at the client's premises.

h) Allocation of a dedicated Account Manager and Service Manager or Service Delivery Manager, and

monthly meetings held with agreed minutes.

i) Escalation procedure related to the reported incidents, on-site support, replacement of faulty

equipment and all other incidents related to the scope of work.

j) Response and resolution times for events and service requests.

k) Submit monthly and ad-hoc service reports related to incidents, service requests, faulty equipment

and any other events or challenges related to the scope of service.

1.5. Network and Service Availability

a) We require at least a 99,5% uptime from Provider Edge (PE) Router to PE Router per path.

b) We require at least 99,5% availability on International and 99% availability on local ports.

c) The Council of Medical Schemes has an uptime requirement of 99.5%, and the appointed service

provider must be willing to enter into a service Level agreement (SLA) for the uptime requirement of

99.5%.

d) Anything lower can result in engagements and penalties according to the agreed SLA and annexures

to the SLA

1.6. Implementation plan

a) The service provider must assist with the full implementation/ and or project plan of the project and

maintain the internet availability throughout the transition to the new contract.

1.7. Incident Management priority levels and escalation procedure for Technical Support.

Priority 1 – The Unavailability of a critical service or a high-priority incident. The impact is on

(Critical) normal business operations, as employees within the organisation are unable to

perform their daily duties, and external stakeholders are also affected.

Priority 2 The network connection is unavailable or impaired, which is a serious problem.

The incident adversely affects business operations, but users can still perform at

reduced speed or with fewer services.

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Priority 3 A network is unavailable or impaired by minor issues (slow response or internet

congestion), and this usually causes minor interference with the user's normal

business operations.

2. Evaluation process and criteria

Table 1 - Evaluation of bids will be conducted in four (4) phases as follows:

Stage Details

Phase 1 Administrative Evaluation Criteria: The purpose of these criteria is to evaluate the bidders’

s completeness of the tender documents

Phase 2 Mandatory Evaluation Criteria: These criteria evaluate bidders' eligibility and compliance

with applicable laws and regulations.

Phase 3 Technical/Functional Evaluation Criteria: These criteria assess bidders' technical

competencies.

Phase 4 Price and Specific Goals Evaluation Criteria: The purpose of this criterion is to evaluate

the bidders based on the bid price and Specific Goals.

2.1. Phase 1 - Administrative Evaluation

The Bidder must meet all the following requirements to pass the Administrative Evaluation:

(a) The Bidder must fully comply with the Instructions for Submitting Proposals, outlined in Section 4

and must ensure that they complete and sign all the bidding documents in this section.

(b) All the documents listed in Sections 4 and 5 of the tender documents must be submitted and

completely signed. Failure to submit and sign the requested documents may result in

disqualification at this stage.

(c) Any Bidder that fails to meet the Administrative Evaluation Criteria may be disqualified and may not

be considered for further evaluation.

2.2. Phase 2- Mandatory Evaluation Criteria

a) Bidders must meet all the following criteria to be considered for further evaluation. Failure to meet

all the following criteria will lead to automatic disqualification:

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Table 2 - Mandatory Technical Criteria

Item Description Mandatory Technical Criteria Comply / Does

Not Comply

1. Reference/Testimony The bidder must provide Two (2) letters of testimony as proof of implementation

Letters of Managed Voice and Data Services or Internet services for their respective

clients. Testimony or Reference letters (on company letterhead) must include

the website address, the name of the organisation, the contact person, and their

details. The letters should not be older than five (5) years.

1. Testimony or Reference letters must be related to Managed Voice and

Data Service or Internet Services.

• CMS will not accept any letter that is not relevant to the Managed

Voice and Data Solutions/ or the implementation of internet services.

2. Valid ISP (Internet The bidder/company submitting the tender must provide a valid ISP (Internet

Service Provider) Service Provider) license or certificate issued by the Independent

license or certificate Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). If the ISP

certificate/license has expired before the bid closing or submission date, the

bidder’s proposal will be disqualified.

3. Attendance of Bidders must attend the compulsory briefing session.

Bid/quotation response documents must be delivered to the following address:

Council for Medical Schemes, Block A, Eco Glades 2 Office Park, 420 Witch-Hazel Avenue, Eco Park, Centurion, 0157

Technical enquiries may be directed to:

CONTACT PERSON Mr. Bokamoso Legong CONTACT PERSON Mr. Ndidzulafhi Nenzhelele

Telephone number (012) 431 0484 telephone number (012) 431-0410

Facsimile number n/a facsimile number n/a

E-MAIL ADDRESS [email protected] E-MAIL ADDRESS [email protected]

Supplier information

Name of bidder

Postal address

Street address

Telephone number code number

Cellphone number

Facsimile number code number

E-mail address

VAT registration

Number

Supplier tax central

Compliance compliance or supplier

STATUS SYSTEM PIN: DATABASE No: MAAA

B-bbee status tick applicable box] b-bbee status level [tick applicable box]

LEVEL VERIFICATION Yes No SWORN AFFIDAVIT Yes No

4.1. The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to invite suitably qualified and experienced service

providers to submit proposals for the provision of managed voice and data services for the CMS for a

period of four (4) years.

4.2. The successful bidder will be required to provide reliable, secure, scalable, and fully managed voice and

data connectivity solutions, including implementation, support, maintenance, monitoring, and ongoing

operational management in accordance with the specifications and service requirements outlined in this

RFP.

4.3. The objective of this RFP is to appoint a service provider with the necessary technical expertise,

organisational capacity, and operational capability to ensure uninterrupted, high-quality communication

and connectivity services throughout the contract duration.

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contract, with a four (4) hour response or turnaround time (30 Points):

3.1. Response and Turnaround Time (20 Points)

• Response Time - Bidder commits to acknowledging/logging the support request within 1 hour.

(06 Points)

• Resolution/Turnaround Time - Bidder commits to resolving or attending to the reported issue

within 4 hours or less (08 Points)

• Maintenance and Support Availability - Bidder provides maintenance and support services with

clear escalation procedures and availability within 4 hours of the required support period (06

Points)

3.2. Monitoring and Support (10 Points):

• Demonstrate proactive monitoring of Internet Services and network infrastructure (05 Points)
• Demonstrate the ability for automated fault detection and alerting mechanisms (05 Points)

B) Experience of The bidder must demonstrate their organizational capacity, capabilities and experience, illustrating their 20

the Company understanding of the scope of work: (20 Points)

• A company profile detailing the nature of the business, years of operation, and core areas of

expertise (05 Points)

• Provide details of projects of similar size, complexity, and scope completed within the last five (5)

years (05 Points)

• Demonstrate availability of dedicated project management and technical resources (05 Points)
• Demonstrate capability to provide 24/7 support and incident response services (05 Points)

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C) Capacity and The proposed team (including the key Account Manager and the Customer Relationship Manager 30

experience of or Service Delivery Manager) must demonstrate experience, qualifications, and capabilities. The

the proposed proposed team must have at least three (3) years’ experience and above, relevant to the Scope of

team (Attach CV Work (Attach CV and Profile) (30 Points)

and Certified

Qualifications) 1. Demonstrate experience and qualifications of the proposed team and Team/ Engagement

Leader relevant to the scope of work (Attach CV’s and Qualifications) (15 Points):

1.1. Demonstrate experience and qualifications of the Team/ Engagement Leader relevant to

the scope of work (Attach CV’s and Qualifications). Team Leader/Engagement Leader

(Qualifications in ICT or any Project Management qualification (07 Points)

• Honours/ Postgraduate Diploma - (NQF 8 or above): (07 Points)
• Degree, Advanced Diploma, B-Tech - (NQF 7) (03 Points)
• Below Degree, Advanced Diploma, B-Tech (NQF 7) (0 Points)

1.2. Demonstrate experience of the Team/ Engagement Leader in the in implementing ICT

solutions, In-depth knowledge, and experience of managing at least three projects as a

project manager (08 Points):

• 5 Years and above Experience (08 Points)
• 3-4 Years of Experience (04 Points)
• Below 3 Years of Experience (0 Points)

2. Demonstrate experience and qualifications of the proposed team (Technical Experts) in related

(15 Points)

2.1. Demonstrate qualifications of the proposed team (Technical Experts) in Information

Technology, Information Systems, Computer Science, Engineering or related degree (07

Points):

• Relevant Certification with/ and Diploma (NQF 7): (07 Points)
• Relevant Certification OR Diploma or above (NQF 6) (3 Points)
• No Relevant Certification and Diploma (0 Points)

2.2. Demonstrate experience of the Team (Technical Experts) in the in implementing ICT

solutions (08 Points):

• 3 Years and above Experience (08 Points)
• 1-3 Years of Experience (4 Points)
• Below 1 Year Experience (0 Points)

provided by the service provider (10 Points).

• Develop and submit a detailed transition schedule with milestones and dependencies (2 Points)
• Demonstrate governance structures, communication channels, escalation procedures, and

reporting mechanisms. (2 Points)

• Develop a detailed migration and cutover plan to ensure continuity of services. (2 Points)
• Demonstrate end-to-end connectivity testing and performance validation. (2 Points)
• Demonstrate migration and cutover activities during approved maintenance windows to ensure

minimal downtime and uninterrupted business operations. (2 Points)

copies and shall not be older than six (6) months from the tender submission date. Failure to

provide valid certified copies within the prescribed period will result in penalties being applied during

the evaluation and scoring process.

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2.4. Preference Points System (Pricing – 80 and Specific Goals)

provide a complete response to all requirements stated in the RFP. Proposals that are not compliant

with the requirements may be disqualified.

(a) Bids sent via facsimile (FAX) or email will not be accepted. Late bids will not be accepted.

(b) There should be one signed original, two (2) additional hard copies of the original document submitted

and a USB. The original bid document must be initialled on every page/entire document, including all

other submissions by the Bidder.

(c) (c) The Pricing Schedule must be submitted in a separate sealed envelope. Pricing should not be included

in any other part of the proposal or cover.

(d) Bids must be sealed, and the outer package must be marked with the RFP number.

(e) Structure of the Proposal:

2. ENVELOPE 1 - TECHNICAL PROPOSAL. The technical proposal must be structured as follows:

supporting documentation and evidence.

3. Table – 4 ENVELOPE 2 – PRICING PROPOSAL.

3.1. Bidders are required to complete and submit the prescribed pricing template as part of Envelope 2 –

a) Annexure H – SBD 3.3: Pricing Schedule / Proposal

The bidder must complete the SBD 3.3 – Pricing Schedule/Proposal in full. All prices must

include VAT, where applicable.

b) Bidders are encouraged to submit the completed Pricing Schedule and SBD 3.3 in a separate

sealed envelope clearly marked “Envelope 2 – Pricing Proposal”. This ensures that pricing

information is not disclosed or reflected in any other part of the proposal or on the proposal cover.

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c) Compliance with Proposal Submission Requirements

structure, and submission of the proposal. Failure to comply with the specified requirements may

result in the bidder being disqualified or excluded from further participation in the bidding

process.

d) Bidders are therefore required to carefully review the tender document and ensure that their

submissions comply with all administrative, technical, and pricing requirements.

e) Submission Address

Sbd 3.3

Note: only firm prices will be accepted. Non-firm prices (including prices subject

To rates of exchange variations) will not be considered

Name of bidder.....................................................................bid number: CMS02/2026/2027

Closing Time: 11:00 am on the 28th September 2026

Offer to be valid for 120 days from the closing date of the bid.

3. Persons who will be involved in the project and rates applicable (certified invoices

Must be rendered in terms hereof)

...............................................................................

8. Are the rates quoted firm for the full period of contract? *YES/NO

Prices must be firm for the full contract period. Bids must remain valid for 120 days from the closing date. The successful bidder must maintain its BBBEE status for the duration of the contract. No advance payments are specified; payment terms will be as per the contract.

In the case of a Joint Venture or Consortium submission, the Bidder(s) shall submit a Joint Venture agreement signed by all parties.

Every member of the joint venture is registered with the professional body specified in this tender document.

Bidders must provide concrete proof of joint ventures and/or consortium arrangements. CMS will accept signed agreements as valid evidence of the existence of a joint venture and/or consortium arrangement.

The Joint Venture and/or Consortium agreements must clearly set out the roles and responsibilities of the Lead Partner/ Director and the Joint Venture and/or Consortium party. The agreement must also clearly identify the Lead Partner/Director, who has the power of attorney to bind the other party/parties in respect of matters relating to the Joint Venture and/or Consortium arrangement. Page | 18 SECTION 4: INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSALS

Bidders should submit their proposals in the format and manner described below. Proposals must provide a complete response to all requirements stated in the RFP. Proposals that are not compliant with the requirements may be disqualified. (a) Bids sent via facsimile (FAX) or email will not be accepted. Late bids will not be accepted. (b) There should be one signed original, two (2) additional hard copies of the original document submitted and a USB. The original bid document must be initialled on every page/entire document, including all other submissions by the Bidder. (c) (c) The Pricing Schedule must be submitted in a separate sealed envelope. Pricing should not be included in any other part of the proposal or cover. (d) Bids must be sealed, and the outer package must be marked with the RFP number. (e) Structure of the Proposal

ENVELOPE 1 - TECHNICAL PROPOSAL. The technical proposal must be structured as follows: Cover page. The cover page must be on the company letterhead and must include: (a) Name of the Company (b) RFP number and (c) Bid description Table of Contents .1. Executive Summary All relevant forms and supporting documents attached to this document as Annexures A to H must be completed in full and, where applicable, signed by a duly authorised official of the primary contractor/bidder. The bidder is responsible for ensuring that all required annexures are completed accurately and submitted together with the bid. The annexures comprise the following: Annexure A – SBD 1: Invitation to Bid. The bidder must complete and sign the SBD 1 – Invitation to Bid form in full. Annexure B – Proof of Authority The bidder must submit documentary proof confirming that the person signing the SBD 1 is duly authorised to represent and bind the company. Acceptable proof may include a company resolution or other formal documentation confirming the signatory’s authority. Page | 19 Annexure C – SBD 4: Declaration of Interest The bidder must complete and sign the SBD 4 – Declaration of Interest form. The vendor must certify that it has not entered into any contingent fee arrangement with any firm or person and that it has not, in any manner, sought through collusion to secure an advantage over other vendors. The completed Declaration of Interest – Form SBD 4 must be submitted as Annexure C to this RFP. Annexure D – Response to Mandatory Technical Criteria The bidder must provide a complete response to all mandatory technical criteria and submit the required supporting documentation and evidence, where applicable. Annexure E – Response to Weighted Technical Criteria The bidder must provide a detailed response to all weighted technical criteria and submit the relevant supporting documentation and evidence required for evaluation. Annexure F – SBD 6.1: Preference Points Claim Form The bidder must complete and sign the Preference Points Claim Form – Form SBD 6.1 and submit all relevant supporting documentation required to substantiate the preference points claimed. Annexure G – Proposal Adherence Checklist The Proposal Adherence Checklist has been compiled for the bidder’s convenience to assist in ensuring that the bid complies with the CMS administrative and technical requirements. The bidder must complete the checklist and ensure that all applicable supporting documentation is included in the bid submission. Annexure H The bidder must complete and submit the document specified under Annexure H, together with any applicable supporting documentation and evidence.

Table – 4 ENVELOPE 2 – PRICING PROPOSAL. 3.1. Bidders are required to complete and submit the prescribed pricing template as part of Envelope 2 – Pricing Proposal. The following requirements must be adhered to

Annexure H – SBD 3.3: Pricing Schedule / Proposal The bidder must complete the SBD 3.3 – Pricing Schedule/Proposal in full. All prices must include VAT, where applicable.

Bidders are encouraged to submit the completed Pricing Schedule and SBD 3.3 in a separate sealed envelope clearly marked “Envelope 2 – Pricing Proposal”. This ensures that pricing information is not disclosed or reflected in any other part of the proposal or on the proposal cover. Page | 20

Compliance with Proposal Submission Requirements Bidders must comply fully with all instructions and requirements relating to the prescribed format, structure, and submission of the proposal. Failure to comply with the specified requirements may result in the bidder being disqualified or excluded from further participation in the bidding process.

Bidders are therefore required to carefully review the tender document and ensure that their submissions comply with all administrative, technical, and pricing requirements.

Submission Address Completed bids must be submitted to the address specified on the RFP Cover Page and within the stipulated closing date and time. Page | 21 SECTION 5: RETURNABLE AND STANDARD BIDDING DOCUMENTS (SBD) SBD 1 YOU ARE HEREBY INVITED TO BID FOR THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE COUNCIL FOR MEDICAL SCHEMES BID NUMBER: CMS02/2026/2027 CLOSING DATE: 28th September 2026 CLOSING TIME: 11:00 am [A B-BBEE STATUS LEVEL VERIFICATION CERTIFICATE/ SWORN AFFIDAVIT (FOR EMES & QSEs) MUST BE SUBMITTED to QUALIFY FOR PREFERENCE POINTS FOR B-BBEE]

Are you a foreign-based supplier for

ARE YOU THE ACCREDITED Yes No THE REPRESENTATIVE IN SOUTH GOODS/SERVICES/ Yes No AFRICA FOR THE WORKS OFFERED? GOODS/SERVICES/WORKS [IF YES ENCLOSE OFFERED? PROOF] [IF YES, ENCLOSE PROOF] QUESTIONNAIRE TO BIDDING FOREIGN SUPPLIERS IS THE ENTITY A RESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA (RSA)? YES NO DOES THE ENTITY HAVE A BRANCH IN THE RSA? YES NO DOES THE ENTITY HAVE A PERMANENT ESTABLISHMENT IN THE RSA? YES NO DOES THE ENTITY HAVE ANY SOURCE OF INCOME IN THE RSA? YES NO IS THE ENTITY LIABLE IN THE RSA FOR ANY FORM OF TAXATION? YES NO IF THE ANSWER IS “NO” TO ALL OF THE ABOVE, THEN IT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT TO REGISTER FOR A TAX COMPLIANCE STATUS SYSTEM PIN CODE FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN REVENUE SERVICE (SARS) AND IF NOT REGISTERED AS PER 2.3 BELOW Page | 22

Bid submission: 1.1. Bids must be delivered by the stipulated time to the correct address. Late bids will not be accepted for consideration. 1.2. All bids must be submitted on the official forms provided (not to be re-typed) or in the manner prescribed in the bid document. 1.3. This bid is subject to the preferential procurement policy framework act, 2000 and the preferential procurement regulations, 2022, the general conditions of contract (gcc) and, if applicable, any other special conditions of contract. 1.4. The successful bidder will be required to fill in and sign a written contract form (sbd7).

TAX COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS 2.1. BIDDERS MUST ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR TAX OBLIGATIONS. 2.2. BIDDERS ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THEIR UNIQUE PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (PIN) ISSUED BY SARS TO ENABLE THE ORGAN OF STATE TO VERIFY THE TAXPAYER’S PROFILE AND TAX STATUS. 2.3. APPLICATION FOR TAX COMPLIANCE STATUS (TCS) PIN MAY BE MADE VIA E-FILING THROUGH THE SARS WEBSITE WWW.SARS.GOV.ZA. 2.4. BIDDERS MAY ALSO SUBMIT A PRINTED TCS CERTIFICATE TOGETHER WITH THE BID. 2.5. IN BIDS WHERE CONSORTIA / JOINT VENTURES / SUB-CONTRACTORS ARE INVOLVED; EACH PARTY MUST SUBMIT A SEPARATE TCS CERTIFICATE / PIN / CSD NUMBER. 2.6. WHERE NO TCS IS AVAILABLE, BUT THE BIDDER IS REGISTERED ON THE CENTRAL SUPPLIER DATABASE (CSD), A CSD NUMBER MUST BE PROVIDED. 2.7. NO BIDS WILL BE CONSIDERED FROM PERSONS IN THE SERVICE OF THE STATE, COMPANIES WITH DIRECTORS WHO ARE PERSONS IN THE SERVICE OF THE STATE, OR CLOSE CORPORATIONS WITH MEMBERS PERSONS IN THE SERVICE OF THE STATE.” NB: FAILURE TO PROVIDE / OR COMPLY WITH ANY OF THE ABOVE PARTICULARS MAY RENDER THE BID INVALID. SIGNATURE OF BIDDER: ................................................... CAPACITY UNDER WHICH THIS BID IS SIGNED: ................................................... (Proof of authority must be submitted, e.g. company resolution) DATE: ................................................... Page | 23 PRICING SCHEDULE -FIRM PRICES SBD 3.3 NOTE: ONLY FIRM PRICES WILL BE ACCEPTED. NON-FIRM PRICES (INCLUDING PRICES SUBJECT TO RATES OF EXCHANGE VARIATIONS) WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED Name of bidder.....................................................................bid number: CMS02/2026/2027 Closing Time: 11:00 am on the 28th September 2026 OFFER TO BE VALID FOR 120 DAYS FROM THE CLOSING DATE OF THE BID. ITEM DESCRIPTION BID PRICE IN RSA CURRENCY NO **(ALL APPLICABLE TAXES INCLUDED)

The accompanying information must be used for the formulation of proposals.

Bidders are required to indicate a ceiling price based on the total estimated time for completion of all phases and including all expenses, inclusive of all applicable taxes, for the project. R.......................................................................

Persons who will be involved in the project and rates applicable (certified invoices must be rendered in terms hereof)

Person and position hourly rate daily rate

Phases according to which the project will be completed, cost per phase and man- days to be spent

R------------------------------ -------------------------- days

R------------------------------ -------------------------- days Travel expenses (specify, for example, rate/km and total km, class of air travel, etc.). Only actual costs are recoverable. Proof of the expenses incurred must accompany certified invoices. DESCRIPTION OF EXPENSE TO BE INCURRED RATE QUANTITY AMOUNT

................... ................. R....................

................... ................. R.................... Total: r..........................................................

• ”all applicable taxes” includes value- added tax, pay-as-you-earn, income tax, unemployment insurance fund contributions and skills development levies. 5.1. Other expenses, for example accommodation (specify, e.g. three-star hotel, bed and breakfast, telephone cost, reproduction cost, etc.). Based on these particulars, certified invoices will be checked for correctness. Proof of the expenses must accompany invoices. DESCRIPTION OF EXPENSE TO BE INCURRED RATE QUANTITY AMOUNT

Period required for commencement of the project after acceptance of bid .........................................................................

Estimated person-days for completion of project ...............................................................................

Are the rates quoted firm for the full period of contract? *YES/NO

If not firm for the full period, provide details of the basis on which adjustments will be applied, for example, consumer price index. .................................................................................. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. CMS02/2026/2027 APPOINTMENT OF A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR PROVISION OF MANAGED VOICE AND DATA SERVICES FOR FOUR (4) YEARS SBD4 - BIDDER’S DISCLOSURE: Annexure D

B-BBEE Details: (a) Historically Disadvantaged Individuals (5 Points)

80% - 100% Black-Owned 5 Points

50% - 79.99% Black-Owned 4 Points

20% - 49.99% Black Owned 3 Points

1% - 19.99% Black Owned 1 Point

Below 1% Black Owned 0 Point

(b) Size of the Company (3 Points)

EME 3 Points

QSE 2 Points

Generic Enterprise 1 Points

(c) Black Woman-Owned Enterprise (5 Points)

75% - 100% Black Women 5 Points

Owned

51% - 74,99% Black Women 3 Points

Owned

1% - 50,99% Black Women 1 Point

Owned 20

Below 1% Black-Owned Women 0 Point

d) Ownership by People with Disabilities (3 Points)

75% - 100% Ownership by People with 3 Points

Disabilities

51% - 74,99% Ownership by People with 2 Points

Disabilities

1% - 50,99% Ownership by People with 1 Point

Disabilities

Below 1% Ownership by People with 0 Point

Disabilities

(e) Ownership by Youth (under 35 years) (4 Points)

75% - 100% Ownership by Youth 4 Points

51% - 74,99% Ownership by Youth 3 Points

20% - 50,99% Ownership by Youth 2 Point

1% - 19,99% Ownership by Youth 1 Point

Below 1% Ownership by Youth 0 Point

Total 100

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2.5. General Conditions to the Specific Goals

2.5.1. Only a bidder who has completed and signed the declaration (SBD 6.1.) part of the bid documentation

will be considered for preference points.

2.5.2. CMS may, before a bid is adjudicated or at any time, require a bidder to substantiate claims it has made

with regard to preference.

2.6. Submission of mandatory documents

• Bidders must submit the following documents for verification of specific goal points:
• Attach certified copy/ copies of South African ID of Directors/ Owners/ Shareholders to claim points

for Historically Disadvantaged Individuals (HDI)

• Attach a valid B-BBEE Certificate or Sworn Affidavit to

HDI Requirement: 80%

Preference Points System (Specific Goals – 20 points): (a) Historically Disadvantaged Individuals (5 points): 80%-100% Black-Owned (5), 50%-79.99% (4), 20%-49.99% (3), 1%-19.99% (1), below 1% (0). (b) Size of the Company (3 points): EME (3), QSE (2), Generic (1). (c) Black Woman-Owned Enterprise (5 points): 75%-100% (5), 51%-74.99% (3), 1%-50.99% (1), below 1% (0). (d) Ownership by People with Disabilities (3 points): 75%-100% (3), 51%-74.99% (2), 1%-50.99% (1), below 1% (0). (e) Ownership by Youth under 35 (4 points): 75%-100% (4), 51%-74.99% (3), 20%-50.99% (2), 1%-19.99% (1), below 1% (0). Only bidders who complete and sign SBD 6.1 will be considered for preference points. CMS may require substantiation of claims. Submission of mandatory documents: certified ID copies for HDI; valid B-BBEE Certificate or Sworn Affidavit for company size; medical certificate/letter for disabilities; B-BBEE Certificate/sworn affidavit, certified ID, CIPC for Black Women Owned; certified ID/Sworn Affidavit/CIPC for Youth Ownership. Trust, consortium, or joint venture must submit documents for each entity. Failure to submit proof will mean preference points for specific goals are not claimed.

For four (4) years

The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) is currently accepting bids from qualified service providers in response to the

tender advertisement published on the eTender Portal and CMS Website, titled: Request for Proposals for the

appointment of a service provider for the provision of managed voice and data services for CMS for four (4) years.

The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) is a statutory body established by the Medical Schemes Act,

1998 (Act No.) to provide regulatory supervision of private health financing through medical

schemes; and functions as a Schedule 3A Public Entity.

held liable for any technical challenges related to connectivity on the day of the briefing session.

9.3. Failure to attend the compulsory briefing session will lead to automatic disqualification, and the

bidder will not be considered for further evaluation.

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Section 2: terms of reference/ scope of work

1. Scope of work

1.1. Council for Medical Schemes hereby request reputable and experienced bidder/s to submit a proposal

as per the following specifications:

a) 200 Mbps Fibre: Managed Voice and Data Contract for the CMS Head Office.

b) Line speed: 200 Mbps fibre.

c) The bidder should provide a router that includes redundancy in case of a device failure.

d) Provide Uncapped internet service.

e) Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Virtual Private Network (VPN)

f) 1:1 Contention Ratio

g) Internet breakout – 200 Mbps.

h) Porting our existing share call number 0861123267 and ensuring that trunks are going to the

permit others to disclose, nor use for personal gain, such confidential information or materials without the

explicit written consent of the CMS or any third-party owner. The entire RFP document should be regarded

as proprietary and confidential to the CMS. This non-disclosure obligation continues beyond this Agreement

and remains in effect until such confidential information or materials are legally obtained or published publicly.

10. Special conditions

Any award(s) made as a result of this RFP will be subject to the following terms and conditions:

10.1. Liquidated Damages

capital, efforts, skill and knowledge in an activity for the execution of a contract.

Request for proposal NO. CMS02/2026/2027

Appointment of a service provider for provision of managed voice and data services for four (4) years

may be reported to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for criminal investigation and or may be restricted

from conducting business with the public sector for a period not exceeding ten (10) years in terms of the Prevention

and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act No or any other applicable legislation.

I CERTIFY THAT THE INFORMATION FURNISHED IN PARAGRAPHS 1, 2 and 3 ABOVE IS CORRECT.

I accept that the state may reject the bid or act against me in terms of paragraph 6 of

PFMA SCM instruction /22 on preventing and combating abuse in the supply

• Controlling and co-ordinating the functioning and governance of all entities conducting the business

of medical schemes in a manner that is complementary to national health policy

• Investigating complaints and settling disputes in relation to the affairs of medical schemes
• Collecting, disseminating information, and collaborating with stakeholders about private health care
• Making recommendations and advising the Minister on the criteria for the measurement of quality and

outcomes of health services provided by medical schemes, and related matters

solution.

Page | 7

e) The support SLA should include a detailed incident management prioritisation procedure, which will

be annexed to the SLA once agreed.

f) The bidder must provide comprehensive on-site support and warranty for the duration of the contract,

with a four (4) hour response or turnaround time

g) The successful bidder should guarantee a maximum 4-hour response time. on the replacement of

faulty equipment at the client's premises.

h) Allocation of a dedicated Account Manager and Service Manager or Service Delivery Manager, and

monthly meetings held with agreed minutes.

i) Escalation procedure related to the reported incidents, on-site support, replacement of faulty

equipment and all other incidents related to the scope of work.

j) Response and resolution times for events and service requests.

k) Submit monthly and ad-hoc service reports related to incidents, service requests, faulty equipment

and any other events or challenges related to the scope of service.

1.5. Network and Service Availability

a) We require at least a 99,5% uptime from Provider Edge (PE) Router to PE Router per path.

b) We require at least 99,5% availability on International and 99% availability on local ports.

c) The Council of Medical Schemes has an uptime requirement of 99.5%, and the appointed service

provider must be willing to enter into a service Level agreement (SLA) for the uptime requirement of

99.5%.

d) Anything lower can result in engagements and penalties according to the agreed SLA and annexures

to the SLA

1.6. Implementation plan

a) The service provider must assist with the full implementation/ and or project plan of the project and

maintain the internet availability throughout the transition to the new contract.

1.7. Incident Management priority levels and escalation procedure for Technical Support.

Priority 1 – The Unavailability of a critical service or a high-priority incident. The impact is on

(Critical) normal business operations, as employees within the organisation are unable to

perform their daily duties, and external stakeholders are also affected.

Priority 2 The network connection is unavailable or impaired, which is a serious problem.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ................... ................. R....................

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ................... ................. R....................

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ................... ................. R....................

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ................... ................. R....................

Total: r..........................................................

** ”all applicable taxes” includes value- added tax, pay-as-you-earn, income tax, unemployment insurance fund

contributions and skills development levies.

5.1. Other expenses, for example accommodation (specify, e.g. three-star hotel, bed and breakfast, telephone cost,

reproduction cost, etc.). Based on these particulars, certified invoices will be checked for correctness. Proof of

the expenses must accompany invoices.

Mandatory Technical Criteria: 1) Provide two (2) letters of testimony as proof of implementation of Managed Voice and Data Services or Internet services for clients, on company letterhead, including website address, organisation name, contact person and details, not older than five (5) years. 2) Provide a valid ISP (Internet Service Provider) license or certificate issued by ICASA; if expired before bid closing, proposal will be disqualified. 3) Attend the compulsory briefing session. 4) Complete the Tender Register at the time of submission. Bidders must state compliance or non-compliance with each requirement and provide substantiating comment or cross-reference.

bidder will not be considered for further evaluation.

6.1 - Preference points claim form in terms of the preferential procurement

This preference form must form part of all tenders invited. It contains general information and serves as a claim form for

preference points for specific goals.

The following preference point systems apply to invitations to tender

the 80/20 system for requirements with a Rand value of up to R50 000 000 (all applicable taxes included);

the 90/10 system for requirements with a Rand value above R50 000 000 (all applicable taxes included).

a) The applicable preference point system for this tender is the 80/20 preference point system.

1.2 Points for this tender (even in the case of a tender for income-generating contracts) shall be awarded for

(b) Specific Goals.

The maximum points for this tender are allocated as follows

Specific goals 20

Total points for Price and SPECIFIC GOALS 100

1.4 Failure on the part of a tenderer to submit proof or documentation required in terms of this tender to claim points

for specific goals with the tender will be interpreted to mean that preference points for specific goals are not claimed.

subsequently, to substantiate any claim regarding preferences, in any manner required by the organ of state.

An efficient, effective, high-quality, agile and trusted South African regulator generating sustainable

• Making recommendations and advising the Minister on the criteria for the measurement of quality and

organisational capacity, and operational capability to ensure uninterrupted, high-quality communication

2. Evaluation process and criteria

Table 1 - Evaluation of bids will be conducted in four (4) phases as follows

Stage Details

Phase 1 Administrative Evaluation Criteria: The purpose of these criteria is to evaluate the bidders’

Phase 2 Mandatory Evaluation Criteria: These criteria evaluate bidders' eligibility and compliance

Phase 3 Technical/Functional Evaluation Criteria: These criteria assess bidders' technical