Bidt managed service for gds cost management, compliance and enforcement – 3-Year contract

SAA requires a Business Intelligence and Data Transparency (BIDT) Managed Service Solution to provide visibility, analysis, cost management, compliance monitoring and enforcement of Global Distribution System (GDS) costs. The solution must be an established, market-proven BIDT platform with managed services, supporting monitoring and optimisation of SAA's GDS distribution expenditure across multiple GDS providers. Contract term is three (3) years from effective date of award.

Closing date: 06 October 2026 at 16:00

Validity of RFQ: 180 days from closing date.

Submission email: [email protected]

Procurement official: contact via the submission email for enquiries.

SAA Business Unit: Global Supply Management

Submission method: email to [email protected]. Maximum email size 2MB; if files exceed this, send in parts or provide a downloadable link. SAA is not responsible for corrupt links.

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

• SAA Vendor application and supporting documents (Annexure 1).
• SBD 4 Declaration of Interest (Annexure 2): discloses whether any director or shareholder is employed by the state or connected to anyone at SAA.
• General Conditions of Contract (Annexure 3): acceptance of SAA's standard terms.

Disqualification risks:

• Quotations received after the closing date and time will not be considered.
• Late or incomplete submissions invalidate the quote and result in automatic disqualification.
• Failure to submit all required returnable documents (critical criteria) leads to disqualification.
• Failure to comply 100% with mandatory statements of compliance (selecting "No" or not providing supporting evidence) leads to disqualification.
• If not quoting, indicate so and return the email to the relevant procurement official.

Required documentation to be attached: 1. SAA Vendor Document (Annexure 1), 2. SBD 4 Document (Annexure 2), 3. General Conditions of Contract (Annexure 3). The following must accompany the quote: SAA Vendor application and supporting documents, SBD 4 Document, General Conditions of Contract.

Evaluation is in five steps, which may run sequentially or in parallel:

• Step 1: Administrative responsiveness – all returnable documents completed, signed and submitted on time.
• Step 2: Substantive (mandatory) requirements – 100% compliance with mandatory statements, including providing an established, market-proven BIDT platform with at least three (3) commercial airline deployments, evidenced by reference letters on client letterhead.
• Step 3: Technical functionality – minimum qualifying score 70%.
• Implementation Lead Time (40% weight): 0-8 weeks = 40 points; 8-12 weeks = 20; more than 12 weeks = 10.
• Airline Industry BIDT Experience (60% weight): no evidence = 0; 5 years = 5; 10 years = 30; more than 10 years = 60.
• Step 4: Price (80 points) and Specific Goals (20 points).
• Specific Goals: B-BBEE Level 1 or 2 = 10 points (Level 3-8 or non-compliant = 0); 30% or more black women owned = 10 points.
• Step 5: Post-tender negotiations (if applicable) before Letter of Award is issued.

Bidders failing to achieve 70% on functionality will not be considered for further evaluation against Price and B-BBEE.

SAA is not obligated to accept the lowest quotation and may withdraw the RFQ at any time. Award is at SAA's sole and absolute discretion.

Scope: Provision of a Business Intelligence and Data Transparency (BIDT) Managed Service Solution for visibility, analysis, cost management, compliance monitoring and enforcement of Global Distribution System (GDS) costs.

Contract term: 3 years from effective date of contract award.

Technology platform requirements:

• Commercially available and operational BIDT platform, currently deployed in the airline industry.
• Requires only GDS billing and transactional data inputs; no custom software development for core functionality.
• Secure web-based access for authorised SAA users; configurable dashboards and reporting; audit trails and data governance controls.

Managed service requirements:

• Administer and manage the platform on behalf of SAA.
• Load, validate, reconcile and process all required GDS billing files.
• Maintain business rules and cost-monitoring parameters.
• Conduct ongoing analysis and exception management.
• Generate recurring and ad hoc reports.
• Manage workflows for investigations, disputes and enforcement activities.
• Provide expert recommendations to optimise distribution costs.

GDS coverage – must support: Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport, Travelsky, Infini.

Billing data processing:

• Ingest standard GDS billing files; process monthly billing data.
• Automated data validation; reconcile transactions against business rules; identify anomalies and exceptions.
• Maintain historical data throughout the contract period.
• Must not require direct integration into airline reservation systems.

BSP and ARC support:

• BSP: worldwide markets, international travel agency sales, agency performance monitoring.
• ARC: reporting and ticketing activity, US agency sales volumes, ARC-specific distribution costs.

Functional requirements:

• Cost visibility and analytics: reporting by market, agency, point of sale, route, country, booking channel, fare product; trend analysis and benchmarking.
• Compliance monitoring: duplicate bookings, passive segments, churning, excessive cancellations, hidden city or prohibited practices, non-compliant agency behaviour, contractual violations, inefficient booking patterns.
• Enforcement: exception identification, investigation workflows, agency compliance tracking, corrective action monitoring, dispute management, recovery opportunity identification, documentation of enforcement actions.
• Reporting and dashboards: monthly executive summary, GDS spend, agency performance, compliance, cost optimisation, recovery opportunity reports; real-time or near-real-time dashboards, user-configurable views, KPI scorecards, trend analysis, export to Excel, CSV and PDF.
• Workflow management: exception review, investigation tracking, case management, escalation, resolution tracking, closure reporting; SAA users see workflow status via portal.

Portal access: secure web-based, role-based access control, multi-user, user administration, audit logging, single sign-on (preferred), secure data transmission and storage. SAA receives portal access; workflow administration remains with service provider.

Implementation: project plan, governance structure, risk management plan, resource plan; data onboarding, historical data migration (where applicable), configuration, user acceptance testing, training, go-live support; provide implementation timeline and estimated duration.

Service levels: define system availability, data processing timelines, incident response times, resolution times, reporting delivery schedules, customer support arrangements. Minimum platform availability 99.5% excluding planned maintenance.

Training and knowledge transfer: administrator and end-user training, training documentation, user manuals, ongoing knowledge transfer throughout contract.

Data security and compliance: comply with all applicable data privacy regulations and POPIA; industry-standard cybersecurity controls; secure hosting; confidentiality of airline and agency information.

Deliverables: operational BIDT platform, secure user portal, monthly data processing services, monthly management reports, compliance monitoring reports, cost optimisation recommendations, enforcement management services, quarterly business review presentations, annual performance assessment reports.

The bidder shall provide: Project Initiation – project plan, governance structure, risk management plan, resource plan. Implementation Activities – data onboarding, historical data migration (where applicable), configuration, user acceptance testing, training, go-live support. The bidder shall provide an implementation timeline and estimated duration.

Bidders shall demonstrate: proven experience delivering airline distribution analytics solutions; existing BIDT technology deployed within airlines or travel distribution environments; experience managing GDS cost optimisation programs; experience with Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport, Travelsky and Infini; experience supporting BSP and ARC reporting environments; availability of suitably qualified resources. Mandatory: at least three (3) commercial airline deployments of the BIDT platform, evidenced by reference letters on client letterhead.

Service Level Requirements: The bidder shall define service levels including system availability, data processing timelines, incident response times, resolution times, reporting delivery schedules, and customer support arrangements. Minimum platform availability should be 99.5% excluding planned maintenance. Implementation includes user acceptance testing.

All prices must be exclusive of VAT. Prices must be firm (fixed), subject only to statutory changes in VAT. Pricing should be given per individual component of the solution, based on technical and functional requirements. Quotation submission must include a pricing schedule.

Pricing format:

• All prices must be exclusive of VAT.
• Prices must be firm (fixed), subject only to statutory changes in VAT.
• Pricing should be given per individual component of the solution, based on technical and functional requirements.

Payment and contract conditions:

• All purchases made through an official purchase order; no goods or services delivered before receiving an official order/contract.
• All goods/services subject to SAA Conditions of Contract and Order.

No bid security, guarantee, retention or financial capacity thresholds are stated.

Tax compliance:

• The vendor is responsible for ensuring SAA has a valid Original Tax Clearance Certificate. If SAA does not have one on file, an Original Tax Clearance Certificate must be submitted with the RFQ. Failure to do so may invalidate the quote.

B-bbee:

• Specific Goals (20 points) awarded for B-BBEE Level 1 or 2 (10 points) and 30% or more black women owned (10 points).
• Acceptable evidence: B-BBEE Certificate, Sworn Affidavit, or CIPC Certificate (for JV, a consolidated scorecard accepted) as per DTIC guidelines.

Mandatory technical requirement:

• Must provide an established, market-proven BIDT platform with successful deployment in at least three (3) commercial airline environments, evidenced by reference letters on client letterhead confirming the platform is fully operational and supported.

Returnable documents: SAA Vendor application (Annexure 1), SBD 4 (Annexure 2), General Conditions of Contract (Annexure 3).

No specific health and safety requirements are stated in the document. The content provided is standard form boilerplate and not tender-specific.

Data Security and Compliance: The bidder shall comply with all applicable data privacy regulations, comply with POPIA requirements, implement industry-standard cybersecurity controls, maintain secure hosting environments, and ensure confidentiality of airline and agency information.

Contract term is three (3) years from the effective date of contract award, subject to SAA procurement policies and contractual approvals. All goods/services purchased are subject to the SAA Conditions of Contract and Order. SAA has the right to negotiate terms and conditions, including price. SAA may withdraw the RFQ at any time and is not obligated to accept the lowest quotation.

All prices provided must be exclusive of VAT. All goods/services purchased will be subject to the SAA Conditions of Contract and Order. All prices submitted must be firm, only subject to statutory changes in VAT. Service, pricing, and availability will be taken into consideration. Pricing should be given based on individual components that make up the solution, based on technical and functional requirements.

Evaluation is in five steps: Step 1 – evaluation of returnable documents; Step 2 – evaluation of mandatory (substantive) returnable requirements; Step 3 – technical functionality with minimum threshold of 70%; Step 4 – price (80 points) and Specific Goals (20 points); Step 5 – post-tender negotiations (if applicable) before Letter of Award. Stages may run sequentially or in parallel. SAA is not obligated to accept the lowest quotation. Administrative evaluation confirms all returnable documents are completed and signed. Substantive requirements require 100% compliance with mandatory statements. Technical Functional Questionnaire: Implementation Lead Time (40% weight) – 0-8 weeks = 40, 8-12 weeks = 20, more than 12 weeks = 10; Airline Industry BIDT Experience (60% weight) – no evidence = 0, 5 years = 5, 10 years = 30, more than 10 years = 60. Total = 100%, threshold = 70%. Bidders failing to achieve 70% on functionality will not be considered for further evaluation against Price and B-BBEE. Phase 3 – Pricing and Specific Goals: Specific Goals (20 points) include B-BBEE Level 1 and 2 (10 points) and bidders that are 30% or more black women owned (10 points). Acceptable evidence includes B-BBEE Certificate / Sworn-Affidavit / CIPC Certificate.

This document is the SAA General Conditions of Contract (GCC), which apply to all bids, contracts and orders. It does not describe the specific BIDT service scope.

Closing date: 6 October 2026 at 16:00.

Returnable documents: all completed and signed forms must be submitted with the quotation. The specific returnable forms are not listed in this document; refer to the full tender pack.

Submission method: not stated in this document.

Closing time: 6 October 2026 at 16:00 (from tender record).

Evaluation criteria are not detailed in this document. The document only states general conditions of contract.

Pre-award requirements:

• Valid tax clearance certificate from SARS must be submitted before award.
• Bidder must not have tax matters not in order.
• Bidder must not have engaged in collusive bidding or bid rigging (Competition Act).
• Bidder must comply with the National Industrial Participation Programme (NIPP) if applicable.
• Bidder must not be restricted from doing business with the public sector.
• Performance security must be furnished within 30 days of contract award, amount as specified in the SCC.

This document is the General Conditions of Contract (GCC) only. It does not contain the technical specifications for the BIDT service. Refer to the main tender document for scope, deliverables, quantities, and service levels.

Quality and inspection requirements:

• Goods must conform to standards in the bidding documents and specifications.
• Pre-bidding testing is for the bidder's account.
• If inspection is a bid condition, premises must be open for inspection by purchaser's representative.
• If inspections show compliance, costs borne by purchaser; if non-compliance, costs borne by supplier.
• Non-compliant supplies may be rejected; supplier must remove and replace at own cost.
• Purchaser may audit supplier's records related to contract performance.

Performance security:

• Must be furnished within 30 days of notification of contract award.
• Amount as specified in the Special Conditions of Contract (SCC).
• Forms: bank guarantee, irrevocable letter of credit, or cashier's/certified cheque.
• Denominated in contract currency or freely convertible currency acceptable to the purchaser.
• Returned within 30 days after completion of performance obligations, including warranty.

Payment:

• Method and conditions specified in SCC.
• Supplier submits invoice with delivery note.
• Payment within 30 days after invoice submission.
• Payment in Rand unless otherwise stated in SCC.

Prices:

• Prices must not vary from bid prices except for adjustments authorised in SCC or bid validity extension.

Tax compliance:

• Valid tax clearance certificate from SARS required before award.
• No contract concluded with bidder whose tax matters are not in order.

Collusive bidding:

• Prohibited under Competition Act; may lead to bid invalidation, contract termination, restriction from public sector business for up to 10 years, and damages.

National Industrial Participation Programme (NIPP):

• Applicable to all contracts subject to NIP obligation, administered by the Department of Trade and Industry.

Restriction from public sector:

• Bidders restricted from doing business with the public sector may be disqualified.

The GCC applies to all bids, contracts and orders. Special Conditions of Contract (SCC) supplement the GCC and prevail in case of conflict.

Key contractual terms:

• Performance security: required within 30 days of contract award, amount per SCC.
• Warranty: goods must be new, unused, current models; warranty valid 12 months after delivery/acceptance or 18 months after shipment, whichever ends earlier, unless SCC states otherwise.
• Payment: within 30 days of invoice, in Rand unless otherwise stated.
• Prices: fixed, no variation except as authorised in SCC or bid validity extension.
• Contract amendments: only by written amendment signed by both parties.
• Assignment: not allowed without purchaser's prior written consent.
• Subcontracts: must be notified in writing.
• Delays: penalties may be imposed; purchaser may procure substitute goods and claim damages.
• Penalties: calculated on delayed goods/services using current prime interest rate per day of delay.
• Termination for default: purchaser may terminate, supplier liable for excess costs, and may be restricted from public sector business for up to 10 years.
• Force majeure: relieves liability for delays if conditions met.
• Termination for insolvency: purchaser may terminate without compensation.
• Dispute resolution: amicable consultation, then mediation, then South African court.
• Limitation of liability: supplier not liable for indirect/consequential loss; aggregate liability capped at contract price (except for repair/replacement of defective equipment).
• Governing language: English.
• Applicable law: South African law.
• Taxes and duties: local supplier responsible for all taxes until delivery; foreign supplier responsible for taxes outside purchaser's country.
• NIPP: applicable if subject to NIP obligation.
• Restrictive practices: collusive bidding prohibited; may lead to bid invalidation, termination, restriction up to 10 years, and damages.

No evaluation criteria are provided in this document. It only states general conditions.