Bitou Municipality Tender SCM/2026/08/CORP — Provision of Licensing, Maintenance & Support Services for Internal Audit and Risk Management System (to 30 June 2028)

Key Dates, Location & Contact

Tender Scope & Requirements

From the tender notice and document:

• This is a re-advertised tender, indicating that the municipality had advertised this requirement before but did not conclude a successful contract, or is choosing to refresh it. 

• The scope includes licensing fees, maintenance, upgrades (where needed), and support services for the Internal Audit & Risk Management software/system until 30 June 2028. 

• The system likely supports audit workflows, risk registers, reporting, dashboards, and possibly modules for compliance, monitoring & evaluation, so technical knowledge in system software with security, data integrity, user permissions etc. will be important. (Inferred from “Internal Audit and Risk Management System”)

• Tender documents are available for free electronically; printed copies are available for a non-refundable fee (R144.90) starting 11 August 2025 at the SCM office in Plettenberg Bay, during business hours. 

Evaluation & Procurement Conditions

• Preferential Procurement System: Tenders will be evaluated via the 80/20 preference point system, with 80% weighting on price and 20% on “Specific Goals.” 

• Under the 20 “Specific Goals,” breakdown is:

  • B-BBEE status level contributor: 10 points 

  • Promotion of Local Area Enterprises: 10 points 

• Validity Period: Bids must remain valid for 120 days after closing. 

• CSD / Supplier Registration: Tenderers not yet registered must register on the Central Supplier Database. 

• Submission Requirements: Tender documents must be submitted in sealed envelopes, endorsed with the tender number, description, and closing date, to the SCM Unit of Bitou Municipality, Shop 59, 2nd Floor, Melville’s Corner, Plettenberg Bay. Electronic copies only if explicitly required; printed copies also used. 

• Binding Statement: The municipality does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender. It reserves the right to accept any tender or part thereof.

Why This Tender Matters

• Longer Term Contract: With services up to 30 June 2028, that gives successful bidder roughly a three-year contract, depending on when implementation starts. That offers revenue stability.

• Critical Functionality: Internal Audit & Risk Management systems are central to governance, compliance, and control functions in local government. Service quality, uptime, and support capabilities matter.

• Opportunity for Local Enterprises: Local area enterprises can score through the “Promotion of Local Area Enterprises” portion of the preference points, which could be significant for SMEs based in or near Plettenberg Bay.

• Re-Advertised Nature: Because this is a re-advertisement, previous bidders can review deficiencies, improve their proposals, or new entrants can capitalize if prior responses were weak.

Strategic Advice for Bidders

Here are things to focus on if you plan to bid:

1. Understand the past contract (if possible). Since it’s re-advertised, try to find out what the previous arrangement was, weaknesses or gaps, and how you can address them (e.g. better support, more robust service level agreements, clearer documentation).

2. Technical Proposal Detailing

   • Describe your software licensing model (perpetual, subscription, user count), upgrade paths, versioning, bug fixes, security patches.

   • Maintenance schedule, response times, downtime allowances.

   • Compatibility with municipality’s infrastructure, data security, backups, user training.

3. Support & SLA Commitments

   • Include response times, escalation mechanisms, remote vs on-site support.

   • Plan for uptime, resilience, backup, disaster recovery.

4. Localization & B-BBEE

   • If you are not local, consider partnerships with Local Area Enterprises.

   • Demonstrate your BBBEE status clearly, including certificates.

5. Pricing

   • Be very clear in your cost breakdown: licensing costs, maintenance fees, support, any onboarding or implementation cost.

   • Because price has high weight (80%), pricing must be competitive but sustainable.

6. Compliance & Documentation

   • Ensure you have all the required legal & financial documents: CSD registration, tax clearance, proof of BBBEE, company registration, any relevant industry certifications.

   • Ensure every form in the tender document is completed properly.

7. Bid Validity & Terms

   • Aim for the full 120-day validity as required.

   • Make sure your contract terms are acceptable (warranty, liability, etc.) and clearly spelled out.

8. Clarity & Presentation

   • Make your bid easy to follow: executive summary, scope alignment, pricing tables, milestone / deliverables calendar, training / handover plan.

Summary Snapshot