Officials address tender issues at indaba
Common administration errors were causing many potential service providers to be disqualified.
ANYONE can become a service provider to government departments.
This was the sentiment held by officials at the supply chain management indaba hosted by the uThungulu District Municipality and provincial Treasury Department at Umfolozi Casino Resort last week.
‘The municipality’s procurement procedures and tender processes are often not understood by the community,’ said uThungulu District Mayor, Thembeka Mchunu.
In the day-long event, representatives from SARS, the KZN Department of Trade and Industry and Ithala Bank, alongside uThungulu officials, tackled misconceptions regarding how government procures services from the public.
‘It is worrying to see applicants easily disqualified,’ said Mchunu.
‘When we see the report at the end and out of 50 applicants only five could be shortlisted, you start asking what happened to the rest.’
Officials noted with concern that common administration errors were causing many potential service providers to be disqualified.
These included submitting an application with different specifications to the tender document, not submitting a detailed pricing schedule, incomplete or late document submissions and the use of correction fluid, to name a few.
‘There’s no such thing as ‘connections’,’ said uThungulu District Municipal Manager Mandla Nkosi. ‘You just have to get the basics right.’
uThungulu’s Supply Chain Management is governed by various act and is obligated to set up and maintain a list of accredited service providers, referred to as the Database of Service Providers.
Potential service providers can tap into uThungulu’s R1-billion budget by joining this list, provided they possess original or certified copies of a valid workmen’s compensation certificate (WCC), all current municipal accounts from where the business operates, company registration documents, BBBEE certificates if applicable, Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) certificates if applicable, a valid Business License (catering tenders) and a valid Health Certificate (catering tenders).
A completed Declaration Form, Banking Form signed by the bank and a Tax Clearance Certificate with Tax and VAT numbers, if applicable, will also be required.
