How to Bid for Public and Private Tenders in South Africa: A Practical 2025 Guide

South Africa’s public and private tender market offers thousands of opportunities every year, from infrastructure and engineering to ICT, consulting, training, and everyday goods and services. For companies that understand the rules and processes, tenders can become a stable growth engine rather than a confusing gamble.

This guide explains:

• How South Africa’s public procurement system is structured

• Where to find public tenders

• The main tender and quotation methods

• How the bidding process works in practice

• How private sector tenders differ from public tenders

• Practical compliance and bidding tips

• How to use global platforms like TendersGo to track opportunities inside and outside South Africa

1. Legal framework of public procurement in South Africa

South African public procurement is grounded in several key legal instruments:

1.1 The Constitution (section 217)

Section 217 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 requires that when an organ of state contracts for goods or services, it must do so in accordance with a system that is:

• Fair

• Equitable

• Transparent

• Competitive

• Cost-effective

This constitutional clause is the foundation of all public procurement rules.

1.2 PFMA and MFMA

Two core financial laws translate these principles into day-to-day obligations:

• Public Finance Management Act (PFMA)Applies to national and provincial departments and public entities. Accounting officers must implement supply chain management systems that comply with constitutional principles.

• Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA)Applies to municipalities and municipal entities, with similar requirements for transparent and competitive procurement.

Each organ of state adopts detailed Supply Chain Management (SCM) policies based on these laws.

1.3 Preferential Procurement and B-BBEE

The Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA) and associated regulations set out how public bodies may apply preference points to advance certain categories of suppliers, including those with strong Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) credentials.

For bidders, this means:

• Tenders are often evaluated using a points system that combines price and B-BBEE status.

• Maintaining valid B-BBEE documentation is essential to remain competitive.

1.4 Public Procurement Act 2024

The Public Procurement Act, 2024 is designed to create a more unified, coherent framework across all spheres of government by consolidating fragmented provisions from PFMA, MFMA and PPPFA. As this framework is implemented through regulations and guidelines, suppliers should follow National

Treasury circulars and practice notes closely to stay aligned with updated procedures.

2. Where to find public tenders in South Africa

2.1 National Treasury eTender Publication Portal

The primary entry point for public tenders is the National Treasury eTender Publication Portal (official South African government portal). It aims to provide a single, free access point to advertised tenders from:

• National departments

• Provincial departments

• Municipalities and municipal entities

• Public entities and other organs of state

On the eTender portal, suppliers can:

• Search active tenders by department, province or tender number

• Download bid documents

• See corrigenda and, in many cases, award information

This is the main platform any serious public sector supplier should monitor regularly.

2.2 Departmental, municipal and provincial websites

Many organs of state maintain tender pages on their official government websites. Examples include:

• National departments

• Provincial governments

• Metropolitan municipalities and municipal entities

These pages often:

• Announce new tenders

• Provide links to bid documents

• Refer suppliers back to the eTender Publication Portal

As a supplier, you should create a shortlist of key departments, municipalities and entities in your sector and monitor their official websites in parallel with the eTender portal.

2.3 Global tender intelligence with TendersGo

If your company operates beyond South Africa, checking dozens of national portals every day is inefficient. TendersGo provides a single tender and contract search platform covering South Africa plus 220+ countries, across all sectors and industries, in many languages.

Through TendersGo you can:

• Track South African tenders together with opportunities across Africa and worldwide

• Filter by sector, CPV/UNSPSC/NAICS codes, region, organization and many other criteria

• Receive smart alerts and AI-based recommendations, instead of manually checking each portal

For trade-oriented companies, combining official local sources with a global engine like TendersGo creates a much stronger business development pipeline.

You can explore it here:https://www.tendersgo.com

3. Supplier registration: Central Supplier Database (CSD)

To do business with government, suppliers are expected to register on the official Central Supplier Database (CSD).

3.1 What the CSD is

The CSD is a central repository of supplier information used by all organs of state. It stores:

• Company registration and ownership details

• Tax compliance status

• Banking details (verified for payment)

• B-BBEE status documents

• Contact information

When you respond to a tender, you are often asked to provide your CSD supplier number or proof of active CSD registration.

3.2 Why CSD registration matters

Most departments and municipalities:

• Prefer or require bidders to be registered and “active” on the CSD

• Use the CSD to verify tax status, banking details and other compliance items

Without CSD registration:

• Your bid may be declared non-responsive, or

• You may be unable to receive payments even if you are awarded a contract

If you intend to bid in South Africa, treat CSD registration as a first step, not an afterthought.

4. Main public tender and quotation methods

While the detailed thresholds can differ between organs of state and may be updated by Treasury instructions, the typical structure looks like this:

4.1 Petty cash and micro-purchases

Very low value purchases are handled through petty cash or equivalent low-value mechanisms, governed by internal SCM policies. These are generally not advertised widely and have limited strategic importance for most suppliers.

4.2 Written price quotations (RFQs)

For low to medium value procurement, public bodies commonly use written price quotations:

• A minimum number of written quotations (for example three or more) is obtained from suppliers.

• Requests are often issued to suppliers already on internal databases or identified via the CSD.

• Award is usually based on price, basic compliance and applicable preference points.

RFQs tend to be:

• Faster and more informal than full tenders

• A good entry point for smaller suppliers and new entrants

• Less visible if you are not actively networking with the relevant entity

4.3 Formal competitive bids (open tenders)

Above a defined threshold, organs of state must follow a formal competitive bidding process:

• Tenders are publicly advertised via the eTender portal and/or the entity’s official website.

• Bid documents are made available with clear instructions.

• Bids are opened and evaluated in line with formal procedures and documented criteria.

Formal competitive bids are:

• The main route for substantial, high-value or longer-term contracts

• Transparent and competitive by design

• Often accompanied by more detailed technical requirements and compliance obligations

4.4 Restricted or invited tenders

In special cases, entities may conduct restricted tenders, inviting only pre-identified suppliers, for example when:

• Only a few suppliers are technically capable of delivering

• Standardisation or compatibility with existing systems is critical

• Security or confidentiality requirements apply

These tenders are still subject to constitutional principles and internal controls and must be properly justified.

4.5 Direct procurement and deviations

Direct procurement (without competition) is allowed only in exceptional circumstances, such as:

• Genuine emergencies

• Sole supplier situations

• Unforeseen events that make normal processes impracticable

SCM policies and Treasury guidelines strictly regulate such deviations, and entities must record reasons and often report them to oversight bodies.

5. A typical public tender process: step-by-step

From a supplier’s perspective, a standard competitive bid usually follows these steps:

5.1 Advertisement & access to documents

• The organ of state publishes the tender on the eTender Publication Portal and/or its official website.

• The advertisement specifies:

  • Tender number and title

  • Brief description

  • Closing date and time

  • Where and how to obtain bid documents

  • Whether there is a compulsory briefing or site meeting

5.2 Compulsory briefing / site meetings

For certain works or complex services:

• The entity may require a compulsory briefing session or site visit.

• Attendance is recorded; failure to attend usually leads to automatic disqualification, even if you submit a bid.

Always read the advertisement and bid documents carefully to confirm whether a briefing is compulsory or optional.

5.3 Preparing your bid

A typical bid has three main components:

1. Administrative / compliance documents

   • Company details, CSD registration number, tax and B-BBEE certificates or affidavits

   • Declarations of interest, conflict of interest forms, and other standard forms

2. Technical proposal (functionality)

   • Understanding of the scope

   • Methodology and approach

   • Work plan and timelines

   • Team composition and key CVs

   • Relevant experience and references

3. Pricing schedule

   • Detailed breakdown of prices, often using a prescribed pricing template

   • Clarification of whether prices are firm or subject to escalation

   • Confirmation that prices include VAT where applicable

Your technical proposal must speak directly to the functionality criteria listed in the bid document. Do not assume evaluators will “guess” your strengths.

5.4 Submission

Submission rules are strict:

• Bids must be submitted before the closing date and time, in the manner specified (physical box, secure email, or online platform).

• Late bids are normally returned unopened or marked as late and disqualified.

• Packaging, labelling, number of copies and file formats (for electronic submissions) must be followed exactly.

Treat the submission instructions as non-negotiable.

5.5 Evaluation: functionality, price and preference

Most formal tenders are evaluated in three stages:

1. Compliance check

   • Ensures all mandatory documents are present and correctly completed.

2. Functionality (technical) evaluation

   • Your technical proposal is scored against pre-published criteria.

   • Only bids that meet minimum functionality thresholds proceed to the next stage.

3. Price and preference points

   • Price is scored according to a formula.

   • Preference points based on B-BBEE status and other approved factors are added.

The bid with the highest total score (technical + price + preference) is typically recommended for award, provided no disqualifying issues arise.

5.6 Award and debriefing

• Once approvals are obtained, the entity issues an award decision and signs a contract with the successful bidder.

• In many cases, award information is published on official government platforms.

• Unsuccessful bidders may request reasons or a debrief to improve future bids.

6. Private sector tenders in South Africa

Private tenders are not governed by PFMA, MFMA or PPPFA, but many large corporations adopt structured processes similar to public procurement.

Common models include:

• RFI (Request for Information)Used to explore the market, understand available solutions and refine requirements.

• RFQ (Request for Quotation)Focused on pricing and basic terms for a well-specified product or service.

• RFP (Request for Proposal)Seeks full technical and commercial proposals, often with weighted criteria and multi-stage evaluation.

Private tenders:

• Are often managed via corporate procurement portals or vendor registration systems

• Allow more flexibility in negotiation and commercial terms

• May involve pilot phases, proofs of concept and extended contract negotiations

For suppliers, the mindset should still be:

• Read the documents carefully

• Understand evaluation criteria

• Provide clear, structured and realistic offers

• Protect your margins and manage risk

7. Competition, integrity and risk

South Africa has a strong focus on combating corruption and anti-competitive behavior in public procurement. Issues that can lead to serious consequences include:

• Bid-rigging and collusion between competitors

• Fronting practices in B-BBEE structures

• Misrepresentation of experience, financial capacity or ownership

• Undeclared conflicts of interest

To stay on the right side of the law:

• Compete independently and avoid sharing bid-sensitive information with competitors.

• Ensure your B-BBEE documentation and ownership structures are genuine and auditable.

• Train your staff on anti-corruption and competition rules related to tenders.

• Keep your internal records and approval processes clean and consistent.

8. Practical tips for winning more tenders in South Africa

1. Register and maintain your CSD profile

   • Keep tax, banking, shareholding and B-BBEE details up to date.

2. Build a tender calendar

   • Track key organs of state relevant to your sector.

   • Use the eTender Publication Portal and official government sites as primary sources.

3. Use TendersGo as your global radar

   • Combine local South African opportunities with tenders from the rest of Africa and the world on https://www.tendersgo.com.

   • Set alerts by sector, region and code systems so that relevant tenders come to you instead of you chasing them.

4. Standardise your bid content

   • Maintain ready-to-use templates for profiles, case studies, CVs and methodologies.

   • This lets you focus on tailoring, not rewriting from scratch.

5. Choose tenders strategically

   • Do not bid for everything.

   • Prioritise opportunities where you truly meet the requirements and can offer a strong value proposition.

6. Request debriefs and analyse results

   • Learn why you lost or won.

   • Track patterns by client, sector and region.

South Africa’s tender landscape is complex but highly structured. If you:

• Understand the legal framework

• Register properly on the CSD

• Learn how RFQs and formal competitive bids actually work

• Treat private RFPs with the same discipline as public tenders

• Combine local official sources with a global engine like TendersGo

…then tenders stop being a one-time gamble and become a repeatable, scalable channel for business growth in South Africa and beyond.