TENDER BRIEFING NOTES TENDER IEC/LG-04/2015 BALLOT PAPER PRINTING FOR 2016 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS (LGE)

Transcription

1 TENDER BRIEFING NOTES TENDER IEC/LG-04/2015 BALLOT PAPER PRINTING FOR 2016 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS (LGE) 2 October 2015 Election House, Riverside Office Park, 1303 Heuwel Ave, Centurion Tender Briefing Panel: Mr Vincent Qwabe (Procurement and Asset Management) Mr Simon Boyle (Logistics and Infrastructure) Other IEC officials present: Ms Suzette Ndala (Logistics and Infrastructure) Mr Vusi Langa (Logistics and Infrastructure) Ms Mavis Louw (Procurement and Asset Management) Mr Qwabe welcomed the prospective bidders and thanked them for attending the briefing. Bidders were advised to sign the attendance register accordingly. Mr Qwabe advised the gathering about the closing date as well as the closing time, and the process thereof which follows. Mr Qwabe then took the prospective bidders through the procurement requirements. He addressed amongst other things: Attendance to the briefing is not compulsory. The closing date and time for the tender is 11:00 on 6 November Tender documents must only be submitted at the Electoral Commission s address as specified in the tender document before the closing date and time. The Electoral Commission preferably determines the time of closure by using Telkom s 1026 number if available at the time of the closure of the tender. Once the tender closes, a list of bids received will be recorded. The list of bids received will be published on the Electoral Commission s eprocurement website within 10 days of the tender closing. All interested parties are welcome to observe the closure of the tender, should they so wish. Primary bid compliance verification is performed prior to the bid evaluation process to determine which bids qualify for consideration and which not. This is done by the Electoral Commission s Procurement and Asset Management Department and Legal Services. The findings are then independently verified by the Electoral Commission s Internal Audit Unit. The Electoral Commission s Procurement and Asset Management Department, User Department and Legal Services will attend to the evaluation of bids after the primary compliance verification process has been concluded. 1

2 Once the bid evaluation committee has considered the bids, proposals are made to the Bid Adjudication Committee who, in turn, shall make recommendations to the Chief Electoral Officer via the Executive Committee (EXCO) on the final adjudication thereof. Bids with a value exceeding R5 million including all applicable taxes are approved by the Chief Electoral Officer in consultation with the Commission. Bidders and their directors/trustees/shareholders listed on the national treasury register for tender defaulters and the list of restricted suppliers will not be considered for bid adjudication purposes. NO LATE TENDERS will be accepted. Certain aspects of the tender that should not be overlooked are as follows: Prospective service providers must ensure that the tender document has all the tender pages as any bid submission that lacks a page or more will be disqualified. Although courtesy copies may be made available to service providers it remains their responsibility to ensure that their bid submissions contain all the applicable pages of the tender document. Prospective service providers are requested to write their company name on the cover page of the tender document refer space provided for that purpose. The checklist provided on page thirty (30) of the tender is important and suppliers should focus on the requirements stipulated in the checklist once they have completed the entire tender document and prepared their detailed bid submission since it would assist them to ensure that they adhere to tender rules and comply with requirements. General Tender Conditions commencing on page five (5) of the tender document must be read carefully before the completion of the tender document. ALL APPLICABLE PAGES OF THE TENDER DOCUMENT MUST BE SIGNED/INITIALLED AND RETURNED AS PART OF YOUR BID SUBMISSION. Failure to return a page (which constitutes an incomplete bid submission) or unsigned/un-initialled page/s of the tender document shall lead to bids being disqualified. It is suggested that more than one person signs/initials the tender document pages to ensure that it is done properly and that no page is skipped. N.B There is a provision at the bottom of each and every page for a signature/initial. ALL CORRECTIONS AND/OR ALTERATIONS SHOULD BE SIGNED, failure of which may lead to the disqualification of bid submissions. EACH ALTERATION should have its own signature/initial. Any changes/alterations to pricing that is not signed/initialled are material and, therefore, not allowed. THE USE OF CORRECTION FLUID/TAPE TO AMEND/CHANGE PRICING MUST BE AVOIDED. The tender rules specifically provide that if correction fluid, tapes or any other such method is used to alter pricing it shall lead to the disqualification of a bid submission. Note the caution expressed at the bottom of each page in the tender document in this regard. National Treasury intends placing an obligation on the Electoral Commission to ensure that persons conducting business with us are tax compliant at the date of the submission and award of a bid as well as for the full duration of their respective contracts. Some of the requirements have been deferred for implementation. Refer to page eighteen (18) of the tender document. o To substantiate the fact that your tax affairs are in order, an original valid SARS (South African Revenue Services) Tax Clearance Certificate for tenders. The tax clearance certificate (if submitted) must at least be valid up to and including the closing date of this tender. 2

3 o As per the above provisions, it must be ensured that sub-contractors, undisclosed principals, partners in partnerships and bidders not resident in the Republic of South Africa are tax compliant and remain tax compliant for the full duration of the contract. o No explanatory letter from SARS or any other party will be accepted in respect of the failure to submit a valid original tax clearance certificate. o No copies of tax clearance certificates will be accepted. An original or certified copy (not a copy of a certified copy) of the valid B-BBEE status level certificate from an accredited verification agency must be submitted with the bid. The 90/10 preference point systems will be applied in accordance with the formula and applicable points as provided for in the respective status level contributor tables in the Preferential Procurement Regulations, Failure to submit the required B-BBEE status level certificates will lead to a zero (0) status level for non-compliant service providers/contributors and no preference points will be given. Do not RETYPE tender documents or any part thereof. If there is insufficient space, the pages of the tender document in question may be photocopied and attached to the original document. Copies may be made of relevant pages of the tender document. It is suggested that copies of applicable pages of the tender document, for example the pricing schedules, be used as rough drafts and then to submit the original completed document for tendering purposes. Although photocopies of the tender pages could be submitted if necessary, all pages must be completed and signed/initialled in original ink. Photocopied detail and/or signatures/initials will invalidate the bid submission. The Tender Questionnaire (including all declarations) on pages thirteen to twenty seven (13 27) must be completed by the service provider. In the a case of a consortium, joint venture, partnership or a subcontractor, the forms should be completed for each and every member in order for the Electoral Commission to be able to determine the necessary information and declarations. Failure to do so may invalidate a bid submission. The B-BBEE status level information on page fifteen (15) of the tender document needs to be completed carefully and accurately. The information is used for purposes prescribed in the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act and its Regulations and for the final adjudication of the tender. It is advisable to take note of the latest developments concerning the Preferential Procurement Regulations, 2011 from National Treasury, especially in respect of consortia, joint ventures, et cetera and eligibility for preference points. The Financial Information on page sixteen (16) must be completed. The tax clearance detail on page eighteen (18) must be completed for all parties concerned in respect of this tender. The Personnel section on page nineteen (19) must be completed. The Capability and Experience section on pages twenty to twenty one (20-21) must be completed. The Past Supply Chain Practises section on page twenty two (22) must be completed. The Declaration of Interest on page twenty two to twenty four (23-24) of the tender is important and must be completed by the service provider and in the case of a consortium, joint venture or a subcontractor, by each and every member. Failure to do so may invalidate a bid submission. The information provided will inter alia be used in order to address possible conflict of interest that may arise. The Certificate of Independent Bid Determination on pages twenty six to twenty eight (26-28) must be completed by the service provider and, in the case of a consortium or joint venture or subcontracting arrangement/ agreement on behalf of the consortium or joint venture or subcontractors. Service providers must complete, sign and submit this certificate as part of their bid submission. Failure to do so may result in the invalidation of the bid. 3

4 In the case of a consortium, joint venture or partnership being formed, relevant documents should be submitted for all parties concerned. This is also applicable to the use of subcontractors where 25% or more of the work is being done by another party. It is important to complete all pricing schedules included in the tender document. Failure to complete any pricing schedule that is required to be completed shall invalidate a bid submission. Where additional information is required, for example detailed costing schedules, such information must be submitted as part of the required written submission (where applicable). The mandatory pricing schedule/s in the tender document must not, however, be substituted by the service provider s own pricing schedule/s as it will lead to disqualification. Service providers should note the provisions and evaluation criteria provided on pages twenty nine (29) as well as the bid evaluation schedule included at the end of the tender document, with specific reference to matters that will lead to the disqualification of bids received due to noncompliance. A due diligence audit will be performed on a recommended service provider before a contract/service Level Agreement (SLA) may be entered into. The Electoral Commission s payment terms are within thirty (30) days after the receipt of the invoice. The award of the tender will be published in the Tender Bulletin and other media as may be applicable. Service providers should note the award of the tender as published and that no general notices to successful or unsuccessful suppliers will be issued. A successful service provider may be required to sign a service level agreement. The following errors were identified in the in the tender document: On page 2 of the tender document states that all tender forms (page 3 through to page 80) must be completed and signed in original ink. It should read: all tender forms (page 2 through to page 80) must be completed and signed in original ink. On page 77 of the tender document in the project timeline table the following corrections apply: o Notification by Electoral Commission of intention to place order 12 January 2015 should read 12 January o Ballot pritning plan released to printers by Electoral Commission should read Ballot printing plan released to printers by Electoral Commission o Election day 25 May 2011 should read 25 May 2016 Please refer to table below (page 77) PROJECT TIMELINE: ACTIVITY NOTIFICATION BY ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF INTENTION TO PLACE ORDER CONFIRMATION BY ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF PRINT REQUIREMENT (QUANTITIES PER BALLOT, ETC.) BALLOT PRINTING PLAN RELEASED TO PRINTERS BY ELECTORAL COMMISSION BALLOT DESIGNS RELEASED BY ELECTORAL COMMISSION ESTIMATED DATE 12 JANUARY APRIL APRIL APRIL 2016 PRINTING COMMENCES 25 APRIL

5 PRINTING COMPLETED 04 MAY 2016 DELIVERIES BY PRINTER COMPLETED 06 MAY 2016 ELECTION DAY 25 MAY 2016 BILLING AND ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS COMPLETED 30 JUNE 2016 Questions and Answers Q: Must pages 1-2 of the tender document be submitted? A: Yes. Pages 1-80 of the tender document must be submitted as well as the cover page. Q: Who can enquiries be directed to? A: Contact names and details are available at the top of page one of the tender document. Q: Must bidders submit an original tender along with a number of copies? A: Only one original tender submission is required. Please do not submit any copies. Q: Should multiple sets of documents be submitted for joint ventures/ consortia? A: One set of P1-29 must be submitted per partner. However, only one combined set of p30-80 must be submitted. The briefing adjourned at 12:30 5