Objectives

The primary objective of this tender is to establish a panel of three (3) service providers to deliver comprehensive travel management services to the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) over a period of sixty (60) months. The goal is to ensure reliable, efficient, and cost-effective travel arrangements that maintain high traveller satisfaction and compliance with SANBI’s policies and standards.

Scope

The scope includes providing end-to-end travel management services for SANBI’s domestic, regional, and international travel needs. This encompasses:

• Reservations and bookings for air travel, accommodation, car rentals, shuttle services, and other ground transportation.
• Handling after-hours and emergency travel requests.
• Managing travel documentation, visas, and foreign exchange arrangements.
• Consolidating invoices and managing supplier relationships.
• Providing value-added services such as destination information, travel alerts, and risk management.
• Reporting, cost management, and continuous review of travel activities.
• Ensuring compliance with SANBI’s travel policies and relevant legislation.

Technical Requirements

The technical requirements specify that the service providers must:

• Deliver seamless travel booking and management services during and outside normal working hours.
• Utilize a management information system capable of consolidating data and generating reports aligned with Treasury instructions.
• Implement an online booking tool for domestic and international travel where feasible.
• Provide detailed quarterly and annual travel reviews.
• Ensure secure handling of all travel data and maintain confidentiality.
• Offer dedicated account management with a designated business manager.
• Provide value-added services including destination insights, travel alerts, and VIP support.
• Adhere to cost containment measures and negotiate best rates with suppliers.
• Support SANBI in implementing and enforcing travel policies and procedures.

Skills Requirements

The successful bidders must demonstrate:

• Proven experience in managing travel services for large organizations or government entities.
• Capability to handle high volumes of transactions efficiently and accurately.
• Strong technical infrastructure for booking, reporting, and data management.
• Qualified personnel including senior, intermediate, and junior consultants, travel managers, finance managers, and system administrators.
• Ability to provide training, workshops, and ongoing support to SANBI staff and travel bookers.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills, especially for after-hours and emergency support.
• Compliance with all relevant legislation, including tax and procurement regulations.
• Capacity to deliver value-added services and innovative solutions to enhance travel management.