Objectives

The primary objective is to secure a reliable, one-off supply of high-quality Plaster of Paris for use in orthopaedic patient treatment and for manufacturing moulds for orthopedic, prosthetic aids, and surgical footwear. The procurement aims to ensure strict adherence to clinical safety standards, product performance benchmarks, and provincial health department preferential procurement policies.

Scope

The tender covers the supply and delivery of 120 units (40kg bags) of Plaster of Paris. The contract is a single transaction with a 90-day bid validity period. The evaluation process follows a mandatory three-stage sequence: administrative compliance verification, physical sample assessment, and price/preference point scoring. Successful suppliers must submit compliant samples prior to the closing date, guarantee timely delivery to the designated orthopaedic facility, and adhere to standard government contracting conditions, including warranty, inspection, and penalty clauses.

Technical Requirements

• Physical & Chemical Properties: Product must be white powder foam, non-combustible, non-porous, and environmentally friendly. Required specifications include a setting time of 15–20 minutes per cast, pH level of 7–8, density of 2.53 g/cm³, and water solubility of 8g/L.
• Safety & Performance: Must be safe for direct skin contact, easily workable post-setting using standard tools (surform blades, abrasives, or water paper), and capable of achieving an ultra-smooth surface finish.
• Packaging & Labelling: Supplied in 40kg bags, individually packaged and clearly labelled with manufacturer name/logo. Must accommodate both left and right applications.
• Quality & Compliance: Requires a minimum one-year shelf life upon delivery, SABS approval, and high-quality manufacturing standards. Samples must be delivered by the closing date for independent laboratory and clinical verification.

Skills & Capability Requirements

As this is a goods-supply tender, no specialized personnel certifications are mandated. However, bidders must demonstrate operational capabilities in medical-grade material sourcing or manufacturing, quality control management, and bulk logistics execution. Suppliers must possess proficiency in public sector procurement compliance, including accurate completion of statutory disclosure forms, tax clearance validation, Central Supplier Database (CSD) registration, and B-BBEE documentation. Familiarity with sample submission protocols and preference point claim procedures is essential to ensure responsiveness.

Explanation of Unusual or Complicated Terms

• SABS Approval: Certification from the South African Bureau of Standards confirming the product meets rigorous national safety, quality, and performance benchmarks for medical and industrial use.
• 80/20 Preference Point System: A procurement scoring model where 80 points are allocated to competitive pricing and 20 points to socio-economic goals. In this tender, the 20 points are exclusively awarded to companies with 100% Black African ownership.
• Cover-Quoting: An illegal anti-competitive practice where individuals or entities submit multiple bids under different company names to manipulate pricing or increase win probability. Strictly prohibited and grounds for immediate disqualification and potential legal action.
• Prime Interest Rate Penalty: A daily financial deduction applied to delayed deliveries, calculated on the outstanding value using the prevailing prime interest rate until full performance is achieved.
• Domicilium Citandi Et Executandi: A legal term designating the official address where formal notices, contracts, and legal correspondence must be served throughout the agreement lifecycle.