Objectives

The primary objective of this tender is to secure a qualified supplier for the one-off provision of diathermy plates to support surgical procedures at Victoria Mxenge Hospital under the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health. The aim is to ensure the consistent supply of safe, compliant, and high-quality electrosurgical return electrodes while adhering to national public procurement legislation and preferential scoring frameworks.

Scope

The scope covers the supply, packaging, and delivery of 25,000 diathermy plates to the designated hospital facility. It is a single-delivery contract with a quotation validity period of 90 days. The scope includes all logistics, quality assurance, and compliance with medical device safety standards. Suppliers must satisfy four mandatory evaluation stages: administrative compliance, delivery capacity, specification adherence, and price/preference scoring. All delivery costs must be embedded in the quoted price, and supplied items must be new, unused, and valid for a minimum of six months upon handover.

Technical Requirements

• Type: Single-use disposable adhesive pads (preferred) or capacitive reusable mats.
• Dimensions: Adult size approximately 120 x 130 mm, providing a contact area of roughly 150 cm².
• Construction: Four-layer design consisting of a non-woven or foam backing, an aluminum foil or conductive hydrogel adhesive layer, a polyhesive or Z-axis adhesive layer, and a protective release liner.
• Connectivity: 3-meter cables (pre-wired or non-wired) featuring REM/CQM-compatible connectors and AUX/Jack interfaces.
• Configuration: Split/dual-area plates engineered for Contact Quality Monitoring (CQM/REM) functionality.
• Adhesive Properties: Hypoallergenic, hydrophilic, pressure-sensitive formulation ensuring firm yet repositionable skin attachment.
• Quality Standards: Full compliance with IEC 60601-1 and ISO 60601-1-1 medical electrical equipment safety directives.
• Packaging & Validity: Supplied as individual units; expired stock will be automatically rejected.

Skills Requirements

As this is a pure goods-supply tender, no specialized clinical or technical installation skills are required. Success depends on demonstrated logistical capacity, supply chain management proficiency, inventory control, and the ability to source and transport certified medical consumables within strict deadlines. Bidders must also possess administrative competence to complete mandatory compliance documentation, maintain active Central Supplier Database registration, and provide valid SARS tax clearance certificates.

Explanation of Unusual or Complicated Terms

• Diathermy Plates & CQM/REM: These are electrosurgical return electrodes used to safely complete the electrical circuit during surgery. CQM (Contact Quality Monitoring) and REM (Return Electrode Monitoring) are integrated safety technologies that continuously verify plate adhesion; if the plate detaches from the patient, the system automatically triggers an alarm to prevent thermal injuries.
• 80/20 Preference Point System: A South African procurement scoring model allocating 80 points to competitive pricing and 20 points to socio-economic objectives. This tender reserves the full 20 points exclusively for enterprises owned by South African citizens.
• SBD & GCC/SCC: Standard Bidding Documents (SBD 4 and SBD 6.1) govern conflict-of-interest declarations and preference point claims. The General Conditions of Contract (GCC) and Special Conditions of Contract (SCC) define binding legal parameters covering delivery schedules, warranty periods, penalty calculations for delays, termination rights, and dispute resolution mechanisms.