Objectives

The primary objective is to establish and maintain a secure, confidential, and accessible whistleblowing hotline service for the South Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA). This platform will enable employees, stakeholders, service providers, and the public to anonymously report suspected fraud, corruption, and other misconduct while ensuring full legal compliance and uninterrupted operational continuity.

Scope of Work

The successful bidder will deliver a comprehensive three-year service encompassing:

• A 24/7/365 reporting platform with seamless transfer of existing hotline numbers at no additional cost.
• Multilingual support, including professional interpreter services.
• Secure case logging with unique reference numbers, risk ratings, and follow-up tracking mechanisms.
• Immediate referral of urgent or high-risk reports within 24 hours, with alternative routing for reports implicating standard recipients.
• Monthly, quarterly trend reporting, and quarterly service review meetings.
• Strict confidentiality protocols; the provider acts solely as an intake and referral conduit without investigating allegations or making findings.

Technical Requirements

Bidders must supply a fully integrated, secure digital and telephonic infrastructure capable of continuous operation. Core technical specifications include:

• A minimum web-based reporting portal, with optional mobile applications or messaging channels included in the base price.
• Encrypted data storage, automated risk classification, and real-time alert generation for critical submissions.
• A centralized case register and administrative dashboards for generating standardised analytical reports.
• Guaranteed zero downtime during number migration and mandatory 24-hour security incident notification protocols.
• All pricing must be inclusive of VAT, covering setup, operations, communications, interpreting, and reporting without per-call or per-report surcharges.

Skills Requirements

Providers must demonstrate proven expertise in managing independent whistleblowing hotlines, substantiated by at least two recent client references. Essential competencies include:

• Advanced knowledge of South African regulatory frameworks, particularly data privacy and whistleblower protection laws.
• Multilingual communication capabilities and crisis response coordination skills.
• Proficiency in case management software and data analytics for actionable intelligence reporting.
• Strong project management expertise to deploy and activate the service within thirty days of contract award.
• Rigorous adherence to service level metrics and continuous operational monitoring.

Key Terms & Compliance

The tender operates under South Africa’s Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act, utilising an 80/20 scoring model where eighty percent evaluates price and twenty percent assesses socio-economic transformation goals (historically disadvantaged individuals, youth, women, persons with disabilities, and local enterprises). All services must strictly adhere to the Protected Disclosures Act, 2000, which safeguards reporters from retaliation, and the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013, governing lawful data processing. A formal Service Level Agreement will dictate performance metrics, response timelines, and reporting obligations.