Objectives

The primary objective is to implement a comprehensive Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) framework, conduct a rigorous Skills Audit, and establish a sustainable Feeder Pipeline for Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA). The initiative aims to align workforce capabilities with organisational strategy, close identified skills gaps, strengthen succession planning, and achieve a target of 70% internal fulfilment for critical roles by Year 2.

Scope of Work

The six-month engagement encompasses three core workstreams:

• Skills Audit: Data collection, competency framework development, and gap analysis across approximately 3,900 employees and 696 job roles.
• Strategic Workforce Planning: Demand and supply analysis, forecasting models, bi-annual attrition modelling based on historical trends, and proactive risk mitigation strategies.
• Feeder Pipeline Development: Identification of critical roles, succession planning, and talent pool creation.

Additional scope elements include stakeholder engagement, change management, definition of performance metrics (at organisational, port/business unit, and departmental levels), knowledge transfer, and sustainability planning. The service provider will facilitate six to ten diagnostic workshops, deliver blended training sessions, and produce comprehensive reporting with actionable recommendations. Identification of future system integration requirements (e.g., with SAP) is required; actual technical integration is not mandated.

Technical Requirements

Bidders must submit a detailed project methodology addressing seven minimum areas: skills audit execution, workforce planning, feeder pipeline design, stakeholder engagement, data analytics/HRIS alignment, risk management, and knowledge transfer. A structured project plan (utilising GANTT, RACI, or Work Breakdown Structure formats) outlining initiation, execution phases, milestones, deliverables, resource allocation, and governance is mandatory. Solutions may leverage cloud-based accelerators for skills assessment, SWP, and succession planning, with optional ongoing hosting fees. For employees lacking digital access, a train-the-trainer model utilising Line Managers and HR practitioners is required. All activities must comply with strict confidentiality protocols and South African data protection regulations under a signed Non-Disclosure Agreement.

Skills & Resource Requirements

Key personnel must hold postgraduate qualifications (NQF Level 8 or higher) in relevant disciplines:

• Project Lead/Manager: Human Resources, Industrial/Organisational Psychology, or Business/Social Sciences. Minimum six to nine years’ experience leading comparable workforce planning or skills audit projects.
• Talent Management Specialist: Human Resources, Industrial/Organisational Psychology, or Social Sciences. Minimum six to nine years’ experience in skills audits and feeder pipeline/succession planning.
• Strategic Workforce Planning Specialist: Human Resources, HR Analytics, or Data Science. Minimum six to nine years’ experience in workforce modelling and forecasting.

Proven track records are verified through client reference letters for projects completed within the last decade. Substantively similar large-scale HR transformation, capability gap analysis, or organisational design initiatives may be considered equivalent if methodologies and deliverables align closely with the stated scope.

Key Terminology

Feeder Pipeline: A structured internal talent development pathway designed to prepare, upskill, and position employees to fill critical or vacant roles, reducing reliance on external hiring.

Train-the-Trainer: A capacity-building methodology where subject matter experts train internal staff (e.g., HR managers and line leaders) who subsequently cascade knowledge and support assessments across the wider organisation.

Cloud-Based Accelerators: Pre-configured, web-hosted software templates that streamline data processing, analytics, and reporting, allowing organisations to adopt proven frameworks without extensive custom development.