Objectives

The primary objective of this tender is to appoint a qualified service provider for a twelve-month contract to hire out specialized plant and machinery. The contract aims to support the uMzimkhulu Local Municipality’s infrastructure development and maintenance programs by ensuring reliable equipment availability, competent operation, and adherence to municipal supply chain management policies.

Scope

The municipality requires the provision and deployment of specific heavy plant and machinery to execute civil and roadworks. Official service orders will be issued as needed, with a mandatory twenty-four-hour delivery turnaround time. The required equipment includes:

• Two (2) Articulated Motor Graders
• Two (2) Single Drum Grid Rollers
• Two (2) Water Tanker Trucks
• One (1) Tractor Loader Backhoe (TLB)

Services encompass gravel road construction and maintenance (blading, shaping, ripping, recompacting, and gravel processing), installation of pipe crossings, trench excavations, and loading of pipe culverts.

Technical Requirements

All equipment must be fully operational, roadworthy, and compliant with South African road legislation. Bidders may propose deviations only if they do not reduce machine effectiveness, and such deviations must be explicitly documented. Minimum specifications are as follows:

• Articulated Motor Grader: Six-by-four wheel drive with a lifetime-warranted articulated frame. Base operating mass ≥14,600 kg (excluding ripper/ballast), front axle ≥3,900 kg, rear axles ≥10,000 kg. Must operate at altitudes up to 2,500 m and temperatures between -10°C and 45°C.
• Single Drum Grid Roller: Self-propelled vibrating drum roller with two rear pneumatic tyres and a single front drum. Static operating weight ≥10,800 kg. Drum static load ≥7,000 kg, wheeled axle ≥3,700 kg, linear load ≥33 kg/cm. Working width ≥2,100 mm, turning circle ≤3,700 mm, ground clearance ≥480 mm.
• Tractor Loader Backhoe: Four-wheel drive with front-end loader and rear backhoe. Front and rear axle load capacity ≥5,000 kg each. Operating weight ≥6,400 kg. Must include power steering and meet road legality standards.
• Water Tanker Truck: Six-by-four wheel drive with a tank capacity ≥17,000 litres. Must feature two 500 mm manholes with hinged covers, an anti-skid roof walkway with access ladder, fixed 180-degree spray nozzles, and an external pump capable of 800 litres per minute at engine idle.

Skills Requirements

Qualified personnel are mandatory for safe and efficient operations. Bidders must submit verifiable documentation, including CVs, references, and certified copies of licences (dated within three months of the closing date):

• Foreman/Supervisor: Minimum ten years’ verifiable experience in road construction. Must hold a valid Code 8 or higher driver’s licence.
• Operators and Drivers: Minimum ten years’ experience operating heavy plant or driving heavy vehicles. Must hold current competence certificates and a valid Code 14 driver’s licence. Heavy vehicle operators must also hold a Professional Driving Permit (PDP).

Proof of ownership for all listed plant and equipment (via logbooks or valid purchase proofs) is compulsory. Failure to meet the minimum functionality threshold or provide required documentation will result in disqualification.

Key Terms & Definitions

Wet Rate: The quoted hourly or daily hire rate is inclusive of fuel, lubricants, routine maintenance, and operator costs.

Standing Time Rate: Payable at fifty percent of the standard rate, but only for delays beyond the contractor’s control (e.g., severe weather or direct client instructions). No payment is made if the contractor abandons the site or fails to promptly replace a broken-down machine.

Turnaround Time: Upon receipt of an official municipal order, the successful bidder must deliver the requested equipment to the designated depot within twenty-four hours.

PDP (Professional Driving Permit): A specialized licensing requirement mandated for operators of heavy commercial vehicles traveling on public roads, ensuring additional competency in safety and regulatory compliance.