Objectives

The primary objective of this tender is to procure a subscription to an economic data software tool that provides comprehensive, reliable, and up-to-date economic datasets and analytical capabilities. This tool aims to support the Newcastle Municipality's Local Economic Development (LED) unit by enabling evidence-based planning, policy formulation, investment promotion, and continuous monitoring of economic trends at municipal, provincial, regional, and national levels.

Scope

The scope of work includes:

• Provision of access to an economic data platform containing detailed economic and socio-economic data relevant to South Africa, including regional GDP, employment, industry structure, trade data, and socio-economic indicators.
• Coverage across national, provincial, district, and municipal levels where available.
• Functionality for data extraction, visualization, and reporting in editable formats (e.g., Excel, Word).
• Regular quarterly data updates and maintenance to ensure data currency.
• Installation, skills transfer, and training for municipal staff within a month of contract award.
• Provision of online or software-based access with user support and documentation.
• Support for multiple users within the organization and a dedicated analyst for maintenance and queries.
• Demonstration and onboarding of users, either physically or remotely.

Technical Requirements

The technical specifications for the software tool include:

• Platform equivalent to Quantec or similar detailed economic and socio-economic data systems.
• Inclusion of indicators such as GDP/GVA by sector, employment, income, population, trade, and productivity measures.
• Ability to generate tables, charts, and reports for planning, strategies, and feasibility studies.
• Online or software-based access with comprehensive user support and documentation.
• Multi-user access within the municipality.
• Quarterly updates of datasets.
• Provision of an analyst for ongoing maintenance and support.
• Demonstration/training sessions for users upon installation.

Skills Requirements

The successful service provider must demonstrate:

• Extensive experience in providing analytical software datasets related to South African economic indicators.
• Capability to install, configure, and support the software platform effectively.
• Ability to transfer skills to municipal staff through training and demonstrations.
• Provision of ongoing technical support and maintenance, including regular data updates.
• Expertise in visualizing and reporting economic data to support policy and planning activities.