Objectives

The primary objective is to safeguard public health by conducting bacteriological and chemical analyses of food, water, and environmental swab samples. The service aims to identify contamination levels to enable timely interventions and prevent the spread of foodborne and waterborne illnesses, fully aligned with the municipality’s Environmental Health Services (EHS) programme.

Scope of Work

• Analyse bacteriological and chemical samples collected from various sources within the Ugu District Municipality.
• Ensure all sampling is conducted using correct procedures to maintain specimen integrity and representativeness.
• Deliver analysis results within agreed turnaround times, adhering to established public health laboratory benchmarks.
• Participate in a mandatory inception meeting, quarterly performance reviews, and ad-hoc meetings as directed by the municipality.
• All analytical data, reports, and findings remain the exclusive intellectual property of the Municipality and may not be shared or reproduced without prior written authorisation.

Technical Requirements

• Compliance with the Public Health Laboratory handbook for testing protocols, quality assurance, and turnaround timelines.
• Adherence to the municipality’s EHS programme guidelines regarding sampling frequency, locations, and handling procedures.
• Submission of compliant invoices supported by valid tax clearance certificates, updated billing statements, and completed sampling deliverables.
• Use of official Municipal Bidding Documents (MBD1, MBD4, MBD6.1, MBD8, MBD9) for bid submission, compliance verification, and preference claims.
• Full compliance with the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA), operating under the 80/20 evaluation framework.
• Formal declarations confirming no conflict of interest, absence of past supply chain misconduct, and non-involvement in collusive bidding practices.

Skills Requirements

• Advanced laboratory expertise in microbiological and chemical analysis of food, potable water, and environmental swabs.
• Proficiency in public health contamination detection methodologies and environmental health monitoring standards.
• Competency in field sampling techniques to ensure accurate, uncontaminated, and legally defensible specimen collection.
• Administrative capability to manage municipal invoicing cycles, tax compliance documentation, and structured technical reporting.
• Working knowledge of South African municipal procurement frameworks, including supply chain management regulations and preferential procurement policies.

Notes on Unusual or Complicated Terms

• 80/20 Preferential Point System: A statutory evaluation method where 80 points are allocated for competitive pricing and 20 points for socio-economic transformation goals, including black ownership, local business promotion, and empowerment of youth, women, and persons with disabilities.
• Public Health Laboratory Handbook: A nationally recognised regulatory guide that standardises testing timelines, quality control measures, and analytical thresholds for public health-related biological and chemical samples.
• Municipal Bidding Documents (MBDs): Mandatory standardised forms prescribed by South African local government to verify bidder eligibility, tax compliance, preference claims, and adherence to anti-corruption, anti-fraud, and anti-collusion legislation.