Objectives

The primary objective of this tender is to procure a sterile surgical supply to facilitate effective analgesia during surgical procedures at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital. The procurement seeks to secure reliable, high-quality medical devices that meet strict clinical standards while complying with national public sector procurement legislation and preferential scoring frameworks.

Scope

The tender covers a once-off supply of twenty (20) units of Combined Spinal/Epidural Minipacks to the hospital's Surgical Stores. The contract validity period is ninety (90) days. Successful bidders must deliver the goods to the designated facility within agreed timeframes, ensuring all items are new, unused, and valid for a minimum of six months upon delivery. Two product samples must be submitted on the closing date for technical evaluation. Late submissions will be rejected, and the department reserves the right to award the contract based on compliance, functionality, and preferential scoring rather than solely on the lowest price.

Technical Requirements

All supplied items must strictly conform to the following specifications:

• Gauge size: 26/18 G
• Pencil-point design with a clear hub compatible with CFS
• 18 G needle featuring attachable wings
• Closed-end catheter with three eyes, paired with an EpiFuse catheter connector
• Integrated 0.2-micron filter
• Spinal needle tip protrusion limited to a maximum of 15 mm from the Tuohy needle
• Compliance with applicable South African National Standards (SANS/SABS)
• Sterile packaging suitable for surgical environments; expired, damaged, or second-hand products are prohibited

Skills Requirements

As this is a goods-supply tender, no specialized labour or technical skills are mandated. However, bidders must demonstrate the following operational and regulatory capabilities:

• Valid Central Supplier Database (CSD) registration with successful verification
• Tax compliance verification through SARS
• B-BBEE status verification certificate or sworn affidavit (for EMEs and QSEs)
• Mandatory SAHPRA licence authorising the manufacture, import, export, or wholesale distribution of medical devices
• Ability to complete official quotation forms without retyping, maintain firm pricing for the 90-day validity period, and execute deliveries within stipulated timelines
• Familiarity with public sector procurement processes, including disclosure declarations, preference point claims, and contract administration

Explanation of Unusual or Complicated Terms

• Combined Spinal/Epidural Minipack: A pre-assembled, sterile surgical kit containing precisely calibrated needles, catheters, filters, and connectors. It is designed to streamline combined spinal-epidural anaesthesia procedures by providing all necessary components in a single, ready-to-use assembly, reducing setup time and contamination risks in operating theatres.
• EpiFuse Catheter Connector: A specialised coupling component used to securely link epidural catheters to infusion pumps or extension sets, ensuring leak-free delivery of anaesthetic agents.
• CFS Hub Compatibility: Refers to integration with standard continuous fluid system interfaces commonly utilised in clinical anaesthesia workflows.
• 80/20 Preference Point System: A South African public procurement scoring model where 80 points are allocated to price competitiveness and 20 points to socio-economic goals. In this tender, full points are awarded to South African-owned enterprises to promote economic transformation and local industry development.