Tender Summary: Desktop Tablet Counting Machine

Objectives

The primary objective is to procure a high-precision desktop tablet and capsule counting machine to support pharmacy dispensing and hospital compounding operations. The acquisition aims to streamline tablet packing workflows, ensure accurate dosage verification, and improve overall medication handling efficiency within the provincial health facility.

Scope

The procurement covers the end-to-end delivery and implementation of one unit, including:

• Supply, delivery, physical installation, and commissioning at the designated hospital pharmacy.
• Provision of a starter pack containing all essential accessories and consumables for immediate deployment.
• Structured training programmes for clinical end-users and in-house biomedical engineering staff.
• A minimum 24-month comprehensive warranty encompassing labour, spare parts, travel, and routine maintenance.
• Submission of a fully itemised five-year comprehensive maintenance and service agreement quotation, effective immediately post-warranty.
• Delivery completion within 8–12 weeks of official order placement.

Technical Requirements

Bidders must satisfy rigorous performance, safety, and regulatory standards:

• Performance: Counting range of 1–9,999 units per cycle; throughput of at least 500 tablets/min (preferred 500–1,500); accuracy of ≥99.5% (±0.5% or better).
• Counting Technology: Must utilise optical/photoelectric sensors, infrared beams, or precision weight-based mechanisms.
• Physical & Construction: Benchtop design with a maximum footprint of approximately 800 mm width and weight preferably ≤150 kg. Fabricated from stainless steel (preferably SS304), GMP-compliant, featuring easily removable and cleanable components, with an optional dust extraction system.
• Power & Electrical Compliance: Operates on 220–240V, 50Hz with power draw ≤1.0 kW. Must adhere to SABS specifications, IEC 60601-1 & 60601-1-2 medical electrical standards, and the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Requires a hospital-grade mains cable (minimum 3 metres, SANS colour-coded).
• Operational Features: Digital control interface, adjustable feed rate, automatic stop upon target count, and integrated error/alert notifications.
• Documentation & Software: Two complete sets of user, operation, and maintenance manuals (available in book, file, CD, or DVD format in English). Must include fault-finding guides, circuit schematics, PCB layouts, calibration procedures, and exploded mechanical diagrams. All proprietary calibration and diagnostic software must be provided at no additional cost.
• Certification & Compliance: CE certified, SABS/SANS approved, and compliant with the Hazardous Substances Act where applicable. Valid proof of prior similar installations and Central Supplier Database (CSD) registration are mandatory.

Skills Requirements

Suppliers must demonstrate advanced technical, logistical, and service capabilities:

• Maintain a verifiable, well-established service and repair facility physically located within KwaZulu-Natal.
• Deploy technicians trained by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to perform diagnostics, repairs, and calibration down to the printed circuit board (PCB) level.
• Deliver formal training sessions for hospital staff and health technology personnel, concluding with an official Certificate of Completion.
• Guarantee a maximum 24-hour response time for equipment malfunctions and maintain an after-hours technical backup.
• Ensure guaranteed spare parts availability for a minimum of ten years from the manufacturing date.

Notes on Unusual or Complicated Terms

• PCB-Level Training & Repair: Refers to advanced electronic component servicing. Rather than replacing entire modules, suppliers must train hospital engineers to diagnose faults and solder/replace individual components directly on the circuit board.
• Health Technology Services (HTS) Integration: The hospital’s internal biomedical engineering division will conduct acceptance testing and long-term upkeep. Bidders must facilitate hands-on familiarisation and grant unrestricted access to proprietary calibration software and detailed engineering schematics.
• 80/20 Preference Point System: A standard South African public procurement scoring model. Eighty percent of evaluation points are allocated to price competitiveness, while twenty percent are reserved for specific socio-economic goals, specifically awarding full points to enterprises that are at least 51% owned by Black South Africans.
• Downtime Warranty Extension: Any period the machine is non-operational due to repairs automatically extends the warranty period on a day-for-day basis, ensuring continuous coverage without financial penalty to the purchaser.