Tender Summary: Provision for Skippers License Training

Objectives

The primary objective is to secure a competent service provider to deliver targeted training for Overberg District Municipality Roads Department staff, specifically enabling them to obtain a Category R Skippers License. The program aims to ensure legal compliance for operating the Malgas Pont, improve maritime safety standards, and build sustainable operational capacity for inland waterway vessel management.

Scope of Work

• Deliver comprehensive theoretical and practical training aligned with Unit Standard 12875.
• Provide all training manuals, digital slides, safety equipment, and assessment tools.
• Conduct structured learning sessions tailored to the Malgas Pont operational environment, including accurate time/attendance tracking and learner movement management.
• Administer evaluations and issue non-expiring competency certificates to learners who meet the required standards.
• Complete all training activities no later than 30 September 2026.
• Submit detailed pricing that covers facilitator transport, meals, accommodation, materials, and certification fees.

Technical Requirements

• Hold official accreditation from the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) to award Category R licenses.
• Demonstrate facilitator qualifications: SAQA/ETDP SETA registration or unit standard alignment proof, plus over five years of experience as a registered assessor with a relevant Education and Training Quality Assurance body.
• Submit training materials that have been reviewed or approved within the last three years.
• Provide multilingual support in English, Afrikaans, and isiXhosa.
• Include at least three verifiable reference letters for similar training contracts.
• Comply with municipal supply chain regulations: valid Tax Compliance Status PIN, Central Supplier Database (CSD) registration, proof of cleared municipal accounts, and a valid Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) verification certificate or sworn affidavit.
• Adhere to the 80/20 preferential procurement evaluation system, with 80 points allocated to price and 20 points to specific goals (B-BBEE status and supplier locality).
• Submit all bid documents physically, completed in black ink, manually initialed on every page, and sealed before the closing deadline. Electronic submissions, retyped forms, or correction fluid usage will result in disqualification.

Skills Requirements

• Specialized expertise in inland waterway navigation, local bylaws, right-of-way concepts, and collision regulations.
• Proficiency in maritime safety standards, including buoyancy certification, fire suppression, and life-saving appliance deployment.
• Ability to interpret weather patterns, wind conditions, and chart reading for sheltered waters.
• Competence in emergency response protocols, such as man-overboard recovery, engine failure troubleshooting, and towing procedures.
• Multilingual instructional capability and adaptive teaching methods for both classroom theory and hands-on pontoon operations.
• Strong project management, administrative record-keeping, and competency assessment skills.

Clarification of Specialized Terms

• Category R Skippers License: An entry-level South African maritime certification that legally permits the holder to operate power-driven vessels exceeding 15 horsepower or sailing vessels longer than 9 meters exclusively on inland and sheltered waters (rivers, lakes, dams, and lagoons).
• SAMSA Accreditation: Authorization granted by the South African Maritime Safety Authority, the national regulatory body responsible for enforcing maritime safety standards and issuing commercial and recreational vessel operator licenses.
• B-BBEE Verification Certificate/Affidavit: Documentation proving a company's compliance with South Africa's Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment framework, which measures ownership, management control, skills development, enterprise development, and socio-economic contribution to historically disadvantaged groups.
• CSD Registration: Enrollment in the National Treasury's Central Supplier Database, a mandatory centralized registry for all entities conducting business with South African government departments and municipalities.