Objectives

The primary objective is to appoint a qualified service provider to maintain, support, and ensure the continuous operational functionality of the existing Avaya telephone and telephony management system at two SANBI locations. The appointment will also facilitate the activation of a new maintenance and support contract, including annual license renewals, to meet compliance and operational standards.

Scope of Work

• Resolve system faults within agreed service level agreements.
• Conduct monthly system health checks, usage reporting, and call cost analysis.
• Perform annual patching, manage end-of-life announcements, and provide upgrade recommendations.
• Ensure seamless integration with SANBI’s existing ICT architecture.
• Deliver services across the Pretoria and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens for a twelve-month period.

Technical Requirements

• Maintain valid Avaya accreditation and demonstrate capability across seven core infrastructure areas: hardware/server maintenance, bi-annual servicing, patch management, system monitoring, business continuity planning, vulnerability mitigation, and ICT architecture alignment.
• Submit a comprehensive methodology document (minimum five pages) detailing implementation, security, testing, documentation, training, and support protocols.
• Provide transparent pricing for software deployment, monthly managed support hours/rates, and annual license renewal costs.
• Comply with standard public procurement regulations, including tax clearance, Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) verification, and Central Supplier Database registration.

Skills and Experience Requirements

• Possess recognised telecommunications or telephony certifications and demonstrate a minimum of four years’ relevant industry experience.
• Demonstrate a proven track record with four verifiable reference letters from clients for comparable projects completed within the past five years.
• References must be on official letterheads, signed by authorised representatives, and include direct contact details for verification.
• Showcase strong organisational capacity, technical competencies, and hands-on experience with enterprise telephony solutions.

Explanation of Unusual or Complicated Terms

• 8x5x4 SLA: An eight-hour initial response time with a five-business-day resolution window for software-related incidents.
• 8x5xNBD SLA: An eight-hour response time with next-business-day delivery or replacement for hardware failures.
• 80/20 Preference Point System: A procurement evaluation model allocating 80 points to competitive pricing and 20 points to socio-economic goals based on verified ownership demographics (race, gender, and disability).
• Functionality Threshold: Only bids scoring at least 70 out of 100 points on technical functionality advance to the price evaluation stage.