Objectives

The primary objective of this tender is to procure and supply two (02) portable diagnostic sets to Ceza/Thulasizwe Hospital under the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health. The aim is to equip clinical staff with reliable, compliant ophthalmological examination instruments to enhance patient diagnostics and support routine healthcare operations.

Scope

The scope encompasses a once-off supply and delivery contract for two complete portable diagnostic sets, each consisting of an ophthalmoscope and a retinoscope. The successful bidder is responsible for delivering the goods to the designated hospital facility, ensuring all items are new, unused, and fully compliant with provincial health technology standards. The contract includes a standard warranty period, requires pricing for optional accessories, and mandates adherence to fixed pricing and delivery timelines.

Technical Requirements

• Ophthalmoscope: Must incorporate a halogen lamp for accurate tissue colour rendition, co-axial optics for straightforward viewing, a polarizing filter, and 28 focusing lenses spanning 25 to 40 diopters.
• Retinoscope: Must feature a halogen lamp, a streak mechanism for rapid refraction testing, a crossed linear polarizing filter, an external focusing sleeve, and sealed optics.
• Certification & Quality: All units must be SABS approved or CE marked, represent current manufacturing models with recent design improvements, and contain zero defects in materials or workmanship.
• Validity & Condition: Products must be brand new and valid for a minimum of six months upon delivery. Expired, refurbished, or second-hand goods are strictly prohibited.
• Packaging & Logistics: Goods require robust, export-standard packaging to prevent transit damage. All delivery costs must be embedded in the quoted price.
• Warranty: Twelve months from delivery acceptance or eighteen months from shipment, whichever occurs first, covering repair or replacement of defective components.
• Documentation: Bidders must submit completed specification sheets confirming compliance with Health Technology Services (HTS) specification S135, alongside details on make, model, country of origin, and local representation.

Skills Requirements

No specialized technical, engineering, or clinical skills are mandated for the bidder. The tender prioritizes commercial capability, regulatory compliance, and proven supply chain experience. Bidders must demonstrate operational capacity by providing verifiable proof of at least one prior order and delivery note for similar medical equipment in either the public or private health sector. Additional competency requirements include proficiency in navigating South African public procurement processes, accurately completing mandatory returnable documents, maintaining active vendor registrations, and managing logistics, invoicing, and warranty fulfillment.

Notable Procurement Terms & Evaluation Framework

80/20 Preference Point System: A standard South African public procurement scoring model where 80 points are allocated for competitive pricing and 20 points for specific socio-economic goals. For this tender, the full 20 points are reserved for enterprises majority-owned by youth, requiring certified identity documentation for verification.

SBD Forms & GCC/SCC: Bidders must complete standardized Bidding Documents (SBD 4 for conflict-of-interest disclosure, SBD 6.1 for preference claims) and adhere to General Conditions of Contract (GCC) and Special Conditions of Contract (SCC). These govern penalties for late delivery (calculated at the prime interest rate per day), termination rights for default or misconduct, performance security obligations, and anti-collusive bidding enforcement.

Four-Stage Sequential Evaluation: Quotations undergo strict phased screening: (1) Administrative and mandatory compliance, (2) Proof of delivery capacity, (3) Technical specification adherence, and (4) Price and preference calculation. Failure at any stage results in immediate disqualification without progression to subsequent phases.