Tender Summary: Supply, Deliver and Install Split Unit Air-Conditioners

Objectives

The primary objective is to procure, transport, and professionally install split unit air-conditioning systems at St Apollinaris Hospital under the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health. The procurement also serves a socio-economic purpose by prioritising enterprises based in the KwaZulu-Natal province through a targeted preferential scoring mechanism.

Scope

The contract encompasses the complete supply, delivery, and installation of four split unit air conditioners: one unit rated at 18,000 BTU and three units rated at 12,000 BTU. The engagement is a single, once-off contract. All logistical, installation, and administrative costs must be bundled into the quoted price, with final delivery and commissioning required at the designated hospital facility.

Technical Requirements

• All equipment must be brand new, unused, and represent the most recent commercially available models.
• Units must comply with relevant South African National Standards (SANS/SABS) or CSIR standards, with certificates of compliance submitted upon request.
• Products must retain a minimum validity or shelf life of six months upon delivery; second-hand, refurbished, or expired goods are strictly prohibited.
• Bidders must attach manufacturer literature and technical data sheets for each proposed model.
• The quotation must remain valid for ninety days, with firm pricing that excludes post-award adjustments.
• Installation must be executed within the timelines stipulated in the attached specification annexure.
• A standard warranty of twelve months from delivery acceptance (or eighteen months from shipment, whichever is earlier) covers defects in design, materials, or workmanship.

Skills and Qualification Requirements

• Contractors must hold a valid Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) registration of Grade 1ME or higher.
• Mandatory proof of a refrigeration trade test certificate or an air-conditioning trade qualification formally approved by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
• Submission of two completion certificates from previous public sector contracts involving identical or similar HVAC installations.
• Administrative compliance requires active Central Supplier Database (CSD) registration, valid tax clearance documentation, updated CIPC company registration, a sworn statement, and a letter of good standing.
• Attendance at the compulsory briefing session is mandatory; absence results in automatic disqualification.

Explanation of Unusual or Complicated Terms

• CIDB Grade 1ME: A contractor grading issued by the Construction Industry Development Board specifically for mechanical engineering works on low-value projects (typically up to R5 million). It certifies the contractor’s financial stability and technical capacity to execute small-scale mechanical installations safely and competently.
• SAQA Trade Approval: Recognition by the South African Qualifications Authority confirming that the bidder’s technicians possess nationally accredited, competency-based trade qualifications in refrigeration or air conditioning, ensuring legally compliant and industry-standard installation practices.
• 80/20 Preference Point System: A public procurement evaluation framework where eighty percent of the total score is allocated to competitive pricing, and twenty percent is reserved for specific socio-economic goals. In this tender, the twenty points are exclusively awarded to enterprises manufacturing or operating within KwaZulu-Natal.
• General and Special Conditions of Contract (GCC/SCC): Standardised legal frameworks governing state procurement. The GCC establishes baseline obligations, warranty periods, delay penalties (calculated at the prime interest rate), and dispute resolution pathways. The SCC introduces project-specific amendments, including strict anti-collusion verification, mandatory document submission protocols, and termination clauses for non-performance or fraudulent bidding practices.