Objectives

The primary objective of this tender is to procure a reliable and compliant supplier for cuffed tracheostomy tubes to support airway management, secretion removal, and long-term positive pressure ventilation at Addington Hospital under the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health.

Scope

The procurement covers the supply of five specific tracheostomy tube sizes (6.5mm, 7mm, 7.5mm, 8mm, and 8.5mm), with twenty units required per size. All deliveries must be made directly to Addington Hospital. The quoted prices remain valid for ninety days, and every supplied product must retain a minimum shelf life of six months upon delivery. The contract operates within standard South African public sector procurement frameworks, emphasising competitive pricing, transformation goals, and strict regulatory compliance.

Technical Requirements

• Material & Composition: Tubes must be manufactured from non-toxic PVC, sterile, disposable, and individually packaged. Each unit must include an outer cannula, inner cannula, obturator, neck flanges for securing, a radiopaque line for X-ray visibility, and a cuff with a pilot balloon to create an airtight seal.
• Packaging: Supplied in boxes containing twenty units each.
• Regulatory Compliance: Goods must meet applicable SABS/SANS standards. Suppliers must hold a valid licence issued by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) authorising the manufacture, wholesale, or distribution of medical devices.
• Sample Submission: Physical product samples are mandatory and must accompany the quotation. End-users will evaluate samples against the specification; failure to obtain approval results in immediate disqualification.
• Mandatory Documentation: Bidders must submit a full Central Suppliers Database (CSD) report, a valid BBBEE status verification certificate or sworn affidavit, completed SBD declaration forms, and SARS tax clearance verification.

Skills & Experience Requirements

• Proven Delivery Capacity: Bidders must provide documentary proof of at least one previous order and a signed delivery note demonstrating successful supply to either a public or private healthcare facility.
• Risk Management Clearance: Suppliers with documented defaults or unexplained failures to deliver previously will be disqualified during the capacity assessment stage.
• Administrative Competence: Ability to accurately complete government-standard returnable documents, adhere to strict submission protocols, and maintain compliance throughout the contract period.

Key Procurement & Contractual Terms

Evaluation follows a four-stage compliance process: administrative completeness, specification adherence, delivery capacity, and price/preference scoring. An 80/20 preference point system applies, awarding eighty points for price competitiveness and twenty points for specific transformation goals. Full points for the specific goal are allocated exclusively to South African-owned enterprises, verified via CSD data and supporting evidence.

Clarification of Unusual Terms:

• Cover-quoting: A prohibited practice where a single controlling entity submits multiple bids through different registered companies to manipulate pricing or increase winning chances. Discovery triggers immediate disqualification and potential legal action.
• SAHPRA Licensing: Mandatory regulatory approval ensuring all medical device suppliers comply with national safety, quality, and ethical distribution standards before entering the public health supply chain.
• SBD & CSD Frameworks: Standardised government procurement tools. SBD forms capture legal, financial, and conflict-of-interest declarations, while the CSD serves as the central registry verifying supplier legitimacy, tax compliance, and BBBEE status.

Delays incur financial penalties calculated at the current prime interest rate per day. The contracting authority reserves the right to terminate the contract for default, fraud, corruption, or insolvency, and may impose temporary restrictions from future public sector contracts.