Objectives

The primary objective of this tender is to appoint a service provider responsible for the supply, installation, and management of smart meters (water and electricity) along with related accessories, for domestic and bulk supply over a period of 36 months. The aim is to upgrade existing metering infrastructure, enable remote reading and management, and support revenue collection and water/electricity management through advanced metering technology.

Scope

The scope encompasses:

• Supply and delivery of smart prepaid meters (water and electricity) compatible with the STS vending system and bulk meters.
• Installation and replacement of faulty, stuck, or non-functioning meters, including upgrading existing meters to smart prepaid meters where necessary.
• Provision of meters with two-way communication capabilities for remote reading via fixed network, walk-by, or drive-by methods, and support for future software upgrades.
• Customer training on meter use and management.
• Management of meter data acquisition, billing, and customer web portal services.
• Installation of bulk water meters and associated infrastructure.
• Provision of maintenance, calibration, fault management, and reporting services.
• Participation in job creation and local employment initiatives.

Technical Requirements

The technical scope includes:

• Smart meters must be compatible with the STS vending system, capable of real-time feedback, leak detection, and remote reading.
• Water meters should be of plastic rotary piston type, with specific accuracy, durability, and tamper-proof features, and capable of AMR (Automatic Meter Reading).
• Electricity meters must support remote data acquisition, billing, fault detection, and verification, with compliance to relevant standards (e.g., SANS 474:2018, NRS 049:2008).
• System architecture must be cloud-based, scalable, secure, and support high availability with disaster recovery measures.
• Data management must include validation, estimation, fault management, and detailed reporting capabilities.
• Communication systems should include GPRS modems with secure, reliable connectivity, remote firmware updates, and antenna configurations for optimal signal strength.
• All hardware and software must meet relevant standards and certifications (NRCS, IEC, SANAS, ICASA).

Skills and Skills Requirements

The service provider must demonstrate:

• Proven experience in supply, installation, and management of smart metering systems for water and electricity.
• Technical expertise in meter calibration, verification, and fault diagnosis, with personnel certified in relevant fields (e.g., Supervisory Certificates, Trade Certificates).
• Capability to develop and implement cloud-based Meter Data Management Systems (MDMS) with high scalability, security, and redundancy.
• Ability to provide comprehensive training to municipal staff and end-users, accredited by SAQA.
• Strong project management skills, including planning, scheduling, and quality assurance.
• Experience in working with multi-vendor systems and integrating new meters with existing infrastructure.
• Capacity to provide ongoing maintenance, calibration, and technical support, including on-site verification and fault resolution.
• Knowledge of relevant standards, regulations, and certifications (NRCS, IEC, SANAS, ICASA).

Summary

The successful bidder must possess the technical capability, experience, and personnel qualifications to deliver a comprehensive smart metering solution, including hardware, software, data management, and support services, aligned with municipal standards and project objectives.