Objectives

The primary objective of this tender is to appoint a qualified contractor to support the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) Engineering & Plant Maintenance Department. The contractor will be responsible for maintaining instrumentation and automation technologies and equipment used in laboratories across multiple regions, including Groenkloof, Secunda, Richards Bay, Uitkomst, Olifantsfontein NETFA, Cape Town, and Port Elizabeth, over a period of three years.

Scope

The scope of work includes:

• Inspection and servicing of instrumentation and automation equipment and components
• Functional and performance verification of equipment
• Replacement of worn or defective parts
• Documentation of maintenance activities and compliance reports, including work instructions
• Ensuring minimal disruption to laboratory operations during maintenance activities
• Providing detailed service reports and ensuring correct mounting, wiring, integration, commissioning, firmware updates, configuration backups, and fault diagnosis

The contractor must also demonstrate the ability to handle multi-site service demands, including a 24-hour turnaround time (TAT) for breakdown responses across over 200 equipment units.

Technical Requirements

The technical requirements include:

• Relevant experience in maintaining instrumentation and automation technologies, especially for ISO 17025 accredited facilities
• Provision of a detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV) for the proposed Key Account Manager with sector experience, stakeholder engagement, and planning skills
• Experience and qualifications of artisans/technicians, including trade-test certification, installation certification, and minimum five years’ experience
• Demonstration of service capability through a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) covering quality assurance, safety, team structure, sourcing OEM/approved spare parts, and 24-hour call response
• Pricing structure including costs of parts and consumables with a markup of no more than 25%

Skills Requirements

The skills and competencies required from bidders include:

• Proven experience in maintaining laboratory instrumentation and automation equipment, particularly within ISO 17025 accredited environments
• Qualified technical personnel with relevant NQF certifications (minimum NQF 6 for artisans/technicians and NQF 7 for account managers)
• Ability to provide reliable, consistent, and multi-site service support with a 24-hour response time
• Capability to prepare and submit detailed service reports, SOPs, and compliance documentation
• Strong project management and stakeholder engagement skills
• Ownership of all intellectual property rights related to the services provided, with willingness to transfer rights to SABS