Objectives

The primary objective is to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced Industrial Relations Consultancy to provide ongoing professional labour relations advisory and support services on a retainer basis for twelve months. The engagement will cater to an organisation with a maximum headcount of ninety employees.

Scope of Work

The appointed consultant will deliver comprehensive labour relations support, including:

• Efficient management of labour disputes, conduct of hearings, and guidance on enforcing workplace rules.
• Participation in trade union engagements, collective bargaining processes, and representation at external forums where required.
• Immediate expert advice on labour law matters, including retrenchments, strikes, industrial action, and union negotiations.
• Compliance and documentation support, encompassing employment contracts, policies, procedures, notices, and other legal documentation.
• Training and capacity-building initiatives for management and employees on labour legislation and best practices.
• Proactive labour relations risk management, including strategic advice to maintain sound employee relations.

The contract operates on a monthly retainer covering advisory services, telephonic/email support, routine consultations, and representation. Additional travel expenses will be billed separately based on a predefined kilometre rate.

Technical Requirements

Bidders must submit the following mandatory documentation:

• A comprehensive company profile demonstrating competency in Labour Law and a clear understanding of the required services.
• Evidence of a minimum of five years’ experience providing similar labour relations consultancy services.
• Three verifiable references on official company letterheads for comparable services delivered within the past thirty-six months, including signatory details, dates, and full contact information.
• Proof of physical location within the Gauteng province.
• Completed administrative forms (SBD 4, SBD 6.1, SBD 8), a valid Central Supplier Database report with compliant tax status, and a certified B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit.

Skills Requirements

Successful bidders must demonstrate:

• In-depth knowledge of South African labour legislation, regulatory frameworks, and compliance standards.
• Proven expertise in dispute resolution, arbitration, and collective bargaining.
• Strong capability in drafting, auditing, and ensuring compliance with employment-related legal documents.
• Facilitation and training skills to effectively upskill management and employee representatives.
• Strategic risk assessment and mitigation abilities tailored to workplace relations.
• A documented track record substantiated by verifiable client references.

Key Terms & Concepts

Retainer Basis: A fixed monthly fee structure that guarantees continuous access to consultancy services, rather than charging per individual case or intervention.

80/20 Preference Point System: A procurement evaluation model where eighty percent of scoring is allocated to price competitiveness and twenty percent to designated socio-economic transformation goals (e.g., black ownership, women-owned enterprises, youth participation, disability inclusion, and small business designation).

CCMA: The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, South Africa’s independent statutory body responsible for resolving workplace disputes through conciliation, mediation, and binding arbitration.

B-BBEE: Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, a legislative framework designed to redress historical inequalities by promoting economic participation, ownership, and development among historically disadvantaged groups.

SBD Forms: Standardised government bid documents used to verify tax compliance, supplier registration, enterprise size classification, and preference point claims in public sector procurement.