Tender Summary: Provisioning of SSL Certificates for 24 Months

Objectives

The primary objective is to procure, provision, renew, and implement secure SSL certificates for the Department of Forestry, Fisheries & Environment over a twenty-four-month period. The contract aims to strengthen digital infrastructure security, ensure encrypted communications, and maintain continuous compliance with recognised cryptographic standards across specified web domains.

Scope

• Supply and issuance of four categories of Organisation Validated (OV) SSL certificates for a two-year subscription period.
• Provision of professional implementation and ongoing technical support services throughout the contract duration.
• Electronic delivery of certificates via a designated supplier portal following successful domain or organisational validation.
• Inclusion of all applicable taxes, delivery costs, renewal fees, and administrative charges within the quoted price.
• Compliance with public procurement regulations, including submission of standard bidding documents, tax compliance verification, and Central Supplier Database registration.

Technical Requirements

• Bidders must hold valid certification as an authorised partner or reseller of Lawtrust; this is a mandatory qualification criterion, and failure to provide proof results in disqualification.
• Certificates must be deployed electronically through the supplier’s portal within agreed implementation timelines after receipt of a formal purchase order and completion of validation procedures.
• All quotations must be firm, inclusive of 15% VAT, and remain valid for ninety days from the closing date.
• Evaluation utilises an 80/20 preference point system: eighty points allocated to price competitiveness and twenty points to specific socio-economic goals based on ownership demographics.
• Suppliers must submit completed Standard Bidding Documents (SBD 4 and SBD 6.1), proof of Central Supplier Database registration, and tax compliance status verification.

Skills Requirements

The tender does not list explicit technical skill certifications beyond the mandatory Lawtrust partner/reseller accreditation. However, successful execution inherently requires demonstrated expertise in:

• Digital certificate lifecycle management, including issuance, validation, deployment, monitoring, and renewal.
• Secure portal-based delivery systems and integration support for government web environments.
• Professional consultancy and ongoing technical support capabilities spanning the full twenty-four-month contract term.
• Administrative proficiency in public sector procurement documentation, tax compliance reporting, and preference point claim substantiation.

Explanation of Unusual or Complicated Terms

• Lawtrust SSL Certificates: Refers to Secure Sockets Layer certificates managed or issued through Lawtrust, a South African entity specialising in secure digital transactions, cryptographic authentication, and trusted online commerce solutions.
• OV SSL (Organisation Validated): A certificate type that verifies the legal existence, identity, and operational legitimacy of the requesting organisation before issuance, providing a higher assurance level than basic domain-validated certificates.
• Wildcard OV SSL: A single certificate that secures a primary domain and all its first-level subdomains (e.g., *.example.co.za).
• Multi-Domain OV SSL: Also known as Subject Alternative Name (SAN) certificates, these secure multiple distinct domain names under one certificate, reducing management overhead.
• 80/20 Preference Point System: A South African public procurement scoring framework where eighty percent of evaluation weight is assigned to price, and twenty percent to preferential procurement goals, specifically targeting enterprises with majority ownership by historically disadvantaged groups (Black people, women, or persons with disabilities).
• CSD MAAA Number: The unique identifier assigned to registered suppliers on the National Treasury’s Central Supplier Database, used to verify tax compliance, procurement eligibility, and supply chain management compliance.