Objectives

The primary objective of this tender is to procure a comprehensive Water Flow Meter Test Bench (WFTB) facility that will be used to verify and calibrate irrigation water meters in accordance with the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998) Section 26. The facility aims to support regulatory compliance, enhance measurement accuracy for over 35,000 irrigators in South Africa, and establish the ARC as the only publicly available irrigation water meter verification laboratory in the country. Additionally, it seeks to serve neighboring countries and the subregion by providing a reliable verification service for irrigation water meters.

Scope

The scope includes the complete turnkey design, supply, delivery, installation, and commissioning of the Water Flow Meter Test Bench within an existing ARC-NRE building at Silverton, Pretoria. The project involves:

• Creating a verification laboratory inside an existing building co-located with other test benches.
• Utilizing an existing 20,000-litre underground water reservoir (with minor repairs) or designing an alternative water reservoir.
• Providing all necessary subassemblies, equipment, control panels, and software compliant with relevant standards.
• Developing full as-built documentation, SOPs, and maintenance procedures.
• Ensuring the facility can verify irrigation water meters according to regulatory and international standards.

Technical Requirements

The technical specifications for the WFTB include:

• Visual interface displaying volumetric flow rate, time, temperature (±0.1°C), pressure (±0.1 bar), and humidity.
• Provision of crane or mechanical aids for heavy components.
• Equipment such as reference flowmeters, pumps, motors, electronic valves, pipes, reducers, control panels, laptops, and printers.
• Compliance with standards including ISO/IEC 17025, ISO 4064, EN 14154, OIML R49, R75, EN 1434, ISO 4185, and relevant EU directives.
• Full wiring diagrams, pipeline schematics, and maintenance SOPs aligned with ISO 9001.
• Warranty of at least two years covering all components and defects.

Skills Requirements

The successful bidder must demonstrate:

• Proven experience in designing, manufacturing, installing, and commissioning water flow meter test benches or similar calibration facilities.
• Capability to provide comprehensive project management, including detailed project planning and scheduling (Level 5 project schedule).
• Ability to supply new subassemblies and fabricate parts as needed.
• Expertise in complying with international standards and regulatory requirements.
• Provision of technical documentation, SOPs, and training for ARC staff.
• Experience in providing warranty and after-sales support for complex calibration equipment.