Objectives

The primary objective of this tender is to secure environmental services for the upgrade of water reticulation infrastructure in the Port of Richards Bay, ensuring compliance with environmental legislation, minimizing ecological impacts, and supporting sustainable port operations over a 29-month period.

Scope

The scope encompasses environmental management for the entire project lifecycle, including:

• Delimitation and assessment of wetlands and sensitive habitats within 500m of the project site.
• Delineation, classification, and functional assessment of identified wetlands.
• Implementation of mitigation measures during construction to prevent erosion, pollution, and habitat disturbance.
• Rescue, translocation, and protection of protected and endangered plant species affected by construction activities.
• Monitoring and reporting on environmental impacts during construction and post-construction phases.
• Development and management of environmental records, incident reports, and compliance documentation.

Technical Requirements

The technical requirements include:

• Conducting soil, vegetation, and hydrological assessments to delineate wetlands and determine their health status.
• Applying soil wetness indicators, redoximorphic features, and vegetation indicators to identify wetland boundaries.
• Using the WET-Health and WET-EcoServices tools to assess wetland health and ecosystem service provision.
• Classifying wetlands according to the South African Wetland Classification System (Ollis et al., 2013).
• Implementing erosion control, stormwater management, and pollution mitigation measures during construction.
• Developing a plant rescue, translocation, and re-vegetation plan for protected species.
• Ensuring compliance with relevant permits, environmental legislation, and Transnet’s environmental standards.

Skills Requirements

The tenderer must demonstrate:

• Proven expertise in wetland delineation, classification, and ecological assessment, with relevant experience in South African environments.
• Capability to conduct soil morphology analysis, soil wetness indicator assessment, and vegetation surveys.
• Experience in applying the WET-Health and WET-EcoServices tools for rapid environmental impact and ecosystem service assessments.
• Knowledge of South African environmental legislation, including the National Water Act, NEMA, and relevant permits.
• Ability to develop and implement environmental management plans, mitigation, and monitoring protocols.
• Qualified personnel, including registered Ecologists and Environmental Assessment Practitioners, with a track record of successful wetland and habitat management projects.