Top ICT tenders: A focus on software for social safety

It’s a week full of opportunities for the software sector, as government looks to review, upgrade, renew or develop operational applications.

While the software requests come from various levels of government, it is Gauteng’s Department of e-Government that is likely to draw the most attention.

In its first tender, the provincial department is advertising for the development and implementation of an e-panic button application. In the tender documentation, the department notes Gauteng’s status with regards to domestic violence has increased when compared to other provinces. This is due to the ever-increasing employment migration to South Africa’s economic hub.

“Implementation of technology in urban centres and informal settlements is seen as an effective and cost-saving crime-fighting tool. The security response panic system serves to mitigate slow response time by the police, thus allow for a quicker or shorter response time in cases where one feels or is confined with danger,” it explains.

The purpose of the project is to develop and implement an e-panic system application that can be installed on mobile phones or through USSD functionality that is linked to the operational centre. The aim is to enable social crime victims to get assistance within 15 minutes around all areas in Gauteng, from an armed response vehicle and emergency management service response.

Other tenders that make this week’s top 10 include:

• Eskom is advertising for the provision of IT professional services on an as and when required basis for a period of five years. It is looking to form five panels of professionals incorporating information security services, application operation services, infrastructure operation services, business solution and development services, and IT governance services.
• The State Information Technology Agency (SITA) is advertising for the renewal of VMware licences, including maintenance and support for 36 months. The Presidency currently uses VMware software for the virtualisation of servers at Union Buildings, SITA and Tuynhuys.
• In a second request, SITA is calling for Citrix software licence renewal, maintenance and support agreement for a period of one year, with an option to extend for a further two years. The request is on behalf of an unnamed client, with Citrix deployed at three sites: Pretoria CBD, Erasmuskloof and Simon’s Town CBD.
• The Gauteng Department of e-Government returns with a request for the development and implementation of an automated electronic submission and digital signature system for a period of 36 months. The envisaged solution is intended to be transversal, where it should ultimately accommodate all Gauteng provincial departments and agencies. The implementation will be a phased approach depending on the readiness of the departments, as some still have active e-submission contracts.
• The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) is looking for a service provider to review its compliance monitoring and enforcement tool for the implementation of spatial planning and the Land Use Management Act. The tool was developed in the 2015/16 financial year and lessons learnt and gaps in the implementation were identified. The department has embarked on the task of assessing it for possible amendment, resulting in the need for the review.
• Staying with DALRRD, the department is advertising for an internet service provider (ISP) for a period of five years. The department’s current contract expires on 30 September and the new ISP is expected to be fully operational by 1 October.
• The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) is looking for a service provider to implement an enterprise search engine and workflow solution along with maintenance and support. The envisioned solution will collect data from multiple sources, index that information, and provide a search interface for both internal and external users to find the desired information. The search engine must be highly-scalable to perform tens of millions of comparisons, it says.
• In a second tender, a service provider is sought to migrate all of the CIPC’s Informix databases and applications to Oracle. All applications with a dependency on Informix need to be migrated as well, re-developed or replaced in order for the CIPC to decommission Informix.
• The South African Weather Service (SAWS) closes the issue with a request for information on an end-to-end integrated early warning system. The organisation notes the country is highly-vulnerable to extreme weather, climate and water-related events. Natural hazards in SA have led to significant social and economic losses, which are anticipated to exacerbate as a consequence of climate change, it adds. Accordingly, SAWS is looking to improve its weather alert system through the development of an end-to-end integrated early warning system comprising the full value chain, from infrastructure maintenance and management, quality assurance and control, data transmission, data visualisation and development, and dissemination of user-defined data products.

Eskom
The utility is advertising for the provision of IT professional services on an as and when required basis for a period of five years.
Compulsory briefing: 31 May – Microsoft Teams, Link.
Tender no: MWP1967CX
Information: Olga Tshabalala, Tel: 011 800 5842, E-mail: MkansiO@eskom.co.za.
Closing date: 3 Jul 2023
­Tags: Services, professional services

State Information Technology Agency
SITA wishes to procure renewal of VMware licences, including maintenance and support for 36 months.
Tender no: RFB 2755/2023
Information: Ruth Galane, Tel: 012 482 2966, E-mail: Ruth.Galane@sita.co.za.
Closing date: 12 Jun 2023
Tags: Software, software licensing, services, support and maintenance

The agency also invites bids for the renewal of Citrix software licences and a maintenance and support agreement for a period of one year, with an option to extend for a further two years.

Non-compulsory briefing: 5 June – Microsoft Teams.
Tender no: RFB 2754-2023
Information: Bongi Mochalatjie, Tel: 012 482 3034, E-mail: bongi.mochalatjie@sita.co.za.
Closing date: 15 Jun 2023
Tags: Software, software licensing, services, support and maintenance

Department of e-Government, Gauteng
The province is looking for a service provider to develop and implement an e-panic button application for a period of 36 months.
Non-compulsory briefing: 5 Jun – Microsoft Teams, Link.
Tender no: GT/GDeG/023/2023
Information: Nonkululeko Kekana, Tel: 011 689 8674, E-mail: Nonkululeko.Kekana@gauteng.gov.za.
Closing date: 23 Jun 2023
Tags: Software, hardware, software development, digital, IOT

A service provider is also sought to develop and implement an automated electronic submission and digital signature system for a period of 36 months.

Non-compulsory briefing: 1 Jun – Microsoft Teams, Link.
Note: Briefing session is highly recommended.
Tender no: GT/GDeG/026/2023
Information: Nonkululeko Kekana, Tel: 011 689 8674, E-mail: Nonkululeko.Kekana@gauteng.gov.za.
Closing date: 23 Jun 2023
Tags: Software, software development, electronic submission, digital signature, digital, automation

Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
The national department wishes to appoint a service provider to review the compliance monitoring and enforcement tool for the implementation of spatial planning and the Land Use Management Act for a period of nine months.
Tender no: 5-2-2-1 DALRDD-0001 (2023-2024)
Information: Technical: Tshifhiwa Nekhwevha, Tel: 012 312 8015, E-mail: Tshifhiwa.Nekhwevha@dalrrd.gov.za. General: Kedumetse Modise; A Olyn, or B Lewele, E-mail: kedumetse.modise@dalrrd.gov.za, abie.olyn@dalrrd.gov.za, borna.lewele@dalrrd.gov.za.
Closing date: 20 Jun 2023
Tags: Software, services, professional services, consulting

Bids are invited for the appointment of an internet service provider for a period of five years from 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2028.

Compulsory briefing: 7 Jun
Tender no: 5-2-2-1 DALRRD-0004(2023-2024)
Information: Technical: Alta Vermaak, Tel: 060 972 9533, E-mail: AltaV@dalrrd.gov.za. General: Tshepo Mlambo, or A Olyn, E-mail: Tshepo.Mlambo@dalrrd.gov.za, abie.olyn@dalrrd.gov.za.
Closing date: 19 Jun 2023
Tags: Telecommunications, internet, internet service provider, ISP

Companies and Intellectual Property Commission
The commission is looking for a service provider to implement an enterprise search engine and workflow solution and provide maintenance and support.
Compulsory briefing: 8 Jun
Note: Where bids must be delivered: the bid box is situated at the west gate on 77 Meintjies Street, close to Entfutfukweni building (block F), Sunnyside, “The dti” Campus, Pretoria.
Tender no: CIPC BID NUMBER: 03/2023/2024
Information: Ntombi Maqhula, Tel: 012 394 5344, E-mail: Nmaqhula@cipc.co.za.
Closing date: 27 Jun 2023
Tags: Software, enterprise search, workflow, services, support and maintenance

A service provider is sought to migrate all of the CIPC’s Informix databases and applications to Oracle.

Compulsory briefing: 9 Jun
Note: Where bids must be delivered: the bid box is situated at the west gate on 77 Meintjies Street, close to Entfutfukweni building (block F), Sunnyside, “The dti” Campus, Pretoria.
Tender no: CIPC BID NUMBER: 04/2023/2024
Information: Ntombi Maqhula, Tel: 012 394 5344, E-mail: Nmaqhula@cipc.co.za.
Closing date: 28 Jun 2023
Tags: Software, databases, migration

South African Weather Service
Information is requested on an end-to-end integrated early warning system.
Non-compulsory briefing: 5 Jun
Tender no: RFI-002/23
Information: Rorisang Moeketsane, Tel: 012 367 6000, E-mail: bids@weathersa.co.za.
Closing date: 20 Jun 2023
Tags: Software