Top ICT tenders: Power matters

Power-based requests unsurprisingly dominate National Treasury’s eTender portal this week and the ICT sector benefits from this area of national focus.

The City of Tshwane comes to the market with a request that is top of mind for all South African municipalities: third-party electricity vending for pre-paid customers. With the token identifier rollover set to take place in November next year, municipalities have little time left to finish upgrades to devices, systems and vending software. Failure to do so will mean that newly generated tokens will be rejected by prepaid devices and old tokens - even if previously used - will once again be accepted.

State power utility, Eskom, meanwhile is requesting information on the provision of a contact tracing/data mining tool or system which will enable or improve its ability to contact customers within its KwaZulu Natal and the Free State operating units. The desired solution will be web-based and must include verification of name and identity number, contact details, person’s living status, marital status, physical and postal addresses, employer’s details, defaults and judgments on person’s and/or business profiles, person ID linked to directorship, businesses directorship details, trust information and property deeds information. The utility says the tool will be used by multiple debt management staff.

Power supply is top of mind for all in South Africa and fuel-greedy generators are not just a norm for business survival but are increasingly in high demand for consumers. The public sector, however, also needs to consider the environmental responsibilities that came with its ratification of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy kicks off the shift in tone with an advertisement for a service provider to render maintenance and support services for the Carbon Offsets Administration System (COAS) for three years. This system is used to administer the carbon offset tax payment by issuing certificates to organisations that qualify for tax benefits of the carbon offset emissions. COAS was developed under the former energy department and maintenance and support has been a challenge as there is no service level agreement with the service provider that worked on the system. The department has a need to “urgently capacitate the functionality of the system”, it says.

Gauteng’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is also considering environmental matters with a request for the development of a Gauteng Greenhouse Gas Inventory System (GGHGIS) and to establish a monitoring, reporting and verification system of the province's GHG emissions.

Meanwhile, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa is under fire from all sectors of society for approving a 18.65% electricity tariff hike for Eskom. Unsurprisingly then, the regulator wishes to appoint a preferred panel of service providers for the provision of cyber security solutions which will enable its information security environment to operate more securely and efficiently.

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

• Broadband Infraco SOC is looking for interested internet service providers to form a panel of service providers who can provide communication services to communities and public wifi hotspots across the country for a period of thirty-six months.

• The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa requires supply, installation, rehabilitation and commissioning of an integrated communications systems security system and passenger information systems for PRASA Rail KZN.

• The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is inviting proposals for the provision of joint development of electronic warfare mission support systems (EWMSS) for the South African National Defence Force.

• The CSIR is also inviting expressions of interest from suitable service providers within the radio frequency development domain to conduct research in partnership with itself with the aim of developing the South African defence industry.

• In a second expression of interest request aimed at developing the South African defence industry, the council is looking for service providers with experience in the signature management domain within Material Science field, to conduct research in partnership with the CSIR. This programme is aimed at SMMEs or EMEs with at least 51% black ownership or BBBEE status level 1.

Department of Mineral Resources and Energy
The department wishes to appoint a service provider to render maintenance and support services for the carbon offsets administration system (COAS) for a period of thirty-six (36) months. 
Non-compulsory briefing: 25 Jan – Microsoft Teams.
Note: Non-compulsory briefing session link will be placed on the departmental website.
Tender no: DMRE/027/2022/23
Information: Rachel Moerane, Tel: (012) 406 7747, E-mail: Rachel.Moerane@dmre.gov.za. 
Closing date: 10 Feb 2023 Tags: Software, Services, Support and maintenance

Broadband Infraco SOC
Interested internet service providers (ISPs) are invited to submit proposals to form a panel of service providers who can provide communication services to communities and public wifi hotspots across the country for a period of thirty-six (36) months.
Tender no: INF/TEN: 0297
Information: Barbara Khambule, Tel: 083 498 4348, E-mail: Barbara.Khambule@infraco.co.za.
Closing date: 26 Jan 2023
Tags: Telecommunications, Hardware, Software, Services, Internet, Internet service providers, ISP, hotspot, wifi, Wi-Fi

Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa
The agency requires supply, installation, rehabilitation and commissioning of an integrated communications systems security system and passenger information systems for PRASA Rail KZN.
Compulsory briefing: 25 Jan
Tender no: DBN/CAP(BAC) 011
Information: Rani Padayachee, Tel: (031) 813 0138, E-mail: rani.padayachee@prasa.com.
Closing date: 13 Feb 2023
Tags: Telecommunications, Software, Hardware, Security

Department of Agricultureand Rural Development, Gauteng
A service provider is sought to develop a Gauteng Greenhouse Gas Inventory System (GGHGIS) and to establish a monitoring, reporting and verification system of the province's GHG emissions.
Tender no: GT/GDARDE/001/2023
Information: Lindi Ngati, Tel: (011) 240 3856, E-mail: ursula.ngati@gauteng.gov.za.
Closing date: 3 Feb 2023
Tags: Software, Software development, Reporting, Monitoring, Verification

National EnergyRegulator of South Africa
Nersa wishes to appoint a preferred panel of service providers for the provision of cyber security solutions which will enable its information security environment to operate more securely and efficiently for a period of three (3) years.
Non-compulsory briefing: 23 Jan – Microsoft Teams, Link.
Note: Bidders who would like to participate in the non-compulsory virtual briefing session on 23 January 2023 at 11:00 , must send their request/confirmation to: briefingsessions@nersa.org.za by 23 January 2023 at 10:00.
Tender no: NERSA/2223/ICT/CCS/BID014
Information: SCM Team, Tel: (012) 401 4795, E-mail: SCM@nersa.org.za.
Closing date: 3 Feb 2023
Tags: Services, Software, Security, Cyber security, Managed services, Managed security

City of Tshwane

Bids are invited to supply the metro with a third-party electricity vending system/technology to sell prepaid electricity to customers in the City of Tshwane supply area over three-year period.
Compulsory briefing: 31 Jan
Tender no: EED 34-2022/23
Information: Edward Oseile, Tel: (012) 358 3747, E-mail: edwardo@tshwane.gov.za.
Closing date: 2 Mar 2023
Tags: Services, Software, Vending, Pre-paid, Electricity

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
Proposals are requested for the provision of joint development of electronic warfare mission support systems (EWMSS) for the South African National Defence Force to the CSIR.
CSIR RFP 3553.1/27/01/2023
Information: Supply Chain Management, Tel: (012) 841 2911, E-mail: tender@csir.co.za.
Closing date: 27 Jan 2023
Tags: Telecommunications, Frequency, Research and analysis

Eskom
The utility is requesting information on the provision of a contact tracing/ data mining tool or system to enable and/or improve the contactability of customers, for the KwaZulu Natal and the Free State operating units.
Note: This is a request for information, no tender documents will be handed out.
Tender no: KZN064
Information: Shandy Singh, Tel: (031) 710 5348, E-mail: singhc@eskom.co.za.
Closing date: 2 Feb 2023
Tags: Software, Contact tracing, Data mining

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
Suitable service providers within the RF development domain are invited to express their interest to conduct research in partnership with the CSIR.
Tender no: CSIR EOI 8064.1/27/01/2023
Information: Supply Chain Management, Tel: (012) 841 2911, E-mail: tender@csir.co.za.
Closing date: 27 Jan 2023
Tags: Telecommunications, Frequency, Research and analysis

Expressions of interest are also invited from suitable service providers within the signature management domain, to conduct research in partnership with the CSIR.
Tender no: CSIR EOI 8065.1/27/01/2023
Information: Supply Chain Management, Tel: (012) 841 2911, E-mail: tender@csir.co.za.
Closing date: 27 Jan 2023
Tags: Software, Digital, Signature, Research and analysis