GREEN TENDERS
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📋 Tender Basics

Everything a first-time bidder needs to know — in plain South African language.

❓What is a tender?

A tender is a public invitation for businesses to bid on supplying goods, services, or construction to government or large buyers. South African government alone spends over R1 trillion a year through tenders — that money has to be won by someone, and increasingly by small firms like yours.

Whoever offers the best mix of price and B-BBEE score usually wins. The good news: most tenders are under R1 million and only need an RFQ — a 2-page quote, not a 50-page proposal.

Tender vs Quote vs Proposal: Quotes (RFQ) are short and price-driven. Proposals (RFP) ask you to suggest a solution. Tenders is the umbrella word for both.

🔢The procurement process — 8 steps

Most South African tenders follow the same flow. The whole cycle takes 6 to 14 weeks from advert to payment.

  1. 1
    🪪Register on CSD
    Get your MAAA number on the Central Supplier Database — without it you can't even quote.
  2. 2
    📰Tender published
    Government posts the opportunity (eTenders portal, newspaper, or department website).
  3. 3
    🔍Read the spec
    Download every document. Check turnover, B-BBEE level, CIDB grade and locality requirements.
  4. 4
    🎤Briefing session
    Buyer explains the work. Sometimes attendance is compulsory — miss it, miss the bid.
  5. 5
    📝Prepare bid
    Fill SBD forms, attach tax pin, B-BBEE affidavit, company docs, certified IDs and pricing.
  6. 6
    📬Submit before closing
    Drop physically or upload by the exact closing time. One minute late = disqualified.
  7. 7
    🧮Evaluation
    Buyer scores on price (80 or 90 pts) plus B-BBEE & goals (20 or 10 pts).
  8. 8
    🏆Award & contract
    Winning bidder is announced, signs the contract, and gets a purchase order before starting work.
Typical timeline (weeks)
Advert
Prep & submit
Evaluation
Award
Delivery → Pay

📂Required documents

Build a "day-one folder" — physical or digital — so you can bid the moment a tender appears.

  • CIPC company registration certificate
  • SARS Tax Compliance pin (TCS) — current
  • CSD (Central Supplier Database) registration & MAAA number
  • B-BBEE affidavit (EME/QSE) or full certificate
  • Bank confirmation letter (within 3 months)
  • Completed SBD forms (1, 4, 6.1, 8, 9 — depends on tender)
  • Letter of Good Standing (COIDA) — for any service with workers
  • CIDB grading — construction tenders only
  • PSIRA registration — security tenders only
  • Certified ID copies of directors (within 3 months)
  • Two reference letters from past clients

Don't know what one of these is? Look it up in the glossary →

💸What does it cost to start bidding?

One of the best-kept secrets: starting up is almost free.

ItemCostNotes
CIPC company registrationR175Online at bizportal.gov.za
CSD registrationR0Free, takes 1 day
SARS tax pinR0Generate on eFiling
B-BBEE affidavit (EME)R0Free at any SAPS station
Bank confirmation letterR0–R50Most banks issue free in-app
COIDA registrationR0Pay only on payroll size
Total to be tender-ready≈ R175Plus your time

⚠️Common mistakes that disqualify bids

  • Submitting after the closing time — even by 1 minute
  • Missing a signed SBD form (especially SBD 4 and SBD 9)
  • Expired tax clearance pin
  • Not attending a compulsory briefing
  • Pricing in the wrong format (VAT inclusive vs exclusive)
  • Using an outdated B-BBEE affidavit (older than 12 months)
  • Forgetting to initial every page
  • Posting bids by courier when hand-delivery is required
  • Filing certified copies older than 3 months

💡 Insider tips

  • Submit early. Aim for 2 hours before closing — traffic, queues and printer jams cost contracts.
  • Quote close to the mean. Lowest doesn't always win; suspiciously low bids get rejected.
  • Reuse documents. Keep a clean, signed master folder you copy for every bid.
  • Build references early. Start with small RFQs (under R100k) to build a track record.
  • Read addenda. Buyers often change specs after publishing — always use the latest version.
  • Follow up. 30 days after award you can use PAIA to request the scoring sheet.

🌟 Real bidder stories

Mandla — Mahikeng
Stationery RFQ
Submitted his very first quote for R18 000 of office paper. Won it. Three months later he had 6 RFQs and his first full-time employee.
Priya — Durban
Catering
Lost her first 4 bids because she priced VAT inclusive while competitors quoted exclusive. Fixed it on bid 5 and won R230k.
Sipho — East London
Security PSIRA
Got PSIRA registration first, then bid only on tenders matching his grade. Won a 12-month guarding contract worth R1.4m.
Fatima — Johannesburg
Cleaning EME
Built a "day-one folder" with every doc. Now turns around a full bid in 4 hours flat.

❔Frequently asked questions

❔ Do I need to be a Pty (Ltd) to bid?
Most tenders accept sole traders too, but a registered Pty (Ltd) looks more credible and helps separate business and personal tax. CIPC registration costs only R175.
❔ How long does CSD registration take?
Usually one working day. You'll receive a MAAA number by email — keep it in your bid file.
❔ Can I bid without VAT registration?
Yes, until your turnover hits R1 million per year. Below that, VAT is optional.
❔ What if I miss the closing time?
Your bid will not be opened. There are no exceptions — even being 1 minute late. Always submit 2 hours early.
❔ How do I know which tenders fit me?
That's exactly why Green Tenders exists — we filter and WhatsApp you only the tenders that match your B-BBEE level, CIDB grade and locality.

📖Quick starter glossary

  • CIDB — Construction Industry Development Board — grades contractors 1–9 by project size.
  • SCM — Supply Chain Management — government's tender unit.
  • B-BBEE — Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment scoring.
  • SBD forms — Standard Bidding Documents — the official tender forms.
  • CSD — Central Supplier Database — every supplier must register here.
  • RFQ — Request for Quotation — fast tender for goods/services under R1m.
GET MATCHED TENDERS ON WHATSAPP →
Related: B-BBEE Guide  ·  Glossary