The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) in South Africa is seeking to appoint a panel of service providers for legal, intellectual property, and commercialization services for a period of five years. A compulsory in-person briefing session will be held on April 14, 2026, at 11:00 AM at **** Park Street, Hatfield, Pretoria. Bidders must arrive by 10:00 AM to sign the register, and late arrivals will not be permitted. The tender submission deadline is May 4, 2026, at 11:00 AM, with submissions to be deposited in the tender box at the same address. Bidders are required to submit two envelopes: one for the functionality proposal and one for the financial proposal. Soft copies of both proposals are also required. The tender covers various specializations including regulatory compliance, commercial law, ICT law, intellectual property law, general litigation, and employment/labour law, with a minimum of five years of experience required for each specialization. Mandatory requirements include company profiles, registration with the Legal Practice Council, and valid fidelity fund certificates. Technical evaluation will be conducted in three stages: mandatory requirements, functionality (minimum 70% threshold), and price and B-BBEE. The evaluation system is 80/20 or 90/10, with points allocated for price and specific goals. Proposals must remain valid for 300 days. The ARC reserves the right to conduct due diligence and does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender.
The bid submission deadline is May 4, 2026, at 11:00 AM. Tender documents submitted after this closing time and date will not be considered.
The bid notice states that the successful bidder shall be paid upon submission of an invoice for each transaction of satisfactory work detailed in the scope. Payments shall be made promptly by the purchaser, but in no case later than thirty 30 days after submission of an invoice or claim by the supplier.
The bid will be evaluated in three stages: mandatory requirements, functionality (minimum 70% threshold), and price and B-BBEE. The proposal will be evaluated in terms of the 80/20 or 90/10 evaluation system.
Prospective service providers must submit valid tax clearance certificates, CSD reports, and complete all standard bidding documents. Mandatory requirements include submitting a company profile, being registered with the Legal Practice Council and submitting a valid letter of good standing, and all partners/directors/attorneys must possess a valid fidelity fund certificate.
The bid notice mentions that non-performance or failure to meet required standards may result in removal from the panel. It also states that if the supplier fails to deliver any or all of the goods or to perform the services within the periods specified in the contract, the purchaser shall, without prejudice to its other remedies under the contract, deduct from the contract price, as a penalty, a sum calculated on the delivered price of the delayed goods or unperformed services.
A compulsory briefing session in person is scheduled for April 14, 2026, at 11:00 AM at **** Park Street, Hatfield, Pretoria. Bidders must arrive at 10:00 AM to sign the register, and those who are fifteen minutes late will not be allowed to enter.