The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) is inviting bids for the supply, delivery, installation, and commissioning of solar panels for the Residue Lab and EPV Lab at their Onderstepoort campus. The tender requires an experienced and accredited service provider with a CIDB grading of 5EP or higher. Bids must be submitted electronically by 05 May 2026 at 11:00 AM. A compulsory physical information session will be held on 21 April 2026 at 10:00 AM, which will include a site visit. Technical enquiries should be directed to Ms. Emmy Galane, and tender document-related queries to Ms. Fisokuhle Dlamini. The scope of work includes a grid-tied solar system with battery backup, capable of handling emergency and standard loads. Key technical requirements include specific PV module specifications, battery storage capacity, inverter types, and a power management unit. The evaluation process will involve administrative compliance, mandatory requirements, functionality scoring (100 points), and price and specific goals (80/20 preference points system). Bidders must provide proof of CIDB grading, attend the compulsory information session, and meet other mandatory technical requirements. The tender emphasizes compliance with tax legislation, submission of SBD documents, and adherence to the ARC's code of ethics. A 10-year warranty is required for batteries and inverters, and a 25-year warranty for PV modules. A 12-month workmanship warranty is also stipulated. The successful bidder will be responsible for installation, certification, and commissioning, including providing a Certificate of Compliance (COC). A contingency fee of 10% is mentioned but may be omitted based on budget. Operation and maintenance for one year, along with training for ARC personnel, are also required.
The tender closing date for the submission of bid proposals is 05 May 2026 at 11:00 AM. The successful service provider will be required to render services for the supply, delivery, installation and commissioning of solar panels within three months from the date of bid award, unless otherwise indicated and agreed between the successful bidder and the ARC.
The ARC undertakes to pay out in full or as per deliverables within thirty (30) days all valid claims for work done to its satisfaction upon presentation of a substantiated claim and the required reports stipulated in special conditions. No payment will be made where there is outstanding information or work not submitted by the service providers until that outstanding information is submitted.
The bid notice specifies that PV modules must have a 25-year linear power warranty down to 80% capacity and a 12-year manufacturing warranty. Inverters are to have a 10-year product warranty (five years to be extended to ten years). Batteries and associated components require a 10-year product warranty. A 12-month workmanship warranty on the whole installation is also required.
The bid evaluation process will follow four phases: Administrative Compliance, Mandatory Requirements, Functionality Scoring Criteria (100 points), and Price and Specific Goals. The 80/20 principle will apply in terms of the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act, with 80 points allocated to price and 20 points to BBBEE status level.
Bidders must be experienced and accredited service providers with a CIDB grading of 5EP or higher. They must also attend a compulsory physical information session and meet all mandatory technical requirements, including having a licensed solar PV green card practitioner and using Tier 1, 550Wp monocrystalline PV modules complying with IEC **** and IEC **** must be approved to NRS ****.
The bid notice 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 using the current prime interest rate calculated for each day of the delay until actual delivery or performance. The purchaser may also consider termination of the contract.
A physical compulsory information session will be facilitated at the ARC OVR Campus on 21 April 2026 at 10:00 AM, which will include site visits for service providers to assess and provide quotes based on the inspection of the site. Bidders arriving more than 15 minutes after the information session has commenced will not be permitted to attend.
