Ethylene Gas Generator Maintenance and Repair Services

The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, through its Economic Development and Spatial Planning department, is inviting quotations (Bid Q51-2026-27) for a service provider to supply, maintain and repair ethylene gas generators at the Banana Ripening Centre of the Tshwane Market. Ethylene generators produce controlled amounts of ethylene gas from a ripening fluid (a mix of about 90% ethanol and 10% ethyl acetate) to trigger the ripening of bananas after they arrive at the market. The ripening centre currently operates 20 BRS004 model generators servicing 55 ripening rooms on a 7-day cycle, so reliable servicing and rapid repairs are essential to avoid disruption to produce ripening operations. The contract is for a period of 12 months on an as-and-when-required basis, and the City reserves the right to increase or decrease quantities subject to budget availability.

The scope of work covers three main areas. First, routine quarterly preventive maintenance on each generator, including testing all components, replacing the catalyst, cleaning the tank and solenoid, checking for leaks, recalibrating the PC board and running functionality tests. Second, emergency and scheduled repairs, which involve removing, replacing or stripping and quoting for a list of 16 generator components such as the powder-coated cabinet, stainless steel tank, reactor, heating element, thermocouple, printed circuit board, solenoid, liquid level control, wiring, switch and plug top, as well as complete generator replacement. Successful bidders must supply the replacement generator within three weeks of a purchase order, keep sufficient stock to avoid delays, and provide a 12-month warranty covering parts and labour. Work must follow OEM specifications and industry standards, and the contractor must maintain detailed repair records, part catalogues, OEM part numbers and test reports, which the Municipality can access at any time. The workshop must also comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993, and OHS compliance documents will be requested before award.

The tender is evaluated in three stages: administrative compliance, mandatory requirements, and preferential points on an 80/20 price and specific goals basis. Bidders must be registered on the Central Supplier Database with a valid CSD number, hold a valid tax compliance PIN, and provide municipal account statements for the company and its owners, signed MBD forms, and a compulsory briefing register. Bidders must also supply three or more signed reference letters for similar completed work. Audited financial statements for the most recent three years are required for tenders above R10 million. Price schedules must be complete and corrected only in ink with initials, and correction fluid is not permitted. Bidders may also claim points for B-BBEE status, EME or QSE status, and ownership by women, people with disabilities, youth, or local residents. Pricing must include travel, components and labour for scheduled services, and prices are fixed for the quotation validity period of 90 days. Note that the quotation document gives the closing date as 11 November 2026 at 10:00, while the listing metadata shows 17 November 2026. Bidders should confirm the closing date on the eTender portal and submit online, as physical tender box deposits are not accepted.