Water Quality Management Services

The South African Forestry Company SOC Ltd (SAFCOL), through its subsidiary Komatiland Forests, is seeking a service provider to manage water quality at its remote forestry plantations and business units for a period of six months. As a Water Services Provider, SAFCOL must ensure that water for human consumption meets SANS 241 (edition 6.1) and that treated sewer effluent complies with environmental requirements under the Water Act. Because many plantations are too far from municipal networks to connect economically, SAFCOL must treat and monitor its own water supplies and wastewater on site.

The appointed provider will be responsible for the full sampling and testing cycle. Scope includes supplying and topping up SABS-approved water treatment chemicals, providing controllable chemical dosing equipment and filtration systems where required, and conducting same-day chemical residual tests at the point of use. Monthly grab sampling for bacteriological parameters and quarterly full analysis are required for potable water, with full wastewater analysis for sewer systems. Packaged water treatment plants must also be sampled, with dosage recommendations provided where results deviate from standards. Samples must be submitted to a reputable scientific laboratory, and the provider must interpret results, recommend corrective measures, and provide guidance where remediation falls outside the contracted scope. Travel is to be grouped so that sites less than 100 km apart are serviced in a single trip from base.

Reporting is a core deliverable. Monthly reports, including laboratory certificates on accredited laboratory letterhead, must be provided to plantation managers and the Senior Manager: Property and Infrastructure Maintenance. Reports must be user-friendly, highlight non-conformances, identify associated operational, aesthetic, and health risks, include trend graphs, and recommend remedial actions. Mandatory requirements include SANAS accreditation for chemical analysis (held directly or through a valid agreement with an accredited third-party laboratory), a valid COID Letter of Good Standing, two reference letters for comparable water quality management work on the prescribed template, a valid tax clearance, CSD registration, and a B-BBEE certificate or EME/QSE affidavit. The contract follows the NEC4 Term Service Short Contract, and evaluation is based on 80 points for price and 20 points for specific goals, with 20 points available to bidders that are at least 51% black-owned. Quotations must be on company letterhead, include VAT, remain valid for 60 days, and be emailed by the closing date and time. Late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted.

Note for prospective bidders: the tender title and RFQ refer to the Highveld region, while the scope of work refers to the South Region and, in the contract data, the North Region. The attached Part C3 also contains generic security services wording that does not match the water quality scope. Bidders should seek clarification through the designated query email before the closing date. Benefits to the successful provider include a short-term, well-defined contract in a regulated sector, exposure to a state-owned enterprise, and the opportunity to build a track record in public sector water compliance.