Infrastructure Condition Assessment & QCTO Renovation Management

The Eastern Cape Community Education and Training (CET) College, a public post-school institution under the Department of Higher Education and Training, is seeking a qualified professional implementing agent (IA) to upgrade and renovate 15 of its community learning centres so they meet the infrastructure standards required by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) for occupational programme accreditation. The centres are spread across the province and cover New Venture Creation, Early Childhood Development, Home Based Care, Retail Supervision and Aquaculture Farming programmes, with sites ranging from Frere Hospital in East London and Mdantsane to rural locations such as Libode, Ngqamakhwe, Butterworth, Mount Frere and Komani. Sites are also located in Queenstown, Kariega and Port Elizabeth (Zwide).

The appointed IA will deliver work in three phases. Phase 1 covers on-site conditional assessments of structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and health and safety systems at all 15 facilities, identifying defects and compliance gaps against the National Building Regulations, SANS standards and specific QCTO programme requirements such as workshop dimensions, ventilation and specialised utility connections. Phase 2 requires a separate Infrastructure Assessment Report for each centre, containing an executive summary, component-by-component defect register, QCTO gap analysis, geotagged photographic evidence, unpriced and priced Bills of Quantities broken down by trade, and a risk assessment categorising repairs as critical, necessary for QCTO or cosmetic. The phase also includes architectural layouts where structural adjustments are needed and finalised technical specifications. Phase 3 involves project management and quality assurance during construction, including stage-gate inspections, verification certificates and payment milestone sign-offs for building contractors, weekly or monthly progress reports, and handover close-out reports confirming QCTO alignment, with Certificates of Practical Completion issued on final handover.

The functionality evaluation (scored out of 100, with a minimum of 70 required to proceed) assesses relevant experience through contactable client references and appointment letters from the past three years, the qualifications and registrations of the proposed project team, the quality of the methodology and implementation plan including after-hours customer care, and locality, with points awarded for businesses based in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality or the wider Eastern Cape. The price evaluation applies the 80/20 preference point system, with 20 points available for specific goals including black, women, youth and disability ownership and Eastern Cape locality. Mandatory submissions include a valid original SARS tax clearance certificate, CIPC registration, certified director IDs, a company profile with references, professional body registration, a municipal account or lease agreement, CSD registration, and a fully completed pricing schedule with VAT-inclusive totals. A compulsory briefing session is scheduled for 9 November 2026 at the Border Training Centre in Mdantsane, and late arrivals will not be admitted. Bids must be delivered in a sealed envelope to the Border Training Centre bid box by 11:00 on 23 November 2026, and remain valid for 90 days.