Emergency Ash Offloading Facility Upgrade NEW

Matimba Power Station, operated by Eskom, is seeking a suitably qualified civil engineering contractor to upgrade its emergency ash offloading facility. The facility provides temporary ash storage when the primary conveying system is unavailable due to breakdown or maintenance. The existing 30m x 30m reinforced concrete slab is too small for the volumes now being deposited, which has led to ash being stored on natural ground in breach of environmental licence conditions. The project will expand the impermeable storage area to 4,680 m², upgrade the stormwater management system to comply with GN 704, and align storage practices with GN 926 norms and standards for waste storage.

The scope covers both design and construction. The contractor must review and update preliminary designs prepared in 2024 and the existing drawing series C001 to C004, verify design inputs and geotechnical conditions, and produce a detailed design report signed off by a professionally registered engineer. Designs must be accepted by Eskom and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) before construction begins. Construction includes site clearance, earthworks, a 35 MPa reinforced concrete slab with a 3% gradient, and a 35 MPa retaining wall with a minimum thickness of 0.25 m and a maximum height of 4 m. The works also include an access ramp for heavy vehicles, safety guards, traffic management, the protection or encasement of buried services, and the repair of any damaged infrastructure. Contractors must submit mix designs, method statements, quality control plans, a construction databook, as-built drawings, structural stability certification and a maintenance plan. The project is an operational site, so work must be planned around ongoing ash handling activities.

Tender requirements are strict. Bidders must provide a CV for a Pr Eng design engineer with at least five years of experience in designing similar structures and in ECSA registration, plus a SACPCMP-registered construction manager with ten years of relevant experience. The contractor must confirm design liability in writing and evidence at least three completed comparable projects within the last ten years. Mandatory CIDB Construction Skills Development Goal expenditure of 0.25% of the contract amount is a condition for award. Tenders must also meet ISO 9001 quality requirements (Category 2), submit a high-level programme, and reach a technical threshold of 70%. Local procurement content is targeted at 100%, with a 15% target for subcontracting to black-owned enterprises. SDL&I obligations, including quarterly reporting, are binding, with a 2% penalty and 2% retention on invoices. Preference points are awarded under the 80/20 or 90/10 system based on B-BBEE status. The project duration is 24 months, and the closing date is 4 December 2026.