Borehole Assessment, Drilling & Water Infrastructure Panel

Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality (NMMDM), based in Mahikeng in the North West Province, is seeking to establish a panel of contractors for the assessment, rehabilitation, and development of groundwater and water supply infrastructure across its jurisdiction. The panel will be valid for three calendar years and will operate on an as-and-when required basis, meaning that individual projects will be allocated to panel members through appointment letters and project-specific service level agreements. Allocation will follow a rotational system, so panel members will not be assigned consecutive projects until other eligible contractors have had an opportunity to receive work. The tender is aligned with the Standard Operating Procedure for Groundwater Resource Development for Community Water Supply Projects and supports the National Groundwater Strategy's goal of more reliable supply from groundwater sources.

The scope of work covers the full lifecycle of community water source development and maintenance. Assessment activities include rehabilitation of existing boreholes through cleaning and flushing, removal of equipment where necessary, pump testing in line with SANS 10299, and groundwater quality sampling by an accredited laboratory against SANS 241. Development work includes geophysical surveys to identify drilling targets, borehole drilling and re-drilling (typically up to around 150 m, using rotary air percussion, mud rotary, Odex, or directional drilling methods), and registration of boreholes with the Department of Water and Sanitation. Successful boreholes, defined as yielding at least 0.5 L/s with water suitable for potable use, may be equipped with pumps, control boxes, diesel or petrol engines, standby generators, storage tanks and stands, flow meters, and electrical components to SABS 1200 standards. Additional works include construction and repair of concrete pump houses, installation of concrete or steel palisade security fencing with razor or electric wire, security lighting, supply and installation of HDPE, UPVC, galvanised, and Mono pipelines, valves, and bulk meters, and replacement of leaking bulk pipelines. Contractors must also provide a technical completion report for each project, an as-built drawing of installed pipelines, a structured skills transfer programme for designated municipal officials, and at least 12 months' warranty on engines and generators.

Panel members will work under the direct supervision of an engineering consulting team, a geohydrologist, and municipal project managers, and must comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993. Bidders are evaluated on a 90/10 price and preference system, with 10 points allocated to companies based within the NMMDM jurisdiction. Functionality is scored out of 85 points, covering key personnel (including a civil engineering site agent, a registered geohydrologist or geologist, and a safety officer), relevant company experience in drilling, pump testing, equipping, and building works, and plant and equipment such as a drilling rig, TLB, and excavator. A minimum of 55 points is required to proceed to evaluation. Mandatory returnable documents include CSD registration, a CIDB Grade 5 CE rating or higher, COIDA certification, three years of audited financial statements, a detailed OHS safety plan, tax compliance and municipal rates clearance, and a soft copy of the full bid on USB. The panel offers a stable, long-term pipeline of water infrastructure work, with payment within 30 days of a valid invoice, and represents an opportunity to deliver visible community benefits through reliable water supply.