Professional Design Services for Dirty Dam Level Indicators

Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd, through Kusile Power Station in Mpumalanga, is procuring professional engineering design services for the installation of Station Dirty Dam (SDD) level indicators. The existing level measurement system relies on pressure transmitters that have produced inaccurate readings. The project will replace this with radar-based level indicators integrated with the Distributed Control System (DCS) for real-time monitoring, data logging, alarm management, and historical trending. The appointed consultant will be responsible for the complete design package, including geotechnical and topographical investigations, a cantilever civil support structure, electrical supply, small power and lighting, earthing and lightning protection, and control and instrumentation design. Work must comply with SANS standards, Eskom engineering standards (including KKS coding, cable, earthing and drawing standards), and the National Building Regulations. The consultant must assume full professional design liability, with all designs signed off by ECSA-registered engineers or technologists.

The scope covers inception, concept and viability studies, detailed design development, and the production of deliverables including geotechnical and survey reports, detailed design reports, approved working drawings in both native CADD and PDF formats, technical specifications, bills of quantities, and construction documentation. Consultants must manage their own subconsultants, submitting names and conditions of contract to Eskom for acceptance before appointment. Documentation must follow Eskom's technical document and records management standards, and the consultant must operate under an ISO 9001 quality management system with Eskom supplier quality category 4 compliance. Key personnel are expected to include a structural or civil engineer, geotechnical engineer, electrical engineer, control and instrumentation engineer, and a professional land surveyor. Tenderers are evaluated on project understanding and approach, relevant track record (at least two comparable projects in the last ten years), personnel experience and ECSA registration, and organisational structure, with a minimum technical threshold of 70%.

The contract is structured under the NEC3 Professional Services Short Contract (PSSC3) with a starting date of 1 October 2026 and a completion date of 31 March 2027, followed by a 52-week defects liability period. Pricing is on a time-charge basis with a price list covering health and safety compliance, personal protective equipment, safety training, transport, and professional hours for C&I, civil, structural, electrical, and surveying resources. Prospective bidders must complete the OHS specification (KUS-20250791), which requires an OHS plan, section 37(2) agreement, COID letter of good standing, and compliance with Eskom life-saving rules. Bidders must also complete the e-tendering training acknowledgement form and the labour taxation questionnaire, and submit all returnable documents through Eskom's eTendering portal. The value of this engagement lies in delivering more accurate, reliable level data for dirty dam operations, reducing dependence on faulty transmitters, and improving plant operational efficiency at one of South Africa's major power stations.