AWOS Replacement and Maintenance Services

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has issued a request for proposals for the replacement of Automated Weather Observation Systems (AWOS) at Cape Town International Airport (CTIA), Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (CDSIA, Gqeberha), George Airport, Upington Airport and Kimberley Airport. The scope covers the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of new meteorological sensors, electrical control cabinets, dual-redundant servers and data processing units, AWOS software, a fibre-optic network with radio-link backup, and UPS power supplies. It also includes the decommissioning and removal of the existing systems once the replacements are fully operational. The replacement installations are to be delivered over a 24-month period. A separate 60-month maintenance contract covers George, Upington and Kimberley. The existing systems are at or beyond their useful lives, and several have experienced sensor degradation and reliability problems. The new installations must comply with ICAO Annex 3, WMO and SACAA CATS 139 requirements, and must support Category II and III operations where applicable.

The works are procured under NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) Option B, a priced contract with a bill of quantities, with one contract per airport plus a NEC3 Term Service Contract for maintenance. The contractor carries design responsibility, so it must prepare staged designs (inception, concept and detailed design), submit a quality plan, provide a training and technology transfer programme, and deliver a comprehensive handover file including as-built drawings, FMEA, CMMS data and certificates of compliance. Work takes place on live, operational airsides and must follow ACSA safety, security and National Key Point requirements. Contractors must hold valid airside permits and pass SAPS vetting. Key contract terms include a 10% performance bond, 5% retention, delay damages of 0.05% per day capped at 10%, and payment within four weeks of a valid invoice. Bidders must attend an online briefing on 12 November 2026 and compulsory site inspections at each airport between 16 and 27 November 2026. Submissions close on 22 January 2027 at 11:00. Functionality is scored out of 100, with a minimum threshold of 80 points. Evaluation weights are 90 for price and 10 for B-BBEE preference, and a 30% Contract Participation Goal applies. Bidders must also show proof of AWOS or navigational-aid projects completed within the last 15 years and provide CVs for key personnel, including a National Diploma-qualified project manager and trade-tested installation electricians.

For qualified suppliers, this is a significant opportunity to deliver mission-critical aviation infrastructure and a long-term maintenance relationship with a major state-owned airports operator. Successful bidders gain a multi-site reference that supports future aviation and navigational-aid work. Note that the source documents contain some inconsistencies in airport names, codes and dates, such as George being referred to as GRJ and differing airport descriptions across sections. Bidders should confirm all details against the official bid documents and any addenda before submitting.