Design, supply, installation and 36-month maintenance of an Intelligent Operations Centre (GIS train tracking, business and ICT dashboards) and an AI platform, including a passenger chatbot and staff AI coding tools, for South Africa's national passenger rail operator.
This tender seeks a contractor to design, supply, install and maintain an Intelligent Operations Centre (IOC) and AI Platform for the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), on an as-and-when-required basis over 36 months. The work covers national operations and will be built as an extension of PRASA's existing private cloud and data platform, which is based on the Huawei Cloud Stack (HCS) architecture. Because the IOC and AI Platform will share the same integrated data, they are procured together to ensure seamless data exchange. PRASA describes the requirement as urgent, given the need for real-time monitoring, data-driven operations and service optimisation.
The IOC consists of five modules. Module 1 provides train tracking through GIS maps and 3D visualisation, including passenger counting information and 3D models of three medium-to-large stations. Module 2 is a business operation single view covering finance, projects, budgets, sales and human resources. Module 3 is a digital infrastructure view that consolidates network, data centre and cybersecurity monitoring with unified alarm and event management. Module 4 requires enhancements to the data platform, including advanced visualisation, real-time processing, dynamic data anonymisation, spatial data features and data asset management. Module 5 covers implementation, project management, O&M support, training and knowledge transfer. The AI Platform has two use cases. The first is an external, WhatsApp-accessible passenger chatbot that must answer only from PRASA-approved content and authorised data sources. It must cite its sources and timestamps, distinguish verified from unavailable information, and never fabricate timetables, fares, incident details or safety advice. The second is an internal AI-assisted coding service, delivered as Model-as-a-Service (MaaS) with controlled, usage-based access to large language models for PRASA developers.
Bidders must meet several mandatory requirements. These include official OEM certification confirming compatibility with PRASA's cloud and data platforms, a valid SARS tax PIN, CSD registration, and completion of all tender documentation. Evaluation is staged, with technical compliance tested before scoring. Stage 2 scores proposed technical solution, relevant IOC/AI/MaaS experience (including passenger rail or bus services in South Africa), key certified personnel (HCIE-Cloud or HCIP-Cloud certifications, with CVs), project manager qualifications (PMP or PRINCE2), and a PRASA-specific implementation methodology. Bidders must reach at least 80% in Stage 2 to proceed to price and specific-goals evaluation under the 90/10 preference point system. The benefits to PRASA include unified operational visibility, faster incident response, reduced downtime, better passenger information during disruptions, and accelerated software modernisation. Interested parties should review the closing date of 25 November 2026 and the supporting scope of works and SAP Ariba submission guide before responding.
This tender is best suited to established ICT integrators and system houses with Huawei Cloud Stack expertise and valid HCIE-Cloud or HCIP-Cloud certified staff, and to consortia or partnerships that combine these with GIS and 3D visualisation, business intelligence, cybersecurity monitoring, and conversational AI or LLM capabilities. Businesses should have verifiable experience in passenger rail or bus services in South Africa, or be able to partner with a firm that does, and should be able to provide OEM certification for PRASA's cloud and data platforms. Smaller firms may find it relevant as subcontractors for specialised components such as GIS mapping, chatbot development, data anonymisation, or training. Businesses without Huawei OEM certification, without the required certified personnel, or without a PRASA-specific delivery methodology are unlikely to pass the mandatory and technical stages.
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