Bleed Pump Suction Strainer Fabrication and Installation NEW

Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd, through Kusile Power Station, is inviting tenders for the manufacture, supply, delivery and installation of a suction strainer for the absorber bleed pump system. Kusile's six 800 MW units each have a wet flue gas desulphurisation (WFGD) absorber, and this work supports a test modification to the absorber bleed system. The strainer is needed to keep the bleed pumps protected and the system reliable, so spares and components must be readily available.

The scope covers workshop fabrication, preparation of manufacturing drawings for approval, transport to site, and installation. The strainer frame is S355JR angle iron (60x60x8mm), rubber-lined. The mesh is duplex stainless steel expanded metal, epoxy-coated, with a 25mm short-way opening, 50mm length, 10mm strand width and 3mm strand thickness. On site, the existing rubber lining must be removed where the mounting frame is welded to the absorber shell. The frame covers the bleed suction nozzles at an elevation of 280mm, and the frame is then re-lined. Pricing includes preliminaries, safety requirements, PPE, skilled resources, and items for fabrication, rubber lining, protective coating, inspection and spark testing. The contract is an NEC3 Engineering and Construction Short Contract (ECSC3), with a 52-week defects period and a 2-week defect correction period. The SDL&I documentation gives the project duration as one month, while the contract data refers to three months, so bidders should confirm the programme with the buyer.

Bidders must meet mandatory criteria before evaluation. These include an established mechanical workshop certified to ISO 3834 for welding quality. Bids are scored on a weighted technical evaluation with a minimum threshold of 70%. Qualitative criteria are previous successful fabrication and supply and installation projects supported by verifiable proof, a method statement covering scope understanding, risks and roles, and a project plan with lead time. Shorter installation timelines score higher, and proof of lead time must be supported by a programme. Quality documentation is required under Eskom's supplier quality management specification (Category 4), including a quality method statement, quality objectives and documented roles and responsibilities. An environmental evaluation with an 80% minimum threshold also applies. Eskom uses the 80/20 preference point system for this tender, with 80 points for price and 20 points for B-BBEE status. The SDL&I targets include 100% local procurement content, with penalties and retention for non-compliance. Mandatory forms include SBD 1, SBD 6.1, SBD 6.2 (local content), the integrity pact declaration, the e-tendering training acknowledgement and the list of tender returnables.

The main benefits for Eskom are a dependable, locally fabricated component for a critical WFGD system and a short, outage-aligned delivery. Successful bidders will gain experience on high-availability power station plant, with clear technical, quality and environmental standards to meet.