Pulverized Fuel Burner Maintenance Services NEW

Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd has issued an open Invitation to Tender (reference E3816GXMPMAT) for the maintenance of pulverized fuel (PF) burners on Units 1 to 6 at Matla Power Station in Mpumalanga. The contract runs for five years and is called off on an as-and-when-required basis, so work is performed during both planned outages and unplanned breakdowns. Because the work is tied to plant availability, the successful contractor must be able to mobilise quickly and maintain a consistent standard of delivery across the full contract period. The conditions of contract are the NEC3 Term Services Contract (TSC) with Option A (priced contract with price list) and secondary options including dispute resolution (W1), price adjustment for inflation (X1), changes in the law (X2), low service damages (X17), limitation of liability (X18), and task orders (X19). Tenders must be submitted electronically through the Eskom e-tendering portal by 10:00 on 8 December 2026, and the tender validity period is 24 weeks from the closing date.

Tenderers must meet several mandatory and evaluated requirements. Eligibility is subject to Eskom's standard conditions, including restrictions on sanctioned nationalities, conflicts of interest, and subcontracting 100% of the scope, which is prohibited. Tenders are scored on a 90/10 price and B-BBEE preference system, and a functionality threshold of 70% applies to the qualitative technical evaluation. Quality requirements (Form A, Category 1) call for an ISO 9001-aligned quality management system, a draft contract quality plan, and inspection and test plans. Safety, health, environment and quality (SHEQ) documentation is also required, including a health and safety plan, a baseline risk assessment, incident statistics for three years, and an environmental management plan aligned with ISO 14001. Contractors must sign Eskom's environmental commitment and indemnity letter. Proof of CSD registration is required before contract award. Supplier development (SDL&I) commitments include targets for 30% procurement from black-owned EME/QSE subcontractors, 100% local procurement content, job creation and retention, skills development in trades such as mechanical fitting, rigging, welding, boilermaking and quality inspection, and a community Corporate Social Investment proposal equal to at least 2% of contract value. SDL&I non-compliance attracts a 2.5% penalty, with 2.5% of each invoice retained as security. Eskom encourages sourcing from local-to-site suppliers in the Kriel and Matla feeder areas.

For the successful contractor, the contract offers a long-term, five-year revenue stream within a major utility's maintenance programme, supported by Eskom's payment terms of 30 days for contracts below R50 million and 60 days above that threshold, including VAT. Price adjustment is applied from year two onwards, and Eskom has stated that a fixed-price offer is required for any contract of 12 months or less. A non-compulsory clarification meeting is scheduled for 19 November 2026 via Microsoft Teams. Queries must be submitted in writing to the Eskom Representative, Abegail Mabuza (abegail.mabuza@eskom.co.za), at least five working days before the closing date. Bidders should note that the pack includes a supplier development template originally prepared for valve supply, which specifies a 70% local content threshold for valves and actuators. Bidders should confirm with the Eskom Representative which designated-sector and local content requirements apply to this scope before pricing.