Tender guides

How to register on the CSD (Central Supplier Database)

Step by step: register your business on National Treasury's Central Supplier Database so government can buy from you. Free, online, about 1 hour.

5 minute read

How to get a SARS tax compliance status (TCS) PIN for tenders

Government only buys from tax-compliant suppliers. Here is how to get your SARS tax compliance status PIN on eFiling, and what to do if you are non-compliant.

4 minute read

B-BBEE for tenders: certificate or sworn affidavit?

Small businesses can often use a free B-BBEE sworn affidavit instead of a paid certificate. Here is which one you need and how to get it.

4 minute read

CIDB grading explained: which grade do you need for a tender?

Construction tenders ask for a CIDB grade like 3GB or 6CE. Here is what the number and letters mean, and how to register or upgrade.

5 minute read

COIDA letter of good standing: what it is and how to get it

Many tenders, especially construction and services, ask for a COIDA letter of good standing. Here is how to get it and keep it valid.

3 minute read

How to find government tenders in South Africa

Where South African government tenders are published, and how to see the ones that fit your business without checking websites every day.

3 minute read

How to win a government tender: 12 practical tips

Practical tips from how government scores bids: get the paperwork right, price well, and pick tenders you can actually win.

6 minute read

10 reasons government tenders get rejected (and how to avoid them)

Most bids are rejected for paperwork, not price. The 10 most common mistakes South African bidders make, and how to avoid each one.

4 minute read

RFQ vs tender: what is the difference?

Smaller government purchases use requests for quotations (RFQs); bigger ones use open tenders. What changes for you, and why RFQs are a good place to start.

3 minute read

80/20 and 90/10 preference points explained

How government scores price and specific goals (like B-BBEE) under the Preferential Procurement Regulations, in plain English with an example.

4 minute read

Compulsory briefing sessions: what to know

If a tender has a compulsory briefing session and you miss it, you cannot bid. What happens at a briefing and how not to miss one.

3 minute read

SBD and MBD forms explained

Government bid packs include standard bidding documents (SBD) or municipal bidding documents (MBD). What the common forms are for and how to fill them in.

4 minute read