How to respond to a government tender

Start from evidence you can inspect. Every Govermate listing shows who issued it and when it was collected or checked; subscribers, including people on a free trial, can also open the official source page and Govermate's saved copy of the document. Read the original notice before doing anything else — the issuing body's official document is the final word on requirements and closing time.

If you cannot trace a 'tender' back to an official notice from the body that issued it, treat it as suspect. A real government opportunity always has one.

To do business with the South African government you generally need to be registered on the Central Supplier Database (CSD). Registration is run by National Treasury and is free. The CSD captures your business, banking, tax and B-BBEE details so departments can verify you as a supplier.

Complete your CSD registration before a deadline is looming, not on the day. Make sure your tax status and banking details are current, because an out-of-date CSD record can disqualify an otherwise strong bid.

Read the tender document carefully and confirm you actually qualify before investing time in a bid. Tender documents set out exactly what they need — miss one mandatory item and your bid can be disqualified regardless of price.

Assemble your response exactly as the tender document specifies — the right forms, in the right format, with every mandatory annexure attached. Follow the submission method and address in the official notice precisely; bids sent the wrong way or to the wrong place are often rejected on a technicality.

Closing dates and times are strict. Submit with time to spare so a slow upload, a queue at a tender box or a last-minute query cannot cost you the bid. When in doubt, the official source document — not a third-party summary — governs the deadline.

Most government bids cost nothing to submit, and tender documents on the eTender portal are free to download. Some municipalities and entities charge a non-refundable fee for their tender documents; when they do, the official tender notice states the amount and that it is paid to the institution itself. Anyone asking for a payment, a deposit or a 'processing fee' that the official notice does not state, or asking you to pay a person or a private account, is a red flag. Walk away and report it.

Govermate's job is to surface government opportunities with what it has recorded about them, so you can investigate before acting. We never imply any government affiliation.