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Tender readiness
Can you bid?
Fourteen questions on the documents South African public tenders usually ask for. It takes about three minutes. It will not tell you whether a bid will succeed. It will show you what to sort out before the closing date.
The fourteen questions
Answer Yes, No or Not sure. Your result updates as you go, and the items to sort out are listed by name.
Runs in your browser. Nothing is sent or stored. It cannot tell you whether a bid will succeed, and it is not tax or legal advice. For anything about your tax position, speak to your tax practitioner or SARS.
What applies now
The rules a tender runs under
Procurement law moved in 2026. This is the position as we understand it on 6 November 2026. Check the tender's own conditions first, and confirm anything legal against the source.
As at 6 November 2026.
| Item | Position | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Public Procurement Act 28 of 2024 | Invalid Assented to in July 2024 but never brought into force. On 17 September 2026 the Constitutional Court declared it invalid with immediate effect because of the public participation process. The draft regulations published in April 2026 fall away with it. Confirm the detail against the judgment itself before relying on it. | Constitutional Court |
| PPPFA and Preferential Procurement Regulations 2022 | In force Still the preference framework. 80/20 applies up to and including R50 million, 90/10 above R50 million. Each organ of state sets its own specific goals for the preference points. In force since 16 January 2023. | National Treasury guide |
| Standard bidding documents | Current set SBD 1 invitation to bid, SBD 3.1 to 3.3 pricing, SBD 4 bidder's disclosure (it now covers what the old SBD 8 and SBD 9 asked), SBD 6.1 preference points claim, SBD 6.2 only where local content applies, SBD 7 contract forms. Municipal tenders use the MBD equivalents. | eTenders SBD pack |
| Central Supplier Database | Required Free registration on secure.csd.gov.za gives you a supplier number. CSD checks your details against SARS, CIPC and your bank, so the details must match exactly. | CSD |
| SARS tax compliance status | Required Request a Tax Compliance Status PIN on eFiling under "Good Standing". The old "Tender" option has been removed. Buyers check the status at evaluation and award. | SARS |
| B-BBEE evidence | For preference points EMEs (R10 million or less) use a sworn affidavit. QSEs (above R10 million, up to R50 million) that are 51% or more black-owned may use a sworn affidavit. Everyone else needs a certificate from a SANAS-accredited verification agency. Both run for 12 months. | the dtic |
| Section 53 EE compliance certificate | In force since 1 January 2025 Ties state contracts to Employment Equity compliance. You request it on EE Online with the EEA15 form. Employers with fewer than 50 employees use the declaration route. Valid for 12 months. | EE Regulations 2025 |
| COIDA letter of good standing | Often asked Generated online from the Compensation Fund once your returns of earnings and assessments are up to date. Common on tenders with work on site. | Department of Employment and Labour |
| UIF tender letter | Suspended since 2022 The UIF compliance letter has been suspended since April 2022 and we found no confirmed reinstatement. Registration and monthly declarations on uFiling remain a legal duty. Provide proof only if a tender asks for it. | SAICA notice |
| CIDB and sector registrations | Work-specific Construction works go only to contractors registered with the CIDB at the grade and class the tender states. Security, home building and regulated professions have their own registers (PSIRA, NHBRC, ECSA, SACAP). | CIDB Practice Note 3 |
General guidance only, not legal or tax advice. The tender's own returnable schedule always takes priority.
How we help
Get your documents in order before the closing date
We work through the gaps the check shows: CSD details that do not match, a B-BBEE affidavit or certificate about to expire, a missing section 53 certificate, an Employment Equity report that was never submitted. We prepare and organise. SARS, the Department, your SETA and your verification agency decide.
Talk to us about a tender
Tell us the tender number, the closing date and which questions came out as No or Not sure.