22 Feb 2024

CIDB Explained

by | posted in: Frequently Asked Questions | 0

What is the CIDB?

The South African Construction Industry Development Board was established by an Act of Parliament, Act 38 of 2000. By going through the CIDB registration process, contractors’ capacity development, empowerment, industry performance and best practice are enhanced.

All contractors working in the public sector must register with the CIDB except subcontractors and joint ventures, however all JV partners must be individually registered. Home builders are regulated by the National Home Building Council (NHBRC), so they do not have to register with the CIDB board.

How is a CIDB grading determined?

It’s all about the amount of money the contractor has in his financial books, but includes their work experience. As the contractor’s bank account improves he can apply for a higher grading of CIDB with the CIDB Board. The grading helps to determine the maximum value a contractor can comfortably fulfill. CIDB registered companies are assigned a unique identify known as a CRS number. A CIDB grade is represented by one digit and two letters. A higher grading number means an increased tender value. Grade 9, for example, means the contractor does not have a limit to the amount and value of work they can do and is the highest grade available. There are no qualifying criteria for grade 1. When grading between levels 2 and 9, the board looks at the projects a contractor has completed in the last 5 years and their available capital. Contractors can be graded as sole proprietors, partnerships, companies, or corporations. Each CIDB grade is valid for 3 years from date of registration. After 3 years, a contractor needs to renew their application and this can be done online. Every 6 years, a contractor must prove that they still meet the relevant criteria to remain in a particular grade by submitting the necessary supporting documentation for evaluation by the CIDB Board. During the 3 year validity period, a grade must be updated annually, and the contractor must pay the applicable annual fee (The admin fee is payable every 3 years). A CIDB grade that has not been updated for two consecutive years is suspended on the CIDB register. Annual updates do not apply to Grade 1 contractors. The subscription amount varies depending on the grade and whether it is a new application or renewal. A company can apply for multiple CIDB gradings e.g. CIDB 9GB and CIDB 6EP. In the case of multiple gradings, they will pay the admin fee for each grade and the annual fee for the highest grade only. A contractor must have a valid CIDB rating in order to bid on a contract that has a CIDB rating specified. It takes 21 working days to be registered on the CIDB website. The board does not print registration certificates and the name of the contractor is published on the website once grading is awarded. Clients can verify grading as well as the status of a contractor’s registration on the website.

CIDB costs (as at February 2024)

CIDB

Admin Fee

Annual Fee

1

R450

R0

2

R450

R250

3

R750

R350

4

R750

R900

5

R750

R1750

6

R750

R3500

7

R750

R9000

8

R750

R29000

9

R750

R55000

Work permits from the Labour Department

Public projects – any project exceeding the value of R13 million must have a work permit

Private projects – any project exceeding the value of R65 million must have a work permit

The work permit is applied for from the Labour Department by the Health and Safety company/officer appointed on the contract.

What are the different CIDB classes?

GB – General Building

CE – Civil Engineering

ME – Mechanical Engineering

SB – Asphalt Works (supply and lay)

SC – Building Excavations, shaft sinking, lateral earth support

SD – Corrosion protection (cathodic, anodic and electrolytic)

SE – Demolition and blasting

SF – Fire prevention and protection systems

SG – Glazing, curtain walls and shop fronts

SH – Landscaping, irrigation and horticulture works

SI – Lifts, escalators and travellators (installation, commissioning and maintenance)

SJ – Piling and specialised foundations for building and structures

SK – Road markings and signage

SL – Structural steelwork fabrication and erection

SM – Timber buildings and structures

SN – Waterproofing of basements, roofs and walls using specialist systems

SO – Water supply and drainage for buildings (wet services, plumbing)

SQ – Steel security fencing or precast concrete

To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

About Debbie Wessels

I started at Leads 2 Business in April 2008 in the tenders Department and transferred to the Projects Department during the same year. I was appointed Head of Department for Projects from February 2011 to March 2022. April 2022 I started a new adventure as Content Regulator.

15 Sep 2022

Difference between an Africa Tender & SA Tender

by | posted in: Frequently Asked Questions | 0

At Leads 2 Business we have two different research Departments in Tenders; South Africa and Africa.

In the Africa Department, we research in 17 different counties. Examples of areas of coverage include Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Eswatini (Swaziland), Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe. These tender opportunities are intended for our clients whose primary business focus is in Africa or alternately for those who wish to expand their company’s coverage, serviceable regions and scope of work into Africa.

Tender notices are sourced throughout Africa via our extensive network of newspapers, online resources and personal contacts. Should a tender be in another language we translate it into English as a courtesy for our subscribers.

Key considerations to our research team are content, timeous acquisition of tender information and the critical details that facilitate ease of communication, more specifically: telephone numbers, postal addresses and e-mail addresses of the contacts on the tender.

In Africa, it is common for a non-refundable fee to be charged to obtain Tender Documents. Africa Tenders also require us to specify “Local Time” next to the closing date and/or site inspection because of the time difference and subscribers must also take note of the dialling codes for the specific region.

Below are examples of an SA Tender and an Africa Tender View:

We also offer different services at Leads 2 Business depending on which regions you’d like to receive Leads for (all prices exclude VAT):

Tenders South Africa                            R 1200.00 per month
Tenders Africa                                      R 1443.48 per month
Tenders (South Africa and Africa)         R 2069.57 per month
Projects (South Africa and Africa)         R 2556.52 per month

If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.
To view more Featured Companies, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.

About Chantel Joubert

5 Jul 2022

Explaining Key Tender Vocabulary

by | posted in: Frequently Asked Questions | 2

Vocabulary is an important element in our day-to-day lives and it determines how people respond or react to what is being said to them. The vocabulary of a tender is the language or jargon that is used when publishing a tender, these words are used in order to attract the right people and people that will understand what is expected of them.

The important key element of a tender is what is being done and where is it being done. The type of work being done has to be stated as this is essential in sourcing the right people for the job if the tender requires building the tender has to state that it is for construction and if the tender is for consultants the tender again will state “professionals”. Another element is the location of the work and the duration of the work. The work may be done in a city, town, province or national for the period stated.

In the tender sector, different companies do different works therefore categorizing a tender is important. The vocabulary also gives an understanding of the category the tender falls under meaning a tender can be categorized as IT or Building or Trades based on the vocabulary that is being used.

Tenders usually have restrictions on who can tender and conditions to tender, these restrictions are usually in tender jargon or tender language for example a tender may require a CIDB grading in order to tender. A CIDB grading is a rank given to a construction company based on the value and experience of its past construction projects. The rank is based on work, financial and general compliance criteria.

A tender is time-based like most things in the world and time waits for no man. It is important to note the site inspection and the closing date as this is beneficial. For some tenders, a site inspection is important and compulsory and one cannot tender if they did not attend the site inspection most tenders will not under any circumstances accept late submissions therefore time is a very important element to note and respect when tendering.

Is there any tender vocab we missed that you’d like covered? Drop a comment below.

To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

About Zama Mzelemu

1 Jun 2022

Why do Emails go to Spam?

by | posted in: Frequently Asked Questions | 0
Photo by Daria Nepriakhina 🇺🇦 on Unsplash

 

If your perfectly created emails aren’t being delivered to your recipients’ inboxes, and instead go to their spam folder, it’s nothing less than frustrating. But why do legitimate emails go to spam?

Why do my emails go to spam?
It’s more likely to be a problem with the content of your actual email message rather than the mail service provider, let’s take a look at why your emails might be going to spam folders, and what you should do to prevent it.

Spam filters are upping their game
The main reason more emails go to spam folders these days is simply that spam filters are far more sophisticated. Google’s spam filters use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to curb annoying spam emails, by judging behaviour and rating accordingly. Google says that it’s been able to block 99.9 per cent of spam from reaching inboxes, while incorrectly classifying legitimate e-mail as spam only 0.05 per cent of the time.

Is your email wanted?
Internet Service Providers carefully monitor the behaviour of all emails and will direct email to junk if they don’t think the message is part of a conducive organic engagement. A company Mail server will anticipate the engagement and if it’s wanted, from previous behaviour. So if a subscriber has given you permission to email them and wants to engage with your message or newsletter, should they potentially forward it to a colleague then, your email reputation will increase.

Unsubscribe link?
You do not want your recipients to class or mark your message as spam because they don’t see a clear unsubscribe link or button. Your recipients need to see an easy opt-out option, with an easy-to-spot unsubscribe link. This is now a requirement of the POPI Act.

Email Design?
A well-designed email is put together with your recipients’ ease of use in mind:

Will the recipient recognise you by your use of colour, font and messaging? Is your brand clearly displayed?
Are your emails designed to be both mobile and desktop-friendly?
Is it free of spam trigger words like “FREE!!!” and “no risk”?
Is the body of the email easy to read and to the point?
Do you have a balance of images and text? A message containing images only is not good practice.

There’s no way to guarantee that all your messages will get delivered to the inboxes you intended them to get to. Every mail filter is different and you may still get flagged as spam by another filter. Always follow best practices when it comes to email, particularly if you are sending marketing messages, you at least stand a better chance of your messages getting delivered.

My Top 3 Tips:
Always send your email from a dedicated IP address.
Authenticate your emails using a strong password and SSL.
Make content clear and human with a visible unsubscribe link.

If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.
To view more Featured Companies, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.

About Mark Meyer

I joined Leads 2 Business in February 2009 and serve as IT Director.

26 May 2022

L2B FAQs

by | posted in: Frequently Asked Questions | 0

You’ve likely asked one of the below FAQs included in today’s post related to your browser, how to clear cache, set default apps, and various ways to contact us.

For more assistance check out our How-To features and Wiki Help which has tutorials on all L2B functionality.

To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

 

 

 

 

 

About Sasha Anderson

Millennial Mom + wife living the hash-tag life. Remember: If You Fail - Fail Forward

17 Feb 2022

Leads 2 Business is Mobile Friendly

by | posted in: Did You Know, Frequently Asked Questions | 0

Did you know Leads 2 Business has a Mobile Optimized Website?

What this means is that www.L2B.co.za has a dynamic mobile-friendly layout, accessing it from your Home screen can even become an app-like experience.

Whatever mobile device you’re using, you can pin a shortcut of L2B to your home screen for quick and easy access. The icon will appear on your home screen like any other app shortcut or widget, so you can drag it around and put it wherever you like. Creating a bookmark on your Homescreen lets you use it as a one-tap portal to access L2B content.

So what does this mean for you? It means you can access our site on all your devices.

Follow the steps below if you want to take advantage of L2B’s Mobile-Friendly website on your device.

For screenshots view our Wiki.

1. Open your Mobile Browser. This may be Chrome, Firefox or a built-in Browser.
2. Go to the website you want to save. You can either search for the website or enter its URL directly into the search bar.

3. Tap the three-dot menu ⋮. It’s at the top-right corner of Chrome.
4. Tap Add to Home screen. It’s toward the bottom of the menu. A pop-up window will appear.
Edit the shortcut title (if needed). This is the text that will appear under your shortcut’s icon on the home screen.
5. Tap Add. The shortcut is now on your home screen.
6. One-tap. And you can access L2B instantly, anytime.

If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit our website.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit our Wiki site.
To view more articles, please visit our blog.

 

About Sasha Anderson

Millennial Mom + wife living the hash-tag life. Remember: If You Fail - Fail Forward

2 Sep 2021

5 Reasons to Subscribe to L2B Today

by | posted in: Frequently Asked Questions | 0

View 5 Reasons to Subscribe to Leads 2 Business on our Blog.

For more information check out our Pricing Page and check out our Infographic next week on How to make the most of our Tenders.

To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

 

 

About Sasha Anderson

Millennial Mom + wife living the hash-tag life. Remember: If You Fail - Fail Forward

24 Aug 2021

Advertising for your Brand with Leads 2 Business

by | posted in: Frequently Asked Questions | 0

Let me quickly start by telling you how far back advertising comes from.

Advertising has been around since the 16th century and will continue to evolve in different ways. It became a major force in capitalist economies in the mid-19th century, based primarily on newspapers and magazines. In the 20th century, advertising grew rapidly with new technologies such as direct mail, radio, television, the internet, and mobile devices. So why would you not advertise, if companies have done so for so long?

No matter how big or small, successful, or seasoned, your business may be, there is no excuse why a business should not advertise on a consistent basis, it is an incredibly effective and powerful way to spread informative awareness increasing the loyalty of existing customers, replacing lost customers and encouraging existing customers of your brands, products, or services. This will always be an important element of business success and by staying on top of the trends, utilizing your knowledge, and being consistent, your business should always see results from your efforts.  Indirectly, advertising helps you grow word-of-mouth referrals.

As you all know, we are internet-based, and provide Tender and Project information in the Construction, Mining, and Industrial industry. Advertise in your industry, especially now, to give your customers peace of mind that you are still around.

Advertising for your Brand with Leads 2 Business

Let the Advertising do the work for you!
Create brand awareness within a specified market and get on with the business of marketing business!

Drive targeted Construction leads to your Website.
Be Seen, Be heard!
Let your Adverts Speak for you
Achieve effective results on our advertising platform.

The Solution

Drive home a powerful marketing message to a focussed audience. Create and maintain, awareness of products and services in your business portfolio, with peace of mind that you are reaching out a directed avenue within the construction sector.
Repetitive branding works and we’re flexible. Use our advertising banner for new product launches, industry specials or to introduce your service offerings.
You will not get a better-targeted market!
We will design a customised animated banner, with quarterly updates to keep them fresh and interesting.
With a click-through link to your website, we will ensure you capture the attention of your audience, getting more business leads, because that’s what we do at Leads 2 Business!

Support

We take a proactive approach to support, if we receive notification of an email problem from your ISP, we will contact you to sort it out.
We offer Online support via live help. If there is a feature you need assistance with or a query you need to raise, we are only a click or a call away.

The Benefits

1. Reporting for your ROI Reporting function establishes banner response, allowing you to shape your campaign thereby reducing your ad spend and accelerating your ROI
2. Targeted Exposure Working for your Brand With your banner on our site, your company receives additional, targeted exposure from the South African Marketplace that reinforces your brand.
3. Repetitive Reinforcement Customised content creates daily interaction between emails and your brand.
4. Niche Exposure Your brand will be displayed to construction industry professionals and decision-makers.
5. Industry Specific Every recipient of our daily emails is involved in the construction industry and has specifically requested to receive that industry information.

 

Measurable return in investment.
Focus on your sales and let your banner advert do the marketing for you.
Repetitive branding to the industry will get highly qualified sales leads.
Using banner adverts promotes increased business returns.
Advantageously expose your website or company name right where you want it on our website.
Highly qualified sales leads for your team.

 

 

Do not hesitate, contact us now, to help you get your brand noticed in your Industry.

To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

About Christine Brooks

My journey started in 2015 with Leads 2 Business, as an Account Executive, and gradually grown to take the role of being the Client Liaison Officer (CLO) since 2018. Assisting in the delivery of our services and insuring our clients expectations and requirements are exceeded.

20 Jul 2021

Tips for Subcontractors using L2B

by | posted in: Frequently Asked Questions | 0

A question that is constantly on the minds of any construction professional looking to grow his or her company bottom line. While there are many possible answers, only a few true solutions.
So the challenge becomes, how do you stand out among the noise and improve the likelihood that your company will be chosen by the contractor to invest their time, energy, and money in your business.

Firstly Tips for Subcontractors

1.    Be upfront with the contractor, ensuring your contract is clear and detailed. Disputes often arise between the main contractor and subcontractor not only about how the project should be executed but also disagreements down the road about what was previously “agreed” on in the original contract. The most effective way to settle disputes before they occur is through contracts. Creating a detailed contract allows no room for debate or miscommunication about expectations, which saves time, improves efficiency, and avoids ambiguity.
2.    Understand your rights and also what you are liable for. The subcontractor is liable for the scope of their work and the safety of their employees. It is vital that subcontractors obtain the proper insurance as well as understand what they are responsible for lawfully.
3.    Do not take on too much. Subcontractors may be tempted to take on too much at times and If the subcontractor finds himself/herself being overwhelmed, this now can lead to underperformance, despite this temptation it is important to be strategic and methodical when choosing which projects to accept. This selectivity will lead to being beneficial, which in turn will lead to higher productivity and quality that will lead to acknowledgement and admiration by the main contractor.
4.    Go the extra mile. The best way to grow the subcontractor’s clientele is to improve customer relations.  Every industry faces a greater profit margin from a client, they already know rather than a new client. Staying connected is very important. When working on a project for a general contractor, go beyond the extra mile this shows the general contractor that you care about the project and that you are a good choice for future projects they might have.  Each job that a subcontractor performs should act as an interview for future business.
5. Your brand and business promotion. The subcontractor must also invest in marketing and promotion. Marketing and promotion can include thank you emails. This ensures the main contractor has your details offhand. If in the event your company details change, make sure that you are still in the loop, update these details with the main contractor so you stay informed and most of all not miss out on any opportunities.  Keeping in touch and in contact is very important.

It is vitally important that you create a brand that speaks out, by the dedication and quality of your work, referrals are also very important. The voice of the contractors speaking your praises will most definitely amplify your brand more positively.

Do not make things difficult than need be, all you need to be is organized, methodical, and knowledgeable in all business practices and use these tips and tricks to outsmart the difficulties that subcontractors often face

Secondly using Leads2Business

Using the Leads 2 Business platform ensures that you are connected with the right people at the right time. Our Directory service allows you to have the freedom to communicate with professionals throughout South Africa and Africa. Network with thousands of registered members on our Construction Directory.

Our Open Quotes option gives you valuable opportunities to engage with active buyers. Respond to RFQ’s online and improve your ranking. Access to bills matching your trades and serviceable regions. Download Bill Of Quantities and related documents. Manage your own directory profile. Be in the loop with Award notifications.

Here at Leads 2 Business, we offer more than just service but we aim to offer dynamic leads.


Source: ESub

To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

About Estelle Pillay

My start here at Leads 2 Business in April 2019 marks a journey so far vibrant and exciting. I function as a content researcher within a dynamic team in the Projects Department, on the other side I am a mother of two beautiful children who bring out the best part of me.

29 Jun 2021

Tips for Projects Subscribers

by | posted in: Frequently Asked Questions | 0

Leads 2 Business sources up to date information on Projects throughout South Africa and Africa and we would like to you benefit from these leads and build your business and business relationships to stand you in good stead for future endeavors.

  1. Monitoring the Project

With a click of a button, you are assured of being informed when there are changes and updates to a Project Lead that you are interested in. When the researcher sources new information the Project Lead is updated and all the subscribers that are monitoring will be notified that there is an update and with one more click on your advisory you are able to open the specific Project that you are interested in and find out what new information we have for you. Monitor the Project Lead, you don’t want to miss an update!

  1. Monitors

Assign Project Leads to your Sales Staff and manage new business using L2B tools, share the workload and Projects you receive with the five (5) FREE monitors your subscription allows. Your monitors have their own log-in details and are able to access all the details of the Project Leads they are assigned, they will also be notified of any updates.

  1. Use Information to build relationships

The researchers endeavor to source the professional team for each Project Lead uploaded and these details remain on the Lead and if you were not able to successfully be part of that specific Project’s team, remember there could be opportunities down the road, start building a relationship with the professionals so when they start their next Project, you could already have a “foot in the door”

  1. Status of the Project and who to contact

The status of the project is important, for example: if you would like your product specified in the bill of quantities, an underway project is too late to spam the architect with your profile for that project, here is your opportunity to start building those relationships I spoke about in point 3 for any possible future projects they could be involved in. Conceptual and Procedural projects are very early in the life span of the project and if approvals are not granted, the project will most likely not go ahead. The environmental consultant and town planner are responsible for obtaining approvals therefore their contact details are not made available, they cannot assist with any procurement or construction details of the Project Lead. Recently awarded projects are where you would contact the awarded company regarding the products they will now need to get to fulfill the contract. Know who you need to contact and the best time to do so.

  1. Researcher Link

Is there a professional that you need to contact and they are not listed? You have heard via the grapevine that the contract could be awarded? Use the link to contact the Researcher responsible for that project lead and request the information. They will respond and advise the update by return email.

  1. Note Facility unique to that Project Lead

There is nothing worse than scratching around for a piece of paper that you wrote information on that you now need and it is missing……use the note facility on the Project Lead. These are your own personal notes regarding the Project Lead you are working on and a reminder of what you have done, who you have spoken to, and what your plan of action could be the next time you follow up on the Project lead. These notes are your own personal notes and cannot be seen by any other subscribers. You work from home or on-site?…..your notes are there with you, relevant to that Project Lead.

  1. The site is live and up to date

The moment you download a Project Lead with the intention of using a hard copy you could be missing out on valuable updated information that we have just added that will not be on your hard copy, go paperless, (much better for the environment), use the site, it is up to date with the latest information we have.

  1. Searching on the site

Less is more!!! The more criteria you input, the more you are narrowing your search, each option you select must be linked to the Lead or your results will be zero and you could be missing out on an opportunity. Use just one keyword to find what you are looking for, if there are too many results, add another option to reduce the results. Even better, if you have a reference number, just the reference number is required to find the Project Lead you are looking for, no other criteria required, the Project reference number is a unique number assigned to that Lead.

  1. Updates you might have missed

Regularly do a search for projects you might have missed that have been recently updated. Using minimal search criteria, for example, only select projects, the industry you interested in, and the region (status as well if there is only a specific status you want to deal with) and click on the search button, the search will be populated with the Projects that have recently been updated with the most recent at the top….try it, you might find something you missed, then monitor it so you don’t miss anything else.

The Researchers are a dedicated Team eager to source new Projects, update the existing Projects on the site, and to assist you with any information that you need.

To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

About Debbie Wessels

I started at Leads 2 Business in April 2008 in the tenders Department and transferred to the Projects Department during the same year. I was appointed Head of Department for Projects from February 2011 to March 2022. April 2022 I started a new adventure as Content Regulator.

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