The On-Line Construction Directory

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Also known as the Leads 2 Business Platinum Directory Listing (PDL). This directory is a simple tool that has evolved into a remarkable business system which has many benefits for the vendor. As a vendor, registering on the Platinum Directory Listing, your company has the opportunity to generate new business leads with a well-defined market niche.

By registering your business on the Leads 2 Business directory :

  • Your company will gain exposure to the various Buyers from the various construction companies.
  • It stimulates on-line pricing awareness on prospective tenders.
  • There is an optional SMS notification facility, should a Request for Quotation (RfQ) be sent to you.
  • You can specify where your product/service is labour & materials or labour only. You can define your BBBEE status and indicate your CIDB grading; list all necessary company contact details and give a detailed description of your company’s products/services rendered.
  • You are improving your company’s exposure and position as you price.
  • You can broadcast items that you have priced to other buyers who may be looking for the same pricing information.
  • You can manage your listing to dictate which Requests for Quotes are appropriate to your particular trade profile.
  • You will receive award notifications on the contracts you have priced.

In addition, Leads 2 Business takes a proactive approach to support, if we receive notification of an email problem from your ISP, we will contact you to try and sort it out.

We also offer Online support via Livehelp which can be accessed anytime you may need assistance or have a query you need to raise, we are only a click or a call away.

So, now you are listed on the Leads 2 Business Platinum Directory and ready to acquire more business, more often. Here is how it works in order to expose your business to target industry listings and securing new contacts :

A Buyer/Contractor sends out Requests for Quotes (RfQs) to specific Vendors/Suppliers listed on our directory.

When a Vendor/Supplier receives the RfQ, they have the option to price it or to decline the request.

Vendors can respond to the RfQ via : Online pricing, email or fax (If the Buyer/Contractor has drawings associated with the Bill these will be available online and accessible with your Vendor/Supplier username and password).

Vendors/Suppliers who haven’t responded are contacted by the Leads 2 Business Control List Team for follow up.

Prices submitted by Vendors/Suppliers are used by the Buyer/Contractor to formulate their tender pricing.

And Platinum Directory Listed Vendors/Suppliers will receive Award notifications on RfQs received as long as they have acknowledged the RfQ.

So, can being listed on the Platinum Directory get you noticed by the Industry Giants???
Having read the above, what do you think?……

About Marlaine Andersen

Leads 2 Business Advertising Co-ordinator and Digital Designer

Pricing Online – RfQs

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Have you ever received one of these and wondered why?

RFQ

The reason you have received an RfQ email is because you are listed on our Directory as a Vendor. We have Buyers (main contractors) who subscribe to our Leads 2 Quotes platform who use our Directory to select Vendors to send RfQ’s to.

Basically these Buyers send us BoQ’s for each relevant contract. We (L2Q Bills staff) process these BoQ’s by formatting them and splitting each item into the relevant trades (which may sound simple but can often take many hours to decipher). The Buyers, using our Directory, select a trade and region and a list of the relevant Vendors under that Trade and Serviceable Region appear, they select who they want to send to and click ‘Send RfQ’. You (the Vendor) will then receive an RfQ email (as above).

You have received this email, now what?

Firstly you need to check if the RfQ you have received is relevant to what your company does. If not, you will need to click on the “Update my Trade Profile”.

If the items are of relevance and you would like to price you can click on “Intend to Price”. If the items are of relevance but you are unable to quote for that time period (see respond by date/start date) you can click on “Decline to Price”. This will indicate to us (L2B) and the Buyer (who’s details are listed on the top right hand corner of the email) whether you will or won’t be pricing.

You’ve decided to Price the RfQ, where to next?

You will need to go ahead and work out the relevant rates required. Remember to take note of the Buyers T’s & C’s as some of these may specify whether VAT should be exclusive or inclusive and whether delivery or labour should be included. If you require Drawings in order to price you can click on the “Drawings” link in order to view or download the drawings. If there are no drawings on that link you will need to contact the Buyer. It is vital to note that we only have the information that the Buyers have provided. Any additional information required that is not available online, will have to be requested directly from the Buyer by the Vendor.

In order to use any of the L2B online features you will need your Vendor login details (Registration is Free). If you cannot remember these or have never registered as a Vendor you are welcome to contact us, via email, telephonically or via our Live Help option in order to request assistance.

Once you have all your relevant rates you can then go ahead and choose how you would like to respond to the RfQ. You could choose Fax, Email or Online Pricing, please note that Online Pricing is the quickest and easiest.

You’ve (wisely) chosen to use Online Pricing, where do you start?

You can use Online Pricing by clicking on the “Price Online Now” link which will take you to the L2B website where you will log in using your Vendor login details.

Once logged in you select the Vendor Home page on the Home drop-down. Your Active RfQ’s will now be displayed where you can click on “Submit Price” next to the relevant contract number and you will be redirected to enter your T’s & C’s, after submitting, the “Pricing” page will be displayed where you can simply enter your rates for each item which are automatically multiplied by the quantity to give a total and a grand total in red at the bottom. You are also able to interact with the other tabs as their relevance requires. Once you are happy with everything you can click on “Submit Prices”, ticking the “Send a copy to my email” box if you would like to keep a copy of the pricing you have submitted.

What do you do once you’ve submitted your prices?

Once the contract is awarded you will receive a notification via email. If the Buyer who sent you the original RfQ is awarded the contract you can now follow up with them regarding the prices you previously submitted to see if they will require your services and how competitive your prices were. If the contract is awarded to a different contractor you can still contact them and offer to send them your prices (you should have a copy if you selected to send a copy to your email) or by logging into your L2Q Vendor Profile and clicking on the relevant “Download Sent Bill” icon.

Receiving and responding to RfQ’s has never been easier with Leads 2 Business Online Pricing.

Want to know more about being a Vendor/Buyer, our Platinum Directory Listing (PDL), Leads 2 Quotes (L2Q) or any of the other Services we offer? Contact me on SashaA@L2B.co.za

About Sasha Anderson

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

Tendering Online – Bringing your A Game

Tendering Online – Bringing your A Game

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Tendering online in 7 (easy-ish steps)

 

How do you even begin in this process? It can be fairly daunting right? Perhaps starting with what NOT to do is a good way to go. In order to really learn what not to do when tendering online, you should check out How to stuff up a Tender. South Africa is quite au fait with the term Tenderpreneur. In fact, we actually have a top Ten list. Although it is a tongue in cheek kind of humorous thing to refer to (South Africans love to make fun of themselves in a way the rest of the world is baffled by), it is a serious issue in South Africa. Here are a few news articles on the Topic of Tenderpreneurs for you to browse:

http://businesstech.co.za/news/finance/115828/tenderpreneurs-vs-the-rest-of-the-anc-in-south-africa/

http://www.news24.com/Archives/City-Press/Meet-the-R77m-tenderpreneur-20150429

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/a-guide-to-being-a-tenderpreneur-2013-02-01

 

But I reckon the reason you are here reading this post is because you want to do Tendering online as well. So let’s take a look at some steps to help you with tendering online:

 

Step One

Get yourself a desktop/laptop/tablet or just simply use a smart device.

 

Step Two

To be online you need to be hooked up to the World Wide Web. Yes, the Internet. The purveyor of many evils and sometimes, a little surprisingly, just as much good.

 

Step Three

Sharpen your pencil, because here we go….

You need to find Websites that provide tender notices. Or instead, a service provider that will wonderfully just deliver the notices to your email daily (shameless punting I know – but hey – you are reading our blog).

Store this list of websites on a word document (or just open your email inbox if you are subscribed to our services). Check this daily to see whether there are new tenders that match your criteria.

 

Step Four

Are you registered on the Supplier Database for the particular Municipality putting out the tender? Check with them if this is required. It would be a pity to submit the perfect bid and not meet this criteria.

 

Step Five

OK, so you have identified what tenders you wish to bid on. Yay! Half way there. If you want to know what procedures you need to follow, I will leave that to the Pro’s to tell you. Check this link out for tender procedures and more steps to help increase your chances of getting your foot in the door.

Making sure you have the correct documentation is important. Check out a comprehensive guide for making sure you have all your ducks in a row (so to speak).

 

Step Six

Check where the Site Inspection is (if applicable) and whether it is compulsory. Wouldn’t want to miss out on that!

 

Step Seven

Sharpen your pencils and do your calculations – put your bid together. Make sure you have all the necessary forms to submit with your bid along with the correct place to submit it by the correct date.

 

So the big questions is…..

 

How Do I Win A Tender?

 

Well, listen up close. If you want to win.. you need to be persistent. Its unlikely to happen on the first tender, so keep at it. Some winning tips may help you though. Ultimately, tendering online streamlines some of your processes, but isn’t so much different from doing it old school in that attention to detail, diligence and persistence will take you a long way to earning a winning bid.

 

So from the desktop….. to you on the other side of the Web, good luck with your tender. I hope to hear of your success.

 

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 Carmen Barends

Social Media adventurer exploring new frontiers and learning how to survive. Tongue in cheek and mischief are the order of any good day topped with a sprinkling of laughter.

Local News: Drought in KZN

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A little bit of rain has fallen, the valleys and hills in the Kwazulu-Natal Midlands have turned a lush green…..makes it hard to believe that we are in the midst of a debilitating drought. But the reality is, Kwazulu-Natal (and most of South Africa) is experiencing one of the worst droughts ever and many towns have run out of water, subsistence farmers have lost their crops and cattle farmers have lost their herds.
Excerpt of a recent news article posted on the official website of the eThekweni Municipality reads as follows:
The Kwazulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department has warned that despite the recent rainfall, the prolonged drought remains severe. MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, said the province would need weeks and weeks of sustained rainfall to refill its fast declining water reservoirs to return to water levels considered safe and sustainable”.
Is there anything more that you and I could do?
I am an avid reader and have read many books including some about cowboys and Indians and then I thought….what about a rain dance!?! This is what we need to do! Only problem is, I am not native American and also have no idea on how to do a rain dance, so….my go-to place when I am unsure….Google…off I went to do some research on how to do a Rain Dance and eHow.com was very helpful!
Hmmm……
Things You’ll Need
• Comfortable clothing
• Moccasins or tennis or aerobic shoes
• Music with a steady beat featuring a flute or drum
How to do the Rain Dance:
Step 1
Form two lines parallel to each other and about four feet apart. Men stand in one line; women in the other.

Step 2
Step forward with your left foot.

Step 3
Raise your right foot while moving forward and bring that foot to the floor. The men can stomp more vigorously than the women.

Step 4
Continue to step forward in this way–left foot, right foot higher, stomp to floor. Unlike other Native American dances performed in a circle, rain dancers move in a square pattern around the sides of the room or area in which they’re dancing.

Step 5 

During one measure of the song, and while moving forward, face to the right. During the next measure, face to the left. A zigzagging pattern is formed as you continue on in this manner.

Step 6
Between measures, dancers can stop and twirl in imitation of the wind, which is showing the promise of rain. The women may chant or sing the song that’s playing, and the men can yelp with the beat.
Tips & Warnings
• Find authentic Native American music to accompany your dance.
• For an actual performance, use accessories traditionally worn by American Indians specifically for a rain dance. Feathers and turquoise incorporated into headdresses represented the wind and rain. Men and women wear masks made from feathers, horsehair and goat hair, and strips of turquoise. The women’s masks hid their faces, their shawls covered their hands, and they wore long black dresses, making their bare feet the only parts of their bodies exposed.
• Dance as slowly or vigorously as your health allows.
• Do not do this dance if your doctor has restricted your activity.
Come on folks, lets do this!!! If this does not work i.e. no rain falls during or after, not all is lost. I am sure that we would have had a fun time, with lots of laughter and pointing at our friends and colleagues, and maybe, just for a short while, we would not have thought about our problems and lack of water.

Sources:
http://www.durban.gov.za/Resource_Centre/new2/Pages/Despite-recent-rainfall,-drought-remains-severe-in-KZN.aspx
http://www.ehow.com/how_5519447_perform-raindance.html

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.

Developments in KZN under Construction

Developments3

 

This month on the Blog we have covered Trending Tenders in KZN and the Municipalities which produce the Top Tenders in KZN.

By now I’m sure you’ve guessed our theme for the month of May is KZN.

Do you know which Tenders were awarded recently, which developments are underway or nearing completion in KZN?

Knowledge about current events can allow you to decide where you stand on developments and other issues impacting your city, region and country. This knowledge can provide you with the ability to start discussions with friends, colleagues and the community about issues and the economy. Professionally speaking this kind of knowledge can be extremely beneficial for business allowing you to get ahead of the competition by getting in contact with the relevant key players and as an individual it’s vital to set yourself apart from your peers by displaying a broad understanding of current events among others.

With that said, I thought it would be apt to highlight some of the developments in KZN currently under construction that will soon be part of the KZN landscape.

 

DTA 491631 – Construction of a New Wellness Centre (Durban Station) related to PPA 15337

DTA 409809 – Emapheleni Phase 1 Housing Project (Mhlabunzima Ridge) related to PPA 12591

DTA 501521 – Rectification of 486 units Shallcross related to PPA 15697

DTA 458636 – Construction of Amajuba Disaster Management Centre related to PPA 11052

DTA 428462 – New 3 storey, 192 Bed Adult in Patients Accommodation including New Crisis Centre, Perimeter Fencing and Demolish Wards E,F,G,H and Relocate Crisis Centre Parkhome related to PPA 13069

DTA 479270 – Home Affairs: Hluhluwe: Construction of New Offices related to PPA 14823

DTA 504069 – Construction of 150 rental housing at Ndumo related to PPA 15956

 

Want to know more about Projects and Tenders on Leads 2 Business? Access this information right now with us. Contact me on SashaA@L2B.co.za

About Sasha Anderson

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

Which Municipalities Produce the Top Tenders in KZN? (Segment Volume, Award Info & ease of Contact)….. AKA WHO’S the Coolest!

No offense to the person who comes up with these blog topics – “But who comes up with this stuff?!!!”

I think I may have nodded off between the words “Municipalities” and “ease” but luckily for you I am a master of skim reading, so what I took from this topic is, they want me to tell you who is the best in the land! (KZN)…

so that is what I’m gonna give you:)

Buckle up, this should be riveting!!!

Let’s begin by giving you a comprehensive list of  the District and Local Municipalities in KZN –  (Knock yourself out!)

OK so what I thought I would do is start by throwing them all into a pit – a dog fight if you must and see who are the “Big Spenders”

Criteria: Developments R100 Million + and from stages of Conceptual through to Underway. (Information compiled from Leads 2 Business)

break-up-dog-fight-679x483

Lets do this!

Conceptual – Procedural:  And straight out the gate well we have some contenders!

Technology Hub Pietermaritzburg Airport – Msunduzi Local Municipality (Pietermaritzburg)

New Central Library in Durban – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Ok….so far we have a tie but I’m not worried yet, its still very early in the game…..Next is…..
Design:
Right of Way from the Piesang River to Malandela Intersection – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Msunduzi Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network IRPTN – Msunduzi Local Municipality (Pietermaritzburg)
I’m sensing a pattern here…..
Tender:
Moses Mabhida Road Upgrade Km 88 to 103 – Msunduzi Local Municipality (Pietermaritzburg)
And finally someone takes the lead!! – Way-to-Go PMB!
emot1
Awarded: And it looks like we have some new contenders!! Welcome Ixopo & Escort !!!!
Buhlebethu Community Housing – Ubuhlebezwe Local Municipality (Ixopo)
Jika Joe LowCost Development Infrastructure – Msunduzi Local Municipality (Pietermaritzburg)
Paapkuilsfontein Housing Stages 1 2 and 3 Infrastructure – Umtshezi Local Municipality (Escort)
And then our last category but most definitely not the least and where I suspect the “Big Spender” will be revealed…
Underway:
Usuthu Water Purification Plant – Zululand District Municipality (Ulundi)
Hilton Water Reticulation Replacement – Umgungundlovu District Municipality (Hilton)
City Fleet Redevelopment Phase 1 – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Right of Way from Bridge City to Proposed Bus Depot – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)  
Ntuzuma D Phase 2 and 3 Housing Project – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Right of Way Lanes in Anderson Road – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Right of Way Lanes in Beviss Road Qashana Khuzwayo Road – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Right of Way along MR577 Inanda Malandela Intersection to Umgeni Viaduct – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Right of Way lane Along MR577 M25 to InandaMalandela Intersection – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)  
Western Aqueduct – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban) 
Whoop! Whoop! to our Big Spender eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)!!!
big spender
Ok so that’s settled, but let’s not count out the rest of the province just yet, let’s lower the bar a little and open the “ring” as it were and find out who exactly is putting out volume in terms of tenders…..
(Please be advised that these figures are ever changing and are taken from the day I composed this blog post and not necessary the moment you read it 😉 also I took this information from the Leads 2 Business website, which is focused on the Construction and related industries – for the current up to date figures, feel free to subscribe to Leads 2 Business http://www.L2B.co.za )

 

 

Criteria: Number of Live Tenders in each region

And the results are:
eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban) – 30
Okhahlamba Municipality (Bergville) – 18
uMzimkhulu Municipality (uMzimkhulu) – 9
uThungulu District Municipality (Richards Bay) – 8
uBuhlebezwe Municipality (Ixopo) – 7
uMhlabuyalingana Municipality (Kwangwanase) – 5
Nquthu Municipality (Nquthu) – 5
uMngeni Municipality (Howick) – 4
Zululand District Municipality (Ulundi) – 4
Hibiscus Coast Local Municipality (Port Shepstone) – 4
Emnambithi / Ladysmith Municipality (Ladysmith) – 4
Richmond Municipality (Richmond) – 3
The Msunduzi Municipality (Pietermaritzburg) – 2
Dannhauser Local Municipality (Dannhauser) – 2
Umgungundlovu District Municipality (Hilton) – 2
Nongoma Local Municipality (Nongama) – 2
uPhongolo Local Municipality (Pongola) – 2
Jozini Municipality (Jozini) – 2
Ndwedwe Local Municipality (Stanger) – 1
Mkhambathini Municipality (Camperdown) – 1
Ntambanana Municipality (Empangeni) – 1
Mtubatuba Municipality (Mtubatuba) – 1
Maphumulo Local Municipality (Maphumulo) – 1
Big 5 False Bay Municipality (Hluhluwe) – 1
Newcastle Municipality (New Castle) – 1
Mandeni Municipality (Mandeni) – 1
Endumeni Municipality (Dundee) – 1
So there we have it folks, no big surprise with the 1st place winner eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban) considering it is the largest of all the Municipalities, but the number two spot I was sure would go to The Msunduzi Municipality (Pietermaritzburg), but no, this went to the little town of Bergville!!! Well Done Bergville!
Now lets get down to the nitty-gritty – ease of contact…..frustration
I’m not sure how many of you have had the pleasure of trying to call a Municipality…..but let me tell you, this can truly be the most frustrating exercise you will ever do…sober!
You either get cut off during transfer, left on hold for days or have the endless ringing, which you hold onto with every last strand of hope that someone, just anyone will pick that ringing phone up and put you out of your misery…. but no, you generally have to, just HAVE to, eventually take a toilet break, coffee break or just simply wash your now sticky sweaty phone holding hand!!!
And when you are back, it all starts again……150-dpi-2008-vera-on-the-verge-009
Now that I have explained how I feel about this, let me tell you that in the name of good “Journalism” I will take on the task and I will report back on each of the Local Municipalities, I will start by clicking though to their websites and see if those work, then I will call the prescribed contact numbers and see if those work and if so, how long does it take them to answer my call!
dcb
Municipality Website Contact number Ring Duration
ABAQULUSI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY (Vryheid) Works Works 3Min2Sec
DANNHAUSER LOCAL MUNICIPALITY (Dannhauser) Works Works 15Sec
EDUMBE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Constantly Engaged
EMNAMBITHI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 8Sec
MANDINI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 3Sec
ENDUMENI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 20Sec
GREATER KOKSTAD LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 1Min & Disconnected
HIBISCUS COAST LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 12Sec
HLABISA , IMPALA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Doesn’t Work Works 50Sec
IMBABAZANE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 16Sec
IMPENDLE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 1Min50Sec & Disconnected
INDAKA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 14Sec
INGWE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works I gave up after 3Min
EZINQOLENI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Doesn’t Work Works I gave up after 3Min
JOZINI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 1Min51Sec
KWA SANI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 40Sec
KWADUKUZA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 3Sec
MAPHUMULO LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 23Sec & Disconnected
MFOLOZI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works I gave up after 3Min
MKHAMBATHINI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works I gave up after 3Min
MPOFANA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 18Sec
MSINGA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 3Sec
MSUNDUZI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 19Sec
MTHONJANENI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 6Sec
MTUBATUBA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works I gave up after 3Min
NDWEDWE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works I gave up after 3Min
NEWCASTLE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 1Min4Sec
NKANDLA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 8Sec
NONGOMA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 9Sec & Disconnected
NQUTHU LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 6Sec
NTAMBANANA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 18Sec
OKHAHLAMBA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 8Sec
RICHMOND LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Doesn’t Work Works I gave up after 3Min
THE BIG FIVE FALSE BAY LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 5Sec
UBUHLEBEZWE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 14Sec
ULUNDI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 6Sec
UMDONI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 9Sec
UMHLABUYALINGANA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works I gave up after 3Min
UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 5Sec
UMLALAZI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 14Sec
UMNGENI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works I gave up after 3Min
UMTSHEZI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 36Sec
UMUZIWABANTU LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 19Sec
UMVOTI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 1Min & Disconnected
UMZIMKULU LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 5Sec
UMZUMBE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 10Sec
UPHONGOLO LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 5Sec
EMADLANGENI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 4Sec
VULAMEHLO LOCAL MUNICIPALITY Works Works 6Sec
ETHEKWINI METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY Works Works 27Sec
 21-comics-that-capture-the-frustrations-of-depres-1-8251-1443638180-6_bigAnd I’m Done!!!
Now just so you know, I only called the switchboard of each of these and I didn’t try connecting with anyone in Procurement #NotCrazy, so the numbers look a little better than what I’m sure you were expecting after my earlier “rant”, however I would like to add that anything after 10seconds is far too long!
But after all is said and done, I realise I can no longer generalise about the efficiency of the Municipalities in KZN, there were some clear “Ball Droppers” during this exercise and, well, the rest weren’t all that bad:)
So there are the facts people – I personally find it hard to pit these guys up against each other over procurement as such, purely because of the vast differences in size of their regions etc. but I gave it a good shot;)
Where I think the real measure would be found, is in their capabilities in terms of service delivery……hmmmmmmm
But that’s another topic for another day!
So, until next time 😉

About Sherina Shawe

"You have to do everything you can, you have to work your hardest, and if you do, if you stay positive, you have a shot at a silver lining." from: Silver Linings Playbook.

Trending tenders in KZN

72-Blog-Header-Tenders-Trending-in-KZN

 

Trending – The most searched for. The most viewed. The most talked about and commented on. It implies a general need to know something about that topic regardless of what it is simply because everyone else shows an interest. Because nobody wants to be left out or left in the dark or deemed to not know the latest scandal. Obviously, “everyone else” is up for debate. One person’s “everyone else” is very different to anothers. It’s got to do with common interests and hobbies or where you live and work and in what industry you work. Trending doesn’t mean universal or applicable even. If the topic applies to a very large group of people (say the fuel price) then there’s going to be a lot more activity concerning that than compared to a news story concerning rain in a desert in an unpopulated area. If no one cares, than it doesn’t count. Basically.
An apt metaphor might be “feeding frenzy”. A lot of thrashing around for access to limited resources. Not a bad analogy for the construction industry. There’s just only so much to go around. Being on the outside of the construction and building industry, my focus is different to those on the inside. I have to ensure that all the relevant information is readily available for those on the inside to make use of and run with. I don’t have to jostle with competitors to win tenders etc. But there are signs that a certain tender or project is getting way more attention than others. I use the term “Mentionistis” to describe this phenomenon. It usually manifests in the searches I see coming through the Leads 2 Business website. Different companies searching for the same tender or project. We start to get calls and emails and LiveSupport chats all asking the same question “Do you have [insert tender of the moment]?”. Then the race is on, because if we have [insert tender of the moment], we can send the subscriber away happy; but if it’s some obscure invited behind-the-scene tender that’s only been whispered about in dark corners, then this presents its own challenges.

Below are a few examples of the latest instances of “Mentionitis”:

DTA 564841 – Durban Heights Water Treatment Works: Construction of New 383 M/ Day Filters.
DTA 567429 – Construction of Earthworks, Layerworks, Surfacing and Drainage on District Rd 880 from km 0.00 to km 7.700
DTA 570925 – Periodic Maintenance of National Route 2, Section 21, between Brooksnek (km 0.00) and Staffords Post Interchange (km 43.13)
DTA 568627 – Construction of New Student Residences at Howard College Campus
DTA 568629 – Construction of New Student Residences at Westville Campus
DTA 566584 – Construction of Earthworks, Layerworks, Surfacing and Drainage on Main Rd 706 drom km 0.000 to km 6.200 in the Nkandla RRATT Area
DTA 567719 – Request for Proposals for the Construction of Bulk Earthworks at Tradezone 2 located at Dube Tradeport
DTA 571008 – Periodic Maintenance on National Route 2 Section 25, from EB Cloete Interchange (km 17.0) to Mt Edgecombe Interchange (km 30.8)
DTA 568200 – Replacement of Mud Structures at Glen Garry Secondary School – Sisonke District

About Claire Donaldson

I started working at Leads 2 Business in February 2005, and have served as Head of Department of Daily Tenders from 2007 until the present. I oversee both the Daily Tenders South Africa and Africa Departments.

Be your own “Light-saver”

bright_side

 

It’s no secret that I am an eternal optimist, a glass-half-full kinda girl if you will, and I prefer to live my life that way…. but damn!!! ALL this negativity about Electricity and Water Shortage in our country is killing my vibe!

We need to turn this around!

I refuse to believe that we, the little people can’t do something to assist this situation!!!

 

So…….. Is there more you could be doing at home to be your own “Light Saver”? – I’m glad you asked!  Of Course there is!!!

Now when I read these out to you, you probably gonna go “Duh Sherina! we know all of these!!!”…… Well that’s awesomeemot1 ….are you actually doing any of them?…..

ye I didn’t think so emot2…. so let’s get started shall we!

 

  • Turn your geyser temperature down to 60o Celsius – You can bath/shower quite comfortably at this temperature, and it’s cheaper to maintain than the standard 70o Celsius.

This is an easy one – In most cases, the thermostat is located in the little cover over the electrical element of the geyser. Switch off the electricity circuit at the mains, undo the cover, and then turn down the thermostat using a screw driver. Or hire a plumber to help you 😉

 

  • Cut down on the amount of hot water you use.
  1. Shower instead of bath (If possible) – I’m personally not fussy as long as you get one of those done every day!…. but if showering saves electricity and water then that’s what I’m all for!
  2. Don’t wash your dishes under a running tap….. guilty Guilty!… I do this all the time, but I will make a concerted effort to allow enough dishes to accumulate (yuck!) before I run a full sink and do them all one shot!
  3. If you have your hot water tap connected to your washing machine – TURN that OFF RIGHT NOW!!! (my-face-with-no-electricty_admin100114ivkbkit’s totes not necessary)

 

  • Switch off equipment when its not in use – Turn appliances off at the wall plug, rather than leaving them on standby as this can still draw about 20% or more of normal electricity use. (Examples are TVs, music systems, computers, phone chargers etc.) Also turn the geyser off when you go on holiday!!!

 

  • Be Kitchen Conscience, (wow, that really isn’t easy to say…..try it ….out loud!)
  1. Thaw your meat in the fridge/outside to reduce the use of microwaves and cooking time.
  2. Make sure your fridge seals 100%, and a good temperature to keep it on would be around 4 or 5 degrees Celsius.
  3. When you are cooking, use the microwave when you can – it uses much less energy than an electric oven. If you use the stove, keep lids on your pots to reduce cooking time.

 

  • Air Dry your Clothes! Laziness is not a disability – go outside and hang your clothes, the fresh air will do you good, and look, you are now saving money too!

 

  • Use energy-efficient light globes – This is a no-brainer!

    • They typically use about 25%-80% less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs.
    • They can last 3-25 times longer.

 

There are a few other investment upgrades (all under R1000) you could make to your home to make your electricity bill go down, such as:  funny-quotes-quotes-a-day-35

  • Install an efficient shower head.
  • Insulate the ceiling/roof
  • Insulate the geyser
  • Install a solar water heater System

 

When you are not living alone, most of these efforts are pretty much lost unless you are working together towards a common goal – so have “The Talk” – discuss with your partners, kids, family, friends, whoever is residing with you, the effects of our wastage and come up with ways you can save together:)

 

OK, so now we saving at home people!! How about at work?…… are your companies doing anything to help the electricity crisis?

If not – let’s show them how! emot3

Now I understand that every company has different needs, so there isn’t a one fit, fits all, but there is always something that can be done. perm

#EternalOptimist remember lol!

 

  • Use florescent lighting.tickCheck
  • Minimize the use of the air conditioner. On warm days opt to opening windows and blinds.tick  Check
  • Boil the kettle for groups instead of filling, boiling and pouring for one. tickCheck
  • Cut down on your printing – print double sided if possible. tickCheck
  • Turn off electronics at the end of the day.tickCheck

So how is your company doing?…. Lets keep going!

The next two tips will cost the Company money initially but will save them in the long run.

  • When your company is upgrading their PC’s, suggest they switch to laptops, these use way less electricity than desktops.
  • Move IT to the Cloud – Consider getting rid of your computer servers, and instead going with cloud-based systems. No more running multiple servers or cooling of that hot data center is needed. On top of that, more employees could telecommute. According to one survey in 2010, a small business with 100 users could cut its carbon footprint and energy costs by 90% by moving to the cloud.

 

That’s all I have on Electricity but I’m on a roll now so I’m just gonna keep going and throw out some water saving tips too, if you don’t mind!2016-04-15 10.20.02

  • Turn off your water when brushing your teeth.
  • Fix all water leaks in your home.
  • Put a brick in your toilet cistern.
  • Run your water over flow pipe into your garden for irrigation

and lastly…

  • Shower with your partner! emot3You’re welcome!

 

I thought I would end with some weird and wonderful facts about Electricity:

 

  • One bolt of lightning has enough electricity to supply 200 000 average size homes!
  • A refrigerator uses less energy than a Playstation 3.
  • It is a little known fact that only ten percent of the traditional light bulb is used for actual lighting. The other 90% of the energy creates heat.
  • During a hurricane, 50 to 200 trillion watts of heat energy are released. This is the same amount of energy as a 10 megaton nuclear bomb exploding every 20 minutes.
  • South Africa was the country with the cheapest electricity in the developed world. That was until the staggering 27.8% tariff increase. According to the Electricity Report & Pricing Survey, Canada is now the cheapest in the world, with South Africa following in second place with a 7% higher electricity tariff than Canada. Italy and Germany on the other have, has the most expensive electricity rates in the world.
  • In 1994 only 12,000 schools had electricity, in 2015, approximately 25,000 have access to electricity.
  • The percentage of the South African population with access to clean drinking water has increased from 62% in 1994, to 94% in 2013. Access to electricity has increased from 34% in 1994, to 88% in 2012.
  • Have you ever wondered why birds sitting on a power line don’t get electrocuted? If a bird sits on just one power line it is safe. However, if the bird touches another line with a wing or a foot, it creates a circuit, causing the electricity to flow through the bird’s body. This results in electrocution.

 

So, lets see if we can all try

unplug_page_logo1A little …..

Until next time 😉

 

About Sherina Shawe

"You have to do everything you can, you have to work your hardest, and if you do, if you stay positive, you have a shot at a silver lining." from: Silver Linings Playbook.

A Few Quick Tips to Help You Find the Best Tender Resources

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The Most Useful Tools for A Few Quick Tips To Help You Find The Best Tender Resources…

Many businesses in South Africa rely on Tenders as a gateway to landing contracts. To qualify as a bidder, there are requirements that need to be met before tenderers can submit their bids. Another very important aspect of the tender process is knowing where tender notices, and any supporting information or documentation, can be found.

The resources that I am about to tell you about could make your tendering experience much simpler, and more rewarding.

 

The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) – “The role of the CIDB is to facilitate and promote the improved contribution of the construction industry to SA’s economy and society.” – www.cidb.org.za
The law states that contractors are required to register on the CIDB database (Register of Contractors), should they wish to tender for contracts advertised by government establishments.
Clients undertaking construction developments, which are valued at more than R200 000 in the public sector or above R10 million for state-owned entities or private sector contracts, must register their contracts on the CIDB Register of Projects. This guideline excludes home building, as these contracts are regulated by the National Home Builders Regulatory Council (NHBRC)

 

For entities that wish to tender for contracts, as well as those entities who wish to advertise invitations to submit bids, there are certain requirements (e.g. tax clearance certificate requirements) that need to be followed, and certain documents that need to be completed (e.g. invitation to bid or declaration of interest). These important documents can be found on the eTenderPublication website.

 

As of 01 April 2016, the Central Supplier Database will be the single source of supplier information for the South African Government. Prospective suppliers who are interested in supplying goods and/or services to the government are encouraged to register on the CSD. Entities’ details will first be assessed, before being added to the database.

To register, please click here.

 

“The Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO) will modernise and oversee the South African public procurement system to ensure that the procurement of goods, services and construction works is conducted in a fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost effective manner in line with the Constitution and all relevant legislation.” – Kenneth Brown
The OCOP is made up of two functional areas – policy strategy and client support. The OCOP refers to the core principles of behaviour – the five Pillars of Procurement, which are followed in order to uphold the procurement system.

These five pillars are: value for money; open and effective competition; ethics and fair dealing; accountability and reporting; and equity.
Legislation which applies to procurement, as well as standard bidding forms, can be found on the OCOP website.

 

Saving the best for last, the Leads 2 Business system is certainly one of the most user-friendly, convenient and up-to-date websites for Tender notices. Our tender department works tirelessly to source and publish tender notices for our clients in the construction industry. The notices are conveniently delivered to our clients’ via email at the end of each working day, saving them valuable time and resources. Our “tender ladies” also communicate any changes to the tender details, and follow up on the award information.

 

I hope that the above-mentioned resources will answer a few of the questions that you might have had about the procurement system in South Africa.

Happy Tendering!

 

If you are not already subscribed to Leads 2 Business, I would be happy to provide you with more information about the benefits of the system.

Contact me via email (BiancaT@L2B.co.za) or give me a call on +27 33 343 1130.

www.cidb.org.za
www.westerncape.gov.za/public-entity/construction-industry-development-board
secure.csd.gov.za/
ocpo.treasury.gov.za/Buyers_Area/Legislation/Pages/default.aspx
www.l2b.co.za

About Bianca Warwick

I had the privilege of joining the Leads 2 Business content team in January 2012. I work in the exciting Projects department, following the progress of construction developments in KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State.

Top 10 Tendering Mistakes to Avoid

Top 10 Tendering Mistakes to Avoid

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What are the Top 10 Tendering mistakes?

 

Most things in life revolve around the dos and don’ts; the game of tendering is no different. It may seem exciting to push the boundaries in life sometimes but deviating from the requirements when tendering can cost you a valuable tender that your business desperately needs.

 

 

There are many examples of tendering mistakes some of which may seem minor or harmless but could cost you a tender. Let’s be pro-active!

 

Here are the Top 10 Tendering Mistakes to Avoid:

 

 

1. Don’t be late – For the Site Meeting or the Closing Date. Mark the dates on your Calendar, set reminders and know where you are going, preferably before and not on the day. Submit the tender with time to spare. Account for things like traffic, unknown locations or any other obstacles that could result in a last minute rush.

2. Site Meeting – Attend and sign the Register. The purpose of a Site Meeting is for you to have a detailed understanding of the tender requirements and is also significant as you will be able to see who else is planning to tender. When evaluating your tender the Client may check whether you attended and if it’s a Compulsory Meeting you will most likely be disqualified. Either way it makes sense to attend to get useful info regarding the tender.

3. Don’t Assume – if you have questions, if you are unsure, if you think something is incorrect or missing, communicate with the relevant contacts and get clarification, chances are you’re not the only one asking. On that note if your tender is unsuccessful ask why so that you can use the information when applying for future tenders.

4. Don’t be Irrelevant – Keep all your answers clear & concise and most importantly relevant.

5. Copies, Copies, Copies – remember to submit the correct number of copies required and keep an extra copy for your own records.

6. Don’t be Untidy – Imagine how frustrating it is for the person evaluating or adjudicating a tender to try and decipher poor handwriting, or make sense of pages which aren’t in order. An organized and legible document creates a positive impression. After all, you want to present your company in the best light and a well presented tender creates the impression that contracts will be handled with the same care and attention to detail.

7. Don’t Misrepresent – Stick to the facts. Don’t make false statements about your company or its ability. A Tender Document is a legal document and therefore enforceable by law. Misrepresentation or unsatisfactory practices could lead to your company being placed on the National Treasury Restricted List. “Some of the common practices that lead to the restriction of suppliers are poor performance, breach of contract, failure to obtain permission to do remunerative work outside of employment, supply of counterfeit products, and collusion.”

8. Follow the Requirements – Meet all the minimum requirements. Go through the requirements carefully ensuring you meet them. Tenders that do not meet the minimum requirements otherwise known as non-responsive are disqualified.

9. Check, Check & Check again – Admittedly not the most exhilarating task but vitally important. Get someone with fresh eyes to check your tender a final time while making sure all the required documents are attached. Be 100% confident that the tender you are submitting is complete and accurate.

10. Delivery Location – Make sure you know exactly where your tender needs to be delivered to, right down to the Tender Box number, before the Closing Day.

 

 

Bonus tip:
Keep abreast of the developments in your sector. Subscribe to a service that provides direct, simple access to valuable building and construction information delivered daily directly to your Inbox, thereby ensuring consistent wealth of new business leads. A service which also provides Support Services if you need assistance or have a query. Want to know more? Contact me on SashaA@L2B.co.za

 

 

 

DYK (according to www.getbiz.co.za):
“A bidder must not quote more than R1 million when the bid document stipulates that the bid is an 80:20. This means that proposals cannot exceed R1 million. Bidders must be aware that 90:10 bids, on the other hand, are valued above R1 million, but bid issuers are not allowed to indicate how much they have budgeted for a project. However, bid issuers are required to indicate whether a bid is a 90:10 or 80:20 in terms of the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA). So this serves as a good indicator of how much the bid issuer has set aside for the project.”

 

Sources:
http://www.getbiz.co.za/index.php/biz-news/business-and-economy/82-top-five-mistakes-that-can-cost-you-a-tender

The business of tenders

https://www.westerncape.gov.za/tenders/support/tips

10 top tender tips for small business owners

 

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About Sasha Anderson

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

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