3 Aug 2016

Which Municipalities produce the top Tenders in Gauteng?

by | posted in: Construction Chat, Uncategorized | 0

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Gauteng which means “place of gold”, is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa’s first democratic elections on 27 April 1994. It was initially named Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging (PWV) and was renamed “Gauteng” in December 1994.

Situated in the Highveld, Gauteng is the smallest province in South Africa, accounting for only 1.5% of the land area. Nevertheless, it is highly urbanised, containing the country’s largest city, Johannesburg, its administrative capital, Pretoria, and other large industrial areas such as Midrand and Vanderbijlpark. As of 2015, it has a population of nearly 13.2 million, making it the most populous province in South Africa.

As of May 2011 Gauteng is divided into three metropolitan municipalities, and two district municipalities which are further divided into seven local municipalities.

Metropolitan municipalities:

  1. City of Tshwane (http://www.tshwane.gov.za)

  2. City of Johannesburg (http://www.joburg.org.za)

  3. City of Ekurhuleni (http://www.ekurhuleni.gov.za)

District municipalities:

  1. West Rand (http://www.wrdm.gov.za) containing Randfontein (http://www.randfontein.gov.za), Westonaria (http://www.westonaria.gov.za), Mogale City (http://www.mogalecity.gov.za) and Merafong (http://www.merafong.gov.za)

  2. Sedibeng containing Emfuleni, Lesedi and Midvaal

Westonaria Local Municipality is set to amalgamate with Randfontein Local Municipality after the 2016 Local Elections, set to become the new Rand West Local Municipality.

Below are some Tenders and Projects of interest involving the Municipalities of Gauteng:

City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality:

DTA 589550 – Construction of Phomolong Multi-Purpose community centre.

PPA 12354 – Tshwane Hammanskraal BPO Park – Phase 1 to 3

City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality:

PPA 16853 – Construction of roads and a stormwater management system for Vlakfontein Extension 2 in Gauteng.

PPA 16068 – Upgrading of road Intersections in Matholesville extension 1 and 2 in Gauteng.

City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality:

DTA 588075 – Technical Resource Teams (TRT) consisting of a multi-disciplinary professional team to render full built environment related consulting services

PPA 15240 – Ekurhuleni IRPTN / BRT – Infrastructure (Phase 1)

PPA 17402 – Etwatwa Sewer Pipes

Randfontein Local Municipality:

DTA 585051 – Rehabilitation of Roads in Mohlakeng and Toekomsrus Phase 4

Westonaria Local Municipality:

DTA 591181 – Simunye: Construction of Internal Streets with associated Stormwater for Westonaria Local Municipalty – Phase 7

DTA 591176 – Roads in Zuurbekom (Phase 2)

DTA 591187 – Construction of Westonaria Borwa Switch Station (Phase 4)

Mogale City Local Municipality:

PPA 15434 – Magaliesburg WWCW

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauteng

http://localgovernment.co.za

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.

27 Jul 2016

At which point in the Project Life Cycle can your business find Value?

by | posted in: Construction Chat, Frequently Asked Questions, General, Uncategorized | 6

At which point in the Project Life Cycle can your business find Value?

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At which point in the Project Life Cycle can your business find Value?

 

To answer the above lets break it down.

 

  1. What is the Project Life Cycle?

One of the services we offer at Leads 2 Business is Projects and the various phases within these Projects are known as the Project Life Cycle. The Stages in a Project Life Cycle are Conceptual, Procedural, Design, Tender, Awarded & Underway, Complete and Postponed.

To learn more about each Life Cycle you can check out How Projects Work

 

  1. What is Value?

According to the Business Dictionary value is described as, “The extent to which a good or service is perceived by its customer to meet his or her needs or wants, measured by customer’s willingness to pay for it. It commonly depends more on the customer’s perception of the worth of the product than on its intrinsic value.”

 

In short the answer to the question, “At which point in the Project life cycle can your business find value?” is simple: you can find value in every point in the Project Life, depending on what your business does.

 

You may be asking, “How?”

 

Here are a few examples:

Professionals like Architects, Engineers and Quantity Surveyors can contact the Client/Developer directly at the Conceptual/Procedural stage to be appointed as part of the Professional team.

Project Managers can contact the Client/Developer directly at Conceptual/Procedural/Design Stage to get involved. They can also contact other Professionals appointed on a Project to market and build relationships.

Subcontractors like plumbers, electricians and painters can contact Companies at Tender/Awarded Stage to provide quotes.

Vendors, Suppliers, Manufacturers and Fabricators can contact the Architect/QS during Design Stage if they have a product that can be specified on the BoQ and supplied later.

Property Managers can contact the Client at Conceptual Stage and start building a relationship while the project is still being developed in order to be appointed once Complete. They can also contact the anchor tenant at Completed Stage to get involved.

IT, Security and Cleaning Services can get involved at Tender/Awarded Stage to provide quotes and offer subcontracting services to Contractors that may be awarded the Project.

Landscapers can contact the Landscape Architect or Architect during Design Stage or contact the Client directly at Underway Stage to offer their services. They can also look at completed projects and offer services in the future as a marketing tool.

All of the above can benefit from the Postponed Stage so they are aware when the Project is going ahead in order to manage their work flow efficiently.

Finding Value in the Project Life Cycle couldn’t be easier with Leads 2 Business.

Want to know more about Projects or any of the other Services we offer? Contact me on SashaA@L2B.co.za

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

20 Jul 2016

Do Private Tenders exist….

by | posted in: Construction Chat, Construction Events, General, Uncategorized | 0

blog

Pfft….everything exists…you just need to know where to look!

There is going to be a 30 000m² mall situated on the N3 / London road interchange within Alexandra township, Gauteng. The mall includes 5 entrances, extensive taxi rank facilities, ample parking, two flood-lit mini soccer courts surrounding a 250 seater feature restaurant plus a children’s play area within the food court. And contractors are sitting around scratching their heads wondering “how did I miss this tender”??

Quite simple really. Firstly you have to be invited to tender for it. It is not a Government funded project. It is being done by a Private Developer who already has contractors in mind that will be invited to submit prices. So, yes, Private Tenders do exist. They are just known in construction circles as “Invited Tenders”.

So…. how can you get invited to tender on this mall? You would have to approach the developer or the professional team involved and sell your company to them. But firstly you have to find out who is developing the mall? Who is the architect? Who is the consultant and quantity surveyor…not to mention you have to find the contact details for them too…phew…that is quite a lot of work just to be invited to tender.

At Leads 2 Business we make this easier for the contractor. We source all this information for them. We source these private leads from conceptual stage to procedural stage, where the feasibility and EIA consultant are appointed to ascertain whether the project would be feasible and to ensure environmental authorisation is applied for and received. Yes, yes, we source this information too. Then, once all this is approved the architects are appointed to design the mall. They and the developer put their heads together to see which construction companies they should send the invited tender to. Here you put your foot in the door, a spanner in the works and say hey…what about me…this goes for the vendors too. You can say to the architects and quantity surveyors, well we have this amazing roofing, flooring, walling, windows etc and get your products listed on that BoQ.

It all boils down to … Sell your business. We can only provide the Leads but it is up to you to be “Invited to Tender”.

So to recap…do Private Tenders exist? Yes they do, but do not expect them to come knocking on your door. Go out and find them.

About Melanie Miles

One girl who would rather wear boots than high heels...

6 Jul 2016

Developments coming soon in Africa

by | posted in: Construction Chat, Construction Events, General, Uncategorized | 0

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Due to severe lack of adequate housing for the burgeoning populations in the various countries in Africa, more and more private developers are looking at building, not just housing estates, but whole new cities with the “Live, Work, Play” concept. Some of these new cities or mixed-use developments are still in the planning stages, but some are already underway :

Some of these developments are :

Pearl Marina – Uganda – is a development located on a 300 acre prime property located on the Garuga Peninsula in Uganda. The property is to be developed as a premium integrated water front destination, resort town and a premier Uganda tourism asset. The development will provide premium tourism and residential facilities, including hotels, conference facilities, luxury apartments, villas, a golf course, marinas, hospital, international school, modern office park and a retail centre. This is already under construction.

Tatu City – Kenya – is the development of a new, world class mixed use and mixed income city centre for Nairobi, approximately 15km north of the current Nairobi City Centre in Kenya, East Africa. It covers an area of approximately 1 000 hectares and when developed, it will provide a comprehensive mix of land uses, including residential, retail, commercial, tourism, social facilities and recreation and will be privately managed. The developer, Tatu City Ltd, will undertake the servicing of the land parcels for onward sale to developers. The infrastructure includes roads, electricity, water, waste water and solid waste infrastructure as well as public landscaping and (possibly) some simple municipal building. Construction on the residential component is underway.

Vision City – Rwanda – The proposed development is set on a prime 158 hectare tract of land in Gaculiro, Kinyinya Sector of Gasabo district, this high end estate is adjacent to RSSB constructed Vision 2020 Estate and approximately 3 km from the proposed Central Business District (CBD) at Muhima and 6 km from Kigali International Airport. It will consist of over 4 500 units in different configurations ranging from luxury villas to apartments to be built in 4 phases over 8 years. Phase 1 is already underway.

Eco Medical Village – Ghana – This is a proposed medical village project development which is located in Accra, on a 30 acre site acquired adjacent to Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration in Ghana. The construction of a medical village in Ghana that will consist of: a 380 ward hospital, 120 ward women and children hospital, underground parking space for 1 000 vehicles, 120 ward housing for the elderly, 17 storey doctors’ offices, a medical shopping mall; all things health; 40 x unit studio apartments for medical trainees; a medical research center in collaboration with world renowned hospitals; a 4 star medical hotel, a 2 star medical hotel, air ambulance and paramedic services and a housing facility for medical staff. The sod-turning ceremony is scheduled for October this year.

Sharm El Sheikh – Egypt – The development is to consist of villas, townhouses, apartments, offices, hotels and shopping malls. The property is located on the edge of the Red Sea, the development spans a massive 437 000m² and features residential components including villas, townhouses and apartments with all properties created to maximise sea view. A seaside, 5-star hotel with 118 executive rooms, 30 suites, 10 Spa Suites, a Presidential Suite Villa and a Royal Suite Villa further complements a thriving community. The entire development is surrounded by a lushly landscaped, one-of-a-kind greenbelt orienting the hotel and the residential properties. Construction has commenced on the hotel.

Even in North Africa, there are new cities being considered :

Tunisia Economic City – Tunisia – This new city is located in Enfidha District in Tunisia (North Africa) in close proximity to the Enfidha Al-hammamat International airport which can help initially to speed up the building of the city. The 90 square kilometer project with an 18 kilometer beach front modern sustainable and Eco-friendly metropolis will be the home of 500 000 inhabitants and will provide 250 000 jobs once completed within 15 years from now. Construction has not yet commenced on this.

There is also a whole new capital city planned in Egypt, just outside Cairo :

New City – Egypt – is the construction of a whole new city, outside Cairo. This new city will become the country’s new capital. The new city is meant for the low and middle income earners and will include an airport, shopping mall, hotels and amenities such as schools and hospitals as well as providing homes to low and middle-income buyers. The new city is still to be named and will be built near the Suez Canal. A Chinese construction company have been awarded the contract to build the city and the infrastructure & civil works have started.

There is a very exciting project currently underway in Nigeria :

Eko Atlantic Development – Nigeria – This development is to be built on about nine million square metres of reclaimed land, 2.4 kilometres south of Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos in Nigeria. Once completed it will be one and a half times the size of the current Victoria Island. It is estimated that it will accommodate 250 000 residents and 150 000 commuters. The city will cover seven districts : Ocean Front, Harbour Lights, Business District, Eko Drive, Marina, Avenues and Downtown. The Business District will also house a convention centre, auditorium and hotels. Construction is well underway.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of new mixed-use developments up and coming in Africa.

If your company is looking for Leads on Construction Projects in Africa, you would need to subscribe to Private Projects to get information on these and many more up-and-coming projects in Africa. Please email me on MarlaineA@L2B.co.za so that I can assist you further.

About Marlaine Andersen

Leads 2 Business Advertising Co-ordinator and Digital Designer

29 Jun 2016

Our Online history…. and so much more #whatacompany

by | posted in: Life Lessons, Uncategorized | 0

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This blog has got me so nervous and excited all at once, which in my experience is usually the start to something magical…. so lets see if I can pull this off!

 

To be perfectly honest, there is no way I can truly bring to life exactly how Leads 2 Business came about, but I will tell you this, this story has the makings of a great movie!  A little bit of rags 2 riches, some deviant play, hard work and reward and even a little romance in the form of a persistent wife who was adamant to buy her dream house, which in turn, turned out to be the step that took a “two man band” company to a company with over 80 happy employees:) …… woman really do always know best, you see:)

So what started as a dream back in 1998/1999 for two friends wanting to give “online” access to a Directory (“Find a Business” astutely named) for all and for free, relying only on advertising in a time when the INTERNET was still something most people had only heard about, soon turned in to a realisation that this was gonna take a lot of time and dime with very little reward…..

Now don’t get me wrong, this is NOT a story of failed attempts and umpteen restarts….on the contrary, this is a story of evolution!!!

Being previously in the Construction Industry, it wasn’t a far stretch for Mr Victor Terblanche – Founder & Chief Cook and Bottle Washer, and by that I’m referring to the fact that he was doing all his own programming, developing, sales and marketing at the time, well anyway, they decided to reach out to the construction industry – converting BoQ’s….. yes, that’s where it all really started –

1 2 3 Contracting, services including selling of Internet services and Fax Services lol!

“As long as you are solving a problem you will never go hungry“ And that’s what they did, they solved problems!

They went on to identify the need for easily accessible tender notices – and Daily Tenders was born, with Private Projects and Price Assist Life (PAL) which is now our L2Q service right behind!

 

But lets just picture this for a minute, you now have an “online” business you need to convince your clients to subscribe to, but first you need to convince them to get “The Internet” first.

At this stage most businesses didn’t even have an email address, meaning the only way to get brochures to anyone was to do it the old fashioned –

Lick-Stick-Snail-Mail-Way …… this is what I call pure determination right there!

 

The Companies First Ever Brochure.

Screenshot from 2016-06-22 09-05-04

With some cunning maneuvers, crafty investigation, pure wit and I’m sure some brawn to endure the late nights and many trips to Johannesburg, Victor and his small team convinced the construction industry and some key players into believing in this site, some of whom are still subscribed to us today!

4 people strong at that time (if my scribbles from the “interview” I had with Victor serve me correctly)…. all working in a sloped floored garage, weathering the rain with towels and strategically high placed computer boxes and cables, the struggle was real!

And what most people don’t know, while this was all happening, someone else was discovering a dream….. Victor’s wife… she had a dream for a bigger better home!  and without going into all the details, let me just say that because of one woman’s persuasive ways, this little garage company was enabled the cash injection it needed to get to where it is today!…. Leads 2 Business incorporating,
Daily Tenders, Private Projects and a Pricing Platform like no other, L2Q!

 

So now that you have a little back ground let me show you just how this site and company has evolved visually and technically.

First to go was the 1 2 3 Constructing website.

Screen Shot 2016-06-21 at 9.05.24 AM

 

 

And so the evolution of Leads 2 Business started to take place!

 

This is one of the company’s very first Daily Advisories way back in 2003.

Screenshot from 2016-06-22 08-59-29

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This was the very first brochure slash application slash user manual and application forms from 2007

 

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2008 we saw a logo change:

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2009 was somewhat of a new look once again.

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And the 2009 brochure was our first offer to our clients: the ability to choose their own Daily Advisory filters.

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2010, this was a good year in particular for me, it was when I got to join this ever progressive Company:) Screen Shot 2016-06-21 at 9.05.24 AM

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It was only two short years later on 23 March 2012 to be exact…. when we ditched our comfortable “Yellow Site”  and were thrown head first, with very little warning, (some kicking and screaming I might add) but ultimately SAFELY into what is now the current site we have all come to know, and love…..

Screenshot from 2016-06-21 14-24-47

But…. if I can give you any advice, never get too comfortable with Leads 2 Business, it is ever evolving & change is always inevitable, and this year is no exception as we stand on the brink of another HUGE & exciting upgrade to our website.

Now believe me, when I heard this, the mere thought sent cold shivers down my spine, made my blood run cold and ……..I even glimpsed at the door, purely out of fear of course ;)….. but then I remembered,

That without change, there is no growth…. and that’s what I am here for, and I’m sure you are here for that too, and when you stick with L2b you are guaranteed to be taken with on their revolutionary train of discovery in the Online industry!

Competitors have come and gone, brochures have changed as well as our site but one thing is certain, Victor Terblanche’s early vision to “solve your problem” has never changed and now runs through us all at Leads 2 Business 🙂

And so in closing I would like to express the privilege it is not only to work for this company, but to work for this man:)

Vic

Victor Terblanche – Chief Executive Officer

and Our Directors

Screenshot from 2016-06-22 10-25-19

This Blog has really been a pleasure to write and I got to find out what I’m really a part of,  and I was right…. it is pretty magical:).

 

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.

22 Jun 2016

The On-Line Construction Directory

by | posted in: Construction Chat, Construction Events, Uncategorized | 4

79-Blog-header-Online-Construction-Directory-can-it-get-you-noticed-by-Industry-giants

 

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

15 Jun 2016

Pricing Online – RfQs

by | posted in: Construction Chat, General, Uncategorized | 0

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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

1 Jun 2016

How Online Tender Information is changing the industry

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

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The Industry has been changed for awhile now. Getting your tender information online is nothing new, at this point. Numerous companies in South Africa, and around the world, are making tender information accessible online and have been doing so for years. The internet and email are tools that has become so common place now, that there are some that don’t know a life without it. Never mind dial-up. Not being able to use your landline at the same time that someone else was using the internet. Anyone? Anyone remember this? The pained squarks, whistles and beeep-par-beee grrrrrshshshshshshs….as your poor modem searched for lord-knows-what signal down a Telkom line.

When I first started at Leads 2 Business, asking if a potential subscriber had an email address and access to the internet was common place. “No. We do not fax you the 200-odd tenders each day“. Having to explain the difference between email and the internet was also sometimes necessary. This question rarely gets asked now. Nearly everyone has an email address and access to the internet, whether through a smartphone or tablet or home/ work ADSL. I think at this point an email address, smartphone and IG account are being issued along with birth certificates. So what does this mean? Freedom to access information. Any information, whenever you want it. Granted, there are certain disclaimers connected to certain areas of the internet. You have access, just like everyone else. Not everything that is available is true or good or even necessary. Just like people. Lol. It’s a huge market place for information, and everyone is wandering around bumping into weird little facts, and interesting stories and catching up with long lost friends from nineteen-voetsak. Social Media, in all its variants, brings people together. For better or worse. People are living their entire lives online, and their Professional lives as well.

News is no longer a newspaper or TV broadcast at seven o’clock monopoly. News is Shared and Posted and Commented on.

Education and Knowledge has received a revamp, as being sent to “look it up” doesn’t mean the bookshelf of Encyclopedias in your living room anymore (Geez, I hated that. It was just Parent-Speak for “I don’t know”). “Googling” is a verb. It’s the go-to to learn and research and stalk. Search Engines have a say on whether you will be found at all. Who looks at page 2 of a search result? Someone who is desperate, that’s who.

Communication moved from snail mail to the telephone to cellphones to email and LiveChat and Instant Messaging. (Although I do enjoy a letter now and again. That isn’t a bill, of course). Anyone flipped through a Yellow Pages recently? Nope. An internet presence is today’s advertising. It allows any potential clients to find you and therefore use you. No successful business hides from their potential clientèle.

People want what they want when they want it. That’s usually now. Time management is a huge consideration today, as “time is money”. Accessing your tender information online (and receiving it by email) saves money and time. Obviously, if you know who to subscribe with (Hint, hint. Nudge, nudge).

The Government has finally caught on. With the launch of the ePortal last year, the National Treasury is hoping to shore up our five principles of Procurement, namely Transparency, Fairness, Equitability, Competitiveness and Cost-Effectiveness. They’ve bragged about the millions, if not billions, that Government will save by utilising the ePortal for all their Procurement needs. Granted, it’s a bit of a blow to the publishing industry as tender adverts are being pulled from newspapers (but currently these haven’t dried up yet). Making tender documents accessible on the ePortal as well, will save huge document printing costs. Sad for you, if you now have to print these documents but I’m sure if you’re staring down a CIDB 9 contract; you’ll muddle through.

The Centralised Supplier Database (CSD) will ensure that a supplier or contractor or professional that wants to work with the Government, only has to register once. Then Government Departments can see and compare prices for their required goods and services. And this hopefully will ensure that every Government Department is paying the same price for bread and pens. Comparisons in the light of day, can have a major impact. But this is still new. It’s still a work in progress, as clicking through 20 to 30 odd pages of tender adverts multiple times a day is not what I would call efficient or user-friendly. I had a conversation with a subscriber of ours, and her relief when I assured her that I would be doing this for her; was quite comical. The ePortal has a ways to go and that will take time.

I like to think that we’ve done the time. And in any endeavour when you’ve sacrificed time, you gain experience. Endless conversations and emails with subscribers, have shaped our website. Understanding our subscribers’ needs and wants, and empowering them to make the L2B website work for them. Ensuring that they have the opportunity to broadcast their services and products to those who would use them. Ensure that they are listed correctly on our Directory, so no “flipping of pages” is required. Putting one more nail in the coffin of the poor fax, and facilitating their sending out countless Request for Quotes to hundreds of potential vendors. Quick and efficient searches, with relevant results. With all the advantages and benefits of being online, the most important is to use them. And regardless of how innovative the internet gets, nothing can replace the people on the other side (whether the phone or keyword or touch screen) ready to assist and support you.

 

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.

25 May 2016

Local News: Drought in KZN

by | posted in: Construction Chat, Uncategorized | 0

75-Blog-Header-Local-news-drought

 

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.

11 May 2016

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

by | posted in: Construction Chat, Frequently Asked Questions, Uncategorized | 0

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.

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