A day in the life of a Tenders Researcher

Leads 2 Business : A day in the life of a Tenders Researcher

2 Metaphors for a Tender Researchers day

 

The first instinct when faced with the task of describing “A Day in the Life of a Researcher” is to list the various tasks and duties that have to be done throughout the day, and the week, the month and the year. The fact that the light slowly drains from my brother’s eyes when I waffle about my day, is a clear indication that this might not be the best approach. It’s not that he doesn’t care about what I do (I pay his bills, so he has a vested interest), it’s that the “how” has no context for someone on the outside. The usual follow up question is “It got done, right?” is a clear indication that the “how” is not as important as the end result.

 

“Researcher Sympathy” only comes from other researchers. Like “Accountant Sympathy” only comes from those who inhabit the daunting world of debits and credits. How long can you feign interest in that?

 

No one on the “outside” really cares how many phone calls you made, or how many people you had to speak to and introduce yourself to and state your purpose to and how far you had to stretch the definition of “polite and professional” for the information that is our bread and butter. If you aren’t in the trenches with us, then you can’t really understand the perseverance required sometimes. And if you’ve been nodding your head knowingly through that last sentence, then I hate to break it to you; but you are a Researcher. How many times today have you spelt “L-E-A-D-S, like leading someone”?

 

I reread my blog article “Understanding Awards” from 29 October 2014 for some sort of inspiration, and I’m happy to announce, nothing has changed. The same challenges and concerns, the same misapprehension and suspicion we faced back then is alive and well today. So how do I convey the energy spent and the time taken, without boring the life out of you or utilising the “humblebrag”.

 

[tweetthis]Our business is information. Fast and accurate information. [/tweetthis]This information takes the form of leads or doorways of opportunity, as you will. We present it, and our subscribers run with it.

 

Think of our day like a race.

There’s a starting point and an end (metaphorical because, especially on a Friday, it definitely feels like it will never end). And all along the way there’s certain checkpoints that have be reached and ticked off the list. Tender notices are meant to have a certain regularity to them. The Government Tender Bulletin is published each Friday, for example. If we don’t reach these checkpoints, we have to go in search of them or keep coming back until we can tick them off the list.

Think of it like an Easter egg hunt, where someone is constantly hiding Easter eggs.

Doesn’t tell you how many eggs there are but assures you that they are in fact out there. And sometimes hides the eggs in the same place that you’ve already searched over and over again at irregular intervals. And your phone won’t stop ringing while you are searching for these eggs, and some of the eggs are cracked. And then there’s Scam eggs. And you get the picture.

 

This race (I’m mixing my metaphors) is not a straight line, but a circle. It just starts again. And on the information ride, there’s nowhere to get off. These checkpoints can represent anything really. They are the newspapers we buy (maybe not for much longer according to National Treasury) and the websites we check. They’re the telephone calls and emails needing to be answered. They are our current subscribers and potential subscribers. They are the tender awards and award follow ups. Illusive site registers, bidder’s list, bills of quantity and tender documents.

 

It’s a bizarre balance between maintaining routine and consistency and then trying to adapt to the unexpected. Anything can throw a spanner in the works, from Municipal strikes to newspaper delivery to a slow internet connection. The balance between expectation and reality. It’s only experience and willingness that has taught us how to deal with these bumps in the road. The metaphorical duck on water comes to mind. Except the duck has developed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and an unhealthy obsession with internet speed.

 

The long and the short of it is, that we deliver.

 

You don’t have to worry about the “how” because we’ve got that covered.

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.

Why be Revolutionary?

 

Leads 2 Business : Alternative Energy

 

I have enjoyed music all my life. There is no doubt that it plays an integral part of who I am. I enjoy anything from classical to rock to indie to reggae to alternative. In my choice alone, some would consider me a little unconventional. But that isn’t where it ends. I enjoy (exceptional) tattoos and consider it wearable art. Perhaps a little nonconformist I hear you say? Not to mention I like the idea of eco houses, container housing and other non standard building methods. Just because it is different, it doesn’t mean it is wrong. In fact, sometimes different can be exceptionally right.

I think most South Africans have gotten a good few picnic dinners with candles of late. Some relish the opportunity to ‘unplug’ from life and make the most of quality time with loved ones, while others lament lost time and money and the effect it is having on the economy.  I am fairly certain that Companies retailing solar panels, solar geysers and lights as well as generators thank Eskom profusely for their increase in revenue. Flipping a switch to only find yourself still standing in the dark, in winter especially, definitely brings you to looking at alternative methods of getting things done and wondering how long we, as a nation, can continue on this (dark) road.

 

We all know that our amazing nation has an abundance of natural resources. So why not utilise them? Enter the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (try say that fast five times over) aka REIPPP.  Say what? Well, the IPP procurement programme has been designed to contribute towards the target of 3725 Megawatts and socio economic and environmentally sustainable growth as well as to stimulate the renewable industry in South Africa.

 

The qualifying technologies in this programme are:

  • onshore wind
  • concentrated solar thermal
  • solar photovoltaic
  • biomass solid
  • biogas
  • landfill gas
  • small hydro

 

According to The Guardian ‘South Africa has been quietly creating one of the world’s most progressive alternative energy plans. Solar, biomass and wind energy systems are popping up all over the country and feeding clean energy into the strained electrical grid’. It seems that South Africa is taking revolutionary leaps forward in implementing clean energy solutions, but it also has the general view that it should be closely monitored.

The REIPP have recently added to their renewable projects currently underway in South Africa.  Some of these include:

 

Wind

  • Construction of the 140MW Roggeveld Wind Farm. The wind farm will be situated on farms surrounding Sutherland, in the Northern Cape. This forms part of the Window 4 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement REIPPP programme.
  • Construction of the 117MW Golden Valley Wind Farm located outside Cookhouse, in the Eastern Cape Province. This forms part of the Window 4 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) programme.
  • Construction of the Riverbank Wind Energy Facility: Phase 1 entails the construction and operation of a wind energy facility and associated infrastructure. This is also known as the Wesley-Ciskei (33 MW) which forms part of the Window 4 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement REIPPP programme.

 

Biomass

  • Construction of a 25M biomass-to-power plant, known as Ngodwana Biomass Power Project, located at Sappi’s Ngodwana mill, outside Nelspruit in the Mpumalanga Province. This forms part of the Window 4 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement REIPPP programme.

 

Solar Photovoltaic

  •  Construction of the 40MW Aggeneys Solar Photovoltaic (PV) energy facility located outside Aggeneys, in the Northern Cape Province. This forms part of the Window 4 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) programme.
  • Construction of the 75MW Konkoonsies 2 Solar Photovoltaic (PV) energy facility located near Upington, in the Northern Cape Province. This forms part of the Window 4 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) programme.
  • Construction of the 75MW Dyason’s Klip 1 Solar Photovoltaic (PV) energy facility located near Upington, in the Northern Cape Province. This forms part of the Window 4 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) programme.
  • Construction of the 75MW Dyason’s Klip 2 Solar Photovoltaic (PV) energy facility near Upington, in the Northern Cape Province. This forms part of the Window 4 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) programme.
  • Construction of the 75 MW Droogfontein 2 solar photovoltaic (PV) plant and all associated infrastructure on the Farm Droogfontein, in Kimberley, Northern Cape Province. This forms part of the Window 4 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) programme.
  • Construction of the 82.5MW Pulida solar photovoltaic park. The planned capacity will be 82.5 MWp DC – 75 mw ac and will be located on remainder portion of farm Klipdrift 20, Letsemeng local municipality, Xhariep district municipality, Free State province. This forms part of the REIPPP – Window 3 Projects.
  • Construction of the 75MW Sirus Solar Photovoltaic (PV) energy facility. The facility will be situated approximately 20km southwest of Upington, in the Northern Cape. This forms part of the Window 4 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) programme.

 

Hydro

  • Construction of the 5MW Kruisvallei Hydo located near Bethlehem, in the Free State Province. This forms part of the Window 4 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) programme.

 

I have heard the expression that ‘it’s never too late’ to start something. In the case of Eskom, I am sure some feel like they may be testing the boundaries of this expression. The point though, is that something is being done. Something quite revolutionary at that! So I for one, want to keep an eye on the array of projects to keep up to date with South Africa’s progressive steps toward creating clean energy for our overworked grid. I also think that it is maybe time that I start figuring out how to be part of doing something idiosyncratic in my nation instead of being part of the problem.  #Justsaying

 

About Carmen Barends

Social media adventurer for Leads 2 Business, exploring new frontiers and taking new ground. “Not all those who wander are lost.” JRR Tolkien

Get your Golf Swing on

We are counting the hours…

It’s usually hard to stay focused the last week before our Annual Golf Day. There is so much to organise for the actual day to make sure our Subscribers have an absolutely amazing experience. It makes it kind of tough to focus on doing your everyday tasks as well. But we are fortunate in that we have a team that is dedicated to the cause and always seem to pull the proverbial rabbit (or backhoe) out of a hat. Along with the amazing staff at Randpark Golf Club, we are going to make this year extra special because it is the 10th Golf Day held by Leads 2 Business (which in anyone’s books means celebration time). Meaning it’s a sentimental occasion and  those at L2B will add extra ‘oomph’ to make sure that this is a day that our subscribers won’t easily forget.

 

The day commences with our subscribers being greeted with goodie bags by our lovely staff and registering to start their golf day. Then, as they step out they may happen upon the Audi Q5 (that we have sponsored) hoisted into the air with a crane sponsored by Eqstra. This acrobatic feat is in fact the prize for the person who can achieve a Hole in One on the 15th. That is quite something #JustSaying. Our Sponsors have gone out of their way planning their stands on both Tee and Green to keep the subscribers well hydrated (and highly entertained) along the course. You can see from some of the photos of the stands by sponsors in previous years what we mean. This year’s supporters also got additional branding by having their logos displayed as proud sponsors on an insert in Engineering News supplied by Leads 2 Business. To make sure you and your Company get extra brand coverage, we also encourage our subscribers to log onto social media and post pictures of their day. Tag us on Twitter at @L2Bcoza or the hashtag #L2BGolf or find Leads 2 Business on Facebook. Watch out for those selfies 🙂

In the evening, once our intrepid golfers have driven, chipped and putted to their hearts content, there is an amazing dinner and prize giving hosted by Emcee Dave Usendorff who is a fellow PGA Professional, Operations Director at The Els Club Copperleaf, Supersport Presenter and absolute golf nut!! (his words, not mine). You can check him out on Twitter as well at @DaveUsendorff.

 

After the festivities of the day and the evening our valued subscribers head off for the weekend with an armload of goodies and grins on their faces and (hopefully) many good memories. On this note though, over the years we have picked up a few golf tips and thought we would mention them to maybe assist in the smooth running of your game.

 

Tip 1: No matter how bad your last shot was, the worst is yet to come. This law does not expire on the 18th hole, since it has the supernatural tendency to extend over the course of a tournament, a summer and, eventually, a lifetime.

Tip 2: Your best round of golf will be followed almost immediately by your worst round ever. The probability of the latter increases with the number of people you tell about the former.

Tip 3: Brand new golf balls are water-magnetic. Though this cannot be proven in the lab, it is a known fact that the more expensive the golf ball, the greater its attraction to water.

Tip 4: Golf balls never bounce off trees back into play. If one does, the tree is breaking a law of the universe and should be cut down.

Tip 5: No matter what causes a golfer to muff a shot, all his playing partners must solemnly chant, “You looked up,” or invoke the wrath of the universe.

Tip 6: The higher a golfer’s handicap, the more qualified he deems himself as an instructor.

Tip 7: Every par-three hole in the world has a secret desire to humiliate golfers. The shorter the hole, the greater its desire.

Tip 8: Topping a 3-iron is the most painful torture known to man.

Tip 9: Kikuyu grass eats golf balls.

Tip 10: Sand is alive. If it isn’t, how do you explain the way it works against you?

 

 See you on the course.

 

 

 

 

 

Sources:

http://www.tensionnot.com/jokes/golf_jokes/golf_tips_beginners

About Carmen Barends

Social media adventurer for Leads 2 Business, exploring new frontiers and taking new ground. “Not all those who wander are lost.” JRR Tolkien

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