If you've ever lost a government tender and assumed it was because someone undercut you on price, you're not alone.
But here's the uncomfortable truth: most South African tenders are thrown out before the evaluation panel even looks at your price. The bid is disqualified at the compliance gate—and that's almost always something you could have fixed.
It's not about being the cheapest
Government and SOE procurement in South Africa follows a two-stage process. First, your bid must be responsive: it must meet every mandatory requirement in the invitation.
Only responsive bids move to the second stage, where price and other criteria are scored. If you're not responsive, your price never gets opened. So the real question isn't "Did we quote low enough?" It's "Did we meet every single mandatory requirement?"
Why do so many bids get disqualified?
From National Treasury data and feedback from procurement officers, the same issues show up again and again.
Main causes of disqualification
- Missing or incorrect mandatory documents—tax clearance (from SARS), B-BBEE certificates, registration certificates (e.g. from CIPC)—are the biggest single cause.
- Failing to attend a compulsory briefing session when one is required.
- Incomplete or incorrect SBD forms—unsigned forms, wrong company details, or sections left blank.
These aren't small slip-ups. They're hard gates. One missing document or one "no" where the tender said "yes" can mean your entire bid is rejected. Read more: Common tender mistakes that get bids disqualified.
What you can do about it
The good news is that these failures are preventable. Before you submit, you need a clear picture of every mandatory requirement and a way to check your response against each one.
Your tender compliance checklist
- Read the entire tender document (or at least every section that lists mandatory requirements).
- Keep a checklist of mandatory documents and tick each one off.
- Check that every SBD form is completed correctly and signed where required.
- Note any compulsory briefing session and attend (or send a representative with a letter of authority).
Not sure how to check tender compliance before you submit? See our practical guide: How to check tender compliance before you submit.
Get your documents in order
Many disqualifications come down to documents. Government tenders in South Africa routinely ask for tax clearance, B-BBEE affidavits or certificates, company registration (CIPC), and industry-specific registrations.
If you're not sure what's usually required, see our simple guide to documents required for government tenders in South Africa. Having a standard list ready saves time and reduces the chance of forgetting something.
Bottom line
Most South African tenders fail at compliance, not at price. If you want to win more bids, start by making sure you never get disqualified for something you could have fixed.
Get a clear checklist. Complete every mandatory requirement. Only then worry about being competitive on price and quality.
