Entrepreneurs in South Africa experience a variety of challenges that affect the growth of their business, from a lack of competition to manoeuvring an industry with an overflow of competition. One powerful growth channel? Tenders. Whether it’s a government contract to supply PPEs or a private-sector call for IT services, tenders offer consistent cash flow, long-term partnerships, and valuable credibility.
SMEs tend to struggle to find and secure tender opportunities. They tend to rely on expensive middlemen or miss the tender window altogether. This article will provide the various websites available where you can find tenders.
1. The National Treasury eTender Portal
The National Treasury eTender Portal is a free, central online platform where all government departments, provinces, cities, and public organisations post their tenders. Think of it as a single, easy-to-reach place designed to make sure everyone has a fair shot at these opportunities.
This system aims to make government buying more open, honest, competitive, and affordable. The Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO) is in charge, deciding what goes on the site, how it works, and working with government users at all levels.
What you can do on this portal:
- See all new tender announcements, along with the official documents and details about what’s needed.
- Find official updates or changes made by the organisations offering the tenders.
- View the results of past tenders, including basic information as required by the OCPO.
- Read up on all the rules and guidelines for government tenders.
2. Tender Bulletins
Tender Bulletins is a private platform for tender notifications. It’s free to use and simplifies the search process with filterable listings based on industry, region, and issuing department.
If you don’t want to miss out on any tenders, you can also subscribe to their paid service, where you’ll receive tender notifications in your inbox as soon as they’re listed.
You can personalise your subscription by selecting up to 5 sectors, as well as specifying the provinces you would like to be informed about.
3. OnlineTenders
OnlineTenders is one of the popular platforms to find tenders for small businesses in South Africa. This site covers both government and private sector tenders across a wide range of industries. Accessing full tender documents on this platform requires a paid subscription, but you can browse summaries of the tenders for free.
This website offers two subscription options. Tenders South Africa covers all provinces for R850 per month, while Tenders Africa, which gives entrepreneurs the option to apply for tenders in other African countries (including South Africa), for R2 210 per month.
4. SA-Tenders
Tailored to assist businesses, especially newer entrants into the tender space, this platform offers a user-friendly interface and features like tender search, guidelines, and educational resources.
SA-Tender is a free tender site that also guides newer entrant businesses through free tender advice for businesses who need to learn how to find tenders, as well as various topics, including functionality scoring, B-BBEE requirements for small businesses, joint ventures, and much more.
While the platform is free, you can opt to subscribe to receive notices in your inbox. There are two subscription options. Option 1 costs R749 for 6 months, and Option 2 costs R1 199 for 12 months.
5. Leads 2 Business (L2B)
Leads 2 Business gives businesses the opportunity to view tenders locally and across Africa. This platform is one of the leading sources for infrastructure-related tenders in Southern Africa.
With features like project tracking and market intelligence, it’s particularly useful for SMEs in the built environment sector. The Leads 2 Business platform doesn’t just list tender opportunities, but construction projects across Africa, and you can get listed on their construction directory.
Additionally, the tender feature requires a subscription of R 1426,09 per month. This includes tender leads across South Africa covering multiple industries and regions, as well as online support and daily email updates.
6. TenderPoint
TenderPoint is an online platform established in 2012 to support South African construction SMEs in navigating the tender process. It aims to help emerging contractors overcome challenges like finding opportunities and ensuring compliance, encouraging job creation and community growth.
Key services include aggregating over 150 weekly tenders, assisting with compliance requirements such as Construction Industry Development Board registration and tax clearance, providing a cost estimation tool, and offering contract management resources like safety files and labour contracts. TenderPoint’s mission is to empower emerging contractors and create a collaborative industry ecosystem.
7. Municipal Websites
Individual municipal websites, such as those for the City of Johannesburg, eThekwini Municipality, and the City of Ekurhuleni, are valuable resources for finding smaller, localised tender opportunities.
These tenders may not be advertised on national platforms, making municipal websites ideal starting points for SMEs aiming to establish relationships and gain experience at the local level. Regularly checking these websites can also provide insights into community-specific needs and projects, potentially helping new businesses to prepare themselves to align with local demand.
Scale Your Business Through Tender Securing
Securing tenders can be a transformative strategy for South African businesses, offering a pathway to sustained growth and stability. By taking advantage of the resources provided by these various online platforms, businesses can gain access to a wider range of opportunities, both in the public and private sectors.
Consistent effort in monitoring these websites, understanding tender requirements, and preparing competitive bids is a crucial step towards success. Building a strong track record through successful tender applications can further enhance your business’s credibility and open doors to larger and more impactful projects.
