A request for information is not a tender. It is a public body asking the market what is possible before deciding what to buy, and the responses shape the specification that follows. That makes responding to an RFI one of the few chances a small supplier has to influence a tender rather than merely compete in it.
It is also low risk, which is why more businesses should do it.
Understand what it is for
The buyer is establishing what solutions exist, what they cost approximately, and what is realistic. A well-informed response can result in a specification your business can actually meet.
A specification written without input from businesses like yours frequently contains requirements that exclude smaller suppliers for no functional reason. Responding is how that gets corrected before it is fixed in a tender.
Respond even if you cannot deliver the whole thing
Describe the part you could deliver and how it would work alongside others. Buyers often break large requirements into lots after seeing what the market actually offers.
It also puts your business on their radar before the formal process starts, which is legitimate visibility rather than an unfair advantage, since everything is later tendered openly.
Be careful what you disclose
RFI responses may be subject to access to information requests, and the buyer is not obliged to keep your commercial detail confidential unless stated. Describe your approach and capability without disclosing pricing models or methods you rely on competitively.
Mark genuinely confidential material clearly and be aware that marking alone does not guarantee protection.
Have the compliance ready for what follows
An RFI leads to a tender, and tenders require central supplier registration, registration with current annual returns at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, tax compliance and a B-BBEE affidavit. None of it can be arranged after the tender opens.
Where the work involves construction, grading requirements apply. Free support with tender readiness is available through the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency.
Frequently asked questions
What is a request for information?
A public body asking the market what is possible before deciding what to buy. It shapes the tender that follows.
Why respond if it is not a tender?
Because responses shape the specification, and a specification written without input from businesses like yours often excludes them.
Should I respond if I can only deliver part of it?
Yes. Buyers frequently split large requirements into lots after seeing what the market actually offers.
What should I not disclose?
Pricing models and competitively sensitive methods. Responses may be subject to access to information requests.
What do I need for the tender that follows?
Central supplier registration, current annual returns, tax compliance and a B-BBEE affidavit, none of which can be arranged afterwards.
Further reading
Originally published in January 2018. Updated September 2026 into guidance on responding to government requests for information.
