South African Airways Technical (SAAT) has invited suitable qualified service providers to present a proposal for the supply and delivery of 2 000 t of B Grade coal.

The purchasing of coal by SAAT is a yearly occurrence, with the coal used in boilers that generate heat for its hangers, which are situated alongside the OR Tambo Airport. As the boiler was normally operated as from May 15, delivery of the coal had to be completed no later than May 10.

SAAT stated that the overall project objective was to ensure a source of coal supply, which had to be on time, at the right quality, and in the right quantity. The tenders submitted to SAAT had to include transportation costs and toll fees.

Transportation of the coal could only be done by road, and SAAT said that it would prefer that the entire load be delivered at once. Delivery would be done at the boiler house, which was situated in Isando, in Gauteng, which is next to the railway station.

The vendor bid documents would be evaluated in three phases. The first phase would include a bid scrutiny, to verify the commercial compliance of the bidder and to ensure that the offer consisted of all mandatory attachments.

The second phase would consist of verifying the bid against critical criteria, including certification confirming the type and grade of the required coal.

The third phase would see SAAT applying the remaining tender evaluation criteria, which would include price, logistics, black economic empowerment, and company track record.

The closing date for submissions was set for April 21.