Design and Supply of Transformer Cores and Shunts for Eskom, South Africa (5-Year Period)
01Project Overview
02Project Background
Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd is South Africa's state-owned electricity utility, responsible for generation, transmission and distribution. The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) licenses and regulates the electricity supply industry. Public-sector tender notices in South Africa are published centrally through the National Treasury eTenders portal; this tender was advertised through that portal, and bids are received through the Eskom e-tendering system.
The core is the magnetic circuit of a power transformer, and the grade of core steel, the lamination arrangement and the clamping structure directly affect no-load losses and operating reliability. This tender covers replacement cores and shunts for power transformers rated between 2 MVA and 80 MVA: the cores must conform exactly to the form and dimensions of the original and are preferably delivered fully stacked and assembled, and where the original core clamping plates and systems are available they may be utilised, failing which the supply must include all required clamping hardware based on the original design. The supplier takes all dimensions required for the manufacture of the replacement cores, and the original cores are made available at Eskom's ERI workshops or transported to the supplier's premises.
The contract period is five years, indicating that the procurement supports the continuing overhaul and replacement requirements of Eskom's transformer fleet. The invitation to tender also states that, where it is deemed necessary to ensure effective service delivery and optimal value for money, Eskom reserves the right to award the contract to more than one tenderer, and that the contract will be awarded to a panel of contractors, with a minimum of two and a maximum of five.
03Scope of Work & Technical Specifications
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Scope of Supply | Design, manufacture and delivery of power transformer cores and shunts for transformers rated between 2 MVA and 80 MVA |
| Contract Period | Five years |
| Core Dimensional Conformity | The cores shall conform exactly to the form and dimensions of the original |
| Delivery Condition | The cores shall preferably be delivered fully stacked and assembled, complete with all clamping hardware and systems |
| Clamping Structures | Where available, the original core clamping plates and systems may be utilised; where this is not possible, the supply shall include all required clamping hardware based on the original design |
| Dimensioning and Availability of Original Cores | The supplier is responsible for taking all dimensions required for the manufacture of the replacement cores; the original cores are made available at Eskom's ERI workshops or transported to the supplier's premises as preferred by the supplier |
| Core Steel | The core steel shall match or exceed the quality, dimensions and form of the original core, typically grade MOH 0.3, unless otherwise agreed |
| Loose Core Steel Laminations | Where partial stacks of cut core steel laminations are required, they shall be delivered suitably secured on palettes for ease of handling |
| Shunt Manufacture | Manufacture of shunts for non-rectangular and irregularly shaped windings |
| Submission | Tender documents are uploaded through the Eskom e-tendering system under separate technical, commercial and financial folders |
04Key Commercial Terms
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Contract Form | NEC3 Supply Contract |
| Tender Validity | 120 days from the closing date and time |
| Performance Security | Where a performance bond or demand guarantee is required, the tenderer must select from the list of Eskom-approved financial institutions at least two institutions that it is likely to approach |
| Financial Capacity | Tenderers may be required to submit three years of audited financial statements for financial evaluation; where these do not meet the financial requirements, a bank guarantee letter must be submitted |
| Basis of Price Evaluation | Prices are evaluated inclusive of VAT and after correction of arithmetical errors; contingencies in any bill of quantities or activity schedule are excluded, acceptable unconditional discounts are taken into account and conditional discounts are implemented only when payment is effected |
| Foreign Currency and Importation | Tenderers pricing goods or services in a foreign currency, or linking their pricing to a foreign currency exchange rate, must be the direct importers of the goods or services and provide proof of importation; where goods are imported into stock for delivery to various customers including Eskom, the price must be quoted in South African Rand and Eskom will not undertake any foreign exchange commitment or arrange forward cover |
| Tender Opening | There is no public opening for e-tendering; tenders are downloaded electronically and prices are not read out |
| Alternative Tenders | Alternative tenders are not allowed |
| Clarification Deadline | Requests for clarification must be notified to Eskom before the clarification cut-off, which is five working days before the submission deadline |
05Bidder Qualification Requirements
06Key Milestones
07Evaluation Criteria
- Prices are scored on the VAT-inclusive price as corrected for arithmetical errors, out of a maximum of 80 points
- Contingencies in any bill of quantities or activity schedule are excluded for evaluation, acceptable unconditional discounts are taken into account, and conditional discounts are implemented only when payment is effected
- Tenders are ranked under the 80/20 preference point system, that is, the price score out of 80 points and the specific goals score out of 20 points are added together
- Specific goals are scored under South Africa's Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA) regulations of 2022 for the goals specified in the tender, out of a maximum of 20 points
- Scoring follows the B-BBEE contributor status level, evidenced by a B-BBEE status level certificate or a sworn affidavit as prescribed by the Codes of Good Practice
- A tenderer that fails to submit evidence for a points claim is not disqualified but is awarded 0 points for that specific goal
Technical evaluation is conducted in two stages: functionality, assessed against a minimum threshold of 60%, and a site visit with a weighting of 10%; bidders must achieve an overall minimum threshold of 70% across the two stages to qualify for further consideration
Functionality is scored on eight criteria with the following weights: design and evaluation capability for cores 10%, core size capability 20%, design and manufacturing capability of core and shunt clamping structures 10%, delivery condition verified during a site visit 20%, manufacture of shunts for non-rectangular and irregularly shaped windings verified during a site visit 10%, number of years of supplying cores to South African based manufacturers 10%, site visit 10% and delivery time from task order 10%
Failure to submit adequate documentary proof for an item results in a zero score for that item
Price and specific-goals scores are added together and suppliers are ranked from highest to lowest; objective criteria apply for safety, health and environment (SHE), quality and finance, with SHE evaluated under annexures C3 and C5, quality evaluated against the attached quality requirement checklist, and finance evaluated by the appointed financial representative on the basis of three years of audited financial statements; Eskom may award the contract to a tenderer other than the highest scoring one where objective criteria justify it
Eskom reserves the right to award the contract to more than one tenderer, and the contract will be awarded to a panel of contractors, with a minimum of two and a maximum of five
