A recent tender for the South African Police Service (SAPS), bid number 19/1/9/1/01TR(24), published on 25 October 2024, was cancelled on 18 December 2024. The tender was intended to procure systems money laundering investigation and crime scene investigation tools and was cancelled due to administrative errors. The reason for the cancellation was revealed in response to a parliamentary inquiry by Portfolio Committee on Police member Lisa Schickerling, who raised concerns regarding procurement procedures and the impact on law enforcement capabilities.
In response, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu noted the primary reason for the bid’s cancellation was an error in the specified International Standard Organisation (ISO) requirement. The bid initially mandated compliance with ISO 17020, a standard applicable to mortuaries, instead of the correct ISO 17025 standard, which pertains to machine calibrations in forensic laboratories. This material error invalidated the tender, as awarding it under the wrong standard could have led to supplier performance issues.
Additionally, most bidders failed to meet another key requirement outlined in paragraph 1.6 of the bid. This clause required bidders or Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to confirm that the proposed tool or solution had been in use for at least three years. The evaluation committee observed that OEMs might have deliberately withheld this information, making it difficult for suppliers to comply. As a result, the clause required revision to ensure broader participation without compromising compliance.
The error regarding the ISO standard was only identified during the evaluation process after the bid had closed on 14 November 2024. Given the significance of this oversight, proceeding with the tender in its existing form would have risked awarding the contract under incorrect specifications, leading to potential legal and operational challenges. This necessity to rectify the issue before proceeding led to the bid’s cancellation.
Prior to the cancellation, five bids were received from the following companies:
- Forensic Work (PTY) Ltd.
- Transcomm.
- Risk Diversion Digital (PTY) Ltd.
- AIE On Holdings (PTY) Ltd.
- Mustek.
Despite these submissions, the bid was not awarded to any of the participants. The recommendation to cancel the bid was made to prevent procedural inconsistencies and ensure compliance with the correct technical standards.
