Everything you need to apply for a tender in South Africa

Nicole
Nicole
4 min read
Jul 10, 2025
Everything you need to apply for a tender in South Africa

Dreaming of landing your first government tender?

Whether you’re starting a construction company, a catering business, or a cleaning service… the paperwork is often the first obstacle.

The good news?

Once you’ve got your documents sorted, applying for tenders becomes a LOT easier.

That’s why we’ve put together a complete list of documents you’ll need to register on tender platforms like eTenders or CSD, and to apply for opportunities with national, provincial, and municipal departments.

Let’s make sure you’re not caught off guard.

1. Business Registration Documents

To apply for a tender, your company must be formally registered with the CIPC.

To prove this, you’ll need…

If you're a sole proprietor, you can still tender, but your business must be registered on the CSD with your ID and tax details.

2. CSD Registration Report

You must be registered on the Central Supplier Database (CSD) to apply for almost all government tenders.

You’ll need to provide…

  • CSD Supplier Number
  • CSD Summary Report

The CSD report verifies your banking details, tax status, B-BBEE info, and more – that’s why it’s often the first thing departments check.

3. Tax Compliance Status (TCS) Pin from SARS

You must be tax compliant. That means…

  • Your business (or you, as the sole trader) must be registered with SARS
  • You must have no outstanding returns or payments
  • You need a valid TCS Pin (Tax Compliance Status)

This pin allows government departments to verify your tax status online.

4. B-BBEE Certificate or Affidavit

If your business qualifies as an EME (turnover under R10 million) or QSE (turnover between R10m and R50m), you don’t need a full B-BBEE certificate.

Instead, you can submit…

A B-BBEE Affidavit (signed and stamped)

Or

A SANAS-accredited B-BBEE Certificate

An affidavit still counts as proof of compliance for most tenders (and it’s free!)

5. Proof of Banking Details

The government wants to make sure they can pay you, so they will need…

Stamped Bank Letter

Or

Bank Confirmation Letter (not older than 3 months)

6. Certified ID Copies of Directors / Owners

The ID copies you submit must be certified, clear, and valid (certification typically must be within 3 months).

For companies with multiple directors, you will need ID copies for all registered directors.

7. Proof of Address

For your proof of address, you might need to provide…

  • Recent utility bill or municipal account
  • If you're operating from home: an affidavit confirming your business address

8. Business Profile and Capability Statement

This is a short document outlining what your business does, your key services, experience, and team. Here, you’ll need to highlight your track record, equipment, relevant experience, and contact details.

This isn’t compulsory, but it does make your application stand out (especially for service-based industries)

9. Industry-Specific Documents

Depending on your field, you might also need:

  • CIDB Registration (for construction or building work)
  • Health & Safety File (for on-site services)
  • COID Letter of Good Standing (for businesses with employees doing manual labour)
  • NHBRC Certificate (for housing-related construction)
  • FSP License (for financial services)

You don’t need ALL of these, just the ones relevant to your industry.

10. Past Project References or Experience

Some tenders (especially higher-value ones) may ask for…

  • Client references
  • Completion certificates
  • Signed contracts from previous work

If you’re new, don’t panic, you can still apply for smaller tenders or look for subcontracting opportunities to build experience.

11. Declaration Forms & Bid Documents

Each tender will include its own required forms.

These often include forms like…

  1. SBD Forms (Standard Bidding Documents)
  2. Declaration of Interest (SBD 4)
  3. Pricing Schedule (SBD 3.3)
  4. Declaration of Past Supply Chain Practices (SBD 8)
  5. Certificate of Independent Bid Determination (SBD 9)

Always make sure to download the full bid pack from the tender website and double-check the required annexures.

Need Help? That’s what Govchain is for

We know it’s a lot. But you don’t have to figure it all out alone.

Govchain helps South African entrepreneurs get tender-ready (and to stay compliant).

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