Why should I register on the supplier database (CSD)?
By Werner van Rooyen, Director of HowToTender (Pty) Ltd which specializes in tender consulting and tender training.
I often wonder what the use is to register as a supplier on a supplier data base of Organs of State. I mean to say, I have registered with more than I can remember Organs of State and I really can’t say that me or the companies I have registered have received any work from these Organs of State purely based on our registration.
I am curious what the main purpose for registering is and do enterprises actually get any business from Organs of State solely on its registration on the data basis? Or is the fact that you must register just another point that needs to be ticked in the procurement policy or process? I do not have the answers. All I know is that you must register.
My advice is to register as far as possible. I know it can be time consuming but rather be on the data base and stand a change of getting business than not being on the data basis and not getting any business.
Data base registration is in any case easy to do and it does not require all the paperwork that goes into a Tender response or a Request for Proposal. It usually requires only the basic information of your business, a tax clearance certificate as well as a B-BBEE certificate and some other documents such as your Company profile, share certificates and Identity documents. You will also find a Declaration of Interest that needs to be signed.
What is disturbing is that not all Supplier data base registration forms keep up with the new laws of the Country. You will find that some of these registration forms still ask questions that are based on the old BEE Codes of 2003. Not to even mention that the Codes have changed in 2007 and in 2013 again! My advice is to make the Organ of state aware of this and to attach your current B-BBEE certificate to the forms.
To conclude it might feel that to register is unnecessary, but I strongly suggest that you register on each and every data base you can – you just never know what business will flow your way because of the registration.
To learn more about this and many other tender conditions attend our “Become a Tender Expert” 2-Day workshops presented in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Port Elizabeth, and Cape Town. Book and pay online at https://howtotender.co.za/tender-expert-form/
Contact us at wernervr@howtotender.co.za should you require more information.
You can also purchase a Tender Manual (Handbook) on our website https://howtotender.co.za/ which is a step by step guide how to respond to a South African Tender. It includes examples of completed SBD forms.
