The issue of the South African Social Services Agency (Sassa) social grant tender is still unresolved, and the Constitutional Court has issued new directives.
The ongoing matter stems from a court order for the agency to begin a new tender process for the contract, and should culminate in the issuing of an unambiguous request for proposal (RFP).
The court yesterday instructed that Sassa must effect its proposed amendments to the (RFP) by 2 April 2015, to address the remaining five objections raised by Cash Paymaster Services.
To the extent that CPS still has any remaining objections to this draft RFP, it needs to notify the parties and the Court by 16 April 2015, upon which the court will issue directions for an urgent hearing to resolve CPS’s notified issues.
If there are no objections, Sassa needs to circulate the RFP to all the parties, the court and the prospective bidders by 17 April 2015.
All bids will have to be submitted by 17 May 2015; and Sassa shall award the new tender by October 15, 2015.
Meanwhile, the court has reserved judgement on a request for an order directing that parties may only approach it for further relief if it is necessary to protect the interests of beneficiaries.
