Cape Town - The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) contract for the supply of laptops to students has finally been awarded to five companies, from a pool of 140 bids.
The successful companies are Pinnacle, CEOS Technologies, MLO Distinctive Solutions, East Side Group and the AND group.
NSFAS administrator Randall Carolissen said the details of the contract, together with the final mutually agreed guidelines in terms of which institutions could procure laptops required by NSFAS-funded students, would be sent to all institutions.
Carolissen said the entity had published the award details, together with the list of unsuccessful bidders, on National Treasury’s e-tender portal on November 9, and on the NSFAS website on November 10.
SA Union of Students president Misheck Mugabe said the union was disappointed that the process took so long.
“Luckily our universities went ahead to secure laptops for some students in time. We are looking forward to seeing the outstanding laptops being distributed to students very soon,” Mugabe said.
This comes after the updated, revised bid specification for the tender was advertised on September 4 and closed on September 21, subsequent to the cancellation by NSFAS of the previous tender due to no acceptable bids being received in accordance with regulation 13 (1) (c) of the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act.
The notice of the cancellation of the previous tender and the advertisement for the new tender were published in the Government Tender Bulletin, on National Treasury’s e-tender portal and on the NSFAS website on September 4.
Carolissen said the 140 bids were evaluated between September 22 and October 13.
Cape Argus