Request for Proposals to develop the required documentation as stipulated by the Dtic and submit the Designation Application as prescribed by the Special Economic Zones Act, 2014 and related Regulations for the proposed Just Energy Transition Energy SEZ situated within the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality, Mpumalanga.

Date of Issue (RFP): 6 August 2026

Closing Date and Time: 30 August 2026 at 23:59 (South African Standard Time). Applications received after this time will not be considered.

1. Background

Mpumalanga Province is strategically located in the north-eastern part of South Africa and serves as a gateway linking South Africa to regional markets through the Maputo Development Corridor and neighbouring economies. The province is characterised by significant mineral resources, agricultural assets, forestry, tourism potential, established energy infrastructure and a concentration of coal-fired power generation and related industrial activity.

The province is central to South Africa’s energy system, with a substantial proportion of the country’s coal production, power generation assets and energy-related industrial base located within Mpumalanga. At the same time, the national and global shift toward low-carbon development is creating both risks and opportunities for the provincial economy. Coal phase-down, power station repurposing, renewable energy investment, green industrialisation, mine land rehabilitation and new manufacturing value chains require coordinated planning and implementation.

Recent feasibility and business case work undertaken for the proposed Just Energy Transition (JET) Energy Special Economic Zone (SEZ), as well as related provincial green economy and economic diversification reports, recommends that MGCA and DEDT move from concept development and feasibility into the formal designation phase.

In this regard the Request for Proposal must provide all the required documentation to submit the required Designation Application by February/March 2027.  In delivering the formal designation application to the Minister it must also address operator readiness and business/tenant location processes under the Special Economic Zones Act, 2014 and applicable SEZ Regulations and Guidelines issued by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.

2. Purpose

The purpose of this Request for Proposals is to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced service provider to develop a comprehensive Designation Application and supportive implementation documentation for the proposed Mpumalanga Just Energy Transition Energy SEZ.  This work must convert the recommendations of the feasibility, business case and related reports into a formal application for Designation to the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition and deliver a developmental framework of action for MGCA and DEDT. This application must be aligned to the requirements of the Special Economic Zones Act, 2014, the SEZ Regulations, SEZ Programme Guidelines and all relevant environmental, planning, infrastructure and municipal legislation applicable to the proposed SEZ once the programme is finalised.

3. Scope of Work

The appointed service provider will:

• Develop all required technical, economic, financial, environmental, and legal documentation required for the Designation application;
• Compile and submit a complete SEZ designation application to the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition and the SEZ Advisory Board;
• Support the MGCA and DEDT and their development partners in securing approval from the SEZ Advisory Board and the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition;

The service provider will thus deliver on the following work streams:

• Project Management and Coordination
  • Develop and maintain a detailed project implementation plan and schedule
  • Establish and support a Project Steering Committee (PSC)
  • Coordinate multidisciplinary inputs across:
    • Economic, legal, engineering, and environmental specialists
    • JET Energy SEZ internal teams
    • Government and infrastructure stakeholders
• Further to this the Service provider would also be expected to provide bi-weekly progress updates as well as monthly governance and status reports

Although a comprehensive feasibility study and business plan has been developed to prove the technical and financial viability of the proposed JET Energy SEZ these documents needs to be constantly improved with the latest information and further enhanced with additional information as the investment and development pipelines are further developed.  These existing documents would be made available to the successful bidder.

In this regard the service provider must also note the following with regard to the information required:

Concept Note Development

Prepare a compliant Concept Note that includes the Statement of intent aligned with national policies (NDP, IPAP, NGP), Economic rationale for SEZ designation, Overview of JET’s investment and industrial contribution, Preliminary financial and project information and High-level risk assessment should be included.

Pre- Feasibility and Full Feasibility Study

Conduct and deliver a comprehensive pre-feasibility study covering the Regional socio-economic analysis, Sector analysis (agro-processing, manufacturing, green economy, circular economy and other high-potential industrial value chains)”, Opportunity identification and prioritization, Infrastructure assessment (water, energy, transport, waste systems), Market and export analysis, including SADC opportunities, Economic impact assessment (GDP contribution, jobs, multipliers) and Benchmarking of comparable SEZs

Prepare a detailed feasibility study compliant with SEZ regulatory requirements, including at least the following: Socio-economic feasibility, Technical feasibility (land, engineering, infrastructure readiness), Financial feasibility (investment structuring and funding strategy), Legal and regulatory compliance analysis, Environmental considerations and EIA requirements and Risk analysis with mitigation strategies

Bankable Business Plan

Develop a comprehensive and investment-ready business plan which includes the SEZ development strategy and value proposition, financial model (minimum 20-year projections), Infrastructure and master planning, Market analysis and investor attraction strategy, Governance and operational framework, Marketing and investment promotion strategy, Stakeholder engagement plan and Sustainability and energy strategy.

SEZ Application Compilation and Submission

Develop a comprehensive and compliant designation application that would include at least the following:

• Compile all documentation into a complete designation application pack and ensure full compliance with dtic submission requirements and checklists
• Submit the application to the SEZ Advisory Board
• Provide post-submission support, including:
  • Technical reviews
  • Clarifications and queries
  • Stakeholder engagements

Stakeholder and Government Engagement Support

• Develop a structured government and stakeholder engagement strategy

• Prepare supporting materials:

  • Presentations
  • Investment motivation documents

• Facilitate alignment with:

  • Dtic requirements
  • JET SEZ programme
  • Municipal and infrastructure stakeholders

Investment and Resource Mobilisation Plan

• Develop a resource mobilisation strategy identifying potential funding instruments, grants, concessional finance, public-private partnerships, donor finance, and development finance and private-sector investment opportunities.
• Prepare an investor and funder engagement plan, including priority funders/investors, proposed engagement sequencing and packaging requirements.

SEZ Regulatory Compliance, Permitting and Readiness

• Identify all key regulatory approvals, permits, authorisations, infrastructure dependencies and institutional support required to unlock implementation and future SEZ designation.
• Propose a permitting and regulatory facilitation mechanism that MGCA can use to assist investors, developers, tenants and project owners.
• Identify provincial, municipal and national government departments that must be engaged for implementation readiness, including but not limited to the dtic, DEDT, DARDLEA, DFFE, DWS, DMPR, NERSA, SARS/Customs, CAA/ATNS where applicable, municipalities, Eskom/NTCSA and relevant infrastructure authorities.

Environmental, Planning and Statutory Assessments

• Develop an environmental and statutory authorisation plan for the proposed SEZ and priority sites, subject to site-specific screening and confirmation by the appointed environmental assessment practitioner and relevant competent authorities.
• Identify all Environmental Impact Assessment processes likely to be required under the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 and the 2014 EIA Regulations, including Basic Assessment or Scoping and Environmental Impact Reporting where triggered; Environmental Management Programme; public participation; environmental authorisation; and specialist studies required to support the application.
• Ensure the require work with regard to the identified site of the proposed Energy SEZ is implemented. The specialist assessment plan must, where applicable, include biodiversity/ecology, wetland and aquatic assessment, hydrology and storm water, heritage and palaeontology, social impact, climate change/greenhouse gas, air quality, noise, visual, traffic impact, geotechnical, contaminated land, waste, water services, electricity/grid connection and cumulative impact assessments.
• Identify any Water Use Licence or General Authorisation requirements under the National Water Act; Waste Management Licence requirements under the National Environmental Management: Waste Act; Atmospheric Emission Licence requirements under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act; heritage permits under the National Heritage Resources Act; land-use, rezoning, subdivision, township establishment or SPLUMA approvals; municipal building plan approvals; fire safety approvals; occupational health and safety requirements; and any aviation, road, rail, servitude or wayleave approvals that may be triggered.
• Develop a permitting register showing authorisation required, applicable legislation, competent authority, responsible applicant, information requirements, estimated timeframe, dependencies, risks and proposed mitigation.

 

SEZ Master Planning, Infrastructure and Design Compliance

• Develop a concept-level design compliance framework to ensure that the final SEZ design can meet the requirements of the Special Economic Zones Act, SEZ Regulations and SEZ Programme Guidelines once finalised.
• Ensure that the required work with regard to the required town planning approvals are implemented for the identified site of the proposed Energy SEZ. This must include a physical master plan, site layout, boundary and phasing plan, industries and services areas, access and movement plan, bulk infrastructure plan, utilities plan, telecommunications plan, security and fencing concept, land ownership/control confirmation, and infrastructure development/construction plan.
• Include geotechnical study requirements, environmental impact assessment requirements, availability of natural resources and services, access to land, municipal services, telecommunications, utilities, storm water, waste, roads, rail/logistics, energy balancing, greenhouse gas abatement and clean energy generation.
• Provide design principles for green building certification, energy efficiency, water efficiency, waste minimisation, climate resilience, universal access, occupational health and safety, emergency response, facility management and maintainability.
• Develop an Act-and-Regulations design checklist that can be used by MGCA, DEDT and design teams to test whether the final design is compliant before funding applications, designation application or procurement of detailed design/construction.

Tenant Attraction, Business Location and Investor Conversion Process

• Design and implement a tenant attraction and retention process aligned to the SEZ Regulations and the targeted Energy SEZ value proposition, including market testing, direct outreach, engagement tracking and conversion support.
• Identify, segment and prioritise target tenants, including manufacturing activities, internationally tradable services, warehousing, distribution, logistics and support services aligned to the sectors proposed for the SEZ.
• Build and actively populate a tenant pipeline and customer relationship management register, including target companies, contact persons, investment interest, land/building requirements, service requirements, engagement status, next actions and probability of conversion.
• Prepare an investor/tenant prospectus, value proposition, marketing material, engagement calendar and roadshow pack, and use these tools to undertake targeted tenant/investor engagements on behalf of MGCA and DEDT.
• Secure, where possible, written expressions of interest, records of engagement, non-binding letters of intent or equivalent evidence of market interest from prospective tenants, investors, developers and operators, noting that final commitments will remain subject to SEZ designation, site readiness, funding approvals, statutory approvals and commercial negotiations.
• Develop and test a business-location application process and checklist for prospective tenants, including required business plan, licences, registrations, permits, infrastructure requirements, utility loads, environmental requirements and information necessary for consideration by the future SEZ governance structure.
• Undertake tenant market sounding and investor interviews with a minimum number of prospective tenants and sector stakeholders to be agreed during inception, and provide a record of meetings, key issues, requirements, constraints and follow-up actions.
• Facilitate at least two structured tenant/investor roundtables or targeted market-sounding sessions, unless otherwise agreed with MGCA, to test the value proposition and build the tenant pipeline.
• Provide recommendations on pro-forma lease principles, service-level requirements, tenant rules, facility management interfaces, one-stop-shop support and aftercare/retention mechanisms.

Local Economic Development, Skills and Enterprise Development

• Identify how implementation can support local economic development, MSME participation, supplier development, localisation, green skills development and job creation.
• Develop interventions to support youth, women, communities and local enterprises to participate in green economy opportunities.
• Propose mechanisms to align training institutions, TVET colleges, universities, industry and funders with emerging green skills needed for the proposed Energy SEZ
• Include mechanisms to link tenants to local supplier development, enterprise development, green skills programmes and community-benefit opportunities.

4. Key Project Deliverables:

From the above, the service provider will produce the following key outputs:

• Project plan and governance framework
• Concept Note, Pre-feasibility study report, Full feasibility study report and Bankable business plan
• Required Environmental Authorisation (EIA) and Town Planning Applications with regard to the identified site
• Complete SEZ designation application
• Stakeholder engagement and communications plan
• Bi-weekly and monthly progress reports
• Final project report

Further to the above, the Service Provider would thus be responsible for the following:

• Deliver all scoped work streams and outputs
• Ensure compliance with SEZ regulatory requirements
• Manage project coordination and stakeholder engagement
• Provide regular reporting and governance support JET Energy SEZ
• Provide strategic direction and project oversight
• Facilitate access to internal and external stakeholders
• Review and approve deliverables

5. Project Milestones and Timelines

The project should be completed within eight (8) months from the date of signing the Service Level Agreement, unless otherwise agreed in writing between MGCA and the successful service provider. The extended timeline is intended to allow the service provider not only to develop the implementation plans and tools, but also to undertake active tenant attraction, investor/tenant market sounding, pipeline building, stakeholder engagement and conversion-support activities.

In line with the timelines agreed as part of the contracting process, the service provider will be required to produce the following milestones:

 

Milestone	Deliverable	Minimum Content	Timeframe
Milestone 1	Inception Report and Mobilisation	Detailed methodology, 8-month work plan, stakeholder and tenant engagement plan, data requirements, project governance approach, SEZ compliance approach, environmental/town planning statutory requirements, approach and confirmed deliverable schedule.	2 Weeks
Milestone 2	Interim Report 1	Progress Report on main deliverables (Project plan and governance framework, Concept Note, Pre-feasibility study report, Full feasibility study report and Bankable business plan, Required Environmental Authorisation (EIA) and Town Planning Applications with regard to the identified site, Complete SEZ designation application and Stakeholder engagement and communications plan	2 Month
Milestone 3	Interim Report 2	Progress Report on main deliverables (Project plan and governance framework, Concept Note, Pre-feasibility study report, Full feasibility study report and Bankable business plan, Required Environmental Authorisation (EIA) and Town Planning Applications with regard to the identified site, Complete SEZ designation application and Stakeholder engagement and communications plan	5 Month
Milestone 4	Submission of Designation Application and Presentation	Submission of Designation applications compliant to the guidelines from Dtic and the SEZ Advisory Board.	7 Month
Milestone 5	Final Report, and Close-Out Presentation	Final implementation programme incorporating MGCA/DEDT comments, final populated tenant pipeline, editable implementation tools, PowerPoint presentation and handover session.	8 Month

 

6. Methodology

The service provider is required, as part of the inception report, to define a clear methodology for the proposed project which will be agreed with the MGCA CEO or delegated project lead before implementation begins. The methodology must be practical and must enable the service provider to deliver implementation-ready outputs within the allocated project period.

At minimum, the methodology must include:

• Document review and synthesis of existing feasibility, business case, strategy and implementation reports.
• Review of the Special Economic Zones Act, SEZ Regulations, SEZ Programme Guidelines and relevant environmental, planning, municipal, infrastructure and investment legislation.
• Site and regulatory screening to identify the environmental, planning, infrastructure and statutory approvals likely to be required before designation, detailed design, construction and operation.
• Stakeholder mapping and structured consultations with MGCA, DEDT, relevant provincial departments, municipalities, national departments, funders, DFIs, investors, industry bodies, academia, potential operators, potential tenants and business chambers.
• Tenant market sounding, target-sector analysis and direct investor/tenant engagement to test the value proposition, populate the tenant pipeline, identify priority prospects, document requirements and support conversion toward expressions of interest or letters of intent.
• Validation workshops to test recommendations, sequencing, institutional arrangements, SEZ compliance requirements, permitting requirements, tenant attraction approach and implementation priorities.
• Project prioritisation and packaging using transparent readiness, impact, feasibility, compliance, tenant demand and funding criteria.
• Development of practical implementation tools and templates that can be used by MGCA after the assignment.
• Quality assurance process to ensure that all deliverables are evidence-based, implementation-ready and aligned with MGCA, DEDT and applicable SEZ requirements.

7. Technical Evaluation Criteria

Technicality/Functionality	Points	Weight
a) Qualifications and Expertise
CVs of personnel that would work on the project. The qualifications of key personnel will be evaluated against the expected outcomes of the assignment, including implementation planning, SEZ development, environmental/statutory approvals, infrastructure planning, investment mobilisation, tenant attraction, project finance, M&E and stakeholder facilitation.	20	50
Technical approach/methodology to the work that needs to be completed, including active tenant attraction, market sounding, stakeholder engagement and implementation-support activities.	15
Understanding of the requirements of the work that needs to be completed, including SEZ Act/Regulations compliance and environmental/statutory assessment requirements.	15
b) Experience
Relevant past experience in the development of implementation programmes, SEZ business cases, industrial park/SEZ planning, tenant attraction strategies, investment promotion or green economy programmes of a similar nature.	10	20
Technical capability with regard to SEZ compliance, infrastructure planning, environmental/statutory approvals and implementation programme design.	5
Functional capability with regard to stakeholder coordination, tenant/investor engagement and implementation support.	5
c) Capacity to implement Scope of Work
Internal operational capacity of the service provider to complete the work in the allocated time.	10	30
Resources allocated to the project by the service provider to ensure successful completion, including project management, SEZ/regulatory, environmental/statutory, investment promotion, tenant attraction, infrastructure/design and M&E capability.	20
Total Functionality/Technicality	100

 

Only bidders who attain a minimum of 70 points on Functionality will qualify to proceed for further evaluation on Price and Preference points.

8. Financial Offer (80%) and B-BBEE Evaluation (20%)

Bidders are requested to indicate the total bid price inclusive of VAT. The financial proposal must provide a detailed breakdown of professional fees, disbursements, travel, workshops, stakeholder engagements, tenant/investor engagements and any other costs required to complete the assignment.

Points will be awarded to a bidder for attaining their B-BBEE status level of contribution in accordance with the table below:

B-BBEE Status Level Contributor	Number of Points
1	20
2	18
3	14
4	12
5	8
6	6
7	4
8	2
Non-compliant contributor	0

 

Bidders are required to submit with their proposal the following information:

• Original valid Tax Clearance Certificate or SARS Tax Compliance Status PIN.
• Company/CC/Trust/Partnership registration certificates.
• Joint Venture Agreement and Power of Attorney in the case of Joint Ventures.
• VAT Registration Certificate from South African Revenue Services (SARS), where applicable.
• Central Supplier Database registration report, where applicable.
• Certified copies of identity documents in the case of one-person concerns.
• Company profile.
• Detailed technical proposal and methodology.
• Detailed financial proposal inclusive of VAT.
• CVs of proposed project team members.
• Examples of relevant previous work or appointment letters/reference letters for similar assignments.
• Valid B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit, where applicable.

Should a bidder not comply with any one of these requirements, the bidder may be disqualified.

9. Special Conditions of Contract

Taxes

Value Added Tax should be included in pricing where applicable. If a bidder is not registered with SARS for VAT purposes and is awarded a bid that is above the threshold required for registration, the bidder must submit proof that it has applied for VAT registration within 14 days of signing the contract with MGCA, failing which VAT may not be paid.

Right of MGCA to Investigate and Seek Clarification

MGCA may, in its sole discretion, seek clarification during the process. No change in the substance of the technical section or financial section shall be sought, offered or permitted during clarification. MGCA may investigate evidence of the ability and experience of a bidder, including joint venture partners, proposed subcontractors and related parties, and may require confirmation from other parties of information furnished by a bidder.

Assignment / Fronting

No fronting is allowed. A bidder found to have fronted shall automatically be disqualified. For contracts already awarded, the contract may be cancelled and any costs borne shall be for the account of the defaulting service provider.

Signature of Authority

Only persons duly authorised by a company shall sign the documents submitted to MGCA. A letter of authorisation must accompany bid documents. In the case of joint ventures, a document establishing the venture must accompany the bid documents and representatives of all parties in the joint venture must sign the establishment document.

Acceptance and Rejection

MGCA may reject any bid document if it deviates from the set criteria. MGCA reserves the right to accept or reject any bid if it does not meet the necessary requirements. MGCA is not obliged to accept the lowest or any bid.

Time Schedule

All bids will be valid for 90 days after the closing date. In cases where a successful bidder fails to sign the contract agreement, provide required security, undertake the work or withdraws during the appointment period, the bidder may be required to repay expenses related to re-advertising and preparing a new bid process, where applicable.

Compliance with Applicable Laws

The successful service provider must ensure that all recommendations, designs, tools and implementation proposals comply with applicable South African legislation, including the Special Economic Zones Act, 2014, SEZ Regulations and Guidelines, environmental legislation, planning legislation, municipal by-laws, public finance and procurement requirements and any other legislation applicable to the proposed SEZ.

Jurisdiction

The laws of the Republic of South Africa shall apply to this procurement and any contract arising from it.

Payments

Payments shall be made as stipulated in the Service Level Agreement entered into between MGCA and the successful bidder, subject to satisfactory delivery and acceptance of agreed milestones.

Mediation and Arbitration

Mediation and arbitration proceedings shall be in terms of rules applicable in the Republic of South Africa and as agreed in the Service Level Agreement.

Confidentiality and Intellectual Property

All information supplied to the service provider by MGCA or DEDT must be treated as confidential. All final reports, tools, templates, datasets and outputs developed under this assignment shall become the property of MGCA unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Enquiries

Technical enquiries should be directed to admin@thegca.co.za and +27875270910. No visits to officials will be entertained to ensure fairness to all prospective bidders and for audit purposes.

Submission Details

Where: Please email detailed applications to:  admin@thegca.co.za

When: All applications should be submitted by 30 August 2026 at 23:59 (South African Standard Time). Applications received after this time will not be considered.

Note: MGCA reserves the right not to make an appointment on this project. Feedback on the success of the bid will be provided after completion of the evaluation and approval process.