Fibre Termination Nodes – Supply, Delivery, Commissioning and Support
Tender Details
- Tender Number: ATNS/RFP06/07/2026/27/TO-FIBRE-TERM-NODES-COM-2025
- Tender Type: Request for Bid (Open Tender)
- Department/Company: Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company Limited (ATNS)
- Tender Category: Computer Networks Installation and Maintenance; Fibre Optic Supplies, Installation and Maintenance; ICT; Network Cabling Supplies, Installation and Maintenance
- Province: National
- Tender Locations: Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, East London, George, Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth, Kimberley and Upington, as well as other specified ATNS sites
- Closing Date: 6 November 2026 at 11:00
- Briefing Session: 2 October 2026 at 12:00
- Briefing: Compulsory
- Venue: Microsoft Teams
- eSubmission: Enabled – tender must be submitted via eSubmission
- Special Conditions: N/A
Tender Objective
ATNS is seeking a qualified service provider to supply, install, commission and provide ongoing support for Fibre Termination Nodes at nine specified ATNS sites and at the ATA.
The project aims to integrate new fibre infrastructure into existing air traffic navigation systems while ensuring high levels of availability, reliability and operational safety over a planned 15-year lifecycle.
Scope of Work
The contract will be delivered through four main phases:
- Development – Tender submission and establishment of the contract baseline.
- Implementation – Site rollout, installation and commissioning.
- Validation – Period of Beneficial Use (PBU).
- Application – Long-term operational support over the 15-year lifecycle.
The successful contractor will be required to provide:
- Fibre Termination Node hardware.
- Software and firmware.
- Installation and commissioning.
- Spare parts.
- Specialised testing equipment.
- Technical and system documentation.
- Maintenance and logistical support.
- A 15-year maintenance and spares strategy.
- A fully costed mid-life upgrade strategy.
- Support in accordance with ATNS’s three-tier maintenance framework.
Technical Requirements
Performance and Availability
The system must achieve:
- 99.98% annual availability per site, with maximum downtime of approximately 1.75 hours.
- 98.90% daily reliability.
- System restart time of no more than 5 minutes.
Service Level Agreements
Faults are classified as:
- Critical (S1): 24/7 support, acknowledgement within 30 minutes and restoration within 1 hour 45 minutes, subject to the specified annual incident limitation.
- Major (S2): Business-hour response and restoration requirements.
- Minor (S3): Business-hour support in accordance with the applicable SLA.
Financial penalties may apply where SLA requirements are not met.
Hardware and Maintenance
The contractor must provide:
- Unlimited Line Replacement Unit (LRU) repairs and replacements.
- Shipping, insurance and applicable taxes associated with LRU replacements.
- Maximum LRU turnaround time of 45 business days.
- Quarterly performance reports.
- Biannual service reviews.
Documentation and Configuration Management
Before validation, the contractor must provide:
- Complete as-built documentation.
- Software and firmware manuals.
- Configuration management plans.
- Updated system backups incorporating all implemented patches.
Spares and Testing
The successful bidder must develop:
- A 15-year spares inventory plan.
- A test-equipment calibration schedule.
- Spares requirements based on Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) predictions.
- Logistic support analysis for the system lifecycle.
Mid-Life Upgrade
A comprehensive, ATNS-approved mid-life upgrade strategy must be developed. This must address:
- Hardware replacement.
- Software integration.
- Testing and validation.
- Decommissioning of replaced equipment.
Skills and Training Requirements
The contractor must provide comprehensive training for eight technical personnel per station.
Training must cover:
- Hardware diagnostics.
- Software and firmware maintenance.
- Configuration management.
- On-the-job practical instruction.
- Competency assessments.
- Official certification.
Training must be delivered in fluent English and completed before the Site Acceptance Test.
Advanced Technical Support
The contractor must provide suitably qualified Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) capable of delivering third-line/depot-level support, including:
- Component-level troubleshooting.
- Advanced system diagnostics.
- Change control.
- Software support.
- Design authority responsibilities.
A structured knowledge-transfer programme must also be implemented to enable ATNS personnel to progressively take on software-based depot support functions.
Instructor Requirements
Training providers must demonstrate:
- Proven expertise in aviation telecommunications systems.
- Appropriate technical knowledge and experience.
- Ability to provide training and instruction in English.
Key Terminology
Period of Beneficial Use (PBU):
A one-year warranty and validation period that starts following acceptance of the first site and ends after acceptance of the final site. During this period, the contractor remains responsible for system performance, spares and outstanding deliverables while ATNS personnel operate and validate the system.
Line Replacement Unit (LRU):
A modular hardware component designed to be removed and replaced quickly in the field without requiring detailed internal repair.
Three-Tier Support Model:
A maintenance structure consisting of:
- Operator level: First-line monitoring and basic restoration.
- Intermediate level: Second-line preventative and corrective maintenance.
- Depot level: Third-line advanced troubleshooting, component repair and design authority.
Tender Enquiries
Contact Person: Siyabonga Ncube
Email: siyabongancu@atns.co.za
Telephone: 011-607-1325