Golden Games – Event Management Services 2026
Tender Details
- Tender Number: FSDSD (T) 006/2026
- Tender Title: Golden Games – Event Management Services
- Department: Free State Department of Social Development
- Programme: National Active Ageing Programme (Golden Games)
- Tender Type: Once-off appointment
- Closing Date: 25 September 2026
- Closing Time: 11:00
- Event Location: Bloemfontein, Free State
- Service Areas: Bethlehem, Bloemfontein, Hoopstad, Kroonstad, Paul Roux, Phuthaditjhaba, Sasolburg, Senekal, Thaba Nchu, Ventersburg, Viljoenskroon, Virginia, Vredefort and Welkom
Tender Description
The Free State Department of Social Development is inviting suitably qualified and experienced event management companies to submit bids for the once-off provision of comprehensive event management services for the National Active Ageing Programme (Golden Games).
The successful service provider will be responsible for coordinating and delivering a range of services, including transportation, catering, branded clothing and sportswear, event staffing, crowd management, site management and event logistics.
The Golden Games will take place in Bloemfontein, with transportation logistics involving participants from four Free State districts between 29 October and 1 November 2026.
Scope of Work
Transportation and Logistics
The appointed service provider will be required to:
- Coordinate multi-day transportation for participants.
- Manage vehicle pick-ups and drop-offs across the four districts:
- Lejweleputswa
- Mangaung
- Fezile Dabi
- Thabo Mofutsanyana
- Transport participants to hotels in Bloemfontein and the Dr Rantai Molemela Stadium.
- Coordinate fleet and transportation logistics for the duration of the event.
Catering Services
The service provider must:
- Provide lunch for approximately 300 attendees on 29 October 2026.
- Supply daily food packages for approximately 800 participants over three days.
- Provide all necessary dining equipment, including:
- Cutlery
- Crockery
- Tablecloths
- Food warmers
- Maintain the required food safety and hygiene standards.
Attire and Branding
The successful bidder will be responsible for manufacturing, supplying and branding approximately 1,800+ items of sportswear and traditional attire, including:
- Tracksuits
- T-shirts
- Shorts
- Bucket hats
- Skirts
- Overalls
All relevant items must feature the Department’s official branding and logo.
Event Staffing and Safety
The appointed company must:
- Deploy approximately 150 marshals per day.
- Provide crowd control and safety support during stadium events.
- Manage and supervise event personnel.
- Support emergency response and event safety requirements.
Site Management
Responsibilities will include:
- Pre-event site clearing.
- Post-event site clearing.
- Waste removal.
- Setting up and managing dining areas.
- Providing all required dining equipment.
- Ensuring the event areas remain clean and properly managed.
Technical Requirements
Bidders must meet the following requirements:
- Valid registration on the Central Supplier Database (CSD).
- Current Tax Compliance Status (TCS).
- Proof of membership with a recognised event management professional body.
- Bank statement demonstrating a minimum cash flow of R100,000 over the previous six months.
- Proven experience in event management.
- Certificates of completion or invoices supporting relevant contracts completed within the previous four years.
- An operational base located within the Free State Province.
- Compliance with applicable food safety regulations.
- Valid Health Certificate where applicable.
- Vehicles must comply with Regulation R638 requirements.
- Pricing must include all applicable costs, including VAT, transport, delivery and branding.
- No price escalations will be permitted.
- Joint Ventures must submit a valid Joint Venture agreement, where applicable.
- A joint bank account must be established after award where a Joint Venture is appointed.
Required Skills and Experience
The successful bidder should demonstrate:
- Proven project management experience involving large-scale events.
- Ability to manage time-sensitive provincial events.
- Strong cross-district logistics and fleet management capabilities.
- Knowledge of public health and food safety requirements.
- Experience in mass catering.
- Experience in textile procurement and custom apparel manufacturing.
- Corporate and event branding capabilities.
- Crowd management experience.
- Staff supervision capabilities.
- Emergency response planning.
- Strong hygiene and safety management.
- Ability to coordinate multiple service components and deliver within strict deadlines.
Evaluation and Preferential Procurement
The tender will be evaluated in accordance with the 80/20 preferential procurement system, with:
- 80 points allocated to price.
- 20 points allocated to specific goals, which may include qualifying women-, youth- or disability-owned enterprises and SMMEs.
Specific-goal points must be formally claimed using the prescribed documentation and supported by the required evidence.
Important Tender Conditions
Bidders should take note of the following:
- Fronting is strictly prohibited.
- Bidders must disclose all related entities and provide accurate ownership information.
- False declarations may result in disqualification and potential exclusion from government contracting.
- The successful bidder must provide the required performance security within 30 days of contract award.
- Disputes will first be subject to mutual consultation.
- Mediation is excluded from the dispute-resolution process.
- Unresolved disputes will proceed to the appropriate South African courts.