Supplier Ratings

Department of Basic Education: Supplier Ratings and Tender Guide

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) is responsible for all public schools in South Africa and procures extensively for textbooks, learner and teacher support materials (LTSM), school ICT, furniture, and school nutrition programmes. The Annual National Assessment and school examinations also generate significant procurement each year.

Overall Rating

3.4

Based on 167 supplier reviews

Avg Payment Time

30-45 days

Payment Speed

3.2

Process Transparency

3.6

Communication

3.3

Documentation Clarity

3.7

Supplier Friendliness

3.4

What Suppliers Say — Positives

Predictable annual procurement calendar aligned to school year
LTSM procurement uses relatively standardised processes
School nutrition programme creates recurring opportunities
Payment performance is generally better than most departments
Provincial education departments add additional procurement capacity

What Suppliers Say — Negatives

Content and curriculum requirements for LTSM are highly specific
Registration and approval processes for educational publishers are lengthy
Provincial education departments may have different requirements than national DBE

Pro Tips for Winning DBE Contracts

1Register on the DBE supplier database for textbooks and LTSM
2Ensure your educational materials comply with CAPS curriculum requirements
3For school nutrition: register with provincial education departments (they run the programme)
4School ICT procurement often goes through SITA — register on SITA's portal

Recent Activity

DBE has active procurement for e-learning devices and connectivity infrastructure under the Presidential Stimulus Package. The school sanitation programme (SAFE) is generating construction procurement at provincial level.