The South African Revenue Service has issued two high-value technology procurement opportunities that remain open for submission, with closing dates of 19 and 21 May 2026 respectively. Both tenders sit at the intersection of national security infrastructure, tax compliance modernisation, and enterprise data architecture, making them among the most strategically significant ICT procurement opportunities currently active in South Africa’s public sector.
The first, RFP04/2025, invites qualified service providers to submit proposals for the provision of Network Carrier and Infrastructure Services across the SARS estate nationwide. The second, RFP07/2026, calls for the procurement of a Master Data Management and Data Governance Solution, a capability SARS has been building toward since initiating an industry information-gathering process in mid-2025.
What Is Being Procured
RFP04/2025 is structured around three service towers: Data Carrier Network Services, Voice Carrier Services, and Communications Platform as a Service. The scope requires the winning provider to deliver network infrastructure on a Network as a Service (NaaS) model, meaning hardware, software, management tools, licences, and lifecycle services are to be consumed through flexible, subscription-based operating expenditure arrangements rather than capital acquisition. The specification demands 99% uptime, dual-path connectivity at key sites, and tiered service level classes, Gold, Silver, and Bronze, applied across SARS locations according to operational criticality. Sites include border posts, airports, harbours, and regional offices nationwide. Submissions are to SARS at 299 Bronkhorst Street, Nieuw Muckleneuk, Pretoria. Contact: tenderoffice@sars.gov.za, Tel: 081-037-9162. Closing: 19 May 2026 at 11:00.
RFP07/2026 addresses the institutional data layer. SARS is procuring a Master Data Management and Data Governance Solution designed to create a unified, authoritative source of truth across the organisation’s data systems. The MDM architecture is intended to eliminate siloed data, enforce data quality standards, and support compliance, audit, and enforcement functions at scale, a critical operational requirement for a tax authority collecting trillions of rands annually. A non-compulsory briefing session was held on 4 May 2026 via Microsoft Teams. Enquiries: André Taljaard, tenderoffice@sars.gov.za, Tel: 012-422-4078. Closing: 21 May 2026 at 11:00.
Why These Contracts Matter
SARS has consistently been one of South Africa’s most technologically advanced public institutions, and both tenders reflect the organisation’s intent to sustain and extend that advantage. The NaaS model in RFP04/2025 signals a deliberate shift away from legacy capital procurement toward agile, managed network delivery — a model adopted by leading revenue authorities and large financial institutions globally. The winning vendor will not merely supply connectivity; they will operate as a long-term infrastructure partner across one of Africa’s most complex and geographically distributed government estates.
The MDM tender is equally strategic. Data governance at a tax authority of SARS’s scale is not an administrative function, it is a revenue-generating capability. A well-architected MDM solution improves entity resolution across taxpayer records, reduces assessment errors, accelerates audit cycles, and strengthens enforcement against non-compliance. In an environment where SARS continues to exceed revenue collection targets and is being asked to do more with existing systems, this investment represents a structural upgrade to the organisation’s analytical and compliance infrastructure.
Who Can Realistically Participate
RFP04/2025 is suited to established telecommunications carriers, managed network service providers, and systems integrators with national footprint, ICASA licencing, and demonstrated delivery across complex, multi-site government environments. Providers will need to demonstrate capacity across all three towers, data, voice, and communications platform, or demonstrate credible partnerships to cover the full scope. The compulsory briefing session has already passed, which means only firms that attended on 4 March 2026 are eligible to submit.
RFP07/2026 is open to enterprise data technology vendors and system integrators with proven MDM and data governance platform capabilities. Eligible bidders should be able to demonstrate implementation experience with large-scale, data-intensive organisations, ideally in financial services, public sector, or regulated industries. The briefing session was non-compulsory, and the closing date of 21 May 2026 provides a narrow but viable submission window for qualified providers.
All bidders for both tenders must hold active Central Supplier Database (CSD) registration, a valid SARS tax compliance pin, and current B-BBEE certification. Submissions must be made in physical hardcopy format, sealed in an envelope, A4 ring-bound arch file, delivered to SARS at the Pretoria address. Late submissions will not be considered regardless of delivery method.
Submission Details
RFP04/2025, Network Carrier and Infrastructure Services Closing: 19 May 2026 at 11:00 Contact: tenderoffice@sars.gov.za / 081-037-9162 Documents: sars.gov.za/procurement/published-tenders
RFP07/2026, Master Data Management and Data Governance Solution Closing: 21 May 2026 at 11:00 Contact: André Taljaard, tenderoffice@sars.gov.za / 012-422-4078 Documents: sars.gov.za/procurement/published-tenders
