Trained invasive species professionals in South Africa are invited to take part in a national invasive species control plan consortium bid project.  Join our consortium bid to be involved in the largest invasive species site inspections ever mounted in South Africa...

Invasive Species South Africa is coordinating a consortium bid in response to a Transnet Invasive Species Control Plan Tender (RFQ).

If you are a trained invasive species plant expert who can competently can do site inspections in your area of the country .... Invasive Species South Africa needs you!!

The national RFQ (request for quotation) bid from Transnet closes at 10h00 on 4 July 2017.

What does the Transnet RFQ want?

"A Five (5) Year Control Plan For The Eradication Of Invasive Plants For Properties Of Transnet Freight Rail, Real Estate Management Based On The National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act (NEMBA) Guidelines For A Period Of Four (4) Months At Various Locations."

What do we need from invasive species consultants across the country?
* Are you confident that you could identify all the invasive plant species that occur on railway properties in you area?
* Do you have time in July and August 2017 to be paid to travel to, inspect, report and photograph the specified Transnet railway depot properties?

If the answer is yes, please join our consortium bid initiative which requires a national footprint of invasive species expertise across the country.

List of Transnet properties that need to be inspected
* Below is a list of the Transnet properties that need to be inspected for invasive species during July and August, 2017.
* Can you do this?
* Which Transnet properties in your area could you offer to inspect, photograph and supply a list report of invasive species sighted?
* And provisionally - on what dates in July and August, 2017 can you go to these sites.
* We are asking for specific dates that you can inspect properties so that you get a reality check on the monumental task being requested.
* There are only so many sites that a single person can travel to in an 8 week window of site visits.
* Which is why this project can ONLY be done by a national collective of invasive species experts pooling their expertise and resources.

What's in it for you?

* We need to make it very clear that this is a proposed consortium bid.
- The Transnet RFQ tender has not been adjudicated or awarded.
- The closing date for bids is 4 July 2017.
- If this proposed consortium does not win the bid, there will regretfully be NO payment for any time spent in replying to us or researching the proposal and NO work will be commissioned ... :-)
- There is no guarantee that your request to inspect a particular site will be accepted.
- Allocation of sites to be inspected will fall to the coordinators of this bid.
- However, there are an overwhelming number of sites that need to be inspected... so there is a huge amount of paid work on offer ...

Where are the Transnet depot property sites located?

            - Eastern Cape: 11 depot properties
            - Free State: 30 depot properties
            - Gauteng: 13 depot properties
            - KwaZulu-Natal: 18 depot properties
            - Limpopo: 14 depot properties
            - Mpumalanga: 20 depot properties
            - North West: 12 depot properties
            - Northern Cape: 13 depot properties
            - Western Cape: 17 depot properties
                      TOTAL: 148

What do you need to know about the project?
* This is a massive countrywide project which needs to be done in a very short time.
* This project will need the input of MANY invasive species consultants ... ALL working across the country in a coordinated NATIONAL initiative.

What will you be expected to do at each Transnet depot property site (if this consortium wins the bid)?

There will be two levels of work - Level 1 and Level 2:

* Level 1: Ground truthing and assessing invasive species on site.
Listing and reporting on the invasive species found at each Transnet depot site (July and August 2017)

   Level 1 reporting will include the following:
     + Walk the depot site property
     + Identify and document the size, density and number of all NEMBA listed invasive species.
     + Fill in the information on a template spreadsheet that you will be provided with...
     + Take lots of photographs - using a camera or smart phone of ...
            (1) the site,
            (2) invasive species on the site,
            (3) possible invader plants which may need further ID assistance,
            (4) really bad invasive species infestations.

     + Please record the GPS coordinates of bad infestations or points of interest (using a GPS or smart phone).
     + Species lists, a description of the site and all photographs must be sent by email and/or WeTransfer to the coordinators of the bid.
     + The template spreadsheet will be drawn together as per the Guidelines for Monitoring, Control and Eradication (as issued by the Biosecurity Unit, Department of Environmental Affairs). The guidelines were included on the flashdrives of all trainees attending the SAGIC Invasive Species Training and can be downloaded from www.invasives.org.za Click here.

In the Transnet RFQ, the Level 1 job is described as follows:

o A detailed list and description of any listed invasive species occurring on the relevant land as per NEMBA and CARA requirements. Refer to guideline for monitoring control and eradication plan as required by NEMBA. 
o An assessment of the extent of such infestation.

* Level 2: Develop control plans for each Transnet depot property (September and October 2017)
+ Indicate your interest in joining a team of invasive species consultants who can assist in writing up a five year control plan for each Transnet depot property - as listed below in nine provinces. Control plans will follow the template as detailed in the Guidelines.

In the Transnet RFQ, the Level 2 job is described as follows:
           o Measures to monitor, control and eradicate such invasive species (Refer to guidelines as required by NEMBA).
           o Registered Herbicides to control the identified species
           o The methods of eradication, priority of species, recommended form of control that would be used and the desired state by 2020
           o Proposed budgetary allocations for eradication per depot.

What do you need to do to participate in this consortium bid?
          * Take a look at the list of sites to be inspected (see below)...
          * Indicate to us the sites you could reasonably expect to be able to inspect in July and August 2017. 

     * In an email note .... please provide us with the following information:
               - Your full name + email + cell phone contact;
               - A physical address of your primary base (work or home address);
               - Attach a CV .... if you have one (we will add it to the consortium bid documentation):
               - Send us a copy of your PCO (Pest Control Officer) official certificate ... if you have one;
               - Can you do Level 1 invasive species site visits and reports on invasive species present?
               - Indicate which sites you would like to do? Or can do ... over an eight week period - July / August 2017?
               - Can you travel into the provinces to do the more remote depot sites? If so... please indicate that you can.

* Do you wish to participate in Level 2 work - compiling control plans for each depot site?
Please tell us... If yes, how many sites (and in which areas) you could write up in an eight week period (September / October 2017)? Please send your email and the completed attached document to
Deadline for responses: 5pm, Monday 3rd July, 2017.