- CSD registration
- Freeand needed before any government award
- Work it brings
- None on its ownit makes you eligible, nothing more
- Quotations
- Up to R1 millionnational and provincial government
Many guides make the Central Supplier Database (CSD) sound like a door to government contracts. It isn't. This guide tells you what registering really does, what it doesn't, and how to bid properly if you decide government work is worth your time.
In short: register on the CSD, because it's free and government can't pay you without it. But don't expect it to bring you work. Find your own customers first, and treat tenders as a bonus. If you do bid, follow every rule in the bid document.
October 2026 update: on 17 September 2026 the Constitutional Court declared the Public Procurement Act of 2024 invalid. It never came into force, so the old rules still apply: the PFMA, the MFMA, the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act and the Preferential Procurement Regulations, 2022. Be careful of guides that say otherwise.
1. The honest truth about the CSD
Registering on the CSD does not mean new business. It only means a government buyer is allowed to pay you if they choose you. Nobody goes through the database looking for you.
What most small businesses experience
- Requests that don't fit. After registering, most of the small businesses we help get requests for goods and services they don't sell, or nothing at all.
- Fake "tender" messages. Scam emails and SMSes often follow. See how to spot them.
- Price decides most quotes. Quotations go to at least three suppliers, and price earns most of the points, so the lowest price usually wins.
- Slow payment. The rule is 30 days, but government often pays late. See getting paid.
J29's own experience: J29 is registered on the CSD too. So far, we haven't received a single notification for a real opportunity that fits our work.
So why register at all?
Because it's free, and not being registered has a cost. If a department or municipality wants to buy from you and you're not on the CSD, they can't. You may never even hear about the work you missed. Register once, keep your details up to date, and you're ready if a real chance comes.
Don't build your business on it
You've seen the news. Commissions of inquiry have shown more than once how some public contracts were steered to connected suppliers. Honest small businesses do win government work, but waiting for a tender is not a growth plan.
Long-term growth comes from customers you can reach yourself: households, other businesses, corporate supplier programmes and repeat clients. Treat government work as a bonus, not the plan. Start with our guides to finding and testing your first customers and making it easy to pay you.
2. How government buys
National and provincial government
| Value (including taxes) | How they buy |
|---|---|
| Up to R2,000 | Petty cash |
| R2,000 to R1 million | Written quotations (requests for quotation, or RFQs) from at least three suppliers registered on the CSD |
| Over R1 million | Open competitive bids (tenders), advertised on eTenders for at least 21 days |
Municipalities
| Value (including VAT) | How they buy |
|---|---|
| Up to R2,000 | Petty cash |
| R2,000 up to R300,000 (local municipality), R200,000 (district) or R750,000 (metro) | Formal written quotations. Those over R30,000 are advertised for at least 7 days. |
| Above those amounts | Competitive bids, usually open for at least 14 days, or 30 days over R10 million |
State-owned companies such as Eskom and Transnet set their own thresholds, but their open tenders must still appear on eTenders. Quotations are smaller, so they're a more realistic place to start. Some requests arrive in your CSD profile, but don't count on it: look for them yourself too (see section 5).
3. Register on the CSD (it's free)
Government can't award a quotation or tender to a supplier who isn't on the Central Supplier Database. Registration is free, so ignore anyone who asks you to pay to register you.
You don't need a company. Individuals and sole proprietors can register on the CSD, as well as companies.
Create your account
Register your basic details on the CSD, activate the account from the link in your email, then confirm it with the one-time PIN sent by SMS.
Add your business
Under Supplier Details, choose Add Supplier and fill in each section: identification, industry, contacts, address, bank account, tax, directors or members, associations, commodities and B-BBEE.
Choose your commodities carefully
The commodities you list decide which quotation requests reach you. Respond to the invitations you get, or the CSD may remove that commodity from your profile. Even so, expect many requests that don't fit your business. That's normal.
Submit and get verified
The CSD checks your details with SARS, CIPC, Home Affairs and the banks. Bank verification can take up to four days. Once you're registered you get a supplier number that starts with MAAA. You'll write it on every bid.
Clear any red flags
A red flag on your profile stops you quoting. Common ones are a director who works for government, a restricted supplier or director, a missing proof of address, and ownership that doesn't add up to 100%.
Keep it current
SARS and CIPC details update automatically, but confirm your details at least once a year.
You'll need: a valid email address, your ID number, a cellphone number and your bank account details, plus your business registration, tax and director details. Stuck? Contact CSD support on 012 406 9222 or csd@treasury.gov.za, or use a walk-in centre listed on the CSD website.
4. Get compliant before you bid
- Tax compliance. Government can't award work to a business that isn't tax compliant. Get a Tax Compliance Status PIN on SARS eFiling and choose "Good Standing": the old "Tender" option no longer exists. If you're recommended for an award but aren't compliant, you get seven working days to fix it, or your bid is rejected.
- B-BBEE proof. Exempted Micro Enterprises (turnover of R10 million or less) prove their B-BBEE level with a free sworn affidavit. You'll need proof like this when a tender awards points for specific goals (see section 6). See how in our registration guide.
- Construction: register with the cidb. Your cidb grade sets the biggest contract you can take. Grade 1 is for contracts up to R500,000. Higher grades need a track record and capital. Grade 1 costs a R450 admin fee (cidb says fees may be reviewed), is activated within 48 hours and lasts three years. You need your CSD number to apply.
- Other registrations where your sector needs them, such as PSIRA for security and the NHBRC for building homes.
- Municipal accounts. A municipality can reject your bid if you or a director owe any municipality rates or service charges for more than three months.
- No government employees. Bids aren't accepted from people in the service of the state, or from companies whose directors are.
5. Find quotations and tenders
- Your CSD profile. Genuine quotation requests appear under "My RFQ". Since 1 April 2026, many are also evaluated online on the CSD.
- eTenders. Government's free portal lists tenders from national, provincial and local government and state-owned companies. Search by type, region and sector, and check each tender's briefing session and closing date. Departments also publish their annual procurement plans there, so you can see what's coming.
- Provincial and municipal sites. For example the Gauteng tender system, your municipality's website and notice boards, and the Eskom and Transnet tender pages. The Western Cape Government also asks suppliers to register on its own supplier database.
Set aside 30 minutes a week to look. If nothing fits your business for a few months, spend that time finding private customers instead.
6. How bids are scored: 80/20 and 90/10
Most bids are scored on two things: price and "specific goals".
- 80/20 applies to bids up to and including R50 million, and 90/10 to bids above R50 million, including all taxes. Quotations are scored this way too.
- Price points: the lowest acceptable price gets the full 80 (or 90) points. Everyone else gets fewer, using this formula:
Price points = 80 × (1 − (your price − lowest price) ÷ lowest price)
Example: the lowest acceptable quote is R100,000 and yours is R110,000. You score 80 × (1 − 10,000 ÷ 100,000) = 72 price points. Being 10% more expensive costs you 8 points.
- Specific goals: the other 20 (or 10) points go to goals each tender sets. For example, businesses owned by people who were historically disadvantaged because of race, gender or disability. B-BBEE levels no longer earn points on their own.
- Proof matters. The goals, the points and the proof needed are on the preference points form (SBD 6.1, or MBD 6.1 for municipalities). If you don't send the proof, you can score zero for that goal, and some buyers treat an incomplete form as invalid. Always complete it and attach the proof.
- Ties: the bid with more specific-goal points wins. If they're still equal, lots are drawn.
7. Prepare and submit your bid
Read the whole document
Note the specification, the documents you must return, any compulsory briefing session or site visit, and the exact closing date and time.
Attend compulsory briefings
If a briefing session or site visit is compulsory and you miss it, your bid is invalid.
Fill in the official forms
Use the forms in the tender pack, and don't retype them. The main ones are SBD 1 (invitation to bid, with your CSD number), SBD 3 (pricing), SBD 4 (bidder's disclosure) and SBD 6.1 (preference points). Municipalities use MBD forms. From 1 November 2026, the new SBD 4 for national and provincial tenders asks you to list every CSD-registered company linked to your directors. Leaving one out disqualifies your bid.
Price it carefully
Quote firm prices in rand, including all taxes, and cover every cost: delivery, labour, materials and your profit.
Sign everything properly
Sign in ink where required, by a person with authority to sign. Don't use correction fluid.
Submit on time
Late bids are not accepted. You don't need to attach hard copies of information the CSD already verifies, but follow the tender's own list of returnable documents.
8. Why bids get disqualified
- Submitting late
- Missing a compulsory briefing session or site visit
- Missing documents or samples
- Unsigned forms, or no proof of authority to sign
- Using correction fluid
- Not meeting the specification
- An incomplete preference points form
- Not being tax compliant, and not fixing it within seven working days
- A false or incomplete bidder's disclosure (SBD 4)
- A red flag on your CSD profile
9. Deliver, invoice and get paid
If you win, you sign a contract form and must deliver exactly what was specified. Then send a correct invoice: see what an invoice must show.
The rules say departments must pay within 30 days of receiving your invoice, unless the contract says otherwise. Municipalities must pay within 30 days of the invoice or statement. In practice, payments are often late: National Treasury reported that national and provincial departments paid 89,499 invoices late between October and December 2025. Plan your cash flow for it, and if a department hasn't paid after 30 days, email National Treasury at 30daysqueries@treasury.gov.za.
Need cash to fulfil a big order? SEDFA's bridging loan is short-term working capital for businesses with firm contracts or purchase orders. See our guide to getting funding.
10. Avoid scams and corruption
- Fake quotation requests and orders are common. Fraudsters use government-looking emails and forms and push you to act fast. Before you deliver anything, call the department using contact details from its own official website. Government email addresses don't end in ".org".
- The CSD never sends links and never asks for your banking details, password or one-time PIN by email or SMS. Genuine CSD quotation requests appear only under "My RFQ" in your profile.
- Never pay to win. Government will never ask you to deposit money for a business transaction, and SARS says no payment is ever needed to secure a tender. Nobody can sell you a tender, and nobody should charge you to "connect" you to an official.
- Report fraud and corruption:
- National Anti-Corruption Hotline: 0800 701 701 (toll free, and you don't have to give your name)
- CSD support: 012 406 9222
- SARS tender fraud line: 0800 002 870
Your tender checklist
- Decide if government work suits your business (see section 1)
- Get your tax in order and your SARS Tax Compliance Status PIN. A company isn't required
- Register on the CSD and note your MAAA number
- List the right commodities and clear any red flags
- Have your B-BBEE affidavit or certificate ready
- Register with the cidb or your sector body, if you need to
- Check your CSD "My RFQ" inbox and eTenders every week
- Read every bid document in full and attend compulsory briefings
- Complete and sign every form, and submit on time
- Plan your cash flow for late payment
- Keep finding private customers. Don't wait for a tender
Frequently asked questions
Will registering on the CSD bring me work?
Not on its own. Registering only makes you eligible to be paid by government. Most small businesses get few requests that fit what they do, so keep finding your own customers, and check eTenders and municipal sites for work that suits you.
Can a sole proprietor register on the CSD?
Yes. You don’t need a company. Individuals and sole proprietors can register on the CSD, as well as companies.
Is CSD registration free?
Yes. Registering on the Central Supplier Database is free. Ignore anyone who asks you to pay to register you.
How long does CSD registration take?
There’s no official overall time. The CSD says bank verification alone can take up to four days, so register well before you need to quote.
What is a MAAA number?
It’s your CSD supplier number, which you get once your registration is complete. You write it on your bid forms, such as SBD 1.
Do I need a B-BBEE certificate to tender?
Not to bid. But when a tender awards points for specific goals, such as black, women or disabled ownership, you need proof, such as a B-BBEE certificate or sworn affidavit. Small businesses with turnover of R10 million or less can use a free affidavit.
What’s the difference between an RFQ and a tender?
A request for quotation (RFQ) is used for smaller purchases: up to R1 million for national and provincial government, from at least three CSD-registered suppliers. Above that, government uses an open tender, advertised on eTenders for at least 21 days. Municipalities use lower limits.
How are tenders scored?
Bids up to and including R50 million use the 80/20 system: 80 points for price and 20 for specific goals set in each tender. Bids above R50 million use 90/10.
Does the Public Procurement Act of 2024 apply?
No. The Constitutional Court declared it invalid on 17 September 2026, and it never came into force. The PFMA, MFMA, PPPFA and the Preferential Procurement Regulations, 2022 still apply.
How quickly does government pay?
The rule is within 30 days of receiving your invoice, unless the contract says otherwise. In practice payments are often late, so plan your cash flow, and email 30daysqueries@treasury.gov.za if a department hasn’t paid after 30 days.
This guide is general information. It was checked against National Treasury, CSD, eTenders, SARS, cidb and Government Gazette sources on 15 October 2026. Procurement rules and forms change, and each tender sets its own requirements, so always follow the bid document. For advice on your situation, ask J29.
© 2026 J29. All rights reserved. You’re welcome to share a link to this guide, but please don’t copy, republish or sell its content without J29’s written permission.