Govt tender winners lukewarm

By Kaunda Chama for SITA

Johannesburg, 03 Dec 2004

The release of the shortlist for the seat management and services tender by the State IT Agency has received tepid responses from several of the companies that made it onto the list.

This is in contrast with the heated controversy that erupted over the tender process earlier this year, when many local companies claimed they were being unfairly excluded.

As a follow up to the announcement made on Monday, ITWeb conducted random interviews with some of the companies that made it onto the shortlist of 31 preferred suppliers - many of which are empowerment small to medium enterprises.

All seem to be aware that although they have made it on the shortlist, they still have to do more work to ensure they get public sector business.

AST CEO John Miller, whose company has spent the last 18 months "getting back on track" and retaining its clientele, says that although his company is delighted to have made it on the list, it recognises that it is still too early to start "popping champagne".

He is, however, confident that AST will be able to use this chance to get a large chunk of the business that will be available in the public sector over the next three years. Miller adds that the fact that the company is on the list will boost the market's confidence in it.

Lucas Estach, GM of KMS Computers, one of the smaller strategic black empowerment companies on the shortlist, says he is glad the lengthy selection process has ended.

He also acknowledges that the selection to the shortlist will go a long way towards getting the company some much-needed government business. Estach adds that his company and Pinnacle Micro (its strategic partner in the selection process) still have to work hard in order to ensure they are part of the project to be undertaken by the government departments.

Companies like MIT and the Tecor Group echo the view that it is too early to celebrate, since they still have to bid for actual business.