Tender timelines and working days

South African public-sector tenders specify deadlines in working days. This guide covers how the count is done, typical tender windows, and what triggers an extension.

Working days in South Africa

A working day is any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or a South African public holiday. The current public holidays (Public Holidays Act 36 of 1994):

  • 1 Jan — New Year's Day
  • 21 Mar — Human Rights Day
  • Movable — Good Friday
  • Movable — Family Day
  • 27 Apr — Freedom Day
  • 1 May — Workers' Day
  • 16 Jun — Youth Day
  • 9 Aug — National Women's Day
  • 24 Sep — Heritage Day
  • 16 Dec — Day of Reconciliation
  • 25 Dec — Christmas Day
  • 26 Dec — Day of Goodwill

If a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday becomes a public holiday. Occasional ad-hoc holidays (national elections, royal funerals) also apply.

How to count working days

The standard method in PFMA / MFMA practice:

  1. Do not count the advertisement date itself.
  2. Start counting from the next working day.
  3. Count each Monday–Friday that is not a public holiday.
  4. Include the closing day in the count.

Example: tender advertised on Tuesday 5 May 2026. Counting 21 working days forward (skipping 16 June Youth Day) lands on Monday 8 June 2026 as the closing day.

Standard tender windows

Tender typeMinimum periodTypical period
Open tender (PFMA / MFMA)21 working days30 working days
Complex / high-value30 working days45 working days
Request for Proposal (RFP)30 working days30–60 working days
Urgent / emergencyDeviation policyCase by case

Key milestones inside the window

  1. Day 0 — Advertisement on eTender, gazette, organ's own site.
  2. Day 5–7 — Briefing session (optional or compulsory).
  3. Up to Day 16 — Q&A window. Addenda issued.
  4. Day 21 (or later) — Closing. Latest addenda usually issued no later than 5 working days before close.

When deadlines get extended

An organ of state will issue an addendum extending the close date when a material change happens:

  • A compulsory briefing is cancelled or poorly attended.
  • A significant technical clarification is issued late in the window.
  • The original specification had an error that changes pricing.
  • Not enough compliant bidders have submitted by the scheduled close.

An extension resets the clock: any new working-day period runs from the addendum publication date.

Evaluation and award timelines

StageTypical duration
Bid Evaluation Committee10–21 working days after close
Bid Adjudication Committee5–15 working days after BEC
Accounting Officer approval5–10 working days
SCM Committee (high value)Adds 30+ days
Total from close to award30–90 calendar days typical

Bid validity

Most tenders require a 90-calendar-day validity from the closing date. If evaluation overruns, the organ will request extensions in writing. You are free to decline — but declining usually means withdrawing your bid.

Automate the calculation: the TenderFlow deadline calculator takes a notice date and working-day window and returns the correct closing date, accounting for the current public-holiday calendar.

Count rule

Skip the ad date. Count Mon–Fri excluding public holidays. Close date counts.

Late = rejected

Submissions after the stated closing time (down to the minute) are returned unopened. No exceptions.

Deadline tool

Get an exact close date from a publication date and working-day window.

Open calculator

Related guides

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The PFMA / MFMA regulations specify a minimum of 21 working days for an open tender, extended to 30 working days for complex or high-value tenders. Briefing sessions typically fall on day 5–7 and the close date is counted excluding weekends and public holidays.

Exclude the date the tender was advertised, then count only Monday–Friday excluding South African public holidays. The closing day itself counts. The TenderFlow deadline calculator does this automatically.

An extension is granted when a material change (addendum, cancellation of a compulsory briefing, technical clarification) is issued by the organ of state, usually in an addendum that resets the working-day clock.

For standard 80/20 tenders, evaluation plus adjudication usually takes 30–60 calendar days from close. MFMA municipal tenders are often slower due to Bid Adjudication Committee scheduling. Awards above R10m are subject to Supply Chain Management Committee approval and can take 90+ days.

Government tenders are typically valid for 90 calendar days from the closing date, extendable by agreement with all bidders. If you are awarded after your bid validity expires, the award is conditional on your confirmation.

Track tenders with TenderFlow

Live feed of South African tender opportunities, deadline tracking, AI-assisted responses, and team collaboration.

Start free trial Browse tenders