Proposed graveling of Mwangoloto-Silaloni Road, Smburu…

What is being bought

Kwale County Government invites sealed tenders for the proposed graveling of Mwangoloto-Silaloni Road in Smburu Chengoni Ward, Kinango Constituency, Kwale County. The tender is reserved for women-owned firms. Bills of quantities list items such as heavy grading of 19,800 m2 and gravel wearing course of 2,400 m3.

What could disqualify you

Late tenders will be rejected and returned unopened. D1 p.2
A tender not accompanied by a substantially responsive tender security or tender-securing declaration will be rejected as non-responsive. Standard rule D1 p.15
Missing any of the mandatory statutory and general requirements in the preliminary evaluation appendix is outright disqualification. D1 p.39
Any bidder found to have frontloaded its bills of quantities will have its bid expunged. D1 p.39
Bidders must not make alterations to the text of the tender forms; forms must be fully completed with all blanks filled in. Standard rule D1 p.11
Alternative tenders are not accepted for this tender. D1 p.27
Bidders who fail to enter a price or rate for every bill item (including nil, included or lump-sum rates) will be disqualified. Standard rule D1 p.81
A tenderer proven to have been involved in corrupt, coercive, obstructive or fraudulent practice is automatically disqualified. Standard rule D1 p.7
All declaration forms must be commissioned (witnessed by a commissioner for oaths or active magistrate). D1 p.28

Key facts

Closing: Tue 10 Nov 2026, 10:00 am
Tenders must be delivered to the address on or before this date and time; late tenders are rejected. D1 p.2
Bid / tender security: Bid security amount conflicts: KES 73,000 in invitation; KES 73,00,000 in TDS; KES 73,000,000 in the appendix. Form: valid bank guarantee in PPRA template, original copy. Conflicting D1 p.27
Tender fee: Tender documents downloaded electronically are free of charge. D1 p.2
Site visit: Optional
Pre-arranged site visit not scheduled (TDS N/A); tenderers may visit the site at their own expense and risk. D1 p.27
Pre-bid meeting: Optional
No pre-tender meeting is scheduled (TDS N/A). D1 p.27
Reserved for: Tender is open only to women-owned firms (women-reserved tender, AGPO women category). D1 p.2
Contract value: Not stated in the documents we reviewed Not stated
Tender opening: Tenders are opened publicly immediately after the closing deadline at the Procurement Office, County Treasury, Kwale; tenderers' representatives may attend. D1 p.28
Tender validity: Tenders remain valid for 126 days (start date conflicts between opening date and submission deadline). Conflicting D1 p.27

Who can apply

Tender is open only to women-owned firms as stated in the invitation to tender. D1 p.2
Joint ventures are not applicable to this tender according to the Tender Data Sheet. D1 p.27
Foreign tenderers must source at least 40% of contract inputs (supplies, local subcontracts and labour) from citizen suppliers and contractors; they must show documentary evidence of this in the tender. Standard rule D1 p.8
A Kenyan tenderer must be tax compliant with a valid tax compliance certificate from the Kenya Revenue Authority; the TDS amends ITT 3.14 to this wording. D1 p.27

Application checklist

Tick items off as you prepare. Your ticks stay on this device only.

Required from every bidder

Experience, licences and financial capacity

Technical

Registered with NCA is a condition of contract award and signature, not of tender (standard clause); the appendix requires registration at tender stage (see conflict). Standard rule D1 p.8
Site agent must hold a BSc in civil engineering or equivalent, be a registered professional engineer with EBK holding a valid practising licence, with 8 years general and 5 years paved road experience. D1 p.37
Environmentalist must hold a BSc in environmental or natural science and a valid NEMA licence (scored key personnel). D1 p.41
Work methodology must be submitted and should show understanding of the scope of works. D1 p.36
Works schedule scored: key milestones, logical sequence, critical path, completion within 12 months, generated with project management software. D1 p.41
Equipment is scored: owned equipment full marks, leased equipment half marks (e.g. plate compactor, motor graders, tippers, rollers). D1 p.42
Bill of quantities includes heavy grading without watering and compaction, 19,800 m2. Unverified D2 p.2
Bill of quantities includes gravel wearing course with watering and compaction, 2,400 m3. Unverified D2 p.2

Financial

Minimum average annual construction turnover of KShs 100,000,000 over the last two years (conflicts with 300M in Section III item 7). Conflicting D1 p.35
Cash flow capacity of min. KShs 50,000,000 (working capital) demonstrated by financial statements (conflicts with 100M in Section III item 7). Conflicting D1 p.35
Specific experience: participation as contractor, management contractor or subcontractor in at least one contract of at least KSH 100 Million that is successfully and substantially completed and similar to the works. D1 p.36
Section III item 7 states a KES 300M minimum average annual construction turnover and KES 100M cash flow; these conflict with item 3.1 and 3.2 figures. Conflicting D1 p.31
Levy of 0.03% payable by the supplier on signed contract value, exclusive of taxes. D1 p.2

How and where to submit

Submit a hard copy in a plain sealed envelope marked with the tender name and tender number, addressed to the Accounting Officer, Executive Services Finance and Economic Planning, and dropped in the tender box at the front of the Procurement Office, County Treasury, Kwale. D1 p.28
Submission address: County Department of Finance and Economic Planning, Kwale County Treasury Building, P.O Box 4-80403, Kwale, Chief Officer, opposite Kwale Police post. D1 p.3
Bidders must chronologically serialise all pages of the tender documents submitted; the invitation asks for PDF format (see conflict). Conflicting D1 p.2
Tender must be written in English; supporting documents in other languages need an accurate notarised translation. Standard rule D1 p.11
Requests for clarification must reach the procuring entity in writing not later than Thursday 5 November 2026. D1 p.27

Lots and categories

No lots are described; the tender is a single contract. Multiple contract and lot options appear only as generic template text. Not stated

What the addenda changed

No addenda were included in the material reviewed. Not stated

Points to confirm with the procuring entity

The documents do not agree with each other on these points. Ask the procuring entity for a written clarification before you submit.

Bid security amount: Invitation to tender says Kenya Shillings 73,000.00; TDS says KES 73,00,000 (words say Seventy Three thousand); appendix says KES 73,000,000 (words say Seventy Three Thousand Shillings only). Ask the procuring entity for the correct amount before preparing the guarantee. (D1 p.2 (invitation clause 7); D1 p.27 (TDS ITT 19.1); D1 p.39 (appendix item 4))
Submission format: Invitation and appendix ask for PDF attachments serialised sequentially; TDS and appendix require a hard copy sealed envelope in the tender box. (D1 p.2 (clause 8); D1 p.28 (TDS ITT 20.1, 21.1); D1 p.39 (appendix item 7))
Tender validity start date: Invitation says validity runs from the date of opening of tenders; ITT 18.1 says it starts from the submission deadline. (D1 p.2 (clause 6); D1 p.15 (ITT 18.1))
Minimum average annual construction turnover: Section III item 3.2 requires KShs 100,000,000; Section III item 7(b)(ii) requires KES 300M. (D1 p.35 (3.2); D1 p.31 (item 7(b)(ii)))
Cash flow / working capital requirement: Section III 3.1 requires KShs 50,000,000; Section III item 7(b)(i) requires KES 100M. (D1 p.35 (3.1); D1 p.31 (item 7(b)(i)))
NCA registration class: Appendix requires Certificate of registration for Civil Works – Roads 8; Section III 1.4 requires proof of registration in Class NCA-6 as Road Works Contractor (minimum). (D1 p.39 (appendix item 3); D1 p.34 (Section III 1.4))
Tender reference number: Portal shows CGK/ FEP/042/EQU/2026-2027; TDS shows CGK/FEP/42/EUQ/2026-2027. (P (portal record); D1 p.27 (TDS ITT 1.1))

Not covered in the documents we reviewed

No addenda were provided, so any later date or requirement changes are unknown.
Number of tender copies required and whether originals must be marked as such is not stated in the pages reviewed.
Opening time is not stated beyond immediately after the deadline.
Contract value or estimate is not stated; BoQ totals are blank.
Pages of D1 not reviewed (e.g. Section III items 2 and 3 full text, forms in Section IV, Section VI specifications, drawings, GCC and Particular Conditions) may contain further requirements.
Three similar-contract requirement and key personnel counts are not fully confirmed from the reviewed pages.
BoQ summary refers to a 0.03% Capacity Building Levy; confirm whether this differs from the Levy Order levy stated in the invitation.
Bill of quantities section 8 shows culvert quantity 0.00; confirm whether culverts are part of the works.

Terms explained

TDS: Tender Data Sheet: the tender-specific values that override the standard Instructions to Tenderers.
ITT: Instructions to Tenderers: the standard rules on how to prepare, submit and be evaluated.
Tender security / bid security: Money guarantee lodged with the bid, usually a bank guarantee, which may be lost if the bidder withdraws or refuses to sign.
AGPO: Access to Government Procurement Opportunities: reserved set-aside for youth, women and persons with disability registered firms.
Responsive: Meets all essential requirements of the tender; a non-responsive tender is rejected without further review.
Preliminary examination: First check that the tender is complete and meets mandatory eligibility items before technical and financial scoring.
Frontloading: Inflating early bill item rates to gain cash early; this leads to bid rejection.
Power of attorney: Written authority allowing a named person to sign and bind the company to the tender.
NCA: National Construction Authority, which registers contractors by class and category.
CR12: Company search certificate listing company directors and shareholders.
Joint venture (JV): Two or more firms bidding together; not applicable to this tender.
Lowest Evaluated Tender: The tender that passes qualification and responsiveness and has the lowest evaluated price.

Proposed graveling of Mwangoloto-Silaloni Road, Smburu Chengoni Ward, Kinango Constituency, Kwale County (women-owned firms)