Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

in-tender is operated by [LEGAL ENTITY NAME], registration number [COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER], with its registered address at [PHYSICAL / REGISTERED ADDRESS]. We are the "responsible party" for personal information processed through this platform, as defined under POPIA. You can reach us at [CONTACT EMAIL] or [CONTACT PHONE NUMBER].

2. Our Information Officer

Our Information Officer, responsible for POPIA compliance and for handling requests relating to your personal information, is [INFORMATION OFFICER NAME], reachable at [INFORMATION OFFICER EMAIL].

[PLACEHOLDER: Confirm the Information Officer is registered with the Information Regulator at inregulator.org.za before this policy is published — this is a legal requirement under POPIA.]

3. What personal information we collect

We collect the following categories of information:

• Account information — name, email address, username, and role.
• Company information — legal and trading name, registration number, entity type, and matching preferences (sector, category, province, funding range).
• Company and compliance documents you upload to your company vault, which may include: CIPC registration documents, founding documents, CSD reports, tax clearance certificates, VAT certificates, B-BBEE certificates, audited financials, bank statements, company profiles, business plans, organograms, CVs and qualifications, ID copies, proof of address, past submissions, reference letters, COIDA good-standing certificates, insurance certificates, health and safety files, and SBD forms.
• Communications — messages you send us through the Contact Us form or support channels.

Some of the documents above may reveal special personal information under section 26 of POPIA — for example, ID copies contain identity numbers, bank statements contain financial account details, and B-BBEE certificates can reflect the race and gender composition of your company's ownership. We only process this information where it is necessary to assess your eligibility for a specific tender or to prepare your bid, and with your consent (given by uploading the document to the platform).

4. Why we process your information

We process personal information on the following lawful bases under POPIA:

• Performance of a contract — to match your company to relevant tenders, run requirements checks, and prepare bid documents on your behalf.
• Consent — where you voluntarily upload documents or submit the Contact Us form.
• Legitimate interests — to improve the platform, prevent fraud and misuse, and maintain the security of our systems.
• Legal obligation — where processing is required to comply with applicable law.

5. Automated processing and AI

We use automated tools — including large language models and embedding/search technology — to extract information from your uploaded documents, match your company against tender requirements, and help draft bid content. These tools assist our matching and bid-preparation process; results are reviewed before being relied upon for a tender submission. You may contact us to ask how a specific automated result was produced.

6. Sharing and cross-border transfers

We share personal information with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate the platform, including cloud storage providers, email delivery providers, and AI/LLM providers used for document processing and matching. Some of these providers may process information outside South Africa. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure the recipient is subject to a level of data protection that is substantially similar to POPIA, as required by section 72 of POPIA.

[PLACEHOLDER: List specific sub-processors here, e.g. cloud storage provider, email provider, and AI provider(s), and confirm their country of processing.]

We do not sell your personal information.

7. How long we keep your information

We retain your account, company, and document information for as long as your account is active, and for a reasonable period after account closure to comply with legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. You may request deletion of your account and associated documents at any time, subject to any retention we are legally required to maintain.

8. How we protect your information

We apply reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), access controls that restrict document and company data to your authorised users and our staff, and role-based access for our internal team.

9. Your rights

Under POPIA, you have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you;
• Request correction or deletion of inaccurate, outdated, or unlawfully processed information;
• Object to the processing of your personal information on reasonable grounds;
• Withdraw consent, where processing is based on consent, without affecting prior lawful processing; and
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.

To exercise any of these rights, contact our Information Officer at [INFORMATION OFFICER EMAIL]. You may also lodge a complaint directly with the Information Regulator of South Africa:

Information Regulator (South Africa)
Email: complaints.IR@justice.gov.za
Website: inregulator.org.za

10. Cookies

We use a strictly necessary session cookie to keep you signed in to the portal. We do not use third-party advertising or tracking cookies.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date.

12. Contact us

For any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us or email [INFORMATION OFFICER EMAIL].