Quantity surveyors call for procurement reforms after budget statement

The South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession (SACQSP) has called for changes to the procurement of professional services, saying the lowest bid does not always offer the best value for money.

In its response to the 2026 medium-term budget policy statement on Wednesday, the council welcomed the government’s focus on infrastructure investment, strengthening state capacity and improving public expenditure management.

The council said realising these ambitions requires competent built environment professionals, credible budgets and procurement processes that recognise the nature and consequences of professional work.

The SACQSP said it would engage the National Treasury on procurement reforms for professional services, advocating for objective, transparent and proportionate criteria that assess competence, quality, delivery capacity and price together.

“Professional services cannot be procured in the same way as stationery. Government is commissioning expertise, judgment and accountability for decisions that influence the safety, affordability and performance of infrastructure over decades,” said SACQSP president Arthur Quphe.

Quphe said procurement must reflect the responsibility being entrusted to the professional.

South Africa’s infrastructure ambitions deserve procurement that recognises competence, rewards credible delivery and protects public value—  Arthur Quphe, SACQSP president

The council supports fair competition and the responsible management of professional fees, saying that price must be assessed against a clearly defined scope of service, the resources required and the risks associated with the assignment.

“An offer to provide professional services for one rand on a million-rand investment should prompt scrutiny of how the required work will be delivered. The lowest number on a tender schedule does not demonstrate the capacity to protect the investment. Competition must test the substance of the offer,” Quphe said.

The council warned that inadequate professional resourcing can expose public projects to errors, incomplete documentation, delays, avoidable variations, disputes and higher operating costs.

According to the SACQSP, public institutions should scrutinise unusually low bids and require service providers to demonstrate how they intend to deliver the full scope of work.

It said higher fees should not automatically be regarded as an indication of better quality, but procurement must require bidders to demonstrate that their proposed teams, methods and resources are appropriate to the work.

The SACQSP also wants procurement requirements to provide fair opportunities for capable emerging practices without compromising professional standards.

It further welcomed the government’s recognition of the importance of maintaining existing infrastructure, saying investment decisions should account for operational costs, maintenance, rehabilitation and replacement, in addition to initial construction expenditure.

Quphe said built environment professionals played a role throughout the infrastructure lifecycle, from project planning and cost management to construction oversight and asset management.

“The measure of infrastructure success is whether communities receive safe, reliable and affordable services. Professional appointments must help secure that outcome. South Africa’s infrastructure ambitions deserve procurement that recognises competence, rewards credible delivery and protects public value,” Quphe said.