COIDA Requirements for Tenders: Letter of Good Standing, CSD and Compliance Documents

Quick Answer: What COIDA documents do you need for a tender?

You need a valid COIDA Letter of Good Standing – issued by the Compensation Fund, RMA or FEM – proving your Return of Earnings is submitted and assessments are paid. Tender boards verify the certificate number online, and an expired or fake letter disqualifies your bid immediately.

Construction workers on a South African building site - COIDA compliance is required for tenders
A valid Letter of Good Standing is a standard requirement on government and private tenders.

Why Tenders Ask for a Letter of Good Standing

Organ- of-state and private procurement teams use the Letter of Good Standing (LOGS) to confirm that your workers are covered for occupational injuries and that you carry no hidden liability. Without it, an injury on a contract site becomes the client’s problem – so a valid LOGS is a pass/fail item on most bid documents.

The COIDA Document Checklist for Tenders

  1. Letter of Good Standing – issued by the Compensation Fund, or by RMA (mining and metals) or FEM (construction) if you fall under a licensee. All three are legally equivalent under COIDA.
  2. CF registration number (starting with 99) – keep it on your company profile.
  3. ROE submission confirmation for the current assessment year.
  4. CSD registration (Central Supplier Database) for government work, where your COIDA status is cross-checked.
  5. Subcontractor Letters of Good Standing – under section 89(1) you are liable for uninsured subcontractor employees, so procurement teams increasingly ask for theirs too.

How Tender Boards Verify Your Letter

Every Letter of Good Standing carries a unique certificate number that can be verified online in seconds – see our guide to verifying a Letter of Good Standing (and spotting a fake). Forged letters can be reported to the Fund’s fraud line (cf-fraud@thehotline.co.za or 0800 234 432) and using one is a criminal offence.

Common Reasons a Tender LOGS Gets Rejected

  • The letter expired (letters are valid for a limited period – see LOGS validity periods).
  • Assessment unpaid or instalments in arrears – the Fund withdraws good-standing status.
  • Company name on the letter does not exactly match the CIPC-registered tendering entity.
  • You submitted a Compensation Fund letter, but your industry class belongs to RMA or FEM (or vice versa).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Letter of Good Standing mandatory for government tenders?

Yes, in practice. Public-sector bid documents list it as a mandatory compliance document, and CSD verification cross-checks your COIDA status. An invalid or expired letter disqualifies the bid.

Does an RMA Letter of Good Standing count for tenders?

Yes. RMA (mining and metals) and FEM (construction) issue Letters of Good Standing under the same COIDA licence framework, and tender boards must accept them.

How long is a Letter of Good Standing valid for a tender?

Annual letters are valid until the date printed on them; employers paying assessments by instalment receive monthly letters. Always check the expiry date before bid submission.

My LOGS expired the week before the tender closes. What now?

Renew online immediately – if your ROE and payments are current, the online system issues a new letter within 24-72 hours. Our renewal guide walks through it.

Do I need my subcontractors’ Letters of Good Standing for a tender?

Increasingly yes. Under section 89(1) of COIDA you are liable for subcontractor employees if they are uninsured, so procurement teams ask for their letters as part of due diligence.

Related COIDA Guides

Official Resources

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Last reviewed: 1 September 2026 against Department of Employment and Labour and Compensation Fund sources. COIDASA is a division of AdminBoss – South African employer compliance specialists.