SA Army steps up Swatch

31 May 2011 by defenceWeb

The South African Army has allocated a further R319 528,65 to Pretoria-based Propenta Business Solutions for engineering support for the land service's future transportable camping system, under development as part of Project Swatch.

The work, allocated last week, follows a similar contract to Propenta, worth R6.574 million awarded in February last year. Swatch has been defined as the development and partial acquisition of a mobile camping system. A staff requirement was completed in August 2005 and a prject study report in March 2007. But in May 2007 it was said here was no funds available (at the time) for Swatch.

It is not clear what the system will entail, but it will likely have much in common with the R30.531 million base camp system acquired for he SA Navy under Project Xena. Project officer Captain (SAN) Nick Marais told defenceWeb in December 2008 the base camp was a "small transportable town" that fit into 33 ISO 6m containers. The main contractor, Redeployable Camp Systems (RCS), provided Weatherhaven tentage for accommodation for the Navy's marine-like Maritime Reaction Squadron as well as maintenance and recreation. "This is very important to the troops", Marais said.

Recreation facilities include a small gymnasium, satellite television and dining facilities. There is also a workshop tent with a crane facility to maintain boats and vehicles.

The base camp is supported by a container-based GrahamTek water treatment facility and a separate Aquamat sewerage treatment plant. The water facility can produce up to 50 000 litres of potable water from a variety of sources, including seawater, boreholes, muddy or contaminated water. The camp also has its own electricity plant and distribution system.

RCS has been active in SA since 2002 when it was established as part of a strategic partnership between Weatherhaven, Canada and Canvas and Tent Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd of Ladysmith. The two companies teamed together that year to provide a "turnkey camp facility" for 1200 soldiers at “Camp Modderfontein” in Burundi. The camp also included a military field hospital.

In addition to supporting the Navy and SA Military Health Service, RCS has also provided facilities to the SA Air Force. The RCS website notes the SAAF required a redeployable helicopter support system, which included an air conditioned maintenance hangar, operational control room, a workshop and storage facility. The facility had to capable to deploy independently as a system or separate unit. RCS provided the SA Air Force with an Armadillo Hangar, with mobile expandable containers (MEC) for the operations control room, workshop and store room, linked with a covered passage to the hangar. Each MEC was equipped with generators to ensure independent operation of each of the various facilities of the system as required. The contract was awarded in August 2007 and final delivery was at the end of July 2008.

RCS provided training on planning the deployment of the system, preparation for the deployment and installation of the system as well as operating, dismantling, cleaning and packing it into containers. They were also trained to maintain the system in all operation modes. Manuals for the system were supplied in both hard and electronic copies.

PROJECT SWATCH

Systems engineering support for Project Swatch - extension of EMSS/2009/91

MSS/S2010/1194 26 May 2011 R319 528,65 Propenta Business Solutions (Pty) Ltd

Engineering support on the transportable camping system

EMSS/2009/91 18 Feb 2010 R6 574 080,00 Propenta Business Solutions (Pty) Ltd

PROJECT XENA

Supply of base camp system for the South African Navy - extension of EMSS/2007/488

MSS/S2008/1008 6 Mar 2009 R177 537,92 Redeployable Camp Systems SA

MSS/S2009/1108 25 Feb 2010 R93 593,68 Redeployable Camp Systems SA

Base camp system for the SA Navy (Project Xena)

EMSS/2007/488 9 Apr 2008 R30 260 759,12 Redeployable Camp Systems SA

SAMHS

Upgrading and repair of the Weatherhaven field hospital

EMSS/2008/598 20 May 2010 R9 984 733,38 Redeployable Camp Systems SA

SPECIAL FORCES

Procurement of semi permament integrated tented accommodation for Special Forces - extension of EMSS/2007/508

MSS/S2008/0991 19 Dec 2008 R61 652,92 Redeployable Camp Systems SA

Semi permanent integrated tented accommodation

EMSS/2007/508 21 Feb 2008 R303 651,26 Redeployable Camp Systems SA

OTHER TENTING

Procurement of tent components for the SA Army - extension of EMSS/2010/96

MSS/S2010/1162 2 Dec 2010 R1 199 659,65 Canvas & Tent Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd

Procurement of Hip roof tents - extension of EMSS/2010/95

MSS/S2010/1164 2 Dec 2010 R772 066,40 Canvas & Tent Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd

Procurement of tent components

EMSS/2010/96 22 Sep 2010 R6 034 366,60 Canvas & Tent Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd

Procurement of hip roof tents

EMSS/2010/95 22 Sep 2010 R3 860 332,00 Canvas & Tent Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd

Procurement of Hip-Roof tents - extension of EMSS/2009/30

MSS/S2009/1082 5 Nov 2009 R1 319 256,40 Canvas & Tent Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd

Maintenance support and management of semi-permanent integrated tented accommodation in the SANDF - extension of ELSS/2007/209

MSS/S2009/1057 5 Aug 2009 R5 924 363,00 Canvas & Tent Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd

Procurement of camping equipment

EMSS/2009/29 25 Jun 2009 R5 762 365,00 Canvas & Tent Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd

Procurement of Hip-roof tents

EMSS/2009/30 25 Jun 2009 R4 240 467,00 Canvas & Tent Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd

Bow tent

EAMS/2008/66 11 Sep 2008 R770 898,00 Canvas & Tent Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd

Semi permanent integrated tented accommodation

EMSS/2008/7 7 Aug 2008 R1 865 580,98 Redeployable Camp Systems SA (Pty)

Procurement of Hip-Roof tents

EMSS/2008/61 31 Jul 2008 R7 894 024,00 Canvas & Tent Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd

Maintenance, support and management of semi permanent integrated tented accommodation in the SANDF

EMSS/2007/209 21 Nov 2007 R2 993 508,00 Canvas & Tent Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd

Bow tents

EAMS/2007/272 1 Nov 2007 R327 446,42 Canvas & Tent Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd

Procurement of Hip-Roof-Tents

EMSS/2006/663 13 Jun 2007 R14 730 705,00 Canvas & Tent Manufacturing (Pty) Ltd