City warns vendors of fake quotation requests

16 February 2021

The City of Cape Town urges suppliers to be on the lookout for fake Request for Quotation (RFQ) emails sent to them, as if it is being sent from the City. Please report any suspicious emails to the City for further investigation.

The City is aware of some fake COVID-19-related requests for quotations that are being sent by email to some suppliers and urges vendors to please be aware of fake RFQs. Please report any suspicious emails received to the City, and we will confirm whether the RFQ is legitimate or a scam. The City’s Forensic Investigation Unit conducts an investigation as soon as the City becomes aware of such scams.

The fake emails include an attachment with City branding and comes from email accounts linked to City employees, but these are not being sent by City employees. Please look out for RFQs with the incorrect procurement templates, unfamiliar telephone numbers as contacts of City officials, and the use of strange reference numbers.

‘The City is aware of the fake Requests for Quotations being sent to some City vendors. Scammers are sending emails to vendors requesting quotations to be sent via email or to be delivered to City offices. We urge suppliers to please be vigilant and if they receive any suspicious emails, to please report it to the City for urgent investigation. If vendors are unsure if an email is from the City’s Supply Chain Management Department, they may forward the email to the RFQ help desk before responding to the requests,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Finance and Executive Deputy Mayor, Alderman Ian Neilson.

Remember
City vendors are reminded that all City RFQs are uploaded to the City’s procurement portal, with the exception of urgent requests, such as the COVID-19 requests or emergencies. The City follows an open and transparent process. It follows the laws and National Treasury regulations and it has a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and fraud.

The City’s COVID-19-related procurement is published for all to see on its website. For full disclosure on the procurement, please visit www.capetown.gov.za/coronavirus or visit the Supply Chain Management (SCM) Department page for more information.

For assistance
The RFQ help desk can be contacted at Eprocurement.rfq@capetown.gov.za or Supplier.Management@capetown.gov.za.

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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office