30/10/2026
"my CSD is compliant but I never receive RFQs."
Let me explain honestly as a CSD Consultant why this happens. No lies.
FIRST: Understand What CSD Actually Is
CSD (Central Supplier Database) is like Facebook for government suppliers. Government departments go there to SEARCH for suppliers when they need something.
If your profile is not searchable, they will never find you. It's not that government hates you, it's that you are invisible.
5 REAL REASONS YOU DON'T GET RFQs (Even With Tax Compliant):
1. COMMODITY CODES (No.1 Reason - 80% of clients)
You registered as "Catering" and you only chose 2 codes.
Example: 90101500 - Catering Services.
But a school searching for "Supply of school nutrition - bread" will search code 50181900 - Bread. If you don't have that code, you won't appear.
Solution: You need 10-15 codes for your industry. Catering alone has 12+ codes. Cleaning has 8+. Building has 20+.
2. LOCATION - Province is NOT Enough
You put "Gauteng". But a clinic in Soweto searches: "Caterers in City of Johannesburg Municipality". If your CSD only says Gauteng with no District & Local Municipality, you won't appear in their filtered search.
You must add: Province + District + Local Municipality.
3. YOU ARE CHECKING THE WRONG PLACE
Most suppliers wait for email: "Government will email me RFQ". 70% of RFQs never come by email due to system issues or spam folder.
You MUST check manually:
• CSD > Login > My RFQs > Open Quotations > Check at 08:00 and 15:00 daily
• eTenders.gov.za > Latest Opportunities > Filter your province
RFQs expire in 3-5 days. If you check once a week, you already missed 5 RFQs.
4. BANKING & CONTACT NOT VERIFIED
Your Banking says "Captured" not "Verified". Or your email on CSD is old Vodamail you don't use anymore. RFQs go to old email, you never see it.
5. CSD Profile Not Updated in 6 Months
CSD requires update every 12 months. If you never re-submitted, departments see you as inactive and skip you.