REFUND & CANCELLATION POLICY
Last Updated: 19 August 2026
This Refund and Cancellation Policy (“Policy”) applies to subscriptions, memberships, digital services and other paid services purchased through Central Tender Database (“CTD”).
By purchasing a CTD subscription or paid service, you acknowledge that you have read and accepted this Policy together with our Terms and Conditions.
1. NO-REFUND POLICY
All CTD subscription purchases are generally non-refundable.
CTD provides digital access to tender information, tender intelligence, alerts, databases, documents, analytics and other online services.
Once a subscription has been purchased and access to the relevant service has been made available, CTD does not ordinarily provide refunds, credits or partial refunds for unused portions of a subscription period.
This includes situations where a user:
- Changes their mind after purchasing
- Decides that CTD is not suitable for their business
- Does not use the Platform
- Uses the Platform less than expected
- Finds fewer tenders than expected
- Does not find a tender they want
- Does not win a tender
- Does not receive a tender award
- Does not use their subscription for the full billing period
- Forgets to cancel their subscription
- Cancels shortly after a renewal
- Does not configure their tender alerts
- Does not download tender documents
- Does not use the available intelligence features
Unused subscription time does not automatically qualify for a refund or credit.
2. SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE DIGITAL SERVICES
CTD subscriptions provide access to digital services and information.
Because the service may provide immediate access to:
- Tender databases
- Tender searches
- Tender alerts
- Tender documents
- Tender intelligence
- Saved tenders
- Analytics
- AI-generated intelligence
- Other premium features
the service may begin immediately after payment.
Users are responsible for reviewing the subscription features and pricing before completing their purchase.
3. FREE ACCESS AND TRIALS
Where CTD offers free access, free tender information or promotional access, such access does not create an entitlement to a refund or credit for any subsequent paid subscription.
CTD may change, limit or discontinue promotional offers at its discretion, subject to applicable law and the terms applicable to the relevant promotion.
4. AUTOMATIC SUBSCRIPTION RENEWALS
Where a subscription is configured to renew automatically, the subscription will continue according to the selected billing period until cancelled.
Users are responsible for cancelling their subscription before the next billing date if they do not wish to continue.
Important:
A failure to cancel a subscription before its renewal date does not ordinarily qualify for a refund.
Users should review their subscription status and cancellation settings before the renewal date.
5. CANCELLING YOUR SUBSCRIPTION
Users may cancel their subscription using the cancellation functionality provided by CTD or the applicable payment/subscription system.
Cancellation normally prevents future renewals.
Unless otherwise stated:
Cancelling a subscription does not automatically result in a refund of the current billing period.
Where appropriate, access may continue until the end of the period that has already been paid for.
6. RENEWAL PAYMENTS
If your subscription renews and you subsequently realise that you no longer require the service, CTD will generally not refund the renewal payment merely because the subscription was not used.
Users are responsible for monitoring:
- Subscription status
- Renewal dates
- Billing information
- Cancellation dates
7. INCORRECT PLAN PURCHASE
Users are responsible for selecting the correct subscription plan before completing payment.
Selecting a plan that is more expensive than intended, selecting the wrong plan, or later deciding that another plan would have been more appropriate does not ordinarily qualify for a refund.
Where appropriate, CTD may allow a user to change plans for a future billing period.
8. TENDER INFORMATION DOES NOT GUARANTEE VALUE
CTD subscriptions provide access to tender information and intelligence.
A subscription does not guarantee that the user will:
- Find a suitable tender
- Find a tender within a particular price range
- Win a tender
- Receive a government contract
- Generate revenue
- Recover the subscription cost
The absence of a successful tender opportunity does not constitute grounds for a refund.
9. AI-GENERATED INFORMATION
CTD may provide AI-generated:
- Tender value estimates
- Opportunity scores
- Competition indicators
- Tender summaries
- Recommendations
- Other tender intelligence
These are estimates and informational tools.
An AI estimate is not a guaranteed tender value, market value, contract value or expected profit.
A user cannot request a refund merely because an AI-generated estimate differs from the eventual tender outcome or actual market conditions.
Users should independently verify important information before making financial or procurement decisions.
10. TENDER AVAILABILITY
Tender opportunities can change or disappear because of actions taken by issuing authorities or third parties.
A tender may be:
- Cancelled
- Withdrawn
- Extended
- Amended
- Replaced
- Closed
- Re-advertised
The removal, cancellation or amendment of a tender does not ordinarily qualify for a subscription refund.
11. TENDER ALERTS
CTD may provide tender alerts based on user-selected preferences.
CTD does not guarantee that:
- Every relevant tender will be identified
- Every relevant tender will be delivered
- An alert will always arrive before the closing deadline
- An alert will always be delivered successfully
- A tender identified by an alert will remain open
Failure to receive a particular tender alert does not ordinarily qualify for a refund.
12. WEBSITE OR SERVICE INTERRUPTION
CTD aims to maintain reliable service but temporary interruptions may occur due to:
- Hosting problems
- Internet outages
- API failures
- Government system outages
- Server maintenance
- Software problems
- Cybersecurity incidents
- Third-party service failures
- Force majeure events
Temporary interruption does not automatically qualify for a refund.
However, nothing in this Policy is intended to exclude any remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded under applicable law.
13. PAYMENT ERRORS
If you believe that you have been charged incorrectly, please contact CTD as soon as possible.
Examples include:
- Duplicate charges
- Incorrect subscription charges
- Charges that do not correspond with your account
- Unauthorised transactions
CTD may investigate the transaction and, where an error attributable to CTD or the payment process is confirmed, take appropriate corrective action.
14. UNAUTHORISED PAYMENTS
If you believe a payment was made without your authorisation, contact CTD and your payment provider immediately.
CTD may request information reasonably necessary to investigate the transaction.
Fraudulent or unauthorised transactions will be investigated separately from ordinary refund requests.
15. WHEN A REFUND MAY BE PROVIDED
Although CTD operates a no-refund policy, CTD may provide a refund where:
- A refund is required by applicable law;
- A payment was processed in error;
- A duplicate payment was made;
- CTD charged the user incorrectly;
- CTD is unable to provide the paid service in circumstances where applicable law gives the consumer a refund or other remedy;
- CTD determines, at its discretion, that an exceptional refund is appropriate.
Where a refund is provided, it will generally be returned using the original payment method where reasonably possible.
16. STATUTORY CONSUMER RIGHTS
Nothing in this Policy is intended to remove, restrict or waive any consumer right that cannot legally be excluded.
Certain South African laws may provide consumers with cancellation, cooling-off, refund or other rights in specific circumstances.
For example, the Consumer Protection Act provides a cooling-off right for certain transactions resulting from direct marketing, subject to the Act’s requirements and exceptions.
Where a statutory right applies, CTD will process the applicable request in accordance with the law.
17. NO PARTIAL REFUNDS
Except where required by applicable law or expressly approved by CTD, CTD does not provide partial refunds for:
- Unused subscription days
- Unused subscription features
- Unused tender searches
- Unused document downloads
- Unused tender alerts
- Unused AI intelligence
- Unused account features
For example, if a monthly subscription is cancelled after 10 days, the remaining 20 days will not ordinarily be refunded.
18. DOWNGRADES
If you wish to move from a higher subscription plan to a lower subscription plan, the change may take effect at the beginning of the next applicable billing period.
A downgrade does not automatically create an entitlement to a refund for the difference between the plans for the current billing period.
19. UPGRADE REQUESTS
Users may upgrade their subscription where CTD provides that functionality.
Any additional amount payable for an upgrade will be displayed before the transaction is completed.
Upgrading does not create a refund entitlement for the original subscription.
20. ACCOUNT TERMINATION
If CTD terminates or suspends an account because the user:
- Violates the Terms and Conditions
- Misuses the Platform
- Attempts to circumvent access controls
- Engages in fraudulent activity
- Uses the Platform unlawfully
- Shares paid access without authorisation
the user will not ordinarily be entitled to a refund for the remaining subscription period, subject to any rights that cannot legally be excluded.
21. REQUESTING A REFUND
If you believe you qualify for a refund under this Policy or applicable law, contact CTD through our official Contact Us page.
Please provide:
- Full name
- Account email address
- Subscription plan
- Transaction/payment reference
- Date of payment
- Reason for the refund request
- Supporting information where applicable
CTD may request additional information to verify the transaction.
22. REFUND INVESTIGATION
Submitting a refund request does not automatically mean that a refund will be approved.
CTD may investigate:
- Account activity
- Subscription status
- Payment records
- Service availability
- Transaction history
- The circumstances of the request
We will communicate the outcome of the request after reasonable consideration of the circumstances and applicable law.
23. PAYMENT PROVIDERS
Payments may be processed through third-party payment providers.
Where a refund is approved, CTD may instruct the applicable payment provider to process the refund.
The time required for the funds to appear in your account may depend on the payment provider and banking system.
24. CHARGEBACKS
If you believe that a payment was made incorrectly or without authorisation, please contact CTD before initiating a payment dispute where reasonably possible.
Unjustified chargebacks or fraudulent payment disputes may result in:
- Account suspension
- Investigation
- Restriction of Platform access
- Recovery of amounts improperly disputed
Nothing in this section prevents a user from exercising a lawful right to dispute an unauthorised or incorrect transaction.
25. NO REFUND FOR TENDER OUTCOMES
CTD does not guarantee tender success.
You cannot request a refund because:
- You did not win a tender
- Your bid was unsuccessful
- You were disqualified
- A tender was cancelled
- A tender was awarded to another bidder
- Your expected profit was not achieved
- Your estimated tender value differed from the actual value
- The competition was greater than expected
- A tender did not result in a contract
CTD provides information and intelligence tools; the decision to bid and the outcome of the procurement process remain the user’s responsibility.
26. POLICY CHANGES
CTD may update this Refund and Cancellation Policy from time to time.
The updated version will be published on the CTD website and will include a revised “Last Updated” date.
Changes will not affect rights that have already accrued under applicable law.
27. CONTACT
For refund, cancellation or billing enquiries, please contact CTD through our official Contact Us page.
When contacting us, please include your account email address and payment reference where available.
28. IMPORTANT SUMMARY
CTD operates a NO-REFUND POLICY for ordinary subscription cancellations.
Before subscribing, please make sure you:
- Select the correct plan.
- Review the features included.
- Check the subscription price.
- Understand the billing frequency.
- Check whether the subscription renews automatically.
- Verify that CTD meets your requirements.
Once you purchase a subscription and receive access to the service, we generally do not provide refunds or credits for unused subscription time.
However, nothing in this policy excludes a refund or other remedy where applicable law requires it.