LOCAS Portal User Guide
Your step-by-step guide to navigating the Local Content Assessment System
What is LOCAS?
Welcome to the Local Content Assessment System (LOCAS) — the official portal used by mining companies in Zambia to report and track compliance with local content requirements under SI 2025.
LOCAS helps you manage four key areas of local content reporting:
Procurement
Report what your company buys and from whom — tracking how much is sourced locally versus internationally.
Employment
Report your workforce numbers — how many local and expatriate staff you employ, including gender and disability inclusion.
Suppliers
Maintain a database of the suppliers your company works with and their local content classification.
Supplier Development
Plan and track programmes that help develop the capacity of local suppliers in Zambia.
In Short
LOCAS is where you submit all your local content reports to the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development. Everything is done online — no paper forms needed.
Your Dashboard
When you open LOCAS, you'll land on your Local Content Management dashboard. This is your home base — everything you need is accessible from here.
The dashboard is organised into module tiles that give you quick access to each area of the system. Simply click on any tile to get started.
Module Tiles
Here's what each tile on your dashboard does:
Procurement
Everything related to your company's procurement activities. Upload procurement plans, declare tenders and contracts, view Form I/II disclosures, and track quarterly procurement summaries.
Employment
Track and report your workforce composition. Submit quarterly employment returns covering local vs expatriate staff, gender breakdowns, and persons with disabilities.
Supplier Development
Access the Supplier Development Programme (SDP) dashboard. Create development programmes for local suppliers, track activities, and submit quarterly progress reports.
My Suppliers
View and manage your registered supplier database. Register new suppliers, browse the national supplier directory, and import suppliers in bulk.
Admin-Only Tiles
If you are a Company Administrator, you'll also see these additional tiles on your dashboard:
Compliance Reports
Track your company's SI 2025 compliance status. Review quarterly compliance assessments and monitor your local content performance across all areas.
Penalties
View any penalties issued by the Ministry and upload proof of payment. This helps you keep track of compliance actions and resolve them promptly.
Good to Know
Not seeing all the tiles? The Compliance Reports and Penalties tiles are only visible to users with Company Administrator privileges. Contact your admin if you need access.
Quick Links Sidebar
On the right-hand side of every page, you'll find the Quick Links panel. These shortcuts help you jump to important areas without going back to the dashboard.
LOCAS Dashboard
Takes you back to your main dashboard at any time. Use this when you want to switch between modules quickly.
User Management
Admin only. Manage portal users for your company — add new officers, assign roles, and control who has access to which modules.
Mine Profile
View and update your mining company's profile information, including contact details, physical address, and company registration documents.
Activity Log
See a timeline of all actions taken on the portal — submissions, approvals, rejections, and system events. Useful for auditing and tracking progress.
User Guide
Opens this guide! You can return here at any time if you need help understanding any part of the system.
Tip
The Quick Links panel also shows your MMMD Officer contact details (name, email, phone). If you have a question about a submission, this is who to reach out to.
Supplier Management
Before you can create tenders or contracts, you need suppliers in your system. The Supplier Management module lets you register, manage, and share supplier information.
The My Suppliers section is your company's supplier database. This is where you keep track of all the suppliers your company works with, whether local or non-local. Click the My Suppliers tile on your dashboard to access it.
What You Can Do Here
View Your Suppliers
See a list of all suppliers registered to your company, including their local content status, location, and PACRA registration details.
Supplier Directory
Browse the national supplier directory to find suppliers already registered in the system. If a supplier you work with is already listed, you can add them to your company's list with one click — no need to re-enter their details.
Register New Supplier
If a supplier doesn't exist in the directory yet, register them by filling in their company details, ownership information, and contact information.
Bulk Import
Have many suppliers to add? Download the import template, fill it in with your supplier data, and upload the file to add them all at once.
Local vs Non-local Suppliers
Local
Companies registered in Zambia with at least 51% local ownership. These count towards your local content targets.
Non-local
Internationally-owned companies. Procurements from non-local suppliers are tracked separately in your compliance reports.
Tip
Always check the Supplier Directory first before registering a new supplier. This avoids duplicate entries and saves you time.
My Suppliers
The My Suppliers page is your main database of vendors. Here you can see every supplier you have added to your list, along with their key status details:
- Status: Active or Inactive
- Ownership: Local (Citizen/Local Owned) or Non-local
- Contact Details: Phone, email, and verification status
Registering Suppliers
You can add suppliers to your database in two ways: Manual Registration or Bulk Import.
Register New Supplier (Manual)
When adding a single supplier, you must ensure all mandatory fields are filled with verified information from the supplier's official documents:
Critical Fields:
- Company Name: The official registered name.
- TPIN & PACRA: Unique identifiers to prevent duplicates.
- Ownership %: Essential for determining "Local" vs "Non-local" status under SI 2025.
- Goods/Services: What they can supply (helps in categorization).
Bulk Import
Have a long list? Use the "Bulk Import" button to upload an Excel file containing multiple suppliers at once. The system will validate them and check for duplicates automatically.
Supplier Directory
Why re-register a supplier if they are already in the system? The Supplier Directory is a shared pool of suppliers uploaded by other mining companies.
Benefits:
- Save Time: Don't type in details manually — just find them and click "Add to My List".
- Verified Data: Benefit from supplier details that may have already been verified by others.
- Unified Use: Once added, these suppliers are available for your Tenders, Contracts, and Supplier Development Plans (SDP).
Procurement Module
The Procurement module is where you manage everything related to your company's procurement activities and local content compliance. Click the Procurement tile on your main dashboard to get started.
Procurement Dashboard
When you click the Procurement tile, you'll arrive at your Procurement Dashboard. This gives you a bird's-eye view of all your procurement activities in one place.
The dashboard shows four main tiles, each representing a different area of procurement reporting:
Procurement Plans
Your annual procurement planning documents. Upload plans at the start of each fiscal year to outline your intended purchases.
Tender / Contract Management
Declare individual tenders and contracts as they are awarded. Each tender records the supplier, value, and local content category.
Tender Declarations
Submit your Form I and Form II local content disclosures — regulatory forms required under SI 2025 for each procurement.
Procurement Summaries
View your auto-generated quarterly summaries. These are calculated from your approved tenders — just review and submit at the end of each quarter.
Tip
Each tile on the Procurement Dashboard shows a count of your records. Click any tile to go directly to that section.
Procurement Plans
Procurement plans are annual documents that outline your company's planned purchases for the fiscal year. The Ministry requires these to be submitted before the start of each fiscal year.
Uploading a New Plan
Click the "Upload New Plan" button at the top of the page. You'll be asked to:
- Select the Fiscal Year the plan covers
- Upload your procurement plan document (PDF or Excel)
- Add individual line items with descriptions and estimated costs
- Review and submit the plan for Ministry approval
Filtering Your Plans
Use the filter buttons to quickly find what you're looking for:
| Filter | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Active Plans | Plans that are currently in use — either in draft, submitted, or approved status |
| Cancelled Plans | Plans that have been cancelled and are no longer active |
| All Plans | Every plan on record, regardless of status — useful for viewing your full history |
Plan Actions
Each plan in the list has a set of action buttons on the right side:
| Icon | Action | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| View | Open the plan to see its full details, line items, and current status | |
| Download | Download the original plan document to your computer | |
| Edit | Make changes to the plan (only available for plans in Draft status) | |
| Cancel | Cancel the plan (only available for plans that haven't been approved yet) |
Important
Once a plan has been submitted to the Ministry, you can no longer edit or cancel it. Make sure everything is correct before clicking "Submit for Approval".
Versioning
If a plan is rejected and you're asked to make changes, a new version will be created automatically — your original submission is preserved for reference.
Tenders & Contract Management
Click the Tender/Contract Management tile on the Procurement Dashboard to open the Procurement Compliance page. This is where you report awarded tenders for SI 2025 compliance monitoring.
Status Tiles
At the top of the page, you'll see status tiles that give you a quick snapshot of your tenders:
Draft
Tenders you've started but haven't submitted yet. You can still edit these.
Pending Review
Tenders that are waiting for Ministry review and approval.
Submitted
Tenders that have been submitted and approved by the Ministry.
Awarded
Tenders that have been fully processed and awarded.
Below the status tiles you'll also find summary counters for Total Tenders, Total Value (ZMW), and Core Tenders — giving you a quick financial overview.
Filters
Use the dropdown filters to narrow down your tender list by:
- Reporting Period — filter by quarter (e.g., Q1 2026)
- Status — Draft, Pending Review, Submitted, Awarded, or All
- Schedule Type — Core Goods, Core Services, Non-Core Goods, or Non-Core Services
- Method — ICB, NCB, or Direct Contracting
Action Buttons
At the top of the page, you'll find four action buttons:
| Button | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Upload Tender Result | Report a new awarded tender/contract — the main way to declare procurements |
| Split Award | For tenders where different parts were awarded to different suppliers |
| Lot Splitting | Split a large tender into multiple lots for compliance purposes |
| Exceptions | Apply for an exception when international sourcing is required (e.g., OEM parts) |
Upload Tender Result (In Detail)
When you click "Upload Tender Result", you'll be taken to a form where you can report a completed or awarded tender. There are two ways to upload tenders:
Single Entry (Form)
Enter one tender at a time using a step-by-step form. Best for reporting individual tender results.
Bulk Upload (Excel)
Upload multiple tenders from an Excel template. Best for reporting many tenders at once. Download the template, fill it in, then upload.
Single Entry: Step-by-Step
When using Single Entry mode, the form guides you through five steps:
Tender/Contract Information
Enter the basic details of the tender:
- Tender Reference — your internal reference number (e.g., TENDER-2026-001)
- Procurement Method — how the tender was conducted (ICB, NCB, or Direct Contracting)
- Description — brief description of goods/services procured
- Schedule Items — select one or more items from the SI 2025 schedule (1000: Core Goods, 2000: Non-Core Goods, 3000: Core Services, 4000: Non-Core Services) with quantities and values
- Award Date — when the contract was awarded
- Total Contract Value — auto-calculated from schedule items
Add Bidder Suppliers
Search and add all suppliers who submitted bids for this tender. Use the search bar to find registered suppliers — they'll appear as tags showing whether they are Local or Non-local. Then download the bid template — an Excel file pre-filled with the suppliers you selected.
Upload Bid Summary
Open the downloaded template, enter the bid amount and quotation reference for each supplier, then upload the completed file. The system will auto-calculate the 15% Margin of Preference (MoP) for Core items to check compliance.
Select Winning Supplier
Choose which supplier won the tender from the list of bidders you added in Step 2. The system will automatically determine if the supplier is local or non-local. You can also mark the tender as a direct OEM procurement if applicable (lot splitting rules don't apply to OEM purchases under Regulation 4(4)).
Supporting Documents (Optional)
Upload any supporting files, such as the award letter or evaluation report. If you marked the tender as OEM, you'll need to upload an OEM certificate here.
Contract References
You can also optionally add document references (PO Number, Contract Number, Delivery Note, GRN Reference, Invoice Reference) for audit trail purposes.
Bulk Upload Mode
If you have many tenders to report at once, switch to Bulk Upload mode:
- Download the template — an Excel file with dropdown lists for Schedule Items, Procurement Methods, and Suppliers
- Fill in your data — one tender per row, including reference, description, schedule item, method, value, award date, and winning supplier
- Upload the file — drag and drop or click to browse. The system will create all tenders at once.
Important
For bulk uploads: if any row has errors, the entire upload will be rejected. You'll receive a detailed error message with the row number and issue so you can fix it and re-upload.
Tip
When a tender is approved, its value automatically flows into your quarterly procurement summary — so make sure your data is accurate!
Split Awards
A Split Award allows you to turn a single RFQ into multiple contracts. This is useful when you tender for a list of items (e.g., "Q1 Stationery") and want to award different line items to different suppliers based on the best price or availability.
How it works:
- Navigate to Procurement Dashboard > Split Award and click "New Split Award".
- Enter the RFQ reference and description.
- Upload Excel: Download the template, fill in the RFQ lines and supplier quotations, and upload it.
- Review Allocations: The system will show you which supplier gets which line based on your spreadsheet.
- Create Contracts: When you click "Create Contracts", the system automatically generates separate lots/contracts for each best evaluated supplier.
Lot Splitting (Delivery Failure)
SI 2025 Regulation 4(3) allows you to "split" a lot when a local supplier fails to deliver. This workflow lets you record the failure and re-allocate the remaining work to other suppliers.
When to use this
Use this ONLY when an actively contracted local supplier has failed to deliver. Do not use this for initial tender planning.
The Workflow:
- Select Tender: Choose the tender where the supplier failed.
- Record Failure: Enter the failure date and reason (e.g., "Capacity constraints").
- Mark Delivered Items: If they delivered some items, mark them so they get credit for what they did.
- Re-allocate: Assign the remaining items to other local suppliers first.
If local capacity is completely exhausted, you may allocate to a non-local supplier, but this requires a Ministry Exception (see below).
Tender Exceptions
SI 2025 Regulation 4(5) requires a Ministry Exception before you can award a contract (or re-allocate a failed lot) to a non-local supplier when local capacity is insufficient.
Select Tender
Choose the tender or broken lot that you need to award to a non-local supplier.
Justify & Document
You must confirm that:
- Local capacity is exhausted.
- You have contacted at least 3 local suppliers (the system will ask you to log their responses/declines).
- There is a technical or capacity reason why locals cannot fulfill the requirement.
Submit
Submitting the form generates the exception application. Once approved, you can proceed with the non-local award.
Tender Declarations
A Tender Declaration is a quarterly list of all tenders that your company has put up, advertised, or plans to advertise during that quarter. Think of it as a "register" of procurement activity for the period.
Key Rule
There is one declaration per quarter per company. If you upload a new declaration for the same quarter, it will replace the existing one.
Later, when you upload actual tender results (in the Tenders section above), you can link them back to specific lines in your tender declaration — giving you a complete audit trail from planning to award.
Creating a New Declaration
When you click "New Declaration" from the Tender Declarations list, you'll see the creation form:
There are two ways to create a declaration:
Manual Entry
Enter tenders one by one using the form. Click "+ Add Tender" to add each line. Best for adding a few tenders.
Excel Upload
Upload multiple tenders from a spreadsheet. Download the template, fill it in, then upload. Best for bulk declarations.
Steps to Create a Declaration
Select the Quarter
Choose which quarter this declaration covers from the dropdown. All tender dates you enter must fall within this quarter period.
Add Tender Lines
For each tender, you'll need to provide:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Tender Number * | Your internal tender reference (e.g., TND-2025-001) |
| Tender Date * | The date the tender was/will be advertised — must be within the selected quarter |
| Description * | Nature of products or services being procured |
| Amount (ZMW) * | Estimated value of the tender (numeric only) |
Link to Plan Lines (Optional)
For each tender line, you can click "+ Link Plan Lines" to connect it to items from your approved procurement plan. This helps track which planned procurements have been advertised.
Submit for Approval
Once all tender lines are added, submit the declaration. It follows the standard approval workflow: a different user in your organisation must review and approve it before it is sent to the Ministry.
Late Submissions
Declarations submitted after the quarter deadline will be flagged as late submissions and may attract a penalty. Always try to submit on time!
Editing & Managing Declarations
From the Tender Declarations list, you can:
- View — see the full details of a submitted declaration
- Edit — modify a draft declaration (add/remove tender lines)
- Delete — remove a draft declaration entirely
- Reset to Draft — administrators can revert an approved declaration back to draft for corrections
Tip
When you later upload a tender result, you can link it to a declaration line — this gives you a complete trail from "We plan to tender this" to "This supplier won the contract."
Quarterly Procurement Summaries
At the start of each quarter, the system automatically creates an empty procurement summary for your company. As tenders are approved during the quarter, the summary is updated in real-time with the spend data.
At the end of the quarter, you simply:
- Review the auto-populated summary data
- Click "Submit for Approval" to send it to the Ministry
Tip
You don't need to create procurement summaries — they're generated automatically. Just check that the numbers look correct and submit!
How Submissions Work
Every document you submit follows the same general workflow:
Note
If the Ministry needs changes, your submission will be sent back for revision. You'll receive a notification and can make corrections before resubmitting.
Employment Module
The Employment module is where you report on your company's workforce. This covers the number of employees, their nationalities, gender breakdown, and inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs). Click the Employment tile on your dashboard to access it.
What You'll Find Here
Employment Records
View all your past and current quarterly employment submissions. Each record shows the workforce breakdown for that reporting period.
New Submission
Submit your quarterly workforce data. You'll enter the number of local employees, expatriates, female staff, and persons with disabilities across different job categories.
Employment Categories Tracked
Local Employees
Zambian citizens employed across all roles and departments.
Expatriate Employees
Foreign nationals working under valid work permits.
Female Employees
Gender diversity tracking across all staff levels.
Persons with Disabilities
Inclusion tracking for employees with disabilities.
Important
Employment returns are due within 15 days after the end of each quarter. Make sure to submit on time to stay in compliance.
Supplier Development Programme
The Supplier Development Programme (SDP) module helps you plan, track, and report on your initiatives to develop local suppliers. This is a critical component of complying with SI 2025.
SDP Dashboard
When you enter the module, you are greeted by the Dashboard, which gives you a high-level overview of your development activities.
The dashboard provides key insights at a glance:
- Financial Overview: Total annual budget vs. actual spend across all programmes.
- Programme Stats: Number of active programmes and supplier engagements.
- Quick Access: Tiles to jump to All Programmes, Quarterly Reports, or My Suppliers.
Creating a New Programme
To start a new initiative, go to the All Programmes section and click "Create New Programme".
You will need to provide:
1. Basic Details
Enter the Programme Name and link it to an approved Procurement Plan. Set the Start and End dates for the initiative.
2. Financials & Components
Specify the Annual Budget. You must also select the Programme Components (e.g., Training, Financial Support, Technology Transfer) as defined in SI 2025.
3. Target Suppliers
Select the specific local suppliers who will benefit from this programme. Integrating them here allows you to track their progress individually.
Building Your Programme (Draft Stage)
Once you save the initial details, your programme enters the Draft state. The programme is not yet active!
Draft Mode
In Draft mode, you must flesh out the programme by adding the specific Activities, KPIs, and Milestones that will define its success. You cannot submit the programme for approval until these are defined.
In this stage, you will:
- Add Activities: specific executable actions (e.g., "Conduct ISO 9001 Workshop").
- Define KPIs: SMART indicators to measure impact (e.g., "Number of suppliers certified").
- Set Milestones: Key dates to track progress against your timeline.
Each of these elements helps build a comprehensive plan that meets Ministry standards.
Compliance Reports
Admin Only
Compliance Reports give you a high-level view of how your company is performing against the SI 2025 local content requirements. Only Company Administrators can see this tile on the dashboard.
What You'll Find Here
Compliance Status
See your overall compliance status across procurement, employment, and supplier development. The system tracks how close you are to meeting the required thresholds.
Quarterly Reviews
View quarterly compliance assessments prepared by the Ministry. These reviews summarise your performance and highlight any areas needing improvement.
Note
Compliance reports are generated by the Ministry based on the data you submit. Make sure your procurement, employment, and SDP submissions are up to date for accurate results.
Penalties
Admin Only
If the Ministry identifies non-compliance, penalties may be issued. This section allows Company Administrators to view issued penalties and upload proof of payment to resolve them.
What You Can Do Here
View Penalties
See a list of all penalties issued to your company, including the reason, amount, and current status (pending, paid, or disputed).
Upload Proof of Payment
Once a penalty has been paid, upload your proof of payment (receipt or bank confirmation) to close the penalty record.
Important
Penalties must be resolved within the timeframe specified by the Ministry. Failure to pay on time may result in additional enforcement actions.
Mine Profile
Your Mine Profile contains your company's registration and contact information. Keeping this up to date is important — the Ministry uses this for official correspondence and compliance assessments.
You can access your Mine Profile from the Quick Links sidebar on any page, or by clicking "Edit information" on the sidebar where your company details are displayed.
What You Can Update
- Company name and registration details
- Physical and postal address
- Phone numbers and email addresses
- Company logo and supporting documents
- Key contact persons
Tip
If your company details change (new address, contact person, etc.), update your Mine Profile right away so the Ministry always has the correct information.
Activity Log
The Activity Log provides a complete timeline of everything that happens on your portal. It's like a history book for your compliance activities.
Access it from the Quick Links sidebar on any page.
What Gets Logged
- Submissions — when documents are submitted for Ministry review
- Approvals — when the Ministry approves your submissions
- Rejections — when submissions are sent back for revision
- Changes — profile updates, supplier additions, and other modifications
- System Events — automated actions like quarterly summary generation
Note
The Activity Log is read-only — it's a record of what has happened. Use it to keep track of your team's submissions and the Ministry's responses.
Reporting Schedule
Here's a quick reference for when each type of report is due:
| Report | How Often | When It's Due |
|---|---|---|
| Procurement Plan | Once a year | Before the start of the fiscal year |
| Tender Declarations | Per tender | Before the tender closes |
| Procurement Summary | Quarterly | Within 15 days after quarter ends |
| Employment Returns | Quarterly | Within 15 days after quarter ends |
| SDP Progress Report | Quarterly | By end of quarter |
Don't Miss Your Deadlines!
Late submissions may affect your compliance status and could result in penalties. We recommend submitting at least a few days before the deadline.
Understanding Status Badges
Throughout the portal, you'll see coloured status badges on your submissions. Here's what each one means:
Draft
Your document has been created but not yet submitted. You can still edit it.
Submitted
Your document has been sent to the Ministry and is awaiting review. No further edits are possible.
Approved
The Ministry has accepted your submission. No further action needed.
Rejected / Revision Needed
The Ministry needs you to make changes and resubmit. Check the feedback notes for what to fix.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click "Forgot Password" on the login page. Enter your email address and follow the instructions sent to your inbox. If you don't receive the email within a few minutes, check your spam folder.
No — once a document is submitted, it's locked for review. If the Ministry rejects it, you'll receive feedback and can make corrections before resubmitting.
We accept PDF, Excel (.xlsx, .xls), and CSV files. Maximum file size is 10MB.
Use the Bulk Import feature in the My Suppliers section. Download the template, fill in your supplier details, then upload the completed file.
These tiles are only visible to Company Administrators. If you need access, ask your company's admin to grant you the appropriate permissions.
Your MMMD Officer's contact details are shown in the sidebar on every page. For technical issues, contact the Ministry of Mines helpdesk. For compliance questions, reach out to your assigned liaison officer.
Procurement summaries are now automatically generated by the system at the start of each quarter and updated as your tenders are approved. You don't need to create them manually — just review and submit.