Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

OpenTenders ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our tender aggregation service.

2. Information We Collect

Personal Information:

• Name and contact information (email, phone number)
• Company information (company name, VAT number, address)
• Account credentials (email and password)
• Payment information (processed securely via PayFast)

Usage Information:

• Categories and provinces of interest
• Search queries and saved searches
• Tenders viewed and alerts configured
• Device information and IP address

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide and maintain our Service
• Process your subscription payments
• Send you tender alerts based on your preferences
• Communicate with you about your account and our Service
• Improve and personalize your experience
• Analyze usage patterns to enhance our Service
• Comply with legal obligations

4. Information Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information with:

• Service Providers: Payment processors (PayFast), email service providers
• Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information. This includes encryption of data in transit (SSL/TLS), secure password hashing, and regular security audits. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with our Service. After account deletion, we may retain certain information for legal or business purposes for up to 5 years.

7. Your Rights (POPIA)

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), you have the right to:

• Access your personal information
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Request deletion of your personal information
• Object to the processing of your information
• Request restriction of processing
• Data portability
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator

8. Cookies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our Service and hold certain information. Cookies are files with a small amount of data that may include an anonymous unique identifier. You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent.

9. Third-Party Links

Our Service may contain links to external websites, including tender sources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of every website you visit.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date.