LOCAS Portal User Guide
Your step-by-step guide to the Local Content Assessment System
My Suppliers
Before you can record tenders or contracts, suppliers must be in the system. The My Suppliers module is where you manage your full supplier database — registering new suppliers, browsing the national directory, and exporting your data.
My Suppliers — main list page
Page Header Buttons
| Button | What It Does |
|---|---|
| + Add Supplier | Register a new supplier or bulk-upload from Excel. |
| Export Excel | Download your supplier list as an Excel (.xlsx) file. |
| Export CSV | Download your supplier list as a CSV file. |
| Supplier Directory | Browse all suppliers registered in LOCAS and add them to your list. |
| Suspended / Deactivated | View suppliers you have deactivated from your list. |
Supplier Stats
Three summary counters appear at the top of the page: Total Suppliers, Local Suppliers, and Active Suppliers. These update automatically as you add or deactivate suppliers.
Local vs Non-Local Classification
Every supplier is classified based on their Zambian ownership percentage. This classification determines whether procurement from that supplier counts towards your local content targets:
| CEEC Category | Zambian Ownership | Local Status |
|---|---|---|
| Citizen Owned | 51% or more | Local |
| Citizen Empowered | 25% – 50% | Local |
| Non-Local | Less than 25% | Non-Local |
Why This Matters
Only spend with Citizen Owned or Citizen Empowered suppliers counts towards your SI 2025 local content targets. Non-local spend is tracked separately in your compliance reports.
Adding a New Supplier
Click + Add Supplier. The system asks you to choose how you want to register:
Add Supplier — choose registration method
| Method | When to Use |
|---|---|
| Manual / Single Entry | Fill in the form for one supplier at a time. Best for individual registrations. |
| Bulk / Excel Upload | Download the template, fill it in, and upload to import many suppliers at once. Best for bulk registrations. |
Manual Registration
Selecting Manual / Single Entry opens the Register Supplier form.
Register Supplier form — Zambian supplier
Duplicate Prevention
If a supplier with a matching TPIN or email already exists in LOCAS, the system will link them to your company rather than create a duplicate record.
Enter Company Details
Fill in the supplier’s Company Name (required), Email, and Phone number.
Set Registration Country
The Registered in Zambia toggle is on by default. Leave it on for Zambian suppliers. Turn it off for foreign companies — the form will switch to show a Foreign Company Registration Number field instead of TPIN and PACRA.
Select Supplier Type (Zambian suppliers only)
Choose the type that matches the supplier’s registration:
| Type | TPIN Required | PACRA Required |
|---|---|---|
| Private Company / Business | Yes — exactly 10 digits | Yes — exactly 12 digits |
| Government Body | Optional | Optional |
| Cooperative | Not required | Optional |
Set Ownership Category (Zambian suppliers only)
Select the CEEC category and enter the Zambian ownership percentage. The system validates that the percentage is consistent with the selected category.
Select Goods / Services
Choose the schedule items that describe what this supplier provides. These are used for matching in the Supplier Directory.
Submit
Click Register Supplier. The supplier is added to your list immediately.
Register Supplier — foreign company (Registered in Zambia toggled off)
Supplier Directory
The Supplier Directory contains all suppliers already registered in LOCAS by any mining company. Always check here first before registering a new supplier — if they’re already in the system you can add them in one click.
Supplier Directory — browse and add suppliers
Search and Filter
Search by name or email, PACRA number, or TPIN. Filter by Ownership category or add Goods/Services (Schedule Items) to find suppliers for a specific commodity.
Select Suppliers
Tick the checkbox on each supplier card you want to add. You can select multiple at once. Suppliers already in your list show an Added badge and cannot be selected again.
Add to Your List
Click Add to My Suppliers. All selected suppliers are linked to your company instantly — no re-entry of details required. They are immediately available for use in tenders.
Bulk / Excel Upload
For large supplier lists, use the Bulk / Excel Upload option from the + Add Supplier menu. Upload an Excel (.xlsx) or CSV file. Existing suppliers (matched by TPIN or email) are linked to your company automatically — new ones are created.
Bulk / Excel Upload — required column reference
| Column | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | Supplier company name |
| Yes | Company email | |
| Phone | No | Phone number |
| Registered in Zambia | Yes | Use Yes or No |
| TPIN | Conditional | Required when Registered in Zambia = Yes. Exactly 10 digits. |
| Registration Number | Conditional | PACRA number. Required when Registered in Zambia = Yes. Exactly 12 digits. |
| Foreign Company Registration Number | No | Optional for suppliers not registered in Zambia. |
| Ownership Category | Conditional | Required when Registered in Zambia = Yes. Use: Citizen Owned / Citizen Empowered / Non-local. |
| Zambian Ownership % | Conditional | Required when Registered in Zambia = Yes. Number 0–100. |
Editing Supplier Information
Go to My Suppliers, click the supplier, then click Edit. Some fields can be changed directly; others are locked because they affect compliance calculations and require Ministry approval to change.
Fields You Can Edit Directly
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Company Name | Trading name or display name |
| Primary contact email | |
| Phone | Contact phone number |
| Website | Company website URL |
| Address | Physical location |
| Goods & Services | Schedule items the supplier provides |
| Vendor Code | Your internal reference for this supplier |
| Notes | Internal notes visible only to your company |
Sensitive Fields — Ministry Approval Required
These fields are locked for direct editing. To change them, submit a Sensitive Field Edit Request using the Request Change button on the supplier page:
Sensitive Field Changes — section on the supplier page
| Locked Field | Why It Is Sensitive |
|---|---|
| Registered in Zambia | Determines whether TPIN/PACRA rules and local content classification apply. |
| Supplier Type | Controls which registration identifiers are required. |
| TPIN | Primary tax identifier used for deduplication across all mines. |
| PACRA Registration Number | Primary company identifier used for deduplication. |
| Foreign Company Registration Number | Registration reference for non-Zambian suppliers. |
| Ownership Category | Determines local content status (Citizen Owned / Citizen Empowered / Non-Local). |
| Zambian Ownership % | Used for SI 2025 local content threshold calculations. |
| Women Ownership % | Affects gender diversity compliance tracking. |
| Youth Ownership % | Affects youth participation compliance tracking. |
How to Submit a Sensitive Field Edit Request
Request Sensitive Field Edit (Ministry Approval) modal
Click Request Change
On the supplier page, scroll to the Sensitive Field Changes section and click Request Change.
Select Fields to Change
Tick the checkbox next to each field you need to update, then enter the new value for each. You can include multiple field changes in a single request.
Provide a Reason
Enter a clear explanation of why the change is needed (e.g., “TPIN was incorrectly captured at registration”). This is required.
Attach Supporting Documents
Attach at least one supporting document — a PACRA printout, TPIN certificate, ownership documents, or other evidence. This is required.
Submit to Ministry
Click Submit Request to Ministry. The Ministry team is notified. You can track progress in the Recent Requests table on the supplier page.
| Request Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Submitted | Sent to the Ministry — awaiting assignment. |
| Under Review | A Ministry officer is reviewing the request. |
| Implemented | Approved and applied — the supplier record has been updated. |
| Rejected | Not approved. Check the Ministry’s review feedback for the reason. |
One Active Request at a Time
You can only have one active (Submitted or Under Review) request per supplier at any time. Wait for the Ministry’s decision before submitting another request for the same supplier.