Provision of Festival Assessment Services

AI-generated analysis of the documents. Check the official notice and any amendments for current submission details.

1. At a glance

2. Scope of Work

The contract involves providing Festival Assessment Services to the Arts Council, which includes evaluating various arts festivals across Ireland. The contractor will be responsible for assessing the quality, impact, and effectiveness of these festivals, ensuring they align with the Arts Council's strategic objectives.

The key activities include:

• Assessment Reports: Deliver comprehensive reports on festival performance, including qualitative and quantitative analysis.
• Site Visits: Conduct site visits to various festival locations to gather firsthand data and insights.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with festival organizers, participants, and audiences to collect feedback and perspectives.
• Data Analysis: Analyze attendance figures, audience demographics, and financial performance metrics.
• Recommendations: Provide actionable recommendations for improvement based on assessment findings.
• Reporting Schedule: Adhere to a defined reporting schedule, with interim and final reports due at specified intervals.

The contractor must demonstrate familiarity with the arts sector and possess the capability to evaluate festivals of varying scales and types.

3. Background & buyer context

The Arts Council is procuring these services to enhance the evaluation framework for arts festivals, aligning with national cultural policies aimed at promoting the arts in Ireland. This procurement is part of a broader initiative to ensure that public funding for arts festivals is effectively utilized and that the impact of these festivals is measured accurately. The Arts Council has previously engaged contractors for similar assessments but seeks to refresh its approach and methodologies.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following eligibility and selection criteria:

• Turnover requirement: Minimum average annual turnover of €50,000 in services related to arts or cultural assessments.
• Insurance:
• Employer’s Liability Insurance: €13,000,000
• Public Liability Insurance: €6,500,000
• Professional Indemnity Insurance: €1,000,000
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Evidence of at least two (2) contracts of similar nature and complexity delivered in the past five years.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

Bids will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

The overall scoring will follow a Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) approach.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders must submit the following documents:

• Method statement / response document: Complete the Tender Response Document (TRD) as per the provided template, adhering to any page limits.
• CVs: Provide CVs for key personnel, limited to two pages each.
• Pricing schedule: Complete the pricing schedule included in the TRD.
• Case studies: Submit two case studies demonstrating relevant experience, with values ranging from €20,000 to €100,000.
• Declarations: Include declarations such as ESPD, Bona Fides, Tax clearance, and Conflict of Interest statements.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission portal: Tenders must be submitted via the electronic post-box on www.eTenders.gov.ie, adhering to specified format rules.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract will have a duration of three years, with one optional extension of up to 12 months. Payment terms will be milestone-based, with specific deliverables tied to payment schedules. Key performance indicators (KPIs) will be established to measure the contractor's performance, including timely submission of reports and stakeholder satisfaction ratings. Liquidated damages may apply for late submissions. Intellectual property rights for the reports and findings will be retained by the Arts Council. Sub-contracting is permitted but must be disclosed and approved.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

Potential risks include:

• A low turnover requirement that may attract bidders lacking sufficient experience in arts assessments.
• The absence of specified personnel requirements could lead to variability in the quality of submissions.
• The Arts Council's right to amend the contract terms during the competition may introduce uncertainty for bidders.
• The evaluation process heavily favors qualitative criteria, which may disadvantage bidders with lower cost proposals.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is suitable for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with experience in arts or cultural assessments. Viable bidders should have a proven track record of delivering similar services and possess the necessary insurance coverage. Consortiums or subcontracting arrangements are allowed, enabling smaller firms to collaborate and enhance their capabilities. Bid preparation is estimated to require approximately 10-15 days, depending on the complexity of the proposal. The presence of an incumbent contractor may influence the competitive landscape, but the Arts Council is open to new entrants.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: CFT_ Call For Tender AC-2024-41 Festival Assessment Services.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: AC/2024/41
• Contact email for clarifications: www.eTenders.gov.ie
• Important attachments: Appendix 1 — Background, Requirements & Specifications; Appendix 2 — Specimen Contract.