The provision of survey services for the Eurostudent 9 Survey

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 Higher Education Authority (HEA) seeks a contractor to conduct the Eurostudent 9 Survey, a comprehensive study of the social, economic, and living conditions of higher education students in Ireland. The survey aims to gather data from a population of approximately 240,000 students, with an expected response rate similar to previous surveys.

The contractor's responsibilities include:

• Scheduling the National Survey: Establish a timeline for the survey, including key milestones.
• Questionnaire Development: Translate and adapt the EUROSTUDENT 9 questionnaire, ensuring cultural relevance.
• Sampling Plan: Develop a national sampling plan to ensure a representative sample of students.
• Field Phase Implementation: Conduct the survey in Spring/Summer 2025, managing data collection methods and ensuring high response rates.
• Participation in Workshops: Attend preparatory seminars and data delivery workshops organized by EUROSTUDENT.
• Data Handling: Collect completed questionnaires, process data, and return it to the EUROSTUDENT project.
• Reporting: Produce two reports:
• The Irish input into the European Report: Collate data into pre-formatted tables with accompanying commentary.
• The Irish Report: A detailed publication including analysis, data tables, and charts.

The contractor must ensure compliance with EUROSTUDENT requirements throughout the process, including data cleaning, plausibility checking, and interpretation of results.

3. Background & buyer context

The procurement of this survey service aligns with the HEA's mandate to enhance the evidence base for strategic planning in higher education. The Eurostudent Survey has been conducted since 2000, with the last iteration in 2022, which collected approximately 21,000 valid responses. The HEA aims to continue this tradition to inform policy and improve student experiences in higher education.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following eligibility and selection criteria:

• Turnover requirement: Minimum average annual turnover of €100,000 in one of the last three financial years, or pro-rata if more recently established.
• Insurance:
• Employers’ Liability: €12.7 million
• Public Liability: €6.5 million
• Professional Indemnity: €200,000
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Evidence of three comparable projects completed between 2016 and the present.
• 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 evaluation will follow a Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) approach, balancing price and quality.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders must submit the following documents:

• Method statement / response document: Addressing all criteria in the provided Tender Response Document (TRD).
• CVs: For key team members, with a specified page limit.
• Pricing schedule: Using the specified format in the TRD.
• Case studies: Evidence of three comparable projects.
• Declarations: Including ESPD, Bona Fides, Tax clearance, and Conflict of Interest.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission portal: Tenders must be submitted electronically via the eTenders post-box facility.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

Key contract terms include:

• Duration: 24 months, with an option for one 12-month extension.
• Payment terms: Payments structured as follows:
• 30% on commencement
• 30% on commencement of data collection
• 15% at the closing of data collection
• 10% on delivery of European data upload
• 15% on delivery of the Irish report
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Timely delivery of reports and data submissions.
• Termination clauses: Either party may terminate with 14 days’ notice.
• IP ownership: Not specified for this tender.
• Sub-contracting rules: Not specified for this tender.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

Potential risks and concerns include:

• The minimum turnover requirement of €100,000 may limit participation to established firms, potentially excluding smaller businesses.
• The requirement for three comparable projects may disadvantage newer firms or those without extensive experience in similar surveys.
• The tight timeline for survey implementation in Spring/Summer 2025 may pose challenges for bidders in terms of resource allocation and scheduling.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is suitable for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with experience in conducting large-scale surveys, particularly in the higher education sector. A viable bidder should have:

• Relevant expertise in survey methodology and data analysis.
• The capacity to manage a project of this scale, including participation in workshops and conferences.
• The ability to meet the insurance and turnover requirements.

Consortium or subcontracting arrangements are not explicitly mentioned, but bidders should clarify if they intend to collaborate with other firms. The indicative bid preparation effort is estimated at several days, depending on the complexity of the proposal. The presence of established firms in previous Eurostudent surveys may signal a competitive landscape.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: RFT - Eurostudent Final.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: not specified
• Contact email or clarification portal: eTenders messaging portal
• Important attachments: Appendix One (Project Timetable), Tender Response Document (TRD), and any relevant previous Eurostudent reports.