Panel for Veterinary Services at Teagasc Farm Locations

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 tender establishes a panel for the provision of veterinary services to Teagasc farm locations. The contractor is expected to perform a range of veterinary services as required by the farms. The scale of work is defined by the needs of the Teagasc farms, with no guaranteed volume or value of work.

• Emergency Response: Respond to emergency veterinary calls within 30 minutes and be within a 30 km radius of the relevant Teagasc farm location.
• Routine Veterinary Services: Provide regular veterinary care, including health checks, vaccinations, and treatment of illnesses.
• Consultation and Advice: Offer expert advice on animal health and welfare, disease prevention, and management practices.
• Record Keeping: Maintain detailed records of all services provided, including treatments administered and outcomes.
• Compliance: Ensure all services comply with applicable laws and regulations, including animal welfare standards.
• Panel Participation: Engage in panel activities as required, including attending meetings and providing feedback on service delivery.
• Service Agreement: Enter into a Service Agreement for each contract awarded under the panel, detailing specific service requirements and terms.

The panel agreement does not guarantee exclusivity or a minimum number of contracts, and the contracting authority may opt for separate contract award procedures if necessary.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is initiated to establish a panel for veterinary services at Teagasc farm locations. Teagasc is the national body providing integrated research, advisory, and training services to the agriculture and food industry in Ireland. The panel aims to ensure timely and efficient veterinary support for the farms, aligning with Teagasc's commitment to high animal welfare standards and operational efficiency. The strategic driver is to maintain a robust support system for animal health across its farm network, ensuring compliance with national and EU regulations.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

• Turnover requirement: Not specified for this tender.
• Insurance:
• Employers Liability: €13,000,000 any one accident
• Public Liability: €6,500,000 any one accident
• Product Liability: €1,000,000 any one accident
• Professional Indemnity: €1,000,000 any one accident
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Must operate from a physical base within 30 km or 30 minutes’ travel time of the relevant Teagasc farm(s).

5. Award criteria & scoring

The price/quality split follows the MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender) principle.

6. Submission requirements

• Method statement / response document: Not specified.
• CVs: Not specified.
• Pricing schedule: Not specified.
• Case studies: Not specified.
• Declarations: Tax clearance, Conflict of Interest.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified.
• Submission portal: eTenders, with no specific format rules mentioned.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The panel agreement is for a term of 4 years, with no guaranteed volume of work. Payment terms are not specified. Key performance indicators (KPIs) or service level agreements (SLAs) are not detailed. Termination clauses include the right for the contracting authority to terminate the agreement with one month's notice or immediately for serious breaches. Intellectual property ownership, sub-contracting rules, and parent-company guarantee requirements are not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The requirement for a physical base within 30 km of Teagasc farms may limit the bidder pool. The absence of a guaranteed volume of work or exclusivity could affect financial planning for bidders. The panel agreement allows the contracting authority to opt for separate contract award procedures, which could reduce the anticipated workload for panel members. The tight response time for emergency calls may pose operational challenges.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is suitable for small to medium-sized veterinary practices with the capacity to respond quickly to Teagasc farm locations. Firms must have significant insurance coverage and a physical presence within 30 km of the farms. Consortiums or sub-contracting are not mentioned, suggesting a preference for single-entity bids. Bid preparation effort is moderate, given the lack of detailed submission requirements. The incumbent's strength is not specified, but the geographic constraint may favor local providers.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: C4273 - Panel Agreement for Reference Only.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified
• Contact email or clarification portal: Not specified
• Important attachments: Not specified