Tender for the Provision of Printing and Mailing Services in respect of Direct Mail Fundraising Campaigns

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 comprehensive printing and mailing services for direct mail fundraising campaigns conducted by Our Lady's Hospice and Care Services (OLH&CS). The contractor will be responsible for managing the entire printing process, ensuring high-quality production, and facilitating the distribution of materials to support various fundraising initiatives.

Key activities include:

• Printing Services:

• Full-color printing of direct mail materials, including brochures, letters, and envelopes.

• Minimum print run of 1,500 units and a maximum of 20,000 units per campaign.

• Total annual print run approximately 50,000 units.

• Data Management:

• Data cleaning and segmentation for targeted direct mail campaigns.

• Return of unusable data for updates on the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.

• Distribution:

• Management of e-docketing and distribution to An Post/DMC (Direct Mail Company).

• Campaign Support:

• Support for multiple annual campaigns, including:

• The Hospice Times (two editions)

• Taxback DM

• The Hospice Spring Raffle

• Women’s Mini Marathon

• Hospice Sunflower Days

• Bewley’s Big Coffee Morning for Hospice

• Light Up A Life

• Donors Christmas card and DM

• Sustainability:

• Alignment with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards and commitment to carbon-neutral printing.

The contractor must demonstrate expertise in fundraising campaigns and provide a high level of customer service throughout the contract duration.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is initiated to secure a professional print and data partner for OLH&CS's direct mail fundraising campaigns. The organization, established in 1879, is Ireland's largest provider of specialist palliative care services, with a mission to raise over €5.5 million annually to maintain and enhance its services. The need for effective fundraising is critical to support capital developments and patient care enhancements. The tender reflects OLH&CS's ongoing commitment to improving its fundraising efforts through professional partnerships.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following eligibility and selection criteria:

• Turnover requirement: Not specified for this tender.

• Insurance:

• Public Liability: €6.5 million

• Employer's Liability: €13 million

• Product Liability: €6.5 million

• Professional Indemnity: €6.5 million

• Cyber Insurance: not specified

• Motor Insurance: not specified

• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.

• Past experience:

• Minimum of two comparable projects in the fundraising sector within the last three years.

• Personnel:

• Named roles with a minimum of three years' experience in relevant fields.

• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

Bids will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

The total available score for the evaluation is 1,000 points. The contract will be awarded to the bidder with the highest score based on the most economically advantageous tender.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders must submit the following documents:

• Method statement / response document: Use the provided template with a maximum of 10 pages.
• CVs: Include CVs for key personnel, limited to two pages each.
• Pricing schedule: Present in the specified format using the provided template.
• Case studies: Provide two examples of fundraising direct mail campaigns, detailing project value and outcomes.
• Declarations: Include ESPD, Bona Fides, Tax clearance, and Conflict of Interest declarations.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission portal: All submissions must be made through eTenders, adhering to any specific format rules outlined in the tender documents.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

Key terms of the contract include:

• Term and extension structure: Not specified for this tender.
• Payment terms: Not specified for this tender.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Performance metrics related to quality and timeliness of printing and mailing services.
• Liquidated damages: Not specified for this tender.
• Termination clauses: Not specified for this tender.
• IP ownership: Not specified for this tender.
• Sub-contracting rules: Not specified for this tender.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond requirements: Not specified for this tender.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

Potential risks and concerns specific to this tender include:

• The requirement for a minimum of two comparable projects may limit participation to established firms with prior experience in fundraising campaigns.
• The absence of specified geographic constraints may open the bidding to a wider pool of bidders, but could also lead to challenges in managing logistics and distribution.
• The lack of clarity on payment terms and contract length may introduce uncertainty for bidders regarding cash flow and project duration.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is suitable for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with expertise in printing and direct mail services, particularly those with experience in fundraising campaigns. Bidders should ideally have:

• A proven track record in delivering high-quality printing services for charitable organizations.
• The capability to manage data analytics and segmentation for effective direct mail campaigns.
• A commitment to sustainability and ESG standards.

Consortium or sub-contracting arrangements are not explicitly mentioned, suggesting that bidders may need to demonstrate their own capabilities. The indicative bid preparation effort is estimated at several days, considering the need for detailed case studies and a comprehensive method statement. The presence of established organizations in the sector may signal a competitive bidding environment.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: Our Lady's Hospice - Print and data Tender 2026 Final.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: not specified
• Contact email or clarification portal: not specified
• Important attachments:
• Appendix B2 — Suitability Assessment
• Mandatory Requirements Schedule