Limerick St. Patrick’s Festival Event Management (2027-2029)

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 requires comprehensive event management, creative programming, stakeholder engagement, sponsorship development, operational delivery, and festival management services for the Limerick St. Patrick’s Festival, spanning the years 2027 to 2029. This is a flagship tourism, cultural, and community participation event for Limerick City and County Council (LCCC), aiming to position Limerick as a festival and events destination and increase visitor dwell time. The festival is intended to transition from a 'Regional Event' to a 'Hallmark Event' with high tourist demand.

The festival programme comprises three principal pillars:

• Pillar 1: Limerick International Band Championship: This involves the management and operational delivery of a band championship event. A minimum of two personnel are required to coordinate and facilitate band arrivals, including meet-and-greet duties and on-site assistance for participating bands.
• Pillar 2: Limerick St. Patrick’s Day Parade: This pillar requires the management and operational delivery of the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade.
• Pillar 3: Shamrock Street Shows and Festival Entertainment Programme: This encompasses the creative programming, stakeholder engagement, and operational delivery of various street shows and entertainment throughout the festival period.

The overarching objectives for the festival include:

• Celebrating Irish identity, culture, and heritage.
• Positioning Limerick as a leading St. Patrick’s Festival destination nationally and internationally.
• Promoting tourism and economic activity.
• Fostering community participation and inclusion.
• Showcasing creativity, diversity, and innovation.
• Strengthening links with the Irish diaspora.
• Delivering high-quality visitor experiences.
• Supporting accessibility, sustainability, and universal design principles.
• Generating sponsorship and partnership opportunities for long-term festival growth.

The services are to be delivered in accordance with LCCC’s 'Festivals and Events Strategy (2024 – 2028) – Embrace The Experience'.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement aligns with Limerick City and County Council's (LCCC) strategic objective to enhance Limerick's profile as a festival and events destination, as outlined in their 'Festivals and Events Strategy (2024 – 2028)'. The St. Patrick's Festival is identified as a key Council-owned event, crucial for driving tourism, cultural engagement, and community participation. The current procurement seeks to elevate the festival's status from a 'Regional Event' to a 'Hallmark Event' with significant tourist demand and economic impact. The contract duration of three years (2027-2029) reflects a commitment to developing and growing this flagship event.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must satisfy the following minimum requirements to be considered:

• Turnover requirement: Not specified for this tender.
• Insurance: The successful tenderer must hold the following insurances for the term of the Services Contract:
• Employer’s Liability: €13,000,000
• Public Liability: €6,500,000
• Product Liability: €6,500,000
• Professional Indemnity: €1,300,000
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: A minimum of 2 references are required to be submitted as part of the tender submission process.
• Personnel: A minimum of two personnel will be required to coordinate and facilitate band arrivals into Arthur’s Quay Park, including meet-and-greet duties and on-site assistance for bands. Specific experience requirements for these roles are not detailed.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Services are for Limerick, Ireland. No specific geographic constraints for the bidder's location are stated, but insurance policies must include Ireland within their territorial limits.

Tenderers relying on the capacity of other entities (subcontractors) for selection criteria must ensure those entities also complete a separate eESPD and provide proof of resources.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award criteria are not explicitly detailed with scoring percentages in the provided extract. However, the tender procedure is an open procedure, and the evaluation will be based on compliant tenders that meet the selection criteria. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to reject any tender and is not bound to accept the lowest priced or any tender. The evaluation process will consider the fulfilment of selection criteria and award the contract based on factors that demonstrate the most advantageous tender.

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers must submit the following:

• European Single Procurement Document (eESPD): An electronic version must be completed and submitted.
• All required documentation: As specified in the RFT.
• Format: Tenders must follow the RFT format and respond to each element in the order presented.
• Pricing Schedule: Appendix 2 must be completed. Prices must be all-inclusive, in Euro, and exclusive of VAT.
• Tenderer’s Statement: A scanned, signed copy on letterhead, as per Appendix 3.
• Declarations:
• eESPD declarations regarding exclusion grounds and selection criteria.
• Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer (Appendix 4).
• Undertaking to comply with environmental, social, and labour law.
• Undertaking to comply with Council Directive 2001/23/EC (TUPE).
• Confirmation of insurance coverage.
• Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference Number for online verification.
• Disclosure of any Registrable Interest.
• Declaration that the tender was prepared independently.
• Case studies: Not specified for this tender.
• CVs: Not specified for this tender.
• Method statement / response document: Not specified as a separate document, but responses must follow the RFT structure.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission portal: Tenders must be submitted via the electronic tenderbox on www.etenders.gov.ie.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: The Services Contract will be for 1 year.
• Extension: The Contracting Authority reserves the right to extend the Term for up to two periods of 1 year each, on the same terms and conditions.
• Payment terms: Subject to and made in accordance with the Services Contract (Appendix 5).
• Liquidated damages: Not specified for this tender.
• Termination: Either party may terminate with 14 days' notice if a breach is not remedied within 14 calendar days of a written request.
• IP ownership: Not specified for this tender.
• Sub-contracting: Permitted, but the Prime Contractor remains responsible. Subcontractors may need to submit separate eESPDs depending on their role.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond: Not specified for this tender.
• Price validity: Quoted prices must remain valid for 12 months from the Tender Deadline.
• Currency variations: Borne by the Tenderer.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Indicative Budget vs. Contract Value: The estimated expenditure of €682,926.84 (excl. VAT) over the full potential term (3 years with extensions) suggests an average annual value of approximately €227,642.28. This is a moderate value for a comprehensive festival management contract.
• Insurance Requirements: The insurance levels, particularly Public Liability and Professional Indemnity, are substantial for the indicated contract value, suggesting a high-risk event profile or a desire for significant financial protection for the authority.
• No Specified Turnover Requirement: The absence of a specific minimum turnover requirement, while potentially encouraging SME participation, means bidders must rely on demonstrating financial standing through the eESPD.
• Ambiguous Go-Live Date: The lack of a specified go-live or mobilisation date creates uncertainty for planning and resource allocation.
• International Procurement Instrument (IPI) & Foreign Subsidies: Tenderers must be aware of and comply with Regulation (EU) 2022/1031 (IPI) and Regulation (EU) 2022/2560 (Foreign Subsidies), which may require specific declarations and notifications, particularly for non-EU entities or those receiving significant foreign financial contributions.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured to be accessible to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with proven experience in event management and festival delivery. While there is no explicit turnover requirement, the insurance levels are significant. A credible bidder would likely be an established event management company with a track record of delivering medium-scale civic festivals or large-scale events.

• Consortium/Sub-contracting: Consortiums are permitted. Sub-contracting is allowed, and the Prime Contractor remains responsible. SMEs can participate by forming consortia with other SMEs or larger enterprises.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Preparing a compliant tender, including completing the eESPD, gathering references, and detailing the service approach, could require 10-20 days of effort for an experienced team.
• Pwin signal: The tender is open, with no named incumbent or previous winners specified. The key factors for success will be the quality of the creative programming, stakeholder engagement strategy, sponsorship development plan, and operational delivery capability, alongside meeting the insurance and reference requirements. The transition goal from 'Regional' to 'Hallmark' event suggests a need for innovative and impactful proposals.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: Services Request for Tender - Limerick St. Patrick's Festival (2027-2029).docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided text.
• Contact / Clarification Portal: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.
• Key Attachments:
• Appendix 1: Requirements and Specifications
• Appendix 2: Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 5: Services Contract