Meath County Council Development of an Inclusion and Disability Plan

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

Meath County Council procured consultancy services to develop its first countywide Inclusion and Disability Plan for the period 2026-2030. This plan will establish a strategic framework to advance disability inclusion across all Council functions and support national and international human rights obligations. The contract duration is six months, with one potential extension of three months.

The scope of work is divided into two parts:

Part A - Evidence Gathering and Analysis:

• Policy Review: Examine relevant national and international disability, equality, and human rights legislation, policies, strategies, and best practices applicable to local government and disability inclusion.

• Baseline Assessment: Conduct an assessment of demographic data, disability prevalence, existing services, Meath County Council initiatives, and community support structures to inform the plan's development.

• Stakeholder Mapping: Identify and profile key stakeholders relevant to disability inclusion within the county.

• Consultation Programme: Design and implement an accessible and inclusive consultation programme. This will involve various engagement methods, including surveys, workshops, focus groups, and stakeholder interviews. Specific engagement is required with Meath Disabled Persons' Organisation, other relevant disability stakeholders, and Elected Members of Meath County Council. All consultation activities must adhere to best practices in accessibility, universal design, and the meaningful participation of people with disabilities.

• Key Deliverables for Part A:

• Consultation Plan: A detailed stakeholder engagement methodology.

• Baseline Assessment Report: An analysis of the current situation and identified needs.

• Consultation Findings Report: A comprehensive analysis of stakeholder feedback.

• Best Practice Review: A summary of national and international examples relevant to local government.

Part B - Development of the Inclusion and Disability Plan:

• Vision Development: Facilitate the creation of a clear countywide vision for disability inclusion.

• Strategic Themes: Guide the development of strategic themes based on consultation findings.

• Action Framework: Prepare a framework detailing:

• Strategic objectives.

• Priority actions.

• Responsible lead departments.

• Delivery partners.

• Timescales.

• Performance indicators.

• Monitoring arrangements.

• Governance Framework: Provide recommendations for:

• Internal governance structures.

• Ongoing consultation mechanisms.

• Monitoring and reporting structures.

• Review arrangements.

• Final Document: Produce a professionally designed, publication-ready Inclusion and Disability Plan document.

• Key Deliverables for Part B:

• Consultation Report: A detailed report of consultation outcomes.

• Draft Inclusion and Disability Plan: The first complete draft of the plan.

• Facilitation Workshops: Sessions for strategic planning.

• Implementation Framework: A framework for monitoring and reporting.

• Final Inclusion and Disability Plan: The publication-ready document.

The successful consultant will facilitate the process but will not determine policy priorities or actions; these will be set by Meath County Council.

3. Background & buyer context

Meath County Council is procuring this service to develop its inaugural countywide Inclusion and Disability Plan for the period 2026-2030. This initiative aligns with national and international policy drivers, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, and the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty under Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014. The plan aims to embed disability inclusion across all Council operations. The procurement is being conducted under an Open Procedure.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered eligible:

• Turnover requirement:
• Average annual turnover exceeding €50,000 in one of the last three years, or pro-rata for newer firms.
• Firm must have been in existence for at least six months.
• Insurance:
• Employer's Liability: €13 million
• Public Liability: €6.5 million
• Professional Indemnity: €250,000
• Certifications:
• Demonstrate compliance with relevant Health & Safety legislation.
• Provide information on measures for quality service delivery, e.g., an externally certified system.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

Tenderers must also confirm they are fully tax compliant with the Irish Revenue Commissioners. Evidence of financial standing, demonstrating the capacity to pay debts as they fall due, will be required prior to contract award. Tenderers may rely on the resources of other entities, provided they can prove these resources will be at their disposal.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT), considering both cost and qualitative factors. The total maximum marks available are 10,000.

A minimum score of 60% is required for each of the qualitative criteria (Methodology, Programme, Experience). Failure to achieve this minimum score in any qualitative criterion will result in elimination. The lowest cost tender meeting all minimum qualitative requirements receives maximum cost marks.

6. Submission requirements

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the eTenders post-box facility on www.etenders.gov.ie only.

• Method statement / response document: Tenderers must use the provided Tender Response Document (TRD) and must not amend its text or content.
• CVs: Not specified for this tender.
• Pricing schedule: Must use the provided template.
• Case studies: Not specified for this tender.
• Declarations:
• European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) – electronic via eESPD or separate attachment.
• Declaration of Bona Fides (Art. 57 of Directive 2014/24/EU).
• Declaration of compliance with relevant statutory obligations (or equivalent legislation if established outside Ireland).
• Mandatory site visit: A visit to the tenderer's premises may be required post-tender for clarification.
• Submission portal: www.etenders.gov.ie. Ensure sufficient time for upload. Tenderers can modify their submission until the deadline.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: 6 months, with one extension of 3 months possible.
• Payment terms: Not specified for this tender.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Not specified for this tender.
• Liquidated damages: Not specified for this tender.
• Termination: The Contracting Authority may terminate if increased costs render the arrangement uncompetitive due to matters outside its control. Either party may terminate if a Force Majeure event continues for 30 days, with 14 days' notice.
• IP ownership: Not specified for this tender.
• Sub-contracting rules: Not specified for this tender.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond: Not specified for this tender.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Indicative Budget vs. Contract Length: The indicative budget of €20,000-€25,000 for a 6-month contract (potentially 9 months with extension) is relatively low for a comprehensive plan development requiring extensive consultation and policy review, suggesting a need for highly efficient delivery.
• Low Qualitative Weighting for Green Procurement: While environmental responsibility is encouraged (5% weighting), the core evaluation heavily favours cost (30%) and experience/methodology (30% + 25% + 10%).
• Minimum Qualitative Scores: The requirement for a minimum 60% score in each qualitative criterion (Methodology, Programme, Experience) means a strong performance across all is essential, not just excelling in one area.
• No Individual Debriefs: Unsuccessful tenderers will not receive individual debriefing meetings due to resourcing constraints, limiting detailed feedback.
• Potential for Award to Runner-Up: The Contracting Authority reserves the right to award to the next highest scoring tenderer if the primary awardee fails to deliver.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured as an Open Procedure, theoretically accessible to all qualified bidders. However, the requirements suggest a specific profile:

• Credible Bidders: Firms or consultancies with demonstrated expertise in public policy development, disability inclusion, human rights frameworks, and extensive stakeholder consultation. Experience with local government or public sector clients is highly advantageous. The indicative budget suggests a focus on smaller, specialised consultancies or teams rather than large, multi-disciplinary firms.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: Allowed. SMEs are encouraged to form relationships with other SMEs or larger enterprises to meet capacity requirements. A consortium must appoint a single point of contact responsible for delivery and contract signing.
• Indicative Bid-Prep Effort: Developing a compliant bid for this tender, particularly the qualitative sections addressing methodology, programme, and experience, would likely require 5-10 days of focused effort from experienced personnel. This includes understanding the scope, developing a robust methodology, outlining a realistic programme, and compiling relevant experience.
• Pwin Signal: The tender is open, but the emphasis on specific expertise and the relatively low indicative budget may favour established niche consultancies. There is no explicit mention of an incumbent. The clear award criteria and detailed specification suggest a competitive process where a well-structured, evidence-based proposal addressing all qualitative criteria will be key.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename: 2A Request for Tender Contract Open Procedure Inclusion and Disability RFT.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified for this tender.
• Contact for Queries: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie
• Most Important Attachments:
• [2A Request for Tender Contract Open Procedure Inclusion and Disability RFT.docx] (The main RFT document)
• Tender Response Document (TRD) (referenced for submission requirements)
• Contract Terms and Conditions (referenced for acceptance)