Invitation to Tender for Public Relations and Communications Services

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 Port of Cork Company (POCC) seeks a strategic external communications partner to provide specialist support in public relations and communications services. This procurement is not for a fully outsourced communications function; routine communications and campaign delivery will be managed internally by POCC. The successful tenderer will act as a high-level strategic advisor, supporting senior management and the organisation's external positioning. Services will be delivered through a structured, deliverables-based model aligned with POCC's strategic priorities, operating under a monthly retainer with a controlled call-off mechanism for additional services. The contract duration is 36 months.

The core services to be provided within a monthly retainer include:

• Strategic Communications Advisory:
• Annual strategic communications planning aligned with POCC's corporate strategy, commercial priorities, and major projects.
• Political monitoring, specifically PQs and Dail/Oireachtas sessions related to Ports.
• Quarterly strategic review sessions with senior management.
• Advice on corporate positioning, reputation management, and messaging.
• Guidance on media strategy and stakeholder-facing communications.
• Media Relations:
• Management of reactive media enquiries during normal business hours.
• Proactive media support for agreed strategic announcements and priority themes.
• Drafting of a specified number of press releases and media statements.
• Media monitoring and summary reporting.
• Executive Communications Support:
• Speech drafting and/or speaking notes for designated senior executives.
• Preparation of media briefing notes, key messages, and Q&A documentation.
• Interview preparation support for spokesperson engagements.
• Crisis and Issues Management:
• Senior crisis communications advisory support.
• Development and annual review of crisis communications protocols.
• Support in response to reputational, operational, environmental, commercial, or stakeholder-related issues.
• Defined out-of-hours crisis availability.
• Media training for nominated POCC spokespersons for live interviews.

Services expressly excluded from the core retainer, unless separately requested and approved, include: routine social media management, website content updates, graphic design, video production, routine marketing collateral, day-to-day marketing campaign execution, event management, internal communications administration, media buying, public consultation administration, branding exercises, and any work not in the Annual Workplan or otherwise approved in writing.

Pricing is based on a fixed monthly retainer for core services and a schedule of fixed-price or capped-fee optional services. Open-ended time and materials charging is not accepted unless expressly authorised with a defined fee cap. The tenderer must clearly identify any assumptions and exclusions in its submission.

3. Background & buyer context

The Port of Cork Company (POCC) is a commercial semi-state company designated a Tier 1 Port of National Significance and a Core Port on the EU Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). It handles approximately 17% of Ireland's overall tonnage and plays a critical role in national trade, regional economic growth, tourism, energy security, and climate transition. POCC's Draft Strategy 2026–2030 aims to "Deliver a world-class port of the future." Communications is identified as a critical strategic enabler for stakeholder trust, collaboration, and transparency. This procurement seeks to strengthen internal communications and marketing capability by appointing a strategic external communications partner to support senior management and the organisation's external positioning.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered:

• Turnover requirement:
• Annual Turnover of €250,000 per annum for each of the last three financial years.
• Alternatively, a combined total turnover of at least €250,000 in each of the three previous financial years is acceptable.
• Tenderers must confirm they can provide evidence of meeting these minimum requirements via a Self-Declaration.
• Insurance:
• Public Liability: €6.5 million for the duration of the Services.
• Employer’s Liability: €13 million for the duration of the Services.
• Professional Indemnity: €5 million.
• Certifications:
• Tax Clearance Certificate: A current valid Tax Clearance Certificate from the Irish Revenue Commissioners is required as a condition of award and must be maintained throughout the contract.
• Past experience:
• Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel:
• Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints:
• Delivery is required to the Contracting Authority’s sites in Cork.
• All meetings will be held at the Contracting Authority’s offices in Cork unless otherwise agreed.

All selection criteria are assessed on a Pass/Fail basis. Tenderers failing any criterion will be eliminated.

5. Award criteria & scoring

Criterion Weight (%) Sub-criteria