3 no. 14 ton Double Cab truck, complete with tipper body

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

This procurement seeks the supply of three 14-ton double cab trucks, each equipped with a tipper body. The contract involves the delivery of these vehicles to Kilkenny County Council.

The core activities and deliverables for the successful tenderer include:

• Vehicle Specification: Supplying three (3) 14-ton double cab trucks.
• Body Type: Each truck must be fitted with a tipper body.
• Delivery: The completed vehicles must be delivered within a specified timeframe.
• Undertaking to deliver the completed vehicle within 180 days inclusive of the official order.
• An alternative delivery timeframe of 270 days inclusive of the official order is also specified. Inability to deliver within 270 days will result in disqualification.
• Warranty: A minimum of a two-year full warranty for the complete vehicle is required.
• Aftersales Support: Provision of aftersales support is a mandatory requirement.
• Compliance: All vehicles must comply with relevant Health & Safety legislation and Environmental legislation and guidelines.
• Documentation: Tenderers must provide information demonstrating compliance with quality assurance policies and systems, and environmental management systems.
• Contract Management: The nominated contract manager will be responsible for overall contract delivery, performance reporting, and proactive discussions on efficiency improvements and cost savings.

The contract duration is for 12 months from the date of submission deadline.

3. Background & buyer context

Kilkenny County Council is the contracting authority for this procurement. The council is seeking to acquire essential operational vehicles. The procurement is being conducted using an open procedure, indicating a desire to receive bids from all interested parties who meet the specified criteria. The tender documents are based on an OGP template, suggesting adherence to national procurement guidelines. The council emphasizes the promotion of participation by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and encourages collaboration to meet capacity requirements.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

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

• Turnover requirement:
• Average annual turnover exceeded €600,000 during one of the last three years.
• Firms established more recently must demonstrate pro-rata turnover.
• The firm must have been in existence for at least 6 months.
• Insurance:
• Employer's Liability: €13 million
• Public Liability: €6.5 million
• Product Liability: €6.5 million
• Certifications:
• Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience:
• Not specified as a minimum number of projects.
• Tenderers must provide contact details for referees for each reference project. Feedback from referees is a pass/fail criterion.
• Personnel:
• Not specified as a minimum number of skilled personnel for this specific tender.
• Tenderers must demonstrate access to the minimum numbers of skilled personnel as indicated in the Tender Response Document (TRD).
• Geographic / facility constraints:
• Not specified.

Tenderers must also demonstrate compliance with all relevant Health & Safety legislation and Environmental legislation and guidelines. Evidence of quality assurance policies and systems, and environmental management systems will be required.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded based on the most economically advantageous compliant tender. Qualitative award criteria are assessed first.

The lowest cost tender that meets all minimum qualitative award criteria receives maximum marks for cost. Other tenders are scored proportionally. For the Delivery Time Assessment, a minimum score of 50 marks is required. In case of a tie, the tender with the highest quality score will be awarded. If quality scores are identical, the tender with the highest score on the highest weighted qualitative criterion wins.

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers must submit their responses electronically via the eTenders postbox facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.

• Method statement / response document: Tenderers must use the provided Tender Response Document (TRD) and accompanying spreadsheet. Personalisation of the TRD with branding is not allowed.
• CVs: Not specified for this tender.
• Pricing schedule: Must be completed using the provided Tender Response Document (TRD) and accompanying spreadsheet.
• Case studies: Not specified as a distinct requirement. Reference projects are to be provided via referee contact details.
• Declarations:
• Declaration of Bona Fides (Art. 57 of Directive 2014/24/EU).
• Declaration regarding compliance with statutory obligations.
• European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) - electronic or separate attachment.
• Declaration regarding the International Procurement Instrument (2022/1031) and article 5K of Regulation 2022/576.
• Confirmation of tax compliance.
• Confirmation of financial standing.
• Mandatory site visit: Not applicable.
• Submission portal: eTenders.gov.ie. Tenders must be uploaded as a ZIP FILE.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Contract length: 12 months from the date of the tender submission deadline.
• Payment terms: Not specified in detail, but late payment provisions are referenced.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Not specified in detail, but contract management will involve adherence to an agreed Service Level Agreement and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Liquidated damages or penalty regimes: Not specified.
• Termination clauses: The Contracting Authority reserves the right to terminate if increased costs render the arrangement uncompetitive, or if the successful tenderer fails to deliver.
• IP ownership: Not specified.
• Sub-contracting rules: Tenderers may rely on the resources of other entities. If a subcontractor's value exceeds 10% of the contract value, they must meet selection criteria and not be prohibited economic operators.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond requirements: Not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Delivery timeframes: Two distinct delivery windows (180 and 270 days) are provided, with the longer window being the maximum acceptable. This could create a tight window for some suppliers, especially if manufacturing or supply chain issues arise.
• Indicative budget: The RFT states an "indicative budget for the contract is in the range of machines of this nature," which is vague and provides no concrete financial guidance for bidders.
• Tender Response Document (TRD) rigidity: Tenderers are prohibited from amending any text or content of the provided forms, declarations, or templates. Failure to use the template documentation, particularly for costing, may lead to elimination.
• Pass/fail criteria: Several aspects, including referee feedback and meeting minimum qualitative award criteria for cost, are pass/fail, meaning any deficiency can lead to disqualification.
• No specific technical specification: The RFT refers to the TRD and accompanying spreadsheet for technical details, implying these documents contain the precise specifications for the trucks and tipper bodies.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured to be accessible to a range of suppliers, including SMEs, provided they can meet the specified financial and technical requirements.

• Who can credibly bid: A supplier with a proven track record in commercial vehicle sales, specifically trucks of this tonnage, and the capacity to manufacture or source and fit tipper bodies. They must have been in operation for at least six months and demonstrate a turnover exceeding €600,000 in one of the last three years. The required insurance levels are substantial, necessitating a financially stable entity.
• Consortium/sub-contracting: Consortiums and joint ventures are permitted. SMEs are encouraged to form relationships with other SMEs or larger enterprises to meet capacity requirements. Sub-contracting is also allowed, but specific conditions apply if the subcontract value exceeds 10% of the contract.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Bid preparation will likely require 5-10 days for a competent supplier, focusing on completing the TRD accurately, gathering referee information, and ensuring all declarations are correctly made.
• Pwin signal: The tender is an open procedure, suggesting it is not exclusively for an incumbent. However, the specific vehicle type and the need for a tipper body might narrow the field to specialist vehicle suppliers. The lack of a stated budget and the reliance on the TRD for detailed specifications mean that understanding the exact requirements is crucial.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: RFT 3no 14 TON DOUBLE CAB.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided text.
• Contact for queries: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie
• Most important attachments:
• Tender Response Document (TRD)
• Appendix 1 – All items in Appendix 1 numbered 1 to 52 (Unit Cost submission)
• Appendix 2 – Delivery Time Assessment