Understanding, Aligning and Strengthening Organisational Culture for South East Technological University (SETU)

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1. At a glance

2. Scope of Work

The contract involves providing organisational culture consultancy services to South East Technological University (SETU). The successful contractor will support SETU in developing a shared understanding of its current culture, identifying opportunities for enhancement, and embedding a cohesive, values-led culture across the institution. The work will be structured into several key activities:

• Project Initiation and Leadership Alignment: Facilitate initial engagement with the Senior Management Team to define the culture ambition and desired future state.
• Organisational Culture Diagnostic and Benchmarking: Conduct a robust diagnostic assessment of the current culture, identifying strengths, gaps, and areas for development, including benchmarking against similar institutions.
• Communications and Engagement Plan: Develop an internal communications strategy to support culture development, including leadership messaging frameworks and staff engagement approaches.
• Organisational Narrative and Visual Storyboard: Create a compelling narrative aligned with SETU’s strategy, translating it into accessible formats for diverse staff groups.
• Leadership Development, Learning and Cultural Enablement: Propose and deliver interventions to embed the desired culture, including leadership development programmes and team-based culture activities.
• Culture Implementation and Capability Building: Support the implementation of culture development initiatives and build internal capabilities to sustain these changes beyond the contract duration.
• Culture Monitoring and Evaluation: Conduct follow-up assessments to measure progress against baseline indicators and evaluate the impact of interventions.

The contractor must align their approach with existing initiatives at SETU and provide evidence-based recommendations for sustainable culture development.

3. Background & buyer context

SETU was established in May 2022 through the merger of two Institutes of Technology and employs over 2,000 staff. The procurement aligns with SETU's Strategic Plan 2023–2028, which emphasizes the importance of organisational culture as a key enabler of strategy execution and institutional performance. The university seeks to enhance its culture to foster trust, collaboration, and a shared identity among staff. This tender is part of a broader effort to integrate existing initiatives and support the ongoing transformation of the university's culture.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following eligibility and selection criteria:

• Turnover requirement: Minimum average annual turnover not specified for this tender.
• Insurance:
• Employers Liability: €13 million any one claim, unlimited any one period.
• Public Liability: €6.5 million any one claim, unlimited any one period.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Candidates must demonstrate experience in leading organisational culture or comparable consultancy programmes of similar scale and complexity, with a minimum of five (5) years' experience for key personnel.
• Personnel: The proposed Programme Director/Key Account Manager and Lead Culture & Leadership Consultant must each have a minimum of five (5) 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 evaluation will follow the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) principle, balancing quality and price.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders must submit the following documentation:

• Method statement / response document: Follow the provided template, adhering to any page limits specified.
• CVs: Include CVs for key personnel, with a maximum of two pages per CV.
• Pricing schedule: Use the specified template for pricing.
• Case studies: Provide two case studies demonstrating relevant experience, with values ranging from €50,000 to €180,000.
• Declarations: Complete the European Single Procurement Document (e-ESPD), Tax clearance, and Conflict of Interest declarations.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission portal: All documents must be submitted via the eTenders portal, adhering to any specific format rules.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

Key contract terms include:

• Term and extension structure: Not specified for this tender.
• Payment terms: Not specified for this tender.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Not specified for this tender.
• Liquidated damages or penalty regimes: 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 include:

• The requirement for a minimum of five years' experience for key personnel may limit the pool of eligible bidders, particularly smaller firms.
• The absence of specified turnover requirements may create ambiguity regarding financial capacity expectations.
• The lack of clarity on contract terms, such as payment schedules and penalties, could lead to misunderstandings post-award.

10. SME fit assessment

Small businesses that can credibly bid for this tender should have:

• A strong background in organisational culture consultancy, with experience in higher education or similar sectors.
• The capacity to meet insurance requirements and demonstrate relevant past experience.
• The ability to engage in collaborative projects and align with existing institutional initiatives.
• The option to form consortia or subcontracting arrangements is not specified, which may limit smaller firms without the necessary resources.
• Indicative bid-preparation effort is estimated at several days, depending on the complexity of the proposal.
• The presence of an incumbent or previous winners is not disclosed, which may affect the perceived competitiveness of the tender.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: PQQ SETU Culture Jun 2026.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: not specified
• Contact email or clarification portal: E-Tenders Mailbox via www.etenders.gov.ie
• Important attachments: Appendix 1 — The Qualification Questionnaire, Tax Clearance requirements, Financial Standing documentation.