Ballymore Eustace to Saggart Reservoir Resilience Project
Deadline
21 Aug
21 Aug 2026
Deadline
21 Aug
Construction of a new trunk main to enhance water supply resilience in the Greater Dublin Area
Construction of a new trunk main to enhance water supply resilience in the Greater Dublin Area
Bidder profile
Large firms with significant experience in pipeline construction and relevant certifications are best suited for this tender.
Risks & flags
- High turnover threshold
- Geographic constraints
- Integration complexity
- Funding dependencies
Briefing
AI-generated analysis of the documents. Check the official notice and any amendments for current submission details.
1. At a glance
Buyer Title CPV / category Estimated value Per-year Procedure type Lots Location Contract length Submission deadline Go-live / start |-----------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|-----------------|----------|------------------------|------|----------|-----------------|-------------------------------|------------------| Uisce Éireann 26-011 Ballymore Eustace to Saggart Reservoir Resilience Project not stated not disclosed not stated Negotiated Procedure not stated County Kildare not stated 2026-07-29T11:00:00+00:00 not stated
2. Scope of Work
The Ballymore Eustace to Saggart Reservoir Resilience Project involves the construction of a new trunk main to enhance water supply resilience to the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). The project is significant in scale, requiring approximately 26 kilometers of 1600 mm internal diameter welded steel pipeline. The pipeline will be installed adjacent to two existing mains and will terminate at the recently constructed Saggart Reservoir.
Key activities include:
- Pipeline Construction: Installation of a 26 km gravity pipeline to match the capacity of the existing 1600 mm pipeline, which supplies 243 million liters per day (MLD).
- Connections: Establishing connections to the Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and Saggart Reservoir.
- Branch Supplies: Facilitating the transfer of seven branch supplies from the existing pipeline to the new pipeline.
- Strategic Cross Connections: Implementing at least three strategic cross connections between the new pipeline and the existing infrastructure.
- Operational Access: Maintaining a permanent wayleave width of 20 meters for operational and maintenance purposes, with a temporary working area of up to 50 meters.
- Valves and Access Points: Installing isolation valves, air valves, and drain down points at accessible intervals along the pipeline for operational efficiency.
The project will be executed under a Design Build (DB) contract, with the contractor responsible for commissioning the pipeline, which will be operated directly by Uisce Éireann.
3. Background & buyer context
This procurement is initiated to address the need for enhanced water supply resilience in the Greater Dublin Area, particularly given the critical role of the Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant, which supplies approximately 50% of the water to 1.7 million customers in the GDA Water Resource Zone. The project aligns with Uisce Éireann's strategic objectives to improve infrastructure and ensure reliable water supply. The existing infrastructure, which includes a 26 km pre-stressed concrete pipeline and a 24 km concrete culvert, cannot be taken out of service without significantly impacting water supply. This project aims to mitigate that risk.
4. Eligibility & selection criteria
Bidders must meet the following eligibility and selection criteria to be considered for this tender:
- Turnover requirement: Minimum average annual turnover of at least €125 Million over the last two years or pro-rata for companies established within the last two years.
- Insurance:
- Public Liability: not specified
- Employer's Liability: not specified
- Product Liability: not specified
- Professional Indemnity: not specified
- Cyber: not specified
- Motor: not specified
- Certifications: Bidders must hold relevant certifications such as Safe-T-Cert, OHSAS 18001/ISO45001, or equivalent.
- Past experience: Minimum of N comparable projects, with specific size and complexity requirements outlined in Appendix 9.
- Personnel: Named roles with minimum years of experience as specified in the tender documents.
- Geographic / facility constraints: Bidders must operate within specified distances from the project site or meet EU/EEA hosting requirements.
5. Award criteria & scoring
Bids will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
| Criterion | Weight (%) | Sub-criteria | Pass/Fail Threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 40 | Cost-effectiveness | Not specified |
| Quality | 60 | Technical capability, experience | Not specified |
The evaluation will follow the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) principle, focusing on the balance between price and quality. There are no specified minimum scoring thresholds per criterion or overall.
6. Submission requirements
Bidders must submit the following documents:
- Method statement / response document: Follow the named template with specified page limits.
- CVs: For key personnel, with a maximum page count as specified.
- Pricing schedule: Must adhere to the named template format.
- Case studies: Minimum of two case studies demonstrating relevant experience, with project values in the specified range.
- Declarations: Include ESPD, Bona Fides, Tax clearance, and Conflict of Interest declarations.
- Mandatory site visit: Not specified.
- Submission portal: All submissions must be made electronically via the eTenders system, adhering to specific format rules.
7. Key dates & process
| Activity | Date |
|---|---|
| PQQ issued to market | June 2026 |
| Clarification deadline | July 22, 2026 |
| Tender deadline | July 29, 2026, 11:00 AM |
| Expected award | November 2027 |
| Contract start | Not specified |
| Go-live / mobilisation | Not specified |
8. Contract terms that matter
Key contract terms include:
- Term + extension structure: Not specified.
- Payment terms: Payments will be structured according to the NEC4, Option C Target Cost contract framework.
- Key SLAs/KPIs: Specific performance indicators will be defined in the contract.
- Liquidated damages: Not specified.
- Termination clauses: Not specified.
- IP ownership: Not specified.
- Sub-contracting rules: Sub-contracting is permitted but must comply with specified requirements.
- Parent-company guarantee or bond requirements: Not specified.
9. Risks, red flags & unusuals
Potential risks and concerns include:
- Turnover threshold: The minimum turnover requirement of €125 million may limit participation to larger firms, potentially excluding smaller contractors.
- Geographic constraints: The requirement for bidders to operate within specific distances from the project site may limit the pool of eligible bidders.
- Complexity of integration: The project involves integrating with existing infrastructure, which may pose challenges for non-incumbent bidders.
- Funding dependencies: The project may be contingent on external funding, which could introduce uncertainty.
10. SME fit assessment
Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) considering this tender should note:
- Credible bidders: Firms with significant experience in large-scale pipeline construction and relevant certifications are best suited.
- Consortium or sub-contracting: Bidders may form consortia or rely on the financial capacity of other entities to meet turnover requirements.
- Bid-prep effort: Preparing a competitive bid may require substantial effort, potentially several weeks of dedicated work.
- Pwin signal: The high turnover threshold and the complexity of the project suggest that incumbents or larger firms with proven experience in similar projects may have a stronger competitive advantage.
11. Where to dig deeper
- Source RFT filename: 26-011 Ballymore Eustace to Saggart Reservoir Resilience Project PQQ v1_Final.docx
- eTenders CFT ID: not specified
- Contact email: [email protected]
- Important attachments:
- Appendix 7 — Scope of Project
- Appendix 9 — Minimum Requirements: Relevant Experience
Can you bid?
Required certifications
- Safe-T-Cert
- OHSAS 18001
- ISO45001
Minimum turnover
€125,000,000
Scoring
Most Economically Advantageous Tender
Documents (5)
26-011 Ballymore Eustace to Saggart Reservoir Resilience Project PQQ v1_Final.docx
287.2 KB
26-011 Balymore Eustace to Saggart Reservoir Resilience Project PQQ Appendix 7.pdf
636.8 KB · Appendix / Annex
26-011 BME to saggart App 4 Final.xlsx
94.8 KB
Notes_for_submission.pdf
194.6 KB
Tender Clarification Request Form - eTender.xlsx
52.7 KB · Clarification / Addendum
Original notice text
The Contracting Entity intends to undertake a competitive tendering process, the objective of which is to appoint suitable Works Contractor to deliver the Ballymore Eustace to Saggart Reservoir Resilience Project. Full details are contained in the attached procurement documents.
AI analysis updated 4 weeks ago
Deadline
21 Aug
Buyer
Uisce ÉireannLocation
County Kildare, Ireland, where the pipeline will be constructed.
Procedure
Negotiated
Clarification
22 Jul 2026
eTenders ID
8418682
Ask AI
Knows this tender's documents
Example only — sign up to ask about this tender