Multi Party Framework Agreements for Specialist Equipment and Supplies for Apprenticeship and Further Education and Training

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 to establish eight multi-party framework agreements for the provision of specialist equipment and supplies for apprenticeship and further education and training. The framework agreements will support the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board's (DDLETB) expansion and modernisation of its Further Education Colleges and Training Centres. Successful framework members will be required to provide hardware, technology, turnkey delivery, and training and support across eight distinct lots.

The scope encompasses the supply, delivery, installation, commissioning, testing, and maintenance of modern, industry-standard specialist training equipment and associated teaching technologies. The eight lots are:

• Lot 1: Advanced Manufacturing & Related Technologies: Supply, delivery, installation, commissioning, and training for equipment including CNC machining, additive manufacturing, industrial robotics, mechatronics, automated production systems, precision engineering tools, and CAD/CAM integration.
• Lot 2: Digital and Biotech Labs & Related Technologies: Supply, delivery, installation, commissioning, and training for specialized laboratory equipment, analytical instruments, and digital technology hardware, including bioprocess monitoring units, spectrophotometers, lab automation systems, chromatography units, digital twin simulators, and data acquisition systems.
• Lot 3: Modern Methods of Construction & Building Technologies: Supply, delivery, installation, commissioning, and training for equipment, tooling, and systems supporting Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and building trades, including off-site manufacturing systems, timber frame fabrication equipment, modular assembly tooling, digital survey/BIM integration hardware, and dynamic testing equipment.
• Lot 4: Renewable Energy and Micro Grid Management & Related Technologies: Supply, delivery, installation, commissioning, and training for equipment, trainer systems, and hardware supporting renewable energy and modern electrical installations, including solar PV simulators, wind turbine technology rigs, heat pump test benches, micro-grid management systems, and EV charging infrastructure.
• Lot 5: Digital College & Related Technologies: Supply, delivery, installation, commissioning, and training for hardware, software, and digital infrastructure supporting digital learning environments, including extended reality (VR/AR/MR) hardware, interactive display technology, digital twin lab setups, networking/server infrastructure, and high-performance computing units.
• Lot 6: Healthcare Simulators & Related Technologies: Supply, delivery, installation, commissioning, and training for medical training equipment, clinical simulation units, and healthcare instruction technology, including high-fidelity patient mannequins, anatomical models, clinical skills trainers, and diagnostic simulation equipment.
• Lot 7: Driving Simulators & Heavy Equipment Training: Provision of mobile driving simulator units with motion bases, multi-display setups, head tracking, and multi-vehicle software licenses for HGV Class 1/2, ADT, Dozer, 360 Excavator, Forklift, and crane interfaces.
• Lot 8: Dedicated Software, AI Avatars & Digital Twin Platforms: Provision of web-based 3D virtual campus models (approximately 8,000 m²), AI-powered virtual receptionist avatars, multi-discipline VR curriculum simulation software suites, and software-to-hardware sensor integration.

Turnkey delivery includes safe delivery, full assembly, site positioning, electrical/mechanical commissioning, and compliance certification. Training will be provided for instructional and teaching staff, with complete technical documentation and user manuals. A minimum mandatory warranty of 12 months, parts and labour, is required for all supplied equipment.

3. Background & buyer context

The Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB) is procuring these framework agreements to support its ongoing expansion and modernisation of Further Education Colleges and Training Centres. The initiative aligns with the broader objective of providing up-to-date, industry-standard training equipment to equip students for current and future employment needs. The procurement is structured as an open procedure at the EU level, indicating a desire for broad market engagement. The establishment of multi-party framework agreements allows DDLETB to source specialist equipment and supplies efficiently over a four-year period, ensuring flexibility and access to a range of providers.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must meet the following minimum requirements on a pass/fail basis to be considered for evaluation.

• Turnover requirement:
• Lot 1: €450,000
• Lot 2: €120,000
• Lot 3: €750,000
• Lot 4: €600,000
• Lot 5: €750,000
• Lot 6: €175,000
• Lot 7: €150,000
• Lot 8: €450,000
• Firms must have been in existence for at least 6 months. If successful in more than three lots, the maximum turnover checked prior to final framework establishment will be €1m.
• Insurance:
• Employer’s Liability: €13 million
• Public Liability: €6.5 million
• Product Liability: €6.5 million
• Professional Indemnity: Not deemed appropriate at this stage, but if required for a specific lot, the level will be €1 million.
• Certifications: Tenderers must demonstrate a commitment to quality assurance, potentially through an externally certified system (e.g., ISO 9001, ISO 27001). Compliance with relevant Safety, Health & Welfare at Work legislation is mandatory.
• Past experience: Tenderers must demonstrate successful delivery of three (3) previous comparable experience/projects relevant to the scope of the particular lot being tendered.
• Personnel: Tenderers must demonstrate access to the minimum number of skilled personnel:
• Contract Manager: 1
• Installation and Service Technician: 2
• Admin Staff: 1
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award of the framework agreements will be based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT), determined by a combination of quality and price. Specific scoring weights are not detailed in the provided extract, but the following criteria will be assessed:

Criterion Weighting Sub-criteria