Labour Services Framework Agreement

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 tender seeks to establish a framework agreement for the provision of labour services across four distinct lots for Iarnród Éireann-Irish Rail (IE). Requirements will be subject to mini-tenders under the framework, with a schedule of rates available for emergency situations. Contractors will have the opportunity to refresh this schedule annually. Services may be required day or night, up to seven days a week.

The four lots are:

• Lot 1 – General Labour Support Services: This lot covers unskilled labour for scheduled and unplanned/emergency maintenance activities across all IE departments and geographic areas. Activities include assisting tradespeople on bridge repairs or work near the railway line. Chargehands or Supervisors may be required. The contractor must provide transportation for personnel and associated hand tools.

• Lot 2 - Specific Trade Support Services for Mechanical Engineering: This lot requires tradespeople for the Mechanical Engineering Department. Services may include Fitters, Electricians, Auto-electricians, Diesel Engine Mechanics, Metal Fabricators, Welders, Vehicle body makers and repairers, Painters, Flooring Trades, Technicians, and Coachbuilders/Trimmers. Non-craft services and Engineering/General Operatives are also required. Primary maintenance depots are located at Portlaoise, Drogheda, Limerick, Inchicore Railway Works, Fairview (Dublin), and support facilities at Connolly Depot, Heuston Depot, and Cork Depot. Welder qualifications must comply with EN 15085.

• Lot 3 – Specific Trade Support Services for Civil Engineering & Facilities Management: This lot supports the Infrastructure Management Department, responsible for track, signalling systems, buildings, and structures. Required trades include Carpenters, Stone Masons, Roofers, Linemen, Structural Welders, Plasterers, Block layers, Painters, Fibre Jointers, Riggers, Banksman/Slingers, and Fibre Maintenance Teams.

• Lot 4 – Specific Trade Support Services for Chief Engineer - SET: This lot covers Signalling, Electrical, and Telecommunications services. It requires General Operatives, Charge Hands, Skilled Operatives, and Craft workers (electricians) for project delivery, scheduled maintenance, and emergency services. Specific trades include Electricians, Mechanical Signalling and Points Installers, Signalling Works Testers, Telecommunications Technicians, and Draftspersons.

3. Background & buyer context

Iarnród Éireann-Irish Rail (IE) is procuring these labour services through a framework agreement to meet its ongoing operational and project-based labour requirements. As a designated activity company operating in the transport sector, IE's procurement is governed by the EU Utilities Directive (2014/25/EU) and the Irish Utilities Regulations (S.I. No 286 of 2016). This procurement process is structured as a two-stage process: pre-qualification (PQQ) followed by a tender stage for shortlisted applicants. The current PQQ stage aims to identify suitable candidates to be invited to the subsequent tender stage.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum qualification criteria to be considered for pre-qualification. These criteria are assessed on a pass/fail basis.

• Turnover requirement:

• Lot 1: €600,000 average annual turnover for the last three audited financial years.

• Lot 2: €300,000 average annual turnover for the last three audited financial years.

• Lot 3: €450,000 average annual turnover for the last three audited financial years.

• Lot 4: €600,000 average annual turnover for the last three audited financial years.

• If tendering for more than one lot: €1,000,000 average annual turnover for the last three audited financial years.

• Evidence required: Signed auditor's statement and audited accounts for the last three financial years. Reliance on third-party resources for turnover is permitted, subject to specific conditions.

• Insurance: Not specified for this tender at the PQQ stage. Specific insurance requirements will be detailed in the Invitation to Tender (ITT).

• Certifications:

• ISO 9001 or equivalent (Quality Management System).

• ISO 14001 or equivalent (Environmental Management System).

• Welder qualifications must comply with EN 15085.

• Past experience: Not specified as a minimum numerical requirement at this PQQ stage, but technical/professional ability will be assessed based on relevant experience in Part 3 of the Questionnaire.

• Personnel: Not specified as a minimum numerical requirement at this PQQ stage, but company resources will be assessed in Part 4 of the Questionnaire.

• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

This PQQ stage is for pre-qualification only. Award criteria will be detailed in the Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage for shortlisted applicants. The PQQ focuses on minimum qualification criteria and technical/professional ability to determine suitability for the tender stage.

6. Submission requirements

Completed PQQ submissions must be uploaded to the e-tenders portal. The submission must include:

• Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (Appendix 1): All parts must be completed, tailored to each specific lot for which the applicant wishes to be considered.
• Part 1: Applicant Details and General Information.
• Part 2: Information/Declaration re Minimum Qualification Criteria.
• Part 3: Technical/Professional Ability: Relevant Experience.
• Part 4: Technical/Professional Ability: Company Resources.
• Part 5: Quality Management Systems.
• Part 6: Health and Safety.
• Part 7: Environmental.
• Part 8: Corporate Social Sustainability.
• Part 9: Declaration of Eligibility.
• Supporting Documentation:
• Audited accounts and auditor's statements for the last three financial years (for turnover verification).
• Evidence of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications (or equivalent).
• Welder qualification certificates (if applicable to Lot 2).
• Appendices:
• Appendix 2: Consortium Requirements (if applicable).
• Appendix 3: Sub-Contractors (if applicable).
• Appendix 4: Applicant’s Statement of Confirmation.
• Format: All electronic copies must be in PDF format.
• Submission Portal: e-tenders portal only.
• Mandatory Site Visit: Not specified for this PQQ stage.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The framework agreement will have an initial term of four (4) years. IE holds the option to extend the contract for up to two (2) additional terms of two (2) years each, resulting in a maximum total contract duration of eight (8) years, at IE's discretion. Requirements under the framework will be mini-tendered, with a schedule of rates for emergency situations. The contract will specify payment terms, SLAs, and KPIs at the ITT stage. Sub-contracting is permitted but subject to IE's sole discretion and consent. The entire obligations of the contractor cannot be sub-contracted.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The PQQ structure indicates a multi-stage procurement process, with pre-qualification followed by a tender stage. The turnover requirements are lot-specific, with a higher threshold for multi-lot bidders, which may favour larger, more diversified firms or those willing to form consortia. The reliance on third-party resources for meeting selection criteria is a key procedural element, requiring robust legal undertakings and declarations from those entities. The absence of specific insurance or detailed award criteria at this PQQ stage means bidders must prepare for these to be defined later in the ITT. The potential for an eight-year contract duration suggests a need for long-term planning and resource commitment from successful bidders.

10. SME fit assessment

This framework is structured to allow for participation by a range of businesses, but the lot-specific turnover requirements and the potential for multi-lot bidding at a €1 million threshold suggest that larger SMEs or consortia may be better positioned for certain lots or for tendering across multiple lots.

• Who can credibly bid: SMEs with demonstrated experience in general labour, mechanical engineering trades, civil engineering trades, or signalling/electrical/telecommunications services, meeting the specified turnover thresholds for their chosen lot(s). Firms with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications are preferred.
• Consortium or sub-contracting: Consortiums and sub-contracting are explicitly permitted and detailed in Appendices 2 and 3. This allows smaller firms to combine resources and expertise to meet the criteria, particularly for multi-lot bids or where specific expertise is required.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Significant. Completing the PQQ requires detailed information on financial standing, technical capabilities, quality management, health and safety, environmental policies, and corporate social sustainability. Gathering audited accounts, certifications, and preparing detailed responses for each lot will require several days of effort.
• Pwin signal: The multi-lot structure and the €1 million turnover requirement for multi-lot bids suggest a competitive environment. The explicit allowance for consortia and sub-contracting indicates IE's openness to diverse bidding structures. The incumbent's identity is not disclosed.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename(s): Invitation to Tender Letter.docx, PQQ 9713 Information.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: 8555472
• Contact / Clarification Portal: Messaging facility on e-tenders.gov.ie
• Most Important Attachments:
• PQQ Questionnaire - Appendix 1-4
• Scope Specification of Labour Services-Appendix 5
• Invitation Letter