Sniffer System

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

The contract involves the supply, delivery, installation, and commissioning of a robust sniffer system designed for collecting methane phenotypes in commercial farm environments. The successful contractor will be responsible for ensuring the system's operational readiness and providing necessary training to users.

Key activities include:

• Equipment Specifications: The sniffer system must be robust, reliable, and user-friendly, suitable for routine farm operations. It should require minimal maintenance and calibration, include an intuitive system for managing results, and have future-proofing capabilities.
• Functional Requirements: The system should feature integrated self-diagnostic sensors, protection against water ingress, automated cleaning functionality, and high-accuracy Non-Dispersive Infrared measurement technology.
• Performance Requirements: The equipment must deliver accurate, repeatable, and reproducible results, capable of processing multiple samples efficiently while ensuring data integrity and traceability.
• Installation and Commissioning: The contractor must deliver, install, and commission the equipment, ensuring it is fully operational upon handover. Initial on-site training for users, covering operation, basic troubleshooting, and maintenance, is also required.
• Warranty and Support: A minimum 12-month warranty covering parts, labor, and call-outs must be provided, along with details of service and support arrangements, including response times and spare parts availability.

The work will take place at the Teagasc Moorepark AGRIP Research Centre in Fermoy, Co. Cork, during standard working hours, with access outside these hours requiring prior agreement.

3. Background & buyer context

Teagasc is the national body responsible for providing integrated research, advisory, and training services to the agriculture and food sector in Ireland. The procurement of the sniffer system aligns with Teagasc's objectives to enhance research capabilities in methane emissions monitoring within commercial farming environments. This initiative is part of broader efforts to address environmental sustainability in agriculture. The tender is being issued to appoint a suitably qualified supplier to meet these specific needs.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following eligibility and selection criteria:

• Turnover requirement: Not specified for this tender.
• Insurance:
• Employers Liability: €13 million limit for any one claim or series of claims arising out of a single occurrence.
• Public Liability: €6.5 million limit for any one claim or series of claims arising out of a single occurrence.
• Product Liability: €2.3 million limit for any one claim or series of claims arising out of a single occurrence.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

Bids will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

The overall scoring will follow a Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) approach, balancing price and quality.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders must submit the following documents:

• Method statement / response document: Detailed description addressing all issues and requirements in the RFT.
• CVs: For key personnel involved, with a maximum page count of two per CV.
• Pricing schedule: Must follow the specified format and template.
• Case studies: At least two comparable projects, detailing value and relevance.
• Declarations: Including ESPD, Bona Fides, Tax clearance, and Conflict of Interest.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission portal: Responses must be submitted via the eTenders messaging platform.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

Key contract terms include:

• Term + extension structure: Not specified.
• Payment terms: Monthly invoices must quote a valid Purchase Order number. Payments will be made within 30 days, subject to the Prompt Payment of Accounts Act.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Not specified.
• Liquidated damages or penalty regimes: Not specified.
• Termination clauses: Teagasc reserves the right to terminate the contract at any time without cause.
• IP ownership: Teagasc will own all intellectual property rights arising from the contract.
• Sub-contracting rules: Subcontracting requires prior written approval from Teagasc.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

Potential risks and concerns include:

• Insurance requirements: The high limits for Employers and Public Liability insurance may limit the pool of eligible bidders.
• Lack of specified turnover requirements: This could lead to ambiguity regarding financial stability expectations.
• No specified past experience requirements: This may allow less experienced bidders to compete, potentially affecting quality.
• Termination rights: Teagasc's ability to terminate the contract at any time may create uncertainty for bidders regarding long-term engagement.

10. SME fit assessment

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that can credibly bid for this tender should have:

• Size/specialism: Firms with experience in agricultural technology, particularly in environmental monitoring systems.
• Certifications: Relevant industry certifications may enhance credibility, although specific certifications are not mandated in this tender.
• Consortium or sub-contracting: Not specified, but bidders should be prepared to operate independently.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Estimated at 10-15 days for preparation, including documentation and case studies.
• Pwin signal: The absence of specified turnover and experience requirements may indicate a more open bidding environment, but the high insurance limits could deter some SMEs.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: C4814- Sniffer System - RFT.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: 8341763
• Contact email: Not specified; use eTenders messaging platform for clarifications.
• Important attachments:
• Appendix B — Suitability Assessment
• Mandatory Requirements Schedule