Provision of a Digital Asset Management 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 National Gallery of Ireland is procuring a Digital Asset Management (DAM) system. The services encompass the provision, implementation, and ongoing support of this system. The system is intended for use by the Gallery's more than 180 staff members. The contract duration is for an initial term of up to 48 months, with the possibility of extensions for up to three additional periods of 12 months each. The maximum budget allocated for these services over the initial term and any extensions is €175,000, exclusive of VAT.

The core activities and requirements for the DAM system include:

• System Provision: Delivery of a functional Digital Asset Management System.
• Implementation: Installation and configuration of the system to meet the Gallery's specific needs.
• User Management: The system must support user authentication and management, accommodating over 180 staff users.
• Accessibility: The system must comply with WCAG 2.1 standards to meet minimum accessibility requirements.
• Security & Compliance: The system is expected to meet ISO 27001 or equivalent security standards and comply with relevant data protection laws, including GDPR.
• Data Management: The system will manage digital assets. Back-up copies of all personal data must be made every 30 days.
• Operational Readiness: The overall system is expected to be operational within 3 months from the contract start date.
• Service Contract: The successful tenderer will enter into a Services Contract, the terms of which are detailed in Appendix 6. This contract includes provisions for payment, termination (14 days' notice), and remedies for breaches (30 days to remedy).

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is being conducted by the National Gallery of Ireland to acquire a Digital Asset Management System. The initiative aligns with the Gallery's operational needs to manage its digital assets effectively. The procurement follows an open procedure under EU and Irish regulations. The contract is for a fixed term, with potential for extensions, and has a defined maximum budget. The Contracting Authority aims to encourage participation from Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and encourages larger enterprises to consider how SMEs can be included in their proposals.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered:

• Turnover requirement: A minimum average annual turnover of €350,000 over each of the last three financial years. Evidence must be provided from auditors.
• Insurance: The successful tenderer must hold the following insurances for the term of the contract:
• Employer's Liability: €13 million limit per claim or series of claims arising from a single occurrence.
• Public Liability: €6.5 million limit per claim or series of claims arising from a single occurrence.
• Professional Indemnity: €1,000,000 for each and every claim, excluding defence costs.
• Cyber Liability: €2,000,000 for each and every claim, excluding defence costs.
• Product Liability: Not applicable.
• Certifications: Tenderers must confirm if their system meets ISO 27001 or equivalent security standards and WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards. Details of any third-party certifications (e.g., ISO 9001, ISO 27017) for quality assurance and sustainability should be provided if held.
• Past experience: Tenderers must demonstrate the successful delivery of at least three comparable contracts (in scale, nature, quality, and complexity) within the last three years. One of these must have been within a comparable cultural institution.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: The system is expected to be operational within 3 months from the contract start. No other specific geographic or facility constraints are stated.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). The scoring will be allocated as follows:

The "Understanding of requirements" criterion will be evaluated based on:

• Outline of understanding of the requirements for the solution.
• Overview of understanding of what is required and key issues presented by the contract.
• Demonstration of knowledge of the Gallery and how requirements can be delivered.

The "Technical Capability/Capacity", "Previous Experience", "Quality Assurance", "Sustainability", and "Mandatory Requirements" are assessed on a Pass/Fail basis. Tenderers must meet all mandatory requirements and pass all technical and professional ability criteria to be considered for evaluation.

6. Submission requirements

Tenders must be submitted electronically via www.etenders.gov.ie. The submission must include:

• e-ESPD: A completed European Single Procurement Document.
• Tender Response Document (TRD): This document, provided with the RFT, serves as a step-by-step guide. It must be completed in English and should not be altered.
• Pricing Schedule: As per Appendix 2, all prices must be all-inclusive, in Euro, and exclusive of VAT.
• Tenderer’s Statement: A scanned, signed copy on letterhead, as per Appendix 3.
• Declarations: Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer (Appendix 5).
• Supporting Documentation: Evidence for selection criteria (turnover, insurance, past experience, etc.) must be available upon request without delay.
• Format: All electronic documents must be in a readable format, such as PDF, and not corrupt. The total upload size is limited to 4GB.

A mandatory site visit is not specified.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The Services Contract will have an initial term of up to 48 months, with options to extend for three further periods of up to 12 months each. Payments will be made in accordance with the Services Contract (Appendix 6). Invoices are deemed accepted if no queries are raised within 14 days. The contract can be terminated with 14 days' notice. Remedial actions for breaches are required within 30 days of a written request. Personal Data backups must be made every 30 days. The successful tenderer must hold specified insurances for the contract term.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The maximum budget of €175,000 over an initial term of up to 48 months, plus potential extensions, represents a relatively low annual spend ceiling. This may indicate a focus on a specific, limited scope or a preference for a cost-effective solution. The requirement for specific insurances, particularly Cyber Liability at €2,000,000, is significant for a contract of this value, suggesting a need for robust data protection and security measures. The "Pass/Fail" nature of most technical and professional ability criteria means that any failure to meet these will result in disqualification, requiring meticulous attention to detail in the response.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured to be accessible to SMEs, with a stated policy to encourage their participation. A viable bidder would likely be a specialist software provider with experience in delivering Digital Asset Management systems. The turnover requirement of €350,000 annually suggests that very small, newly established businesses might struggle to meet this threshold without demonstrating significant growth or backing.

Consortium or subcontracting arrangements are permitted, allowing SMEs to partner with other firms to meet requirements. The bid preparation effort is likely moderate, focusing on demonstrating technical capability, past experience, and compliance with mandatory requirements. Given the specific nature of a DAM system and the Gallery's context, the incumbent provider (if any) might have an advantage in understanding existing workflows, but the tender is open to new entrants. The Pwin signal is neutral; the tender is open, but meeting the specific experience criteria (three comparable contracts, one in a cultural institution) will be key.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: [RFT - Digital Asset Management.pdf]
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified
• Contact / Clarification Portal: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie
• Most Important Attachments:
• Appendix 1: Requirements and Specifications
• Appendix 1A: Mandatory Requirements
• Appendix 6: Services Contract