2025P154 - Economic Scenario Dataset Services

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 Central Bank of Ireland requires the provision of economic scenario dataset services. This procurement seeks a single supplier to deliver these services under a contract that will have an initial duration of twenty-four (24) months, with an option for the Central Bank to extend the contract by up to an additional twenty-four (24) months, resulting in a potential maximum total duration of forty-eight (48) months.

The services encompass the generation and provision of economic scenarios, detailed in Appendix 1A of the tender documents. While specific methodologies and data points are elaborated in the appendices, the core requirements revolve around:

• Core Dataset Generation: Providing a core economic dataset. This includes specific tenors for data points: 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years.
• Data Usage: Demonstrating the utility and application of the generated data.
• Sample Data Provision: Supplying a sample of the core dataset.
• Data Quality: Ensuring the quality of the provided economic data.
• Customer Support: Delivering quality customer support services related to the dataset.
• Supplementary Datasets (Optional): The potential to provide optional supplementary datasets.

Tenderers are advised that there is no guaranteed volume of work under the contract. References to notional volumes within the tender documents are for evaluation purposes only and do not indicate actual service volumes. The contract will be awarded to one successful tenderer.

3. Background & buyer context

The Central Bank of Ireland is procuring these economic scenario dataset services to support its core functions. The bank serves the public interest by safeguarding monetary and financial stability and ensuring the financial system operates in the best interests of consumers and the wider economy. This procurement is part of its ongoing operational requirements to maintain these objectives. The tender is not regulated by the European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulations 2016, indicating it falls below specific EU thresholds for public procurement.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

To be considered for this contract, tenderers must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Turnover requirement: Tenderers must provide evidence of certified turnover of not less than €260,000 in each of the three (3) previous financial years.
• Insurance: The successful tenderer will be required to maintain minimum levels of insurance with reputable insurers. Specifically, Professional Indemnity Insurance with a minimum indemnity of not less than €5,000,000 (five million euro) for each and every claim is mandated.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Tenderers must provide one (1) satisfactory reference for a similar contract of similar size and complexity, delivered in the last five (5) years. This contract should demonstrate similar requirements where economic scenarios were generated using a historical methodology.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

Tenderers must also provide their Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference Number for online verification of their tax status.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded to the most economically advantageous tender based on the following criteria:

Tenders failing any Pass/Fail criterion or not achieving the minimum pass mark of 30 for "Quality of Data" will be eliminated. The price/quality split is 70% quality (50 for Data Quality + 10 for Support + 10 for Supplementary Datasets) and 30% price.

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers must submit their tenders electronically via the eTenders website (www.etenders.gov.ie). Key submission requirements include:

• Method statement / response document: Tenderers must provide substantive responses to the award criteria. Responses should be fully paginated with an index. Cross-referencing between different parts of the tender is not permitted.
• CVs: Not specified for this tender.
• Pricing schedule: This is the only document permitted to contain pricing information.
• Case studies: Not specified for this tender.
• Declarations: Tenderers must complete the Tenderer's Statement (Appendix 2) and the Pricing Schedule (Appendix 3). They must also declare satisfaction of economic and financial standing, and technical and professional ability criteria. Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference Number must be provided.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission portal: Tenders must be submitted via the eTenders post-box. Tenderers should allow sufficient time for upload and ensure documents are in PDF or Microsoft Office format.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract is intended to be for twenty-four (24) months, with the Central Bank holding the right to terminate earlier. The Central Bank also reserves the right to extend the contract by any period or series of periods up to a total of twenty-four (24) months, making the maximum total duration forty-eight (48) months. The form of contract is set out in Appendix 4. Tenderers must comply with the Central Bank’s Contractor Policy Pack. There is no guarantee of work volume. Tenderers may not amend the contract; any attempt to do so may result in exclusion. The successful tenderer must provide tax clearance verification and maintain specified insurance levels.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The procurement is not regulated by EU Public Procurement Regulations, suggesting a potentially simpler process but also less statutory protection for tenderers. The contract length is variable, with a significant extension option (up to 100% of the initial term), which may require long-term resource planning. The absence of a guaranteed work volume means tenderers must assess their own risk appetite for potential under-delivery. The award criteria include several Pass/Fail elements, meaning failure on any of these will lead to elimination, irrespective of other scores. The tie-break mechanism prioritises combined scores for "Quality of Data" and "Price," indicating these are key differentiators in a close contest.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is open to specialist providers of economic scenario datasets. A viable bidder would likely be a firm with demonstrated expertise in generating and supplying economic data, capable of meeting the €260,000 annual turnover requirement and possessing the necessary €5,000,000 Professional Indemnity Insurance. The requirement for one satisfactory reference for a similar contract in the last five years suggests that established players with a track record in this niche are expected. Consortium bids are permitted, allowing smaller firms to partner with others to meet requirements. The bid preparation effort is likely moderate, focusing on detailing data quality, support, and pricing, alongside providing the required reference. The tender is not explicitly designed for SMEs, but a well-prepared SME with the requisite experience and financial standing could compete.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: 2025P154 - Economic Dataset - Open Domestic Single Supplier Contract ITT - Final.pdf
• eTenders CFT ID: Not surfaced in provided text.
• Contact / Clarification Portal: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie
• Key Attachments:
• Appendix 1A - Requirements and Specifications
• Appendix 2 - Tenderer’s Statement
• Appendix 3 - Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 4 - Contract / Key Commercial Terms