Letterkenny Northern Network Project - Land and Property Valuation Services

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1. At a glance

2. Scope of Work

The contract requires the provision of comprehensive land and property valuation services for the Letterkenny Northern Network Project. This involves undertaking all necessary valuations for lands designated for acquisition, as detailed in the project's landtake drawings and landowner schedules. The consultant will be responsible for familiarising themselves with the project scope through walkover surveys and desktop studies, including conducting two site visits per land plot folio. All meetings and discussions must be minuted and circulated to Donegal County Council. The consultant will provide necessary information to the design team and local authority, identify information requirements early, and incorporate them into assessments. Engagement with landowner representatives is required for assessing accommodation works and valuations. The consultant must also attend and facilitate online meetings, allowing for 12 such meetings annually, and organise, attend, record, and issue minutes for consultations with third parties. Tendered rates must encompass all costs for these general requirements, with no separate payment. A notional figure for engaging external specialists should be included within general requirements.

The services are structured into distinct stages:

• Stage (i) Land Acquisition Cost Estimate: Prepare an initial cost estimate and a register of estimated costs for all relevant lands. This includes preparing and updating a risk assessment for land costs and initial engagement with landowners' representatives for approximately 14 plots regarding proposed valuations and accommodation works. Approval from the Housing Aviation Office is a condition for progressing beyond this stage.
• Stage (ii a) Consultants Assessment of Claims and Making Initial Offers: Following departmental approval, inspect properties, analyse open-market values, and evaluate all claims received from landowners. This includes assessing the value of land acquired, injurious affection, severance, disturbance, and accommodation works. The consultant will advise the client on issuing initial offers and manage subsequent negotiations to settle compensation amounts, preparing formal property acquisition agreements.
• Stage (ii b) Settlement of Claims OR Referral to Assessment/Arbitration OR Referral to IFA Agreement: Assess compensation for land acquisition, injurious affection, severance, and disturbance. This involves attending meetings with claimants and their agents/valuers (allowing for two per claimant per land plot folio), negotiating accommodation works, wayleaves, and rights-of-way, and negotiating compensation amounts. The consultant will advise the client on proposed settlements and recommend the issuance of Letters of Acceptance, confirming their return. The council expects voluntary land agreements, not compulsory purchase orders.
• Stage (iii) Determination of Compensation in accordance with Assessment under National Roads Agreement 2022-2027: Attend assessment preparation meetings (two per claimant per scheme), prepare and present evidence as an expert witness at assessment hearings, review assessor awards, and recommend acceptance or application for arbitration.
• Stage (iv) Determination of Compensation in accordance with the Acquisition of Land (Assessment of Compensation) Act, 1919 (Arbitration Process): Attend preparation meetings for Unconditional Offers (one per claimant per scheme), review and advise on claimants’ Statements of Claim, attend arbitration preparation meetings (one per claimant per scheme), prepare and present evidence as an expert witness at arbitration hearings, and review and advise on the arbitrator's awards. External specialists may be engaged. Compliance with CPO procedures is required.
• Stage (v) Land Compensation Closeout Reports: Complete and deliver Land Compensation Closeout Reports.

The project involves 22 folios requiring land take, with 14 folios expected to require consultant appointment for valuation services, comprising 28 sub-plots.

3. Background & buyer context

Donegal County Council is procuring land and property valuation services for the Letterkenny Northern Network Project. This project aims to develop transport infrastructure north of Letterkenny Town, enhancing connectivity between Glencar and the Knocknamona Roundabout. The initiative seeks to reduce traffic congestion, support compact growth, and encourage modal shift by realigning the L1152-1 Windyhall Road and incorporating segregated pedestrian and cyclist facilities. The project is identified as a key infrastructure link in the Letterkenny Plan and Local Transport Plan 2023-2029. Funding for the project is provided by the Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund (HIIF), and Part VIII planning permission was granted in July 2026. The project requires land acquisition across 22 folios. The procurement is driven by the need for specialist valuation expertise to manage the acquisition process for approximately 14 of these folios, which comprise 28 sub-plots.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

• Turnover requirement: Not specified for this tender.
• Insurance:
• Professional Indemnity Insurance: Minimum €1,500,000 on each and every claim basis, and €1,500,000 on an annual aggregate basis.
• Public Liability Insurance: Minimum €6,500,000 in respect of any one accident. Maximum excess for property only is €10,000.
• Employer’s Liability Insurance: Minimum €13,000,000 in respect of any one accident. No excess is permitted.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Applicants must provide evidence of providing services of a similar nature. A maximum of 6 projects are to be submitted as evidence, organised in order of precedence. Specific project value or complexity thresholds are not explicitly stated, but the context implies experience in land acquisition and compensation assessment.
• Personnel: Valuation Administrator - Office support staff with a minimum of 1 year's experience. Specific requirements for other roles (e.g., lead valuer, negotiators) are not detailed in the provided extract but will be detailed in the tender documents.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

Criterion Weight (%) Sub-criteria