MH-COMM-26-03- Meath County Council Migration and Integration Plan 2027-2032

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

Meath County Council seeks a consultant or consultancy team to develop a Migration and Integration Plan for the period 2027-2032. The plan will address the county's increasing population growth and diversity, aiming to establish a strategic framework for migrant integration and inclusion. The work involves research, analysis, stakeholder engagement, and policy review to create a county-specific plan that aligns with potential national strategies.

The consultant's responsibilities are divided into two parts:

Part A: Research and Analysis

• Data Analysis: Analyse Census 2022 data and other relevant demographic, socio-economic, and migration statistics for County Meath.
• Trend Assessment: Evaluate migrant population trends, diversity profiles, and geographic distribution within the county.
• Service Mapping: Review and map existing migration and integration services, supports, and programmes.
• Needs Identification: Identify current and emerging needs, barriers, gaps, and opportunities for supporting migration and integration.
• Policy Review: Examine national and international migration and integration legislation, policies, strategies, and best practices applicable to local government.
• Stakeholder Mapping: Identify and profile key stakeholders involved in migration and integration.
• Consultation Programme: Design and implement an accessible and inclusive consultation programme using various methods (surveys, workshops, focus groups, interviews). This includes engagement with:
• Migrant communities and migrant-led organisations.
• Meath Community Integration Forum.
• Elected Members of Meath County Council.
• All consultation activities must adhere to best practices in accessibility, universal design, and meaningful participation of migrant individuals.

Part B: Development of the Migration and Integration Plan

• Vision Development: Formulate a clear countywide vision for migration and integration.
• Strategic Themes: Facilitate the development of strategic themes based on consultation findings.
• Action Framework: Prepare strategic objectives, priority actions, responsible lead departments, delivery partners, timescales, performance indicators, and monitoring arrangements.
• Governance Framework: Recommend internal governance structures, ongoing consultation mechanisms, monitoring and reporting structures, and review arrangements.

Key Deliverables:

• Consultation Report detailing public consultation outcomes.
• Draft Migration and Integration Plan.
• Facilitation Workshops for strategic planning.
• Implementation Framework for monitoring and reporting.
• Final Migration and Integration Plan, ready for publication.

The contract duration is 6 months, with one possible extension of 3 months.

3. Background & buyer context

Meath County Council is procuring this service due to significant population growth and increasing diversity within the county. Census 2022 data indicates a growing non-Irish population, necessitating a coordinated approach to integration. While a national strategy is anticipated, Meath County Council seeks a county-specific plan to address local needs and opportunities. This initiative is identified as a strategic priority for the Council. The successful consultant will facilitate the plan's development, with Meath County Council determining policy priorities and actions.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

To be considered for this tender, bidders must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Turnover requirement: Average annual turnover must have exceeded €50,000 in one of the last three years. Firms established more recently must demonstrate pro-rata turnover, and must have been in existence for at least 6 months.
• Insurance:
• Employer's Liability: €13,000,000
• Public Liability: €6,500,000
• Professional Indemnity: €250,000
• Certifications: Tenderers should provide information on measures for quality service delivery, for example, through an externally certified system.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Tenderers must nominate a dedicated contract manager responsible for the contract's satisfactory delivery. Key personnel assigned to the contract must be available for verification meetings.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.
• Other: Tenderers must demonstrate compliance with all relevant Health & Safety legislation. They must also confirm tax compliance with Irish Revenue Commissioners and demonstrate financial standing to pay debts as they fall due.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). A minimum score of 60% is required for Criteria B, C, and D. Failure to achieve this minimum score in any of these criteria will result in elimination. The total maximum marks available is 10,000.

6. Submission requirements

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the e-Tenders post-box facility on www.etenders.gov.ie only.

The submission must include:

• Tender Response Document (TRD): Use the provided template and do not amend its text or content.
• European Single Procurement Document (ESPD): Either electronically via eESPD on e-Tenders or as a separate uploaded attachment.
• Declarations:
• Declaration of Bona Fides.
• Declaration regarding compliance with relevant statutory obligations.
• Financial Information:
• Confirmation of tax compliance.
• Confirmation of turnover exceeding €50,000 in one of the last three years (or pro-rata for newer firms).
• Confirmation of financial standing.
• Insurance: Confirmation of Employer's Liability (€13m), Public Liability (€6.5m), and Professional Indemnity (€250,000) being in place.
• Pricing Schedule: Use the named template.
• Case Studies: Not specified for this tender.
• CVs: Not specified for this tender.
• Method Statement / Response Document: The TRD serves this purpose.

Tenderers must ensure sufficient time for uploading and submission before the deadline.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Contract Length: 6 months.
• Extension: One extension of 3 months is possible, subject to performance, budget, and business needs.
• Additional Works/Services: Up to 100% of the original contract value may be instructed within 12 months of the award date, using the original contract rates and terms.
• Termination: The Contracting Authority may terminate the contract due to increased costs rendering the arrangement uncompetitive, or if a Force Majeure event continues for 30 days.
• Payment: Not specified, but standard prompt payment legislation applies.
• Contract Manager: A dedicated, non-billable contract manager is required, responsible for overall contract delivery and relationship management.
• Sub-contracting: Not specified for this tender.
• Parent-company guarantee/bond: Not specified for this tender.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Indicative Budget: The indicative budget of €20,000 - €25,000 is very low for a comprehensive plan development requiring significant stakeholder engagement and research. This suggests a high risk of the budget being insufficient for the full scope, potentially leading to scope reduction or pressure on the consultant.
• Short Contract Duration: A 6-month contract for developing a strategic plan, including extensive consultation, is ambitious. The single 3-month extension offers limited flexibility.
• Low Turnover Requirement: The €50,000 turnover requirement is low, potentially allowing many firms to bid but also raising questions about the capacity of some bidders to deliver a high-quality, complex plan.
• MEAT with Low Weighting on Quality: While quality is assessed across multiple criteria (Methodology, Programme, Experience, Green Procurement), the total weighting for quality (70%) is balanced by a significant weighting for Cost (30%). The lowest cost tender meeting minimum qualitative requirements gets maximum cost score, which could favour lower-cost, potentially less experienced bidders if not carefully managed.
• Minimum Qualitative Score: A minimum score of 60% is required for key qualitative criteria, meaning tenders must demonstrate a "Good" understanding at a minimum.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is potentially suitable for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with expertise in policy development, strategic planning, and community engagement, particularly within the public sector or social inclusion fields.

• Viable Bidder Profile: A consultancy firm or a small team of experienced independent consultants with a proven track record in developing strategic plans, conducting public consultations, and understanding migration and integration issues. The firm must meet the insurance and financial requirements.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: SMEs are encouraged to form relationships with other SMEs or larger enterprises to meet capacity requirements. Consortium bids are permitted, requiring a single point of contact. Sub-contracting is not explicitly mentioned but is implicitly allowed through reliance on other entities.
• Indicative Bid-Prep Effort: Preparing a compliant bid, including the TRD, ESPD, and detailed responses to award criteria, could require 5-10 days of effort for an experienced consultancy.
• Pwin Signal: The low indicative budget and turnover requirement suggest the tender is open to a broad market, including SMEs. There is no clear indication of an incumbent. The emphasis on local context and stakeholder engagement may favour firms with established local networks or a strong understanding of the Irish public sector.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: 2A Request for Tender Contract Open Procedure (RFT).docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided text.
• Contact for Queries: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie
• Most Important Attachments:
• [2A Request for Tender Contract Open Procedure (RFT).docx] (The main RFT document)
• Tender Response Document (TRD) (mentioned as mandatory for submission)
• Appendices containing Contract Terms and Conditions (mentioned for review and acceptance)