1no. 14 ton single cab truck including body and crane

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

This procurement seeks a single 14-ton single cab truck, complete with a tipper body and an integrated crane. The contract involves the supply of this specific vehicle.

The constituent activities and specifications for the truck include:

• Vehicle Type: One (1) 14-ton single cab truck.
• Body: Tipper body.
• Crane: Integrated crane.
• Warranty:
• Crane: Minimum of 1 year warranty.
• Complete vehicle: Minimum of a two-year full warranty.
• Delivery:
• Undertaking to deliver the completed vehicle within 180 days inclusive of the official order.
• A maximum delivery period of 270 days inclusive of the official order is stipulated; inability to deliver within this timeframe will result in disqualification.
• Aftersales Support: Required.
• Technical Resources: Tenderers must demonstrate access to effective and efficient technical resources and systems to deliver the specified service.
• Environmental Aspects: Tenderers must demonstrate compliance with all relevant Environmental legislation and guidelines.
• Health & Safety: Tenderers must demonstrate compliance with all relevant Health & Safety legislation.
• Quality Assurance: Tenderers must demonstrate a commitment to quality assurance, providing details of policies, systems, and third-party certification.
• Environmental Management System: Tenderers must demonstrate operation of an appropriate environmental management system, whether third-party certified or in-house.

The tender documents include a Tender Response Document (TRD) and accompanying spreadsheets for detailed specifications, unit cost submissions, and delivery time assessments.

3. Background & buyer context

Kilkenny County Council is the contracting authority for this procurement. The tender is being issued under an Open Procedure at a national level, recommended for below EU threshold. The procurement aims to acquire essential operational equipment for the Council's services. The specific policy or programme driving this acquisition is not explicitly stated, but it aligns with the general need for public sector fleet renewal and operational capacity. No incumbent supplier is mentioned. The strategic driver is the acquisition of a specific vehicle to meet operational requirements.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered eligible:

• Turnover requirement:
• Tendering party turnover must have exceeded €200,000 during one of the last three years, or pro-rata if more recently established.
• Firms must have been in existence for at least 6 months.
• Insurance:
• Employer's Liability: €13,000,000
• Public Liability: €6,500,000
• Product Liability: €6,500,000
• Certifications:
• Quality Assurance: Tenderers must demonstrate a commitment to quality assurance and provide details of policies and systems, and whether third-party certified.
• Health & Safety Management System: Tenderers must demonstrate operation of health & safety systems and procedures in line with relevant legislation.
• Environmental Management System: Tenderers must demonstrate operation of an appropriate environmental management system, whether third-party certified or in-house.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

Tenderers must also confirm compliance with relevant statutory obligations in Ireland or equivalent legislation in their country of establishment. Evidence of financial standing and tax compliance will be required prior to contract award.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded on the basis of the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT), considering both cost and qualitative criteria. The total maximum marks available is 1,000.

Qualitative criteria are assessed first. The lowest cost tender meeting all minimum qualitative requirements receives maximum cost score. The scoring formula for cost is: (Lowest Cost / Tender Cost) * Maximum Cost Marks. For qualitative criteria, a scoring band system (1-6) from "excellent" to "no response" is used, with marks awarded within defined percentage ranges. A tie-break will favour the tender with the highest quality score, then the highest score on the highest weighted qualitative criterion.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders must submit their tenders electronically via the eTenders postbox facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.

• Method statement / response document: Tenderers must use the provided Tender Response Document (TRD) and accompanying spreadsheet. Personalisation or amendment of the TRD is prohibited.
• CVs: Not specified for this tender.
• Pricing schedule: Must be completed using the provided format in the TRD and accompanying spreadsheet.
• Case studies: Not specified for this tender.
• Declarations:
• Declaration of Bona Fides (Art. 57 of Directive 2014/24/EU).
• Declaration regarding compliance with relevant statutory obligations.
• European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) – electronic or separate attachment.
• Declaration regarding the International Procurement Instrument (2022/1031) and Article 5K of Regulation 2022/576.
• Mandatory site visit: Not applicable.
• Submission portal: www.etenders.gov.ie. Tenders must be uploaded as a ZIP FILE.

Tenderers must ensure they associate their company with the competition on eTenders before submission.

7. Key dates & process

The tender validity period is 6 months from the closing date for submissions.

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term + extension: Not specified.
• Payment terms: Not specified, but standard prompt payment legislation applies.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Delivery time is a key criterion (max 270 days). Warranty periods for crane (1 year) and vehicle (2 years) are specified.
• Liquidated damages: Inability to deliver within 270 days will result in disqualification.
• Termination clauses: The Contracting Authority reserves the right to terminate if commercial arrangements become uncompetitive due to external factors (e.g., customs changes).
• IP ownership: Not specified.
• Sub-contracting rules: Tenderers may rely on the resources of other entities. If a subcontractor's value exceeds 10% of the contract, they must also meet exclusion ground and selection criteria requirements.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond: Not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Delivery Time Constraint: The strict 180-day delivery target, with a hard maximum of 270 days, presents a significant risk. Failure to meet this will lead to disqualification, suggesting a need for robust supply chain management and pre-existing stock or rapid manufacturing capability.
• Indicative Budget: The RFT states an "indicative budget for the contract is in the range of machines of this nature," but provides no specific figure. This lack of a disclosed budget can make pricing strategy challenging for bidders.
• TRD Personalisation Prohibition: Tenderers are explicitly prohibited from personalising the Tender Response Document (TRD) with their branding. This is an unusual restriction that requires strict adherence to the provided template.
• Pass/Fail Criteria: Several key aspects, including referee feedback and meeting minimum delivery times, are treated as pass/fail criteria, meaning any non-compliance will result in immediate exclusion.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely suitable for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that specialise in commercial vehicle supply, particularly those with established relationships with truck manufacturers and crane suppliers.

• Credible bidders: Firms with a proven track record in supplying commercial vehicles, specifically trucks with tipper bodies and cranes, and who can meet the insurance and warranty requirements. The turnover requirement of €200,000 suggests that very small or newly established businesses may struggle to qualify on financial grounds alone.
• Consortium/sub-contracting: Consortium or joint venture bids are permitted. Tenderers can rely on the resources of other entities to meet capacity requirements, allowing SMEs to partner with others to fulfil the tender.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Bid preparation will require careful completion of the TRD, pricing schedules, and gathering of supporting documentation for insurance, financial standing, and potentially technical resources. This could represent 5-10 days of effort for a qualified team.
• Pwin signal: The tender is for a single, specific vehicle, suggesting it is not part of a large framework. The absence of an incumbent mention and the national-level procedure indicate a competitive process. The strict delivery timeline is a key differentiator.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: RFT 14 TON SINGLE CAB.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided text.
• Contact for queries: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.
• Most important attachments:
• Tender Response Document (TRD)
• Accompanying spreadsheet (containing Appendix 1, Appendix 2, Appendix 3)
• Contract Terms and Conditions (as appended at the relevant Appendix)