Limerick City and County Council Christmas Lights Installation and Maintenance Tender

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 tender seeks an electrical contractor to install and maintain Christmas lights within Limerick City and County Council's jurisdiction. The contract will operate on a task-order basis, meaning the Council will issue specific instructions for works as and when required. The contractor is responsible for executing these tasks according to the issued orders and the contract's general terms.

Key activities and requirements include:

• Installation: This involves the physical setup of Christmas lights. Specifics regarding the scale, type, and locations of installations will be detailed in individual Task Orders. The contractor must ensure all installations comply with relevant electrical standards and regulations.
• Maintenance: This encompasses the ongoing upkeep of the Christmas lighting systems. This includes routine checks, repairs, and replacements to ensure functionality and safety throughout the operational period. The contract specifies that delineators are to be replaced at intervals of not greater than 28 days, or as required.
• Repairs and Materials Guarantee: All repairs and materials provided by the contractor must be guaranteed for a minimum of 12 months from the date of installation or repair.
• Task Order Management: The contractor must adhere to order management procedures as outlined in the Works Requirements. This includes promptly returning Task Orders with certificates of completion and notifying the Employer's Representative of any delays within 24 hours of becoming aware of them.
• Quotation Process: For proposed Task Orders, the contractor may be requested to provide a lump-sum fixed-price quotation, including a detailed programme and any other requested information, within a specified timeframe (or 10 days if not specified).
• Site Operations: The contractor is responsible for the safety and stability of all operations on site, securing the site, keeping it in good order, and protecting persons and property from hazards.
• Personnel: The contractor must ensure its personnel are suitably qualified, trained, experienced, and competent. Garda Síochána clearance may be required.
• Compliance: All works must be carried out in accordance with good practice, Building Regulations, and relevant standards. The contractor must use goods and materials of good quality, and unless otherwise stated, new.

The contract is structured as a Public Works Term Maintenance and Refurbishment Works Contract (PW-CF11 v1.7 25-11-2025). The Council does not guarantee a specific volume of work, and the contractor will only be paid for completed works as per Task Orders, up to a Maximum Sum.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is being conducted by Limerick City and County Council. The tender falls under the framework of Public Works Term Maintenance and Refurbishment Works Contracts, specifically utilizing document PW-CF11 v1.7, dated 25th November 2025. This indicates a standardized approach to term maintenance contracts within the Irish public sector, likely aligned with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation's guidelines. The procurement is for the installation and maintenance of Christmas lights, a recurring seasonal requirement for the Council to enhance public spaces during the festive period. No specific programme or policy drivers beyond the operational need for seasonal decorations are explicitly stated. The incumbent provider, if any, is not identified in the provided documentation.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered for this tender:

• Turnover Requirement:
• Minimum average annual turnover of €375,000.00 arising from the area of work specified: Electrical Contractor with experience in the installation and maintenance of Christmas Lights.
• Insurance:
• Public Liability Insurance: Minimum cover of €6.5 million each and every claim, from start to completion of the service. Maximum permissible excess for property damage is €50,000.00.
• Employer's Liability Insurance: Minimum cover of €13 million each and every claim, from start to completion of the service. Maximum permissible excess is €6,500.00.
• Product Liability Insurance: Minimum cover of €6,500,000.00 each and every claim, from start to completion of the service.
• Professional Indemnity Insurance: Minimum cover of €2.6 million each and every claim, from start to completion of the service. The maximum permissible excess is the greater of 2% of the tenderer’s annual turnover or €5,000.
• Certifications:
• ISO 9001 Compliant System or equivalent is required.
• Compliance with standards such as BS EN ISO 9001, BS EN ISO 14001, ISO 45001, BS EN IEC/ISO 17025, BS EN 60439, BS EN 60898-2:2006, BS EN 60947-2, BS EN 60947-3, BS EN 61008, BS EN 61009, BS EN 60529, EN ISO 1461, BS 7888-3 HD623, and BS EN 50086-12-4 may be relevant to the works.
• Past Experience:
• Evidence of a minimum of 3 no. comparable projects of similar nature and complexity completed within the relevant period (period not explicitly stated in the provided extract, but implied by "Qualification Criterion").
• Personnel:
• Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / Facility Constraints:
• Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award criteria and scoring mechanism are not fully detailed in the provided extract. However, the tender is structured under a Public Works Term Maintenance and Refurbishment Works Contract, which typically implies a "Most Economically Advantageous Tender" (MEAT) approach. This means the award will be based on a combination of price and quality. The specific weighting between price and quality, along with detailed sub-criteria and scoring, would be found in the full tender documentation, likely within the Suitability Assessment Questionnaire or similar sections not fully extracted here. Any minimum scoring thresholds per criterion or overall would also be specified in those sections.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders are required to submit the following documentation and information:

• Method Statement / Response Document: Not explicitly detailed in the provided extract, but implied by the need to respond to qualification criteria and the tender process.
• CVs: Not specified for this tender.
• Pricing Schedule: A Pricing Document is referenced, which will detail rates and prices for tasks.
• Case Studies: A list of a minimum of 3 no. completed projects of similar nature and complexity is required, with certificates of satisfactory execution.
• Declarations:
• Banker's Letter (Appendix C) on applicant headed paper, confirming banking facilities.
• Letter of Undertaking/Bond (Appendix D2) from a Surety, confirming bond facilities.
• Tax clearance certificate and C2 certificate.
• Bona Fides declarations are implied by the tender process.
• Conflict of Interest declarations are implied.
• Mandatory Site Visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission Portal: The tender is managed via eTenders. Specific formatting rules for electronic submission would be detailed in the full tender documents.

The contractor must also provide evidence of insurance as required under clause 11.5 and confirmation of entered subcontracts with any Specialists named in the Schedule within 7 days of acceptance of the tender.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: The contract has an initial term of 12 months from the contract award date, with two further 12-month extension options exercisable by the Council.
• Payment Terms: Payment claims are submitted monthly. The Employer's Representative issues a certificate stating the amount due within 14 days of receiving the payment claim notice. The Employer must pay the Contractor the invoiced amount within the Scheduled period (typically 30 days, but can be 180 days if not specified) after receiving the invoice. Late payments incur interest at the rate specified in the European Communities (Late Payment in Commercial Transactions) Regulations 2012.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Not explicitly detailed in the provided extract, but implied by the need to execute tasks promptly and comply with order management procedures.
• Liquidated Damages/Penalty Regimes: Not explicitly detailed in the provided extract. However, clause 4.4 outlines consequences for failure to comply with a Task Order or contract, including termination and liability for the Employer's additional costs.
• Termination Clauses: The Employer may terminate the Term at any time, without cause, by written notice. The Contractor's only entitlement on termination is to payment for amounts due under clause 6. Termination for Contractor default is also possible under clause 4.4.
• IP Ownership: Not specified for this tender.
• Sub-contracting Rules: The Contractor may engage sub-processors for personal data processing with prior written notice to the Employer and reasonable opportunity for objection. Subcontracting of specialists named in the Schedule or Task Order is permitted, provided the Employer's Representative agrees in advance.
• Parent Company Guarantee/Bond: A Letter of Undertaking/Bond from a Surety (Appendix D2) is required, confirming bond facilities are in place. The amount of the performance bond is not specified but is stated to be "not more than [●] euros".

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Task Order Basis: The contract operates on a Task Order basis, meaning there is no guaranteed minimum volume of work. Contractors must be prepared for variable demand.
• Maximum Sum Limit: Payments are capped at a "Maximum Sum" as stated in the Schedule. Once this cumulative amount is reached, Task Orders can only include accepted quotations, and these quotations cannot exceed the Scheduled percentage of the Maximum Sum.
• Limited Liability on Termination: On termination by the Employer (even without cause), the Contractor's sole entitlement is payment for amounts due. This limits the Contractor's recourse in such scenarios.
• Strict Notification Periods: Several clauses stipulate strict timeframes for notifications, such as 24 hours for reporting delays or breaches, and 2 months for detailing amounts claimed after work ceases. Failure to comply can result in loss of entitlement.
• Contractual Discrepancies: The conditions state that the "Conditions" document prevails over other contract documents in case of discrepancies, except where a Task Order prevails over Works Requirements or Pricing Document. This requires careful review of all contractual elements.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured for electrical contractors experienced in the installation and maintenance of Christmas lights. A small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) could credibly bid if they meet the financial and experience criteria.

• Viable Bidder Profile: A firm with a demonstrated track record in electrical contracting, specifically with seasonal lighting installations, and an annual turnover of at least €375,000.00. They must also possess the required insurance levels (€6.5m Public Liability, €13m Employer's Liability, €2.6m Professional Indemnity). Experience with public sector contracts or similar scale projects would be advantageous.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: While not explicitly stated as prohibited, the structure of the contract and the requirement for specific insurance and experience suggest a lead contractor is expected. Sub-contracting for specialist elements might be permissible, but the core electrical contracting experience and financial standing must reside with the bidding entity. The contract does allow for sub-processors for data, and specialists named in the Schedule or Task Order can perform work if agreed.
• Indicative Bid-Prep Effort: Preparing a compliant bid would likely require 5-10 days of effort. This includes gathering financial statements, insurance certificates, details of past projects, preparing a banker's letter and surety undertaking, and potentially developing a preliminary approach to task management and pricing.
• Pwin Signal: The tender uses a standard Public Works Term Maintenance and Refurbishment Works Contract, suggesting a competitive process. The absence of specific incumbent information or unusual constraints implies the market is likely open. The €375,000 turnover requirement is a moderate threshold, accessible to established SMEs.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename(s): [LCCC - Limerick City Christmas Lights Maintenance Contract.zip]
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided extract.
• Contact Email / Clarification Portal: Not specified in the provided extract.
• Most Important Attachments:
• [PW-CF11_Contract_v1.7_25-11-2025.pdf] (Public Works Term Maintenance and Refurbishment Works Contract Conditions)
• [Appendix_C_Bankers_Letter.docx] (Banker's Letter template)
• [Appendix_D2_QW2_Letter_of_Undertaking_Bond.docx] (Letter of Undertaking/Bond template)
• [Appendix_B1_List_of_Previous_Works_Projects_which_is_CEE.docx] (Previous Works Projects template)