Provision of Supply and Delivery of Indoor and Outdoor Ruggedised Phones and Spare Parts Packs across the full estate of the Irish Prison Service

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 contract requires the supply and delivery of indoor and outdoor ruggedised phones and associated spare parts packs to the full estate of the Irish Prison Service. The estimated value of this procurement is €200,000 (excluding VAT). The contract duration is for an initial period of 12 months, with the possibility of two further 12-month extensions.

The core activities for the successful tenderer include:

• Supply and Delivery of Ruggedised Phones: Provision of both indoor and outdoor ruggedised phone units. Specific technical specifications for these devices are detailed in Section 5 of the Request for Tender (RFT). Tenderers must propose make and model numbers and provide detailed specifications for the machines they are proposing, aligning with the sample provided.
• Supply of Spare Parts Packs: Provision of necessary spare parts packs to support the supplied ruggedised phones.
• Order Management: Implementation of a clear ordering process, including order status tracking.
• Delivery: Ensuring timely delivery of phones and spare parts. Delivery of the phone and spare parts must be within 4 weeks of order. The tender requires a clear pathway of delivery and agreed lead times. Site preparation for delivery must also be described.
• Training: Provision of training related to the supplied equipment.
• Invoicing: Establishment of clear invoicing procedures.
• Account Management: Dedicated account management services, including a nominated Account Manager (CV required), methodology of communication, schedule of communication, escalation procedures, reporting processes, and aftersales support.
• Continuity of Supply: Detailing how the supply will be maintained for the duration of the contract, including mitigation of risks to production.
• Sustainability: Proposals supporting the green and sustainability agenda, such as reducing carbon footprint (e.g., use of electric vehicles, reduced packaging) and options for device repair instead of replacement.
• Warranty: A minimum of 12 months warranty is required for all supplied equipment.

The tender specifies that the phones must be suitable for use in secure and restricted locations, with a quick turnaround from ordering to delivery.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is being conducted by the Irish Prison Service (IPS) to establish a framework agreement for the supply and delivery of ruggedised phones and spare parts. The need arises from the requirement to equip the full estate of the Irish Prison Service with these communication devices. The contract is structured as a single-operator framework, indicating a preference for a consolidated supply chain for these specific items. The estimated value of the contract is €200,000 (excluding VAT), with a potential duration of up to 36 months through extensions. The tender process is managed via the eTenders platform.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

• Turnover requirement: Tenderers must confirm that their turnover exceeded €75,000 during one of the last three years (or pro-rata if more recently established). Evidence of turnover for 2024, 2023, and 2022 (or 2025 if available) is required.
• Insurance:
• Employer's Liability: €13 million
• Public Liability: €6.5 million
• Product Liability: €6.5 million Tenderers must confirm they have these insurances in place or can obtain them if successful.
• Certifications:
• Compliance with Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.
• Compliance with Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations, 2006.
• Compliance with Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations, 2007.
• Compliance with other relevant regulations.
• Evidence of a Quality Management System (3rd party certified or in-house).
• Evidence of a Health and Safety Management System (3rd party certified or in-house).
• Past experience: Tenderers must provide details of two reference contracts, including customer name, contact details, contract dates, value, and a description of products provided. Specific mention is made of experience in providing services in secure and restricted locations with quick turnaround from ordering to delivery.
• Personnel:
• Account/Contract Manager: 1 required.
• Deputy Account/Contract Manager: 1 required.
• Sales/Support staff: 2 required.
• Fleet Resources:
• Delivery Vehicles: 2 required.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award will be made to the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT), based on the combined scoring of these criteria.

6. Submission requirements

• Method statement / response document: Tenderers must use the provided Tender Response Document.
• CVs: CVs for the nominated Account Manager are required.
• Pricing schedule: Appendix 1A – Pricing Schedule (Tab 2) must be completed, including a rate card. The ultimate cost for evaluation is taken from cell F13 of Appendix 1A.
• Case studies: Two reference contracts must be detailed.
• Declarations:
• Declaration re Personal Circumstances (Art. 57).
• Declaration re Statutory Obligations.
• Tax Clearance confirmation.
• Confirmation of financial capacity to pay debts.
• Statement of Compliance with the Specification.
• Declaration of Quality Management System.
• Declaration of Health and Safety Management System.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission portal: Via www.etenders.gov.ie only.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: 12 months, with a maximum of two (2) further 12-month extensions.
• Pricing: Rates stated are maximum prices for the duration of the framework agreement. No price increases will be approved without written confirmation from the IPS Contract Manager.
• Payment: Invoices are processed within 14 days of receipt, provided no queries are raised.
• Warranty: Minimum of 12 months warranty required.
• Termination: Not explicitly detailed in the provided text, but standard clauses are implied.
• Sub-contracting: Tenderers must have procedures in place to ensure subcontractors apply the same standards.
• Bonding: Not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Tight Deadline for Queries: The clarification deadline is 8 days before the tender submission deadline, which is relatively short for a complex technical procurement.
• Single Operator Framework: This structure may limit competition, potentially favouring larger, established suppliers with broad product ranges and robust supply chain management.
• Specific Ruggedised Requirements: The need for both indoor and outdoor ruggedised phones, coupled with detailed technical specifications (in Section 5 of the RFT, not provided here), means tenderers must offer precise product matches.
• Security Environment: Operating within the Irish Prison Service estate requires strict adherence to security protocols, as detailed in the Contractor Code of Conduct. This includes mandatory safety induction training, escorting by prison staff, and potential site inspections.
• No Price Increases: The explicit statement that no price increases will be approved without written confirmation from the IPS Contract Manager presents a risk for suppliers regarding potential inflation or cost fluctuations over the contract term.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely best suited for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that specialise in the supply of ruggedised communication devices and have established relationships with the Irish public sector or experience in secure environments.

• Credible bidders: A viable bidder would typically be a supplier with a proven track record in providing IT hardware, specifically ruggedised phones, to organisations with stringent security and operational requirements. They would need to demonstrate:
• A strong understanding of the technical specifications for ruggedised phones.
• An efficient ordering, delivery, and support process capable of meeting the 4-week delivery timeframe.
• Experience in managing accounts for public sector clients.
• Robust health and safety and quality management systems.
• Sufficient financial standing to meet the turnover requirement (€75,000 average).
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: While not explicitly forbidden, the tender response document includes a section for details of sub-contractors or consortium members, suggesting they are permitted. This could allow smaller firms to partner to meet requirements they cannot fulfil alone.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Preparing a comprehensive response, including detailed methodologies, technical specifications, pricing, and declarations, could require 5-10 working days for a dedicated bid team, assuming the core product offering is already defined.
• Pwin signal: The single-operator framework and the specific nature of ruggedised phones for a secure environment might suggest an incumbent supplier has an advantage, particularly if they have prior experience with the IPS. However, the tender is open to new entrants.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename(s): "2. TRD Supply and Delivery of Indoor and Outdoor Ruggedised Phones and Spare Parts for Irish Prison Service.docx"
• eTenders CFT ID: 8485140
• Contact email or clarification portal: Contact details for the Contracting Authority are to be found within the RFT documents.
• Most important attachments:
• "2. TRD Supply and Delivery of Indoor and Outdoor Ruggedised Phones and Spare Parts for Irish Prison Service.docx" (Tender Response Document)
• Appendix 1A – Pricing Schedule
• [Appendix 1b Contractor Code of Conduct.pdf]