Design, Construction, Commissioning and Delivery of Purpose Built Pilot Boat

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 Port of Waterford Company requires the design, construction, commissioning, and delivery of one purpose-built pilot boat. The estimated value for the goods contract, including any potential extensions, is €1,000,000 excluding VAT. The contract duration is for two years, with an option for the Contracting Authority to extend it for up to an additional year under the same terms.

The scope of work encompasses the entire lifecycle of the pilot boat, from initial design through to final delivery and commissioning. Key activities and specifications include:

• Design: Development of a purpose-built pilot boat design.
• Construction: Fabrication and assembly of the pilot boat.
• Commissioning: Testing and verification of the boat's systems and performance.
• Delivery: Transportation and handover of the completed pilot boat to the Port of Waterford.

Specific requirements detailed in Appendix 1 include:

• Capacity: Seating for a minimum of seven persons, including a minimum of five pilots.
• Lighting: 24v LED lighting with a minimum IP67 rating for exterior and IP64 rating for interior. Exterior lighting is to be controlled from the wheelhouse.
• Windows: Durability for a minimum of five years.
• CCTV: A minimum of four CCTV cameras with recording capability, storing footage for a minimum of 21 days.
• Compliance: Operation to at least ISO 12217 Design Category B, and compliance with standard ISO 8217. Fuel pipes must meet ISO 7840 "Small Craft Fire". The boat must comply with Irish Merchant Shipping Regulations (Passenger Boat) SI No. 273/2002 as amended.
• Safety Equipment: Includes a 1-day use First Aid Kit and a Defibrillator (Defibtech DDU-100 Units).
• Hull Protection: External hull protection calculated for at least 12 months using sacrificial anodes.

The contract will be based on a BIMCO NewBUildCon form of contract.

3. Background & buyer context

The Port of Waterford Company is procuring a new purpose-built pilot boat to support its maritime operations. The tender is being conducted under an open procedure, as per the European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulations 2016. The estimated expenditure for the goods contract is €1,000,000 (excl. VAT) over its initial two-year term, with a potential one-year extension. The Contracting Authority aims to encourage participation from Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and encourages larger enterprises to consider how SMEs can be included in their proposals.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must meet specific criteria to be considered compliant and eligible for evaluation. These are assessed on a Pass/Fail basis.

• Turnover requirement: Tenderers must demonstrate an average annual financial turnover of €2,000,000 for the financial years 2023, 2024, and 2025. Evidence must be provided by the Tenderer's Financial Auditors via audited accounts or a letter from the auditor.
• Insurance: The successful Tenderer must hold the following insurances for the term of the Goods Contract:
• Employer’s Liability: €13,000,000
• Public Liability: €6,500,000
• Product Liability: €6,500,000
• Professional Indemnity: Not specified for this tender.
• Certifications: Tenderers must declare compliance with Irish and EU legislation and statutory requirements, including engine emissions complying with current EU regulations. Specific certifications are not explicitly listed as mandatory selection criteria beyond general compliance.
• Past experience: Not specified as a distinct selection criterion in the provided text.
• Personnel: Not specified as a distinct selection criterion in the provided text.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

Additionally, Tenderers must:

• Submit a valid Tax Clearance Certificate.
• Complete and submit the Declaration as to Personal Circumstances (Appendix 4).
• Submit a Tenderer’s Statement (Appendix 3).
• Declare by way of eESPD that they satisfy the financial and economic standing requirements and are able to provide supporting documentation upon request.
• Declare by way of eESPD that no mandatory grounds for exclusion apply, or if they do, that sufficient measures are in place to demonstrate reliability.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The tender will be evaluated based on a combination of price and quality. The specific weighting and scoring mechanism are not detailed in the provided text. However, it is stated that only compliant Tenderers who meet the selection criteria will be evaluated according to the Award Criteria. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to reject any Tender, not necessarily the lowest priced.

6. Submission requirements

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the eTenders platform (www.etenders.gov.ie).

• Method statement / response document: Tenderers must follow the format of the RFT and respond to each element in the order presented. The RFT document itself must not be altered or edited.
• CVs: Not specified for this tender.
• Pricing schedule: Tenderers must complete the Pricing Schedule at Appendix 2. All prices must be all-inclusive (including shipping, packaging, delivery, ancillary costs), expressed in Euro only, and exclusive of VAT. The VAT rate should be indicated separately.
• Case studies: Not specified for this tender.
• Declarations:
• Electronic version of the European Single Procurement Document (eESPD).
• Tenderer’s Statement (Appendix 3), signed and printed on letterhead.
• Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer (Appendix 4).
• Declaration regarding Statutory Requirements on headed paper.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission portal: Tenders must be submitted via the ‘electronic tenderbox’ on www.etenders.gov.ie. File size limits apply: 250MB per file, with a maximum total of 2GB for all documentation. Tenders must be compiled as PDF files.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: The Goods Contract will be for a term of 2 years.
• Extension: The Contracting Authority reserves the right to extend the term for a period or periods of up to 1 year, with a maximum of one such extension.
• Payment terms: Payments will be made subject to and in accordance with the Goods Contract at Appendix 5.
• Price adjustments: Prices may be increased or decreased only on the first anniversary of the Effective Date of the Goods Contract and subsequent anniversaries, based on a specified index.
• Environmental, social, and labour law: The successful Tenderer and any Subcontractors must comply with all applicable EU and domestic environmental, social, and labour laws.
• Sub-contracting: Tenderers must designate a single entity as the Prime Contractor responsible for the Goods Contract, irrespective of subcontracting.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond: Not specified for this tender.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Estimated value vs. Contract term: The estimated value of €1,000,000 (excl. VAT) over a potential 3-year term (2+1) suggests a moderate project scale.
• Insurance requirements: The specified insurance levels (€13m Employer's Liability, €6.5m Public and Product Liability) are substantial, potentially impacting smaller firms. Professional Indemnity insurance is listed as "n/a", which is unusual for a design and build contract and may indicate a specific risk allocation or a focus on the physical build.
• BIMCO NewBUildCon contract: This is a specific shipbuilding contract form, requiring familiarity.
• SME encouragement: While SMEs are encouraged, the turnover requirement and insurance levels may present barriers. The encouragement for larger enterprises to include SMEs suggests a potential for consortia or subcontracting.
• No explicit technical evaluation criteria: The provided text focuses on Pass/Fail selection criteria and does not detail how technical merit or quality will be scored against price in the award phase.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely most suitable for established marine engineering or shipbuilding firms with significant experience in designing and constructing commercial vessels.

• Who can credibly bid: Companies with a proven track record in naval architecture, boat building, and systems integration for vessels of this size and type. The €2,000,000 annual turnover requirement and high insurance levels indicate a need for financially robust businesses.
• Consortium/sub-contracting: The RFT explicitly encourages SMEs to explore forming relationships with other SMEs or larger enterprises. Larger enterprises are also encouraged to consider SME inclusion. This suggests that consortia or subcontracting arrangements are permissible and potentially encouraged.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Preparing a compliant bid will require significant effort, likely several weeks, involving technical design input, pricing, legal review of contract terms, and compilation of financial and compliance documentation.
• Pwin signal: The tender is conducted under an open procedure, suggesting it is open to new entrants. However, the specific contract form (BIMCO NewBUildCon) and the detailed technical specifications may favour incumbent or specialist marine constructors. The absence of specific past experience criteria makes it difficult to assess incumbent strength definitively.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: Pilot Boat RFT R03 2026.09.10.pdf
• eTenders CFT ID: GoodsRFT160125
• Contact: Queries must be directed via the messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.
• Key attachments:
• Appendix 1: Requirements and Specifications
• Appendix 2: Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 3: Tenderer’s Statement
• Appendix 4: Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer
• Appendix 5: Goods Contract