AC-2026-44 Provision of Services to develop an Organisational Skills Framework for renewal program

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 Arts Council seeks services to develop an Organisational Skills Framework for a renewal program. The contract duration is from October 2026 to Mid-2028, with an estimated value of €92,400 excluding VAT. The services are to be delivered at one location.

The specific activities and deliverables required from the consultant include:

• Development of an Organisational Skills Framework: This is the core deliverable, requiring the consultant to design and document a framework that outlines the necessary skills for the Arts Council's renewal program.
• Consultant Obligations: The consultant must acknowledge and fulfil specific obligations as detailed in the contract. This includes providing services, warranties, and adhering to liability clauses.
• Data Protection and Information Security: Tenderers must confirm their commitment to data protection and information security standards. This may involve completing a Data Protection Assessment and a Third-Party Supplier Information Security Assessment if requested by the Contracting Authority. The consultant must take reasonable steps to keep Arts Council information secure and use it only for the purpose of providing the Services.
• Contractual Compliance: Tenderers must agree to sign the Contracting Authority’s Contract and a Data Processing Agreement. Acceptance of these terms is a condition of award.
• Health and Safety: Tenderers must confirm they have a Health and Safety Policy and provide a copy on request. They must also demonstrate that all staff have completed and have access to ongoing health and safety training.
• Reporting and Documentation: While not explicitly detailed as separate deliverables, the development of the framework will inherently require documentation and reporting to the Arts Council.

The scope is defined in Appendix 1 of the Call for Tender (CFT). The Arts Council reserves the right to vary the Services, including adding to or reducing the scope.

3. Background & buyer context

The Arts Council is procuring services to develop an Organisational Skills Framework for a renewal program. This initiative aligns with the Arts Council's strategic objectives for its renewal program. The procurement is being conducted via an Open Tender procedure. The estimated contract value is €92,400 (excluding VAT), with a proposed contract duration from October 2026 to Mid-2028. The tender process is governed by Irish law.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following criteria to be considered:

• Turnover requirement: Tenderers must have a minimum average annual turnover of €100,000 for each of the last three financial years (or for the period since establishment if more recent). Evidence of turnover and financial standing may be requested.
• Insurance:
• Employer’s Liability Insurance: €13,000,000 (Not required if the Tenderer is self-employed).
• Public Liability Insurance: €6,500,000 (Not required if services are provided virtually or the contract is for product supply only).
• Professional Indemnity Insurance: €500,000.
• Cyber Security Indemnity Insurance: €500,000.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Tenderers must demonstrate experience in providing services of a similar nature, scale, and complexity. This must be evidenced by successfully delivering a minimum of two contracts within the past five years. Sufficient information must be provided to allow the Contracting Authority to judge the similarity of reference contracts.
• Personnel: Tenderers must provide a company profile and outline their organisation's capacity, including structure, workforce levels, and expertise. The qualifications, experience, and expertise of the proposed team and Account Manager will be evaluated.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The evaluation of tenders will be conducted in two stages: first, qualification against selection criteria, and then evaluation against award criteria for those who qualify. The award criteria determine the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT).

A minimum score of 60% is required for each qualitative award criterion (G1, G2, G3). Failure to achieve this minimum score in any qualitative criterion will result in the tenderer being eliminated without their costs being assessed. The price/quality split is implicitly weighted by the marks allocated, with qualitative criteria accounting for 800 marks and cost for 200 marks.

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers must submit their response via the electronic post-box on www.eTenders.gov.ie. All submissions must be in English.

The submission must include:

• Tender Response Document (TRD): This document must be completed in accordance with the CFT.
• Pricing Schedule: Included with the TRD, all prices must be all-inclusive (excluding VAT), quoted in Euro, and indicate VAT separately.
• Company Profile: Detailing business information, organisation structure, workforce levels, and expertise.
• Personnel Information: Details of the personnel involved in carrying out the Services.
• Health and Safety Policy: Confirmation of having a policy and providing a copy on request.
• Declarations:
• Confirmation of acceptance of contract terms.
• Confirmation of ability to meet selection criteria (turnover, experience, etc.).
• Tenderer Statement (original signed prior to contract award).
• Declaration of Personal Circumstances (for each member of the Tenderer group, witnessed by a solicitor/commissioner for oaths).
• Evidence of Insurance: Proof of required insurance cover or ability to obtain it.
• Tax Clearance Certificate: A valid certificate or login access to the Irish Revenue Commissioners' website.
• Supporting Documentation: As required by selection criteria (e.g., evidence of past contracts, financial standing).
• Data Protection and Information Security Assessments: To be completed if requested by the Contracting Authority.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Duration: The contract is envisaged to commence in October 2026 and be completed by Mid-2028.
• Value: The maximum aggregate amount payable is €92,400 (excluding VAT).
• Payment: Payments will be made in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the specimen contract (Appendix 2).
• Variations: The Arts Council may vary the Services, including adding to or reducing the scope.
• Tender Validity: Tenders must remain valid for 180 days from the Tender Deadline.
• Sub-contracting: Tenderers may submit as a group. If a group is successful, the Authority may require the contract to be entered into with each member on a joint and several liability basis, or with one member as the prime consultant. The Prime Consultant is responsible for the acts and omissions of any sub-consultant.
• Data Protection & Security: Tenderers must comply with data protection requirements and information security standards. Failure to meet minimum standards may result in the contract not being awarded.
• Termination: Not explicitly detailed in the provided extract, but standard contract clauses would apply.
• IP Ownership: Not specified in the extract.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Low Contract Value: The total contract value of €92,400 is relatively low for a two-year engagement, potentially impacting the resources larger firms can allocate.
• Turnover Requirement: The €100,000 minimum annual turnover requirement, while standard, might be a hurdle for very small, specialised consultancies if their turnover fluctuates.
• Insurance Requirements: The Public Liability Insurance requirement of €6,500,000 is significant for a contract of this value. While waived for virtual services, this needs careful consideration by bidders.
• No Explicit MEAT Split: While award criteria are listed with marks, the explicit weighting between quality and price is not stated as a percentage split, though the marks indicate a strong emphasis on quality (800/1000 marks for qualitative aspects).
• Data Protection/Security Assessments: The potential requirement to complete detailed Data Protection and Information Security Assessments (Appendices 4 and 5) adds an administrative burden and a potential risk if the Authority deems the responses insufficient.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured to be accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with relevant expertise.

• Viable Bidders: A credible bidder would be a consultancy or a small team of consultants with demonstrable experience in organisational development, skills frameworks, and program design, particularly within the arts or cultural sector. They would need to meet the financial turnover and insurance requirements.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: Tenders can be submitted by single entities or groups. This allows SMEs to collaborate, pooling resources and expertise to meet the requirements, or for SMEs to act as sub-consultants to a prime contractor.
• Indicative Bid-Prep Effort: Preparing a compliant bid, including the TRD, company profile, methodology, team details, and pricing, would likely require 5-10 days of effort for a focused SME, depending on their existing documentation and familiarity with eTenders.
• Pwin Signal: The tender does not explicitly indicate an incumbent. The relatively low value and specific nature of the service suggest it is open to new providers. The emphasis on qualitative criteria (methodology, team experience) indicates that a well-articulated approach and strong team are key to winning.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename: AC-2026-44 - CFT_ Call For Tenders v3.0.pdf
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided text.
• Contact: All queries must be directed via the messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.
• Key Attachments:
• Appendix 1: Description of Service Requirements
• Appendix 2: Specimen Contract
• Tender Response Document (TRD)