Occupational Health Services for TVIs

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 Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) requires occupational health medical assessment services for Temporary Veterinary Inspectors (TVIs). TVIs are private veterinary practitioners engaged by DAFM to provide meat inspection services in meat plants. The services aim to ensure TVIs are not exposed to risks to their safety, health, or welfare while working in high-risk industrial environments. Fitness assessments will determine a TVI's capability to perform inspection services without compromising their health and safety.

The scope of services includes:

• Occupational Health Medical Assessments: Conducting fitness assessments for TVIs to ensure they are capable of performing meat inspection duties in a high-risk industrial environment.
• Risk Mitigation: Ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, that TVIs are not exposed to risks to their safety, health, or welfare during meat inspection work, as mandated by Section 12 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.
• Service Delivery: Providing occupational health services to TVIs across various meat plant locations in Ireland.
• Personnel Requirements: The tender requires the proposal to be supplemented with reference to a minimum of three (3) occupational health physicians and three (3) occupational health nurses as a representative sample of the tenderer's employees.
• Appointment Scheduling: In circumstances where an appointment is required, it must be offered within a 7-day period.
• Invoice Deeming: Invoices shall be deemed accepted if no queries are raised within a 14-day period.
• Contract Duration: The contract is for an initial term of two (2) years, with the option for up to two (2) extensions of twelve (12) months each.
• Estimated Usage: The estimated expenditure is €140,000 (excl. VAT) over the initial term and any possible extensions. This figure is an estimate based on current and future expected usage.
• Information Security: Tenderers must comply with DAFM's ISO 27001 information security obligations, including cyber and information security policies.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is initiated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to fulfil its statutory obligation under Section 12 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. This legislation requires the Department to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health, and welfare of Temporary Veterinary Inspectors (TVIs) engaged in meat inspection services. TVIs operate in high-risk industrial environments, necessitating regular fitness assessments to ensure their suitability for the role and to mitigate potential health and safety risks. The estimated value of €140,000 (excl. VAT) over the contract term suggests a consistent, albeit not high-volume, requirement for these specialized occupational health services. The tender also emphasizes compliance with DAFM's ISO 27001 information security standards, reflecting the Department's commitment to data protection and cybersecurity.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered for evaluation:

• Turnover requirement:
• Minimum average annual turnover of €200,000 for a minimum of two (2) of the last three (3) financial years.
• This turnover must have been achieved in a minimum of two (2) of the three (3) most recent years of audited accounts, or for each year the entity has been established if its establishment date is more recent.
• Insurance:
• Employer’s Liability: €12,700,000
• Public Liability: €6,500,000
• Professional Indemnity: €10,000,000
• Product Liability: Not specified for this tender.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience:
• Demonstrate relevant experience of delivering a similar service in the last three years, either in their current capacity or as a key resource with another provider.
• Provide two (2) examples of contracts undertaken in the last three years (public or private) that are of similar nature, scope, and complexity to the services described in Appendix 1.
• Personnel:
• Reference a minimum of three (3) occupational health physicians.
• Reference a minimum of three (3) occupational health nurses.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Services are to be provided within Ireland.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The evaluation of tenders will be conducted in two stages: first, the assessment of compliance with mandatory requirements and selection criteria, and second, the evaluation of compliant tenders against the award criteria. The award criteria are not explicitly detailed with scoring percentages in the provided extract. However, the document indicates that tenderers will be evaluated based on a combination of price and quality, typical of a Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) approach. Tenderers must achieve a minimum score of 60% of the total marks available in a given scoring band (60%-79%).

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers must submit their tenders 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 set out. The Tender Response Document (TRD) format must be used for detailing relevant experience.
• CVs: Not explicitly mentioned with page limits, but personnel references are required.
• Pricing schedule: Tenderers must complete the Pricing Schedule at Appendix 2. Prices must be all-inclusive (excluding VAT), expressed in Euro, and remain valid for 120 days from the Tender Deadline.
• Case studies: Two (2) examples of relevant contracts undertaken in the last three years must be provided.
• Declarations:
• European Single Procurement Document (eESPD) must be completed and submitted electronically.
• Tenderer’s Statement (Appendix 3), signed and on letterhead, must be returned.
• Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer (Appendix 4).
• Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference Number are required for online verification prior to award.
• Declaration of independence and disclosure of any conflicts of interest.
• 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, 2GB total). Tenders must be submitted in English.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term + extension: The contract has an initial term of two (2) years, with an option for up to two (2) extensions of twelve (12) months each, subject to legal obligations.
• Payment terms: Payments will be made in accordance with the Services Contract at Appendix 5. Invoices are deemed accepted if no queries are raised within 14 days.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: An appointment must be offered within a 7-day period.
• Liquidated damages or penalty regimes: Not specified in the provided extract.
• Termination clauses: Either party may terminate with 14 days' notice in circumstances where no queries are raised within a 14-day period for invoice acceptance. Termination for breach is possible with 30 days' notice if the breach is capable of remedy.
• IP ownership: Not specified in the provided extract.
• Sub-contracting rules: Tenderers intending to subcontract must ensure subcontractors submit a separate eESPD. If a subcontractor's capacity is relied upon for selection criteria, they must provide supporting documentation. Subcontractors whose value exceeds 10% of the contract value must not be subject to prohibitions under Regulation (EU) No 833/2014.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond requirements: Not specified in the provided extract.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Turnover requirement: The €200,000 annual turnover requirement, while not exceptionally high, is a specific gate for financial standing.
• Insurance levels: The required insurance indemnity limits, particularly €10,000,000 for Professional Indemnity and €12,700,000 for Employer's Liability, are substantial and may present a barrier for very small or new entrants.
• Personnel requirement: The mandatory reference to specific numbers of occupational health physicians and nurses as a representative sample of employees requires careful planning in the tender response.
• Information Security: DAFM's ISO 27001 compliance requirement indicates a need for tenderers to demonstrate robust information security practices.
• No price review clause: The absence of a price review mechanism (as indicated by "Not Used" for price adjustment clauses) means quoted prices must remain valid for the entire contract term, including potential extensions, unless otherwise agreed.
• EU Regulations: Tenderers must be aware of and comply with Regulation (EU) 2022/1031 (International Procurement Instrument) and Regulation (EU) 2022/2560 (Foreign Subsidies) and related implementing regulations, which may require specific declarations or notifications.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured to be accessible to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that possess the requisite expertise in occupational health services.

• Who can credibly bid: A credible bidder would be an established occupational health provider with a proven track record in delivering medical assessments, particularly in environments with health and safety risks. They must have the financial capacity to meet the turnover and insurance requirements and possess a qualified team of occupational health physicians and nurses. The requirement for two specific contract examples of similar scope and complexity in the last three years is a key differentiator.
• Consortium or sub-contracting: Consortiums and subcontracting are permitted. Tenderers relying on the capacity of other entities for selection criteria must ensure those entities also meet the requirements and submit separate eESPDs. This allows SMEs to partner with others to meet the tender's demands.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Preparing a compliant bid will require significant effort, likely in the range of 10-20 days for a small business. This includes gathering financial documentation, detailing past experience with specific formats, preparing personnel references, completing the eESPD, and drafting the pricing schedule and tenderer's statement.
• Pwin signal: The tender is open procedure, suggesting it is not exclusively for an incumbent. However, the specific insurance levels and the need for demonstrated experience in similar environments may favour established providers. The estimated value of €140,000 over two years suggests a moderate-sized contract, not a large-scale framework.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: CFT 8855149 TVI Occ Health RFT 14082026.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: 8855149
• Contact email or clarification portal: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie
• Most important 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: Services Contract