St. Francis School - Extension and associated Site Works

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 concerns the construction of a new two-storey extension and associated site works at St. Francis Special School in Portlaoise, Co. Laois. The project's estimated value is €3,400,000.00.

The construction contract includes:

• New two-storey extension:
• Comprising 4 no. Special Needs Unit Classbases.
• Ancillary accommodation.
• Associated site works:
• Details of specific site works are not provided in the extract.

The tender documents include an "Invitation to Tender Letter" and "Instructions to Tenderers". The contract notice is to be published on eTenders and potentially OJEU. The Board of Management for St. Francis Special School is the issuing authority.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is for the construction of a new extension and associated site works at St. Francis Special School, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. The project is being initiated by the Board of Management for St. Francis Special School. No specific government programme or policy is explicitly mentioned as driving this procurement in the provided extract. The tender documents indicate that this is a construction contract for a special school.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

• Turnover requirement: Not specified for this tender.
• Insurance: Not specified for this tender.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award criteria and scoring methodology are not detailed in the provided extract. The document is an invitation to tender, and these specifics would typically be found in the full Instructions to Tenderers or associated appendices.

6. Submission requirements

The submission requirements are not detailed in the provided extract. The "Invitation to Tender Letter" refers to enclosed "Instructions to Tenderers" which would contain these specifics.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The specific contract terms, including duration, payment schedules, SLAs, penalties, termination clauses, IP ownership, sub-contracting rules, or bond requirements, are not detailed in the provided extract. These would be outlined in the full "Instructions to Tenderers" and the form of contract.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The primary unusual aspect is the very early publication date of the "Invitation to Tender Letter" (July 20, 2026) relative to the submission deadline (September 25, 2026), with the letter itself dated July 17, 2011. This suggests a significant time lag or a potential error in the document's metadata or content. The absence of any specified eligibility or selection criteria in the provided extract is also notable; these are critical for bidders to assess their suitability and would typically be detailed early in the tender process.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is for a construction project with an estimated value of €3.4 million. Without specific eligibility criteria detailed in the extract, it is difficult to definitively assess the SME fit. However, construction projects of this scale typically require established firms with demonstrated experience, financial stability, and appropriate certifications.

• Who can credibly bid: Firms with a proven track record in constructing educational facilities, particularly special needs units, and managing associated site works. This would likely include medium to large construction companies.
• Consortium or sub-contracting: Not specified in the extract.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Without specific requirements, this is speculative. However, for a €3.4m project, bid preparation could range from several weeks to a few months, involving detailed technical proposals, pricing, and documentation.
• Pwin signal: Not discernible from the provided extract. The absence of specific criteria makes it impossible to infer incumbent advantage or other competitive signals.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename(s): ITTW2_Invitation_to_Tender_Letter signed.pdf
• eTenders CFT ID: Not stated
• Contact email or clarification portal: Not stated
• Most important attachments:
• Instructions to Tenderers (referred to but not provided)