Supply, Delivery, Installation and Commissioning of Gelato and Ice Cream Production Equipment

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

Natural Ice Cream Wholesale Ltd, trading as Scúp Gelato, requires the supply, delivery, installation, and commissioning of six distinct items of specialist production equipment for its manufacturing facility in Co. Wexford. This procurement aims to enhance production efficiency, increase output, and support the company's growth. The project is seeking grant aid through the 2023–2027 LEADER Programme.

The scope of supply for each lot is inclusive of:

• Delivery to Natural Ice Cream Wholesale Ltd's premises.
• Off-loading and positioning of equipment.
• Installation and siting.
• Connection to available utilities and services at the installation point.
• Interconnecting pipework, hoses, and refrigeration pipework specific to the offered equipment.
• Commissioning by a qualified engineer.
• Operational training for nominated staff.
• Provision of all operating manuals and documentation.

Civil and building works, including floor preparation, structural alterations, and the provision of new utility supplies to the installation position, are excluded unless otherwise agreed.

The six lots for which suppliers may tender individually or in combination are:

• Lot 1: Mix Processing Plant: One unit to perform batch pasteurisation, cooling, and transfer of product mix to approximately +4°C, discharging to ageing or holding tanks. This includes two pasteurisation vessels (minimum 600 litres working capacity each), a two-stage plate cooler, a mix transfer pump, and an integrated control panel with data logging.
• Lot 2: Blast Freezer: One unit for rapid blast chilling and freezing of gelato and sorbet. It requires a chamber capacity of not less than 4 trolleys or 20 trays (suitable for 600 × 800 mm trolleys) and must achieve blast chilling from +90°C to +3°C in under 90 minutes, and blast freezing from +90°C to -18°C in under 240 minutes.
• Lot 3: Automated Mix Transfer & Dosing Pump: One unit for hygienic transfer, dosing, and loading of ice cream and gelato mix. It must feature a low-speed flexible-blade impeller system, LCD touchscreen, real-time monitoring, and automatic, customisable dosing programmes.
• Lot 4: Ageing Tanks: Two units for the ageing, storage, and maturing of gelato and ice cream mix below +4°C. Each tank must have a working capacity of not less than 1,200 litres, be refrigerated and insulated, and include a control panel and an agitator suitable for viscous dairy mix.
• Lot 5: Water Heating Supply: One commercial gas-fired instant hot water system for process hot water and washdown applications. It requires a minimum storage capacity of 500 litres, a heating output of 80 to 100 kW, and must be capable of continuous operation at 80 to 85°C.
• Lot 6: Glycol Water Chiller: One high-capacity industrial glycol water chiller for process cooling. It requires a cooling capacity of not less than 20 kW, a glycol outlet temperature range of -5°C to +5°C, and an integrated buffer tank of not less than 200 litres.

All machinery must be CE certified and marked, and product contact materials must comply with Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004. Equipment must be cleanable and sanitised in line with the company's HACCP-based food safety management system.

3. Background & buyer context

Natural Ice Cream Wholesale Ltd, trading as Scúp Gelato, is procuring production equipment to enhance its manufacturing capabilities. The company has been producing premium handcrafted gelato and sorbet since 2014 and has received national and international recognition for its products. This procurement is part of Scúp Gelato's strategy to streamline production, improve efficiencies of scale, and increase output to support its continued growth and development. The project is seeking grant aid through the 2023–2027 LEADER Programme, administered by Wexford Local Development. This programme supports rural development initiatives.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following mandatory requirements to be considered for evaluation:

• Turnover requirement: Not specified for this tender.
• Insurance: Not specified for this tender.
• Certifications:
• All machinery must be CE certified and CE marked.
• All product contact materials must comply with Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Equipment must be suitable for installation at Unit 12, Wexford Enterprise Centre, Kerlogue, Co. Wexford, Y35 RH95.

Additionally, all equipment offered must be new machinery; reconditioned, ex-demonstration, or second-hand equipment will not be accepted. Suppliers must also provide a minimum 12-month parts and labour warranty from the date of commissioning, or an 18-month parts-only warranty from the date of availability, whichever occurs first. A 48-hour service and breakdown call-out response is required.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The tender will be awarded using the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) selection process, subject to the approval of LEADER funding. The scoring criteria for all lots are as follows:

Only quotations complying with the mandatory requirements will be assessed.

6. Submission requirements

Suppliers must submit tenders via the eTenders website (www.etenders.gov.ie). Submissions by any other means will not be accepted. Late submissions will also not be accepted.

Tender quotation documents must clearly state:

• The document heading: "QUOTATION" for supply, fit and delivery (as applicable) of equipment for Natural Ice Cream Wholesale Ltd.
• Supplier’s name, address, contact details, and VAT registration number.
• A quotation reference number.
• Signature and date by the supplier.
• The quote validity period, which must be not less than six months from the tender submission deadline.

Suppliers must submit a fully itemised quotation stating:

• Each individual item or element.
• Quantity and unit cost.
• Subtotal per item.
• Net total.
• Applicable VAT rate and VAT amount, shown separately.
• Total quotation cost, including net amount, VAT amount and rate, and gross amount.

The quoted price must remain open for acceptance for a minimum of six months from the tender submission deadline.

7. Key dates & process

The tender period is not less than 21 days from the date of publication.

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract will include a minimum 12-month parts and labour warranty from the date of commissioning, or an 18-month parts-only warranty from the date of availability, whichever occurs first. A 48-hour service and breakdown call-out response is mandatory. The quoted price must remain open for acceptance for a minimum of six months from the tender submission deadline. All machinery must be CE certified and CE marked. Product contact materials must comply with Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004. Equipment must be cleanable and sanitised in line with the company’s HACCP-based food safety management system.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The tender is subject to the approval of LEADER funding, introducing an element of funding contingency. The estimated value of €200,000 is for the total procurement across six lots, and suppliers must itemise costs for each lot individually. The award criteria place significant weight (40%) on supplier reliability, requiring demonstrated experience, customer references, and robust technical support, which may favour established suppliers in the food processing equipment sector. The requirement for new machinery only excludes suppliers of refurbished or used equipment.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured into six distinct lots, allowing smaller, specialised suppliers to bid on individual items of equipment rather than the entire package. The primary requirement is the supply of new, CE-certified industrial food production machinery. A viable bidder would likely be a manufacturer or a reputable distributor with a proven track record in supplying similar equipment to the food or dairy processing industry. Experience in installation, commissioning, and providing technical support and warranty services is crucial. Consortium bidding or subcontracting is not explicitly mentioned but would be a standard consideration for larger projects; however, for individual lots, a single, capable supplier is likely expected. The bid preparation effort would involve detailed technical specification matching, pricing, and compiling evidence of supplier reliability and service capabilities. The significant weighting on supplier reliability suggests that incumbent suppliers or those with strong existing relationships and demonstrated performance in the sector may have an advantage.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: Scup Gelato - Invitation to Tender 2026 - Spec Pack.pdf
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified
• Contact email: [email protected] (William Devereux, Director)
• Key attachments:
• Annex A — Lot 1: Mix Processing Plant
• Annex B — Lot 2: Blast Freezer
• Section 5: Requirements common to all lots