Engineering Technical Consultancy Services for the Thurles Inner Relief Road

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 seeks engineering technical consultancy services for the design and development of the Thurles Inner Relief Road. The scope encompasses a comprehensive range of services required to bring the project from its current conceptual stage through to detailed design, preparation for construction, and potentially construction supervision.

The core activities for the appointed consultant will include:

• Detailed Design: Developing detailed engineering designs for the road, including geometric design, pavement design, drainage, and associated structures. This will involve adherence to relevant standards such as the Specification for Roadworks.
• BIM Implementation: Demonstrating experience with the implementation of ISO 19650 standards for Building Information Modelling (BIM) processes on engineering projects.
• Ground Investigation: Conducting and interpreting ground investigations, including fieldwork and laboratory testing, in accordance with BS EN 1997-2:2007 and other relevant standards. This will involve boreholes, trial pits, and dynamic probes.
• Structural Design: Designing any necessary bridge structures or other civil engineering structures associated with the relief road. Preliminary drawings indicate elements such as pile caps, abutments, and girders.
• Environmental Considerations: Addressing environmental aspects, including potential impacts on Natura 2000 sites within a 15km radius and recording of bat species.
• Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP): Performing the role of PSDP, ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations during the design phase.
• Cost Engineering/Quantity Surveying: Providing cost estimates and quantity surveying services, with a focus on budgetary control and accurate estimating.
• Technical Documentation: Producing all necessary technical documentation, drawings, specifications, and reports required for tender and construction.
• Coordination and Cooperation: Ensuring effective coordination with the client and other parties, and cooperating to minimise delays and problems.
• Contract Management: Managing the consultancy services in accordance with the contract terms, including progress reporting, milestone achievement, and communication protocols.

The project area is approximately 66.50 hectares, with a proposed road length of 1,260 metres east-west. The construction programme is anticipated to be of the order of 12-15 months.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement by Tipperary County Council is for essential technical consultancy services to advance the Thurles Inner Relief Road project. The project aims to improve traffic flow and connectivity within Thurles town. While specific policy drivers are not detailed, such infrastructure projects typically align with national and regional development plans focused on enhancing transport networks and supporting economic growth. The tender documents indicate preliminary design work has been undertaken, including site investigations and conceptual drawings, suggesting a move towards detailed design and procurement readiness. The incumbent consultant, if any, is not explicitly named in the provided metadata.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered:

• Turnover requirement: Not specified for this tender.
• Insurance:
• Professional Indemnity Insurance: Minimum cover of €3,000,000 on each and every claim basis, and €3,500,000 on an annual aggregate basis. Maximum excess €10,000 for property only.
• Public Liability Insurance: Minimum cover of €6,500,000 in respect of any one accident. Maximum excess €10,000 for property only.
• Employer's Liability Insurance: Minimum cover of €13,000,000 in respect of any one accident.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience:
• At least one road project completed in the last 10 years, valued at a minimum of €20M ex VAT.
• Experience in the design of public road projects with a minimum value of €10M.
• Experience in the design for construction of a single bridge with a minimum value of €5M.
• Experience with the Specification for Roadworks, with at least one completed road scheme having a value of €10M.
• Experience with public roads projects with a minimum value of €10M ex VAT.
• Experience with projects valued at a minimum of €5M ex VAT.
• Experience with a public road of minimum construction value of €10,000,000 ex VAT.
• Experience with projects valued at €3,000,000 ex VAT and having been subject to a Category 3 check in accordance with TII.
• Experience with Project Appraisal Reports for Minor Projects (€5m to €20m).
• Demonstrated experience of the implementation of ISO 19650, or equivalent, on an engineering project.
• Personnel:
• Project Director: Minimum 15 years post-graduate experience.
• Project Manager: Minimum 10 years post-graduate experience, with at least 5 years in the role of Project Manager.
• PSDP Co-Ordinator: Minimum 10 years post-qualification experience.
• Senior Engineer: Minimum Level 8 NFQ qualification in civil/structural engineering.
• Senior Structural Engineer: Minimum Level 8 NFQ qualification in civil or structural engineering.
• Geotechnical Engineer: Minimum Level 8 NFQ qualification in civil or geotechnical engineering, and be a Chartered Engineer with a minimum of 10 years post-qualification experience.
• Cost Engineer/Quantity Surveyor: Minimum Level 8 NFQ qualification in a relevant field.
• BIM Manager: Minimum Level 8 NFQ qualification in engineering or a related discipline, with a minimum of 5 years experience in BIM management and control.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Services to be performed within a 15km radius of the scheme.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award will be based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT), with a split between price and quality. The specific weighting and scoring methodology are not detailed in the provided extract, but typically include:

A minimum scoring threshold per criterion or overall may be applied.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders are required to submit the following:

• Method statement / response document: Not specified in terms of format or page limits.
• CVs: For named key personnel, detailing their qualifications and experience.
• Pricing schedule: Not specified in terms of format.
• Case studies: A list of previous projects with Certificates of Satisfactory Execution. Up to 28 projects can be listed.
• Declarations: Not specified, but typically include ESPD, Bona Fides, Tax Clearance, and Conflict of Interest declarations.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified.
• Submission portal: eTenders.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term + extension: The contract is structured into Stages and Sub-Stages, with permissions to start granted by the Client. Performance Periods are scheduled for each Stage.
• Payment terms: Payment of Stage Fees is due within 30 days of a valid invoice, provided a current tax clearance certificate is held. A percentage of the total fee is applied to the estimated project costs.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Milestones must be met within each Stage. Performance is evaluated based on skill, care, diligence, efficiency, and professional conduct.
• Liquidated damages or penalty regimes: Not explicitly detailed, but the contract includes provisions for budgetary control where tendered amounts exceed estimates by an 'Excess Percentage'.
• Termination clauses: The Client can terminate for cause, insolvency, or at will (with 14-28 days' notice). Either party can terminate for substantial breach. Termination for cause or insolvency entitles the terminating party to damages. Termination at will by the Client may result in a scheduled payment to the Consultant.
• IP ownership: The Consultant grants the Client a royalty-free, perpetual, non-exclusive, irrevocable licence to use Consultant's Documents. An absolute assignment of rights is possible for specific documents as scheduled.
• Sub-contracting rules: Sub-contracting requires Client agreement. The Consultant is responsible for sub-consultant acts and omissions. Sub-consultants must provide collateral warranties.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond requirements: Not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Budgetary Control Clause: Clause 12 introduces a "Budgetary Control" mechanism. If the tendered construction amount exceeds the last approved estimate by an "Excess Percentage," the Consultant's fee for the design stage may be reduced unless they can establish that the excess is not due to their contribution. This places a significant risk on the consultant for construction cost overruns, even if not directly their fault.
• Client Termination at Will: The Client retains a broad right to terminate the contract at will, even if the project is continuing. While compensation is scheduled for this scenario, it introduces uncertainty for the consultant.
• Limited Insurance Excess: The maximum excess for Public Liability insurance is €10,000, which is relatively low and may require specific policy structuring.
• Detailed Experience Requirements: The extensive list of specific project experience types and values, particularly for roads and bridges, may limit the pool of eligible bidders.
• ISO 19650 Requirement: Explicit mention of ISO 19650 experience indicates a strong emphasis on BIM, which may be a barrier for firms not yet fully compliant.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely best suited for established engineering consultancy firms with a proven track record in significant road and bridge infrastructure projects. The specific experience requirements, particularly the minimum project values (€20M for roads, €5M for bridges), and the need for qualified personnel with extensive post-graduate experience (10-15 years for key roles), suggest that smaller, less experienced firms may struggle to meet the eligibility criteria.

Consortium bidding is not explicitly prohibited but is not mentioned as a facilitated route. Sub-contracting is permitted, but the Consultant remains fully responsible for sub-consultant performance. This means SMEs could potentially participate as sub-consultants to a lead bidder, but direct bidding as a prime contractor would require meeting all the stringent eligibility and experience thresholds.

The bid preparation effort is likely to be substantial, given the detailed experience requirements, the need to compile Certificates of Satisfactory Execution for numerous projects, and the potential complexity of the technical response and pricing.

The "Pwin" signal is moderate. While the tender is open, the specific experience requirements and the budgetary control clause suggest that firms with a strong understanding of public sector infrastructure projects and robust cost management capabilities will have an advantage. The absence of a stated incumbent does not necessarily mean the field is wide open, as established firms often have long-term relationships with local authorities.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename(s): Not explicitly stated, but likely includes documents referenced in the metadata.
• eTenders CFT ID: Not surfaced in the provided text.
• Contact email or clarification portal: [email protected] (This appears to be a consultant's contact, not the buyer's clarification portal).
• Most important attachments:
• [Appendix_B1_QC1_and_QC2_09-02-2022.docx] - APPENDIX B1: LIST OF PREVIOUS PROJECTS/CERTIFICATE OF SATISFACTORY EXECUTION
• [TIRR_COE1_v2.j_Consultancy_Technical_30-09-2024.pdf] - Contract Conditions (COE1 v.2j)
• [9. 20260703_NN003-TIRR Background Information 1 of 3.zip] - Background Information