Mountrath Town Centre Public Realm Improvement Scheme

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 procurement seeks an Urban Design-led, multidisciplinary design team to deliver a public realm improvement scheme for Mountrath town centre. The contract covers three initial stages: Town Spatial Strategy, Town Centre Design, and Developed Design/Planning including Part 8 documentation. Subsequent stages (detailed design, tender action, construction) will be subject to a separate procurement, contingent on successful grant funding applications.

The scope of services includes:

• Stage (i): Town Spatial Strategy
• Concept development and stakeholder consultation.
• Building on existing plans such as the Sustainable Community Plan for Mountrath – Our Town, Our Future.
• A workshop with the Mountrath Town Team, LCC representatives, and stakeholders.
• Creation of a High-level Spatial Strategy Map/Drawing for the entire town, illustrating:
• Spatial structure and hierarchy.
• Movement routes and connections.
• Key public realm framework.
• Consideration of identified "Opportunity Sites" (Figure 1).
• Creation of additional linkages from Main Street to the river walk.
• Stage (ii) a: Town Centre Design
• Selection of key town centre spaces (within the boundary in Figure 1) for design at 1:500 scale.
• Development of preliminary designs for consideration, including:
• Tree planting and soft landscape structure.
• Street furniture and public realm elements.
• Surface treatments and spatial definition.
• Provision of reference images to illustrate design intent.
• An Order of Magnitude Cost Estimate provided by a Project Quantity Surveyor.
• Potential Value Engineering exercise.
• Preparation of 3 CGI/photorealistic visuals.
• Stage (ii) b: Developed Design and Planning
• Preparation of Part 8 documentation, including drawings and reports.
• Provision of 3 photorealistic visuals to accompany Part 8 reports for public consultation.
• A public meeting during the statutory public consultation period.
• Preparation of an application for grant funding (Rural Regeneration and Development Fund - Category 1) in consultation with Laois County Council.

The project aims to reorient the town towards pedestrian priority and active travel, enhance public spaces, integrate greening measures and nature-based solutions, support biodiversity, and improve connectivity. Key principles include creating a vibrant, distinctive, heritage-promoting, and accessible town centre. The site extent includes Main Street, Church Street, Market Square, Bridge Street, Patrick Street, Link Road, and Shannon Street.

3. Background & buyer context

Laois County Council (LCC) is undertaking this Public Realm Improvement Scheme in Mountrath to address challenges including town centre vacancy, dereliction, and a lack of pedestrian-friendly spaces and civic amenities. The project aligns with the national Town Centre First Policy, launched in February 2022, which aims to revitalise town centres across Ireland. Mountrath is classified as a "Self-Sustaining Town" in the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) and the Laois County Development Plan 2021-2027, indicating its importance as an urban centre with population growth but a reliance on external employment. The scheme aims to consolidate growth, improve social and physical infrastructure, and enhance the town's role in supporting national and regional planning objectives. Funding for the initial stages is provided by LCC, with subsequent stages dependent on successful grant applications, notably from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF).

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered:

• Turnover requirement: Not specified for this tender.
• Insurance:
• Public Liability: €6.5 Million.
• Employer's Liability: €13 Million.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel:
• Project Director: Nominated senior member for the full duration of the project.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award criteria will be based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). The specific weighting and sub-criteria are not detailed in the provided extract. However, the tender documents indicate that the evaluation will consider the proposed fixed sum fee for Stage (i) Town Spatial Strategy, Stage (ii a) Town Centre Design (including Order of Magnitude Cost Estimate), and Stage (ii b) Statutory Planning and Part 8 Documentation (with an updated Order of Magnitude Cost Estimate). The client may decide not to proceed with some or all project stages based on budgetary dependence.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders are required to submit their tenders via the eTenders Portal. The specific format and content requirements include:

• A proposed fixed sum fee for Stage (i), Stage (ii a), and Stage (ii b).
• Inclusion of all service requirements within the proposed fees.
• Provision of documentation, reports, drawings, specifications, and cost estimates prepared under this appointment for future tender use.
• Submission of a completed grant application for RRDF funding as a deliverable.
• The tender must comply with minimum requirements for variants, if any are permitted (stated as "Not Applicable" in the provided text).
• Applicants must bear all costs incurred in submitting a tender.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract will be awarded to a Single Service Provider (SSP) for an Urban Designer / Urban Planning led, Multi-Disciplinary Design Team, including Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP). The contract covers Stages (i), (ii a), and (ii b). Project stages beyond Part 8 planning are subject to a separate tender competition and depend on successful grant funding applications. All documentation, reports, drawings, specifications, and cost estimates prepared by the consultant will be provided to Laois County Council for use in future tenders. The client may decide not to proceed with some or all project stages under the appointment, which is budgetary dependent. Applicants bear all costs associated with tender submission. No legal relationship arises until a contract is formally executed in writing.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

A significant risk is that funding for stages beyond Part 8 planning is not secured, meaning the contract may not progress to detailed design and construction. The client explicitly states they may decide not to proceed with some or all project stages, making the full scope uncertain. The award is contingent on successful grant funding applications, introducing external dependency. The tender requires the consultant to prepare the grant application itself, which is a key deliverable but also a critical risk factor if unsuccessful. The estimated value of €7,000,000 is a guide, and the actual contract value for the initial stages is not explicitly stated, potentially creating uncertainty for bidders regarding the scale of the initial commitment.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured for a multidisciplinary design team, likely led by an urban design or urban planning consultancy. Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) could potentially bid, particularly if they can form consortia or subcontract specialist elements to complement their core offering. The requirement for an "Urban Designer / Urban Planning led, Multi-Disciplinary Design Team including Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP)" suggests a need for integrated expertise. Consortium bidding or subcontracting is implicitly allowed as the focus is on the lead team's capability. The bid preparation effort is likely moderate to high, given the need to develop preliminary proposals and understand the multi-stage delivery process. The "Pwin" signal is moderate; while it's a public sector tender with clear objectives, the reliance on future grant funding and the potential for incomplete project progression introduce uncertainty. The incumbent for previous related work is not specified.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename(s): [03. ITT - Mountrath Town Centre PRIS.zip], [01. Project Brief - Mountrath Town Centre PRIS.zip]
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified
• Contact email or clarification portal: Not specified
• Most important attachments:
• Project Brief - Mountrath Town Centre PRIS Rev 04.pdf
• Figure 1 - Mountrath Town Centre (referenced within Project Brief)
• Figure 2 - Mountrath (referenced within Project Brief)