Provision of Services for Sandblasting, Bodywork Repairs, Repainting of Six-Wheel Tipper Trucks, Low Loader and Council-Plant along with Maintenance Works

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1. At a glance

2. Scope of Work

This procurement covers the provision of sandblasting, bodywork repairs, and repainting services for Donegal County Council's fleet of six-wheel tipper trucks and a low loader. The contract also includes general steel fabrication repairs, maintenance, and preventive works for Council-owned plant. All works are to be carried out at the contractor's approved premises unless otherwise agreed.

The core activities include:

• Vehicle Refurbishment:
• Complete abrasive blasting of tipper body interiors and exteriors, chassis, subframes, differentials, springs, mudguards, hydraulic components, and wheel outer faces.
• Abrasive blasting of all structural steel surfaces of the low loader trailer, including chassis, gooseneck, deck frame, ramps, axles, and running gear.
• Preparation of cab undercarriage panels to ISO 8501-1 St 3 using controlled mechanical methods.
• Bodywork repairs, encompassing structural and cosmetic repairs, and Hardox floor replacement or overlay where required.
• Installation of aluminium side protection strips.
• Cab undercarriage and panel repairs, focusing on areas showing corrosion, rust holes, or damage.
• Complete repainting of plant bodies and cabs in Council-approved colours (Blue RAL 5005 / BS 381C 166 for body, Black/Grey for chassis), including reinstatement of Council livery, crests, and fleet numbers.
• Supply and fit of a complete new timber deck (bedding) to the low loader.
• Replacement of bushings at tipping ram anchor points and rear tipper hinge assemblies, where required.
• Removal and refitting of toolboxes and ancillary components.
• Application of a full protective coating system and reinstatement of all safety markings.
• Segregation, classification, and lawful disposal of all waste, including spent abrasive and paint waste.
• Surface Preparation Standards:
• Tipper trucks and low loader structural steel surfaces to be abrasive blast-cleaned to ISO 8501-1 Sa 2.5 (near-white metal).
• Abrasive media must be clean, dry, non-silica, producing a sharp, uniform anchor profile of 50–75 microns.
• First primer coat to be applied within 4 hours of blasting and before flash rusting.
• Blasting/painting not to proceed if relative humidity exceeds 85% or steel temperature is less than 3°C above dew point.
• Bodywork Repairs:
• Repair or replacement of damaged panels, brackets, and structural members.
• Repair of corrosion damage and perforations.
• Tipper body floor replacement or overlay with 6 mm Hardox 450 or approved equivalent.
• Hardox welding by coded welders in accordance with BS EN ISO 9606-1.
• Painting of all attachments, including hitches, Phoenix bars, brackets, ancillary steelwork, deck cross-members, gooseneck components, and underrun barriers.
• Statutory and identification plates to be protected and remain legible.
• Cab Repairs:
• Inspection and repair of corrosion, rust holes, dents, and deformation, particularly in wheel arches, cab steps, and lower panels.
• Repair using suitable automotive-grade steel patches or fabricated sections, fully welded and finished flush.
• Rust treatment or inhibitor application to affected areas.
• Major structural cab repairs to be referred to the Council for approval.
• Coating System:
• Total dry film thickness (DFT) of 175–250 microns for body, chassis, and running gear.
• Specific coating layers detailed for tipper body (primer, undercoat, gloss polyurethane topcoat) and chassis/running gear (primer, epoxy, polyurethane topcoat).
• Wheels to receive primer and epoxy finish, colour to match OEM.
• Continuous side protection strips (minimum 3 mm thick aluminium) to be installed.
• Steel Fabrication and Welding Works:
• Fabrication of repair patches, reinforcement plates, Phoenix bars, brackets, steps, guards, and custom components.
• High-integrity MIG/MAG or TIG welding by coded welders (EN ISO 9606). Welding procedures to comply with EN ISO 15614.
• Structural welds subject to visual inspection and potentially non-destructive testing (NDT).
• New fabricated steelwork to be primed and painted.
• Maintenance and Preventive Works Service:
• Scheduled or ad-hoc inspections of structural integrity, corrosion, tipping gear, doors, seals, hinges, locks, and mounting points.
• Proactive rust-proofing programmes.
• Minor maintenance works (lubrication, adjustment, replacement of minor parts).
• Touch-up and localised repair of the coating system.
• Repairs identified at CVRT pre-inspection and support for retests.
• Service Levels:
• Acknowledgement of requests within 1 working day.
• Written quotation/estimate within 5 working days of inspection.
• Commencement of routine maintenance within 10 working days of instruction.
• Quality Assurance:
• Provision of method statements, risk assessments, traceability records, and environmental application records.
• Photographic records at various stages.
• Mandatory hold point for Council inspection after blasting and before primer application.
• Final inspection to confirm completeness, coating thickness, finish quality, and functionality.
• Comprehensive records for all surface preparation, sandblasting, painting, and coating works.
• Vehicle Custody:
• Joint condition report at handover and return.
• Contractor responsible for safekeeping, secure storage, and any loss or damage.
• Motor trade/road risks insurance required.
• Health, Safety and Environmental:
• Compliance with Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and relevant legislation.
• Current Certificate of Compliance for vehicle refinishing activities (S.I. No. 564 of 2012) required.
• Proper training and health surveillance for personnel spraying isocyanates.
• Task-specific risk assessments for blasting, spraying, welding, and hot works.
• Segregation, classification, and lawful disposal of waste.
• Minimisation of waste and recovery/recycling measures.
• Programme and Warranty:
• Target turnaround time for tipper truck/low loader refurbishment: 15 working days.
• Contractor to state guaranteed turnaround time.
• Vehicles normally released one at a time.
• Works must not compromise CVRT compliance.
• Contractor to specify warranty period for paintwork and workmanship.
• Material Cost Framework:
• Materials reimbursed at net invoiced cost plus a fixed ≤ 5% handling markup.
• No markup on labour, plant, or subcontracted services.
• For single material purchases exceeding €1,000 (net), two competing quotations to be obtained.
• Trade discounts and rebates passed to the Council in full.
• Council may free-issue materials.

3. Background & buyer context

Donegal County Council is procuring these services to maintain its fleet of six-wheel tipper trucks and a low loader, ensuring their operational readiness and longevity. The services also extend to general steel fabrication repairs and ongoing maintenance for Council-owned plant. This procurement is a standard operational requirement for the Council's machinery yard and fleet management. There is no specific programme or policy driver mentioned beyond the need for essential fleet maintenance and repair. The incumbent provider is not named.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered eligible:

• Turnover requirement: Tenderers must demonstrate that their turnover exceeded €260,000 during two of the last three years, or pro-rata if more recently established.
• Insurance:
• Employer's Liability: €13 million
• Public Liability: €6.5 million
• Product Liability: €6.5 million
• Environmental Liability Impairment (EIL): €6.5 million (where there is a risk of gradual pollution or contamination)
• Professional Indemnity: Not specified for this tender.
• Cyber Liability: Not specified for this tender.
• Certifications:
• Abrasive blasting operators must be competent in ISO 8501-1 standards to achieve Sa 2.
• Coded welders holding current EN ISO 9606 qualifications, including BS EN ISO 9606-1 for Hardox welding, must be available.
• Welding procedures must comply with EN ISO 15614 where applicable.
• The painting and refinishing facility must hold a current Certificate of Compliance for vehicle refinishing activities under the European Union (Paints, Varnishes, Vehicle Refinishing Products and Activities) Regulations 2012 (S.I. No. 564 of 2012). Evidence of a valid certificate or application confirmation is required with the tender submission.
• Compliance with all relevant Health & Safety legislation.
• Compliance with all relevant Environmental legislation and guidelines.
• Demonstrate measures for quality service delivery, for example, via an externally certified system.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Tenderers must demonstrate access to at least the minimum numbers of skilled personnel stated in the Tender Response Document. Specific roles and minimum years of experience are not detailed in the provided extract but will be in the TRD.
• Geographic / facility constraints: The contractor's painting and refinishing facility must hold the required Certificate of Compliance. Works are to be carried out at the Contractor's approved premises unless otherwise agreed. Tenderers must demonstrate capability to access two data centres located within the European Economic Area (EEA) or any country with an adequacy decision for hosting data.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT), determined by a combination of quality and price.

Criterion