Multi-disciplinary Consultancy Services for EPA Abstraction Licensing Support Services

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

Waterways Ireland requires multi-disciplinary consultancy services to prepare documentation and data for abstraction licensing with the Environment Protection Agency (EPA). This procurement follows the enactment of the Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) Act 2022 and the commencement of related Regulations in 2024. The contract covers 14 existing abstractions exceeding 2,000 m³/day across Waterways Ireland's 1,200 km network of inland waterways, including the Lower Bann Navigation, Erne System, Shannon-Erne Waterway, Shannon Navigation, Royal Canal, Grand Canal, Barrow Navigation, and Ulster Canal. Additionally, the scope includes the assessment of two proposed new or reinstated abstraction sources on the Grand Canal.

The consultant's primary activities will involve:

• Data Collection and Analysis: Collate and analyse existing data from sources including EPA, OPW, CFRAM surveys, NPWS, Met Éireann, IFI, and Catchments.ie. Waterways Ireland will provide coordinates of abstractions, operational infrastructure, and specific studies. The consultant must identify further data sources.
• Field Work: Conduct necessary field investigations to support assessments.
• Hydrological Assessment: Evaluate the water balance and flow characteristics of each abstraction.
• Appropriate Assessment (AA) Screening: Screen for potential impacts on designated European sites.
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Consideration: Assess the need for EIA Screening Reports.
• Water Framework Directive (WFD) Assessment: Evaluate compliance with WFD objectives.
• Licensing Documentation Preparation: Prepare all required documentation for submission to the EPA, including familiarisation with the EDEN portal and EPA templates (e.g., Form 2.3 Impoundment, Form 2.5 Monitoring, Form 3.0 Supplementary Information Attachment).
• Abstraction Modelling and Impact Assessment: Model potential environmental impacts and recommend abstraction regimes, including tapered or variable rates where appropriate.
• Risk Management: Develop and maintain a Project Programme (Gantt chart) and a Project Risk Register.
• Progress Reporting: Conduct bi-monthly virtual progress update meetings and prepare meeting minutes.
• Addressing Requests for Further Information (RFIs): Respond to RFIs issued by the EPA for each abstraction.

The contract covers 14 existing abstractions with daily volumes exceeding 2,000 m³, detailed in Section 3.1.4, and two proposed new abstractions: Reinstatement of Tullamore River Supply (proposed 5,000 m³/day) and New Abstraction from Silver River (proposed 7,500 m³/day), detailed in Section 3.1.5. The consultant will not undertake civil, structural, or mechanical engineering assessments.

3. Background & buyer context

Waterways Ireland manages 1,200 km of navigable inland waterways, responsible for a significant infrastructure portfolio valued at €809 million. The organisation's purpose is to be the custodian of these navigations, promoting recreational and commercial activities while preserving heritage and biodiversity. This procurement is driven by the recent enactment of the Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) Act 2022 and the commencement of the Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) Regulations 2024. These legislative changes necessitate that Waterways Ireland obtain abstraction licenses from the EPA for its numerous water abstraction points. The services are required to ensure compliance with statutory obligations under the Water Framework Directive and to support strategic water management objectives.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered:

• Turnover requirement: Not specified for this tender.
• Insurance:
• Employer's Liability: €13 million or £10 million.
• Public Liability: €6.5 million or £5 million.
• Professional Indemnity: €1.5 million or £1 million.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Bidders must provide details of relevant contracts delivered within the 60 months prior to the submission deadline. Specific minimum numbers or values of comparable projects are not explicitly stated but will be assessed qualitatively.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender, beyond the requirement for a Consultant's Representative.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Place of Supply is ROI & NI. Personal data processing under GDPR does not apply to the contract.

Bidders may rely on the resources of other entities to meet these requirements, provided they can demonstrate that these resources will be at their disposal when necessary. If a consortium or joint venture is successful, it will be required to establish legal personality to enter the contract.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded based on the principle of the lowest cost tender that also meets all minimum requirements of the qualitative award criteria. The award will be determined by a combination of quality and price.

Criterion Weight (%) Sub-criteria