Sausage Filler Machine Purchase

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 the supply and installation of a fully electronic, continuous vacuum sausage filler. The machine is intended for an industrial production site and must meet high demands for portion accuracy and filling quality. It will be used for straight filling, portioning, and linking of sausages.

Key specifications and functionalities required include:

• Filling Capacity: Up to approximately 3,600 kg/h.
• Construction: Machine housing and hopper made entirely of stainless steel.
• Hopper Size: Approximately 160 litres.
• Filling Pressure: Up to a maximum of approximately 55 bar.
• Vacuum System: Digitally controlled, with a vacuum pump capacity of 21 m³/h.
• Power Requirements: Total connected load of 9.1 kW, operating on 400 Volt, 50 Hz rotary current.
• Control System: Touch screen interface.
• Portioning:
• Range: 5 - 100,000 g (with 0.1 g increments for 5 - 999 g).
• Speed: Maximum 600 portions/min.
• Speed and pause lengths: Infinitely variable.
• Features: Flow measurement, piece counter, count-based auto stop, flow-reverse mechanism, adjustable 1st portion weight, error display.
• Program Memory: Storage for 200 filling programs, including cooked sausage programs.
• Linking: Patented length portioning device for automatically linking sausages in natural casings.
• Output Quality: Produces sausages identical in weight, length, and diameter.
• Transport System: Large rotary vane conveyor system for gentle meat emulsion transport.
• Interface: Electronic pulse control for clipping machines.
• Warranty: Minimum 12 months on parts and labour.
• Support: Technical support and response time to call-outs maximum 24 hours.
• Training: On-site training is required.
• Delivery: Delivery and training to be provided at the site in Newport, Co. Mayo, Ireland.

The tender price must include all related delivery, installation, and training costs. VAT should be detailed separately.

3. Background & buyer context

Kelly's of Newport Artisan Butchers Ltd is a long-established family business, founded in the 1930s. The company specialises in traditional black and white puddings and sausages under its own brand, positioning itself as an innovator in product development. The business operates a full-service model, including an abattoir, and has expanded its trade from a local shop to a national customer base, including major multiples like SuperValu, Centra, Dunnes, and Tesco.

In 2015, Kelly's of Newport opened a new, modern production unit to significantly increase manufacturing capacity, enabling this expansion. The company also has a growing export market to the UK. Future plans include increasing sales and profit, targeting new customers, expanding presence in multiples, and redeveloping its website for online sales.

This procurement is driven by the need to enhance manufacturing capacity and product quality through the acquisition of advanced sausage-filling technology. The purchase is subject to grant aid being awarded.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must demonstrate financial and technical capacity to be considered. These criteria are assessed on a Pass/Fail basis.

• Tax Compliance: Evidence of tax compliance via an eTax Clearance Certificate from the Irish Revenue Commissioners. For consortium bids, each member must submit a certificate. Tenderers may use a Self-Declaration Form if the certificate is not yet available but will be prior to final award.
• Past Experience: Details of two previous contracts of a similar nature and scale to this tender. This must include client names, contract values, contract descriptions, and delivery dates, outlining comparability.
• Insurance: Evidence of Professional Indemnity, Public Liability, and Employer's Liability insurance in place, or a commitment to obtain them if successful. Tenderers can provide this evidence or use the Self-Declaration Form.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / Facility Constraints: Delivery and training required at the site in Newport, Co. Mayo, Ireland.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded on the basis of the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT), using the following criteria and weightings:

• Technical Requirements (45%): Tenderers must outline the full technical specification offered and its capabilities. Any proposed improvements on the specified requirements must be detailed with reasoning.
• Training, Support, and After-Sales Service (25%): This includes training during and after installation, warranty details, and call-out response times. Quick response to breakdowns is critical due to potential profit loss and supply disruption.
• Cost (30%): Tenderers must provide a detailed cost proposal, including all delivery, installation, and training costs. VAT must be detailed separately. Costs should be broken down into one-off and ongoing costs. The scoring for cost will be calculated using the formula: (Criterion max score x Lowest Tender Price) / Tenderer's Tender Price.

A minimum scoring threshold per criterion or overall is not specified.

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers must submit the following:

• Form of Tender: Completed, signed, and returned as per Appendix 2. Failure to sign or complete in the required format will result in rejection. For consortium bids, each member must sign.
• Pricing Document: A detailed pricing document must be provided, including all related delivery, installation, and training costs. VAT should be detailed separately. Costs should be broken down into one-off and ongoing costs.
• Tax Compliance Evidence: Copy of eTax Clearance Certificate or completed Self-Declaration Form.
• Past Contracts Evidence: Details of two previous contracts of similar nature and scale.
• Insurance Evidence: Copies of insurance policies or a commitment to obtain them, or a completed Self-Declaration Form.
• Declarations:
• European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) equivalent (implied by "Self Declaration Form" and "Bona Fides" statements).
• Bona Fides Declaration (covering bankruptcy, tax/social security non-compliance, grave professional misconduct, fraud, money laundering, corruption, criminal organisation membership, misrepresentation).
• Declaration on Employment Legislation and Health & Safety.
• Conflict of Interest Declaration.
• Mandatory Site Visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission Portal: Tenders must be submitted via the electronic post-box on www.etenders.gov.ie. Tenders submitted by any other means will not be accepted.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Contract Length: Not specified. Tender validity period required is 12 months from the closing date.
• Payment Terms: Payment on delivery. Method is typically Electronic Funds Transfer.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Technical support and response time to call-outs maximum 24 hours.
• Liquidated Damages: Not specified.
• Termination Clauses: Not specified.
• IP Ownership: Kelly's of Newport will have copyright ownership of any material developed for their use under the contract. The service provider may have a non-exclusive licence for their own purposes, subject to agreement.
• Sub-contracting: Tenderers must have procedures in place to ensure subcontractors apply the same standards regarding employment legislation and health & safety.
• Guarantees/Bonds: Not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Grant Aid Dependency: The estimated contract value of €85,000 ex VAT is explicitly stated as being "subject to grant aid being awarded." This introduces a risk of contract cancellation or modification if funding is not secured.
• Tight Turnaround: The tender issue date (Nov 16, 2026) and submission deadline (Dec 8, 2026) provide a relatively short window for tender preparation.
• Specific Technical Requirements: The detailed technical specifications for the sausage filler are precise. Bidders must ensure their proposed machine meets or exceeds these, as deviations could be costly or lead to disqualification.
• Emphasis on After-Sales Service: The award criteria heavily weight training, support, and after-sales service (25%), with a specific note that this is a "very important part." This suggests a need for strong local support capabilities or a clear plan for rapid response.
• No Incumbent Mentioned: The absence of information about an incumbent supplier suggests this is a new acquisition or a market where Kelly's of Newport has not previously used a formal tender process for this equipment.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is open to suppliers of industrial food processing machinery, specifically sausage fillers.

• Credible Bidders: Viable bidders are likely to be manufacturers or established distributors of industrial sausage-filling equipment. They will need to demonstrate:
• Proven experience in supplying similar machines to food production facilities.
• The technical capability to meet the detailed specifications.
• A robust after-sales support structure, including on-site training and rapid technical response within Ireland.
• Financial stability to meet potential insurance requirements and a 12-month tender validity period.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: Sub-contracting is permitted, provided the subcontractor meets employment and health & safety standards. Consortium bids are also allowed, with each member needing to meet tax compliance requirements.
• Indicative Bid-Prep Effort: Preparing a compliant bid would likely require 5-10 days of effort for a specialist supplier, involving technical specification matching, pricing compilation, and completion of all required declarations and supporting documentation.
• Pwin Signal: The tender is an open procedure, suggesting a competitive market. However, the specific technical requirements and the need for on-site support in Co. Mayo might favour suppliers with an established presence or distribution network in Ireland. The value of the contract is moderate, suggesting it may not be a sole-supplier framework for a large incumbent.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source Document: Kellys of Newport Sausage Filler Machine Tender.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in provided text.
• Contact / Clarification Portal: E-Tenders messaging platform.
• Key Attachments:
• Form of Tender (Appendix 2)
• Self Declaration Form (Appendix 5)
• Detailed Specifications (within the main document)