Provision of Consultancy Services for a District Heating Feasibility Study for Carlow County Council

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 consultancy services to conduct a feasibility study for a district heating network in Carlow County Council. The study will assess the viability and potential implementation of district heating in specific areas.

The core activities for the appointed consultant include:

• Feasibility Assessment: Conducting a comprehensive technical, economic, and environmental feasibility study for district heating in Carlow. This involves evaluating potential heat sources, network infrastructure requirements, and operational models.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Developing and implementing a stakeholder engagement plan. This includes consulting with relevant parties such as local authorities, utility providers, businesses, and residents to gather input and ensure buy-in. Consultants will create and follow a stakeholder engagement plan.
• Heat Source Identification: Identifying and evaluating potential heat sources within a 5km radius of the study area. This includes assessing the suitability of existing or potential sources, such as waste heat from industrial processes, biomass, geothermal, or other renewable energy technologies. Gas consumption data for the previous 24 months can be requested from Gas Networks Ireland.
• Network Design and Modelling: Developing preliminary network designs, including pipe routing, sizing, and integration points. This will involve modelling heat demand and supply scenarios. Users within 3km² of each other lends itself to a potentially very viable District Heating opportunity.
• Economic and Financial Analysis: Performing detailed economic and financial analysis, including cost-benefit assessments, investment appraisals, and potential funding mechanisms. Two large-scale projects have secured €24.5 million in funding through the CAF.
• Environmental Impact Assessment: Evaluating the potential environmental impacts of the proposed district heating system, including carbon emissions reduction and compliance with relevant regulations. This includes assessing BER Building Energy Rating Certificate data. The general threshold for heat demand is often considered to be between 100MWh and 300MWh.
• Risk Assessment: Identifying and assessing potential risks associated with the development and operation of a district heating network.
• Reporting: Producing a comprehensive feasibility study report, including detailed findings, recommendations, and a roadmap for potential implementation. The report will be based on the RFT and the Submission.

The study is expected to be completed within 12 months of utility data being available.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement aligns with national and regional strategies promoting sustainable energy and climate action. Carlow County Council is undertaking this feasibility study to explore opportunities for decarbonising heat supply within the county, contributing to Ireland's climate targets. The initiative is likely part of broader efforts within the higher education sector or local government to adopt innovative and sustainable infrastructure solutions. The study aims to provide the council with the necessary information to make informed decisions regarding future investments in district heating infrastructure. The procurement process follows standard EU public procurement regulations for services exceeding €50k and below national thresholds.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

To be considered eligible for this tender, bidders must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Turnover requirement: Bidders must confirm that their average annual turnover exceeded €200,000 in the area of the contract.
• Insurance: Confirmation of the following insurances being in place if successful:
• Employer’s Liability: €13 million
• Public Liability: €6.5 million
• Professional Indemnity: €1 million
• Certifications: Tenderers should provide information on measures to ensure the delivery of a quality service, for example, by way of an externally certified system.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• 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 evaluation will consider both price and quality.

The lowest cost tender that also meets all the minimum requirements of the qualitative award will be selected. Specific scoring mechanisms and weightings for quality criteria are not detailed in the provided extract.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders are required to submit the following documentation:

• Response Document: A comprehensive response detailing how the bidder will meet the requirements of the RFT.
• Pricing Schedule: A detailed breakdown of costs associated with the proposed services.
• Declarations:
• Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer (confirming no exclusion grounds apply).
• Tax Clearance Certificate.
• Insurance Confirmation: Proof of required insurances if successful.
• Quality Assurance Information: Details on measures in place to ensure quality service delivery, such as externally certified systems.
• Turnover Confirmation: Confirmation of meeting the minimum turnover requirement.

The submission must be made via the eTenders portal. Specific templates or page limits for the response document are not detailed in the extract.

7. Key dates & process

The tender validity period is 180 days from the deadline for submission.

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: The agreement has an initial Term, with the Client reserving the right to extend it for up to [Insert Number] months, with a maximum of [Insert Number] such extensions.
• Payment: Payment of Charges is subject to Contractor compliance with the agreement, submission of valid invoices, and the Client possessing the Contractor’s current Tax Clearance Certificate. Invoices are deemed accepted if no queries are raised within 14 calendar days. The European Communities (Late Payment in Commercial Transactions) Regulations, 2012 apply.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Not explicitly detailed in the extract, but compliance with the Specification, Client’s directions, and industry best practice is required.
• Liquidated damages: Not specified for this tender. Clause 5G and 5H outline potential termination rights for late delivery or failure to deliver, but do not detail specific liquidated damages amounts.
• Termination: Either party may terminate with [insert period of time months] written notice. Immediate termination is possible for serious breach (remediable within 30 days), insolvency, conflict of interest, or if exclusion grounds under Regulation 57 apply.
• IP ownership: All Intellectual Property Rights in the Materials produced for the agreement vest in the Client. The Client grants the Contractor a royalty-free licence to use Client’s Pre-existing IPR for the Term.
• Sub-contracting: The Contractor is the prime contractor and assumes full responsibility for subcontractors. Subcontracts must include a right for the Contractor to terminate if exclusion grounds apply to the subcontractor. Subcontracting more than 50% of the contract value to third countries subject to an IPI measure is prohibited, with penalties of 10-30% of contract value for non-observance.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond: Not specified for this tender.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Turnover Requirement: The €200,000 turnover requirement is relatively low for a consultancy study of this nature, potentially indicating a desire to encourage SME participation or a focus on specific niche expertise.
• Lack of Detailed Award Criteria: The absence of specific weightings and sub-criteria for the quality award element means bidders will need to infer the Client's priorities. This could lead to a less predictable evaluation process.
• Contract Length Ambiguity: While the contract allows for extensions, the specific duration and number of extensions are placeholders ([Insert Number]), requiring clarification.
• Potential for Extensive Data Requests: The mention of requesting 24 months of gas consumption data from Gas Networks Ireland suggests a reliance on external data sources, which may require significant effort from the contractor to obtain.
• IPI Measure Clause: The inclusion of obligations related to the EU's International Procurement Instrument (IPI) measure, including potential penalties, indicates a sensitivity to supply chain origins and could add complexity for bidders with international supply chains.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely open to small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with specialised expertise in energy consultancy and district heating feasibility studies.

• Credible Bidders: A viable bidder would typically be a consultancy firm with a proven track record in energy infrastructure planning, feasibility studies, and stakeholder engagement. They would need to demonstrate experience in assessing renewable energy sources and district heating systems. The €200,000 turnover requirement is accessible for many SMEs.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: The tender documents do not explicitly prohibit consortia or sub-contracting. However, the Contractor is designated as the prime contractor assuming full responsibility, and sub-contracting more than 50% to certain third countries is restricted.
• Indicative Bid-Prep Effort: Preparing a compliant bid for a consultancy tender of this nature, including detailing methodology, team experience, and pricing, could require 5-10 days of effort for a focused team.
• Pwin Signal: The tender is likely open to a competitive field. The absence of an incumbent name or specific framework suggests a standard procurement. The relatively low value and specific focus on a feasibility study suggest it is not a large-scale, high-risk project for a prime contractor, making it accessible to firms without extensive large-project experience.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename: [Services-contract-15-jan-2024.docx]
• eTenders CFT ID: Not surfaced in the provided text.
• Contact / Clarification Portal: www.etenders.gov.ie (messaging facility)
• Key Attachments:
• Appendix 1 to the RFT (Description of Services)
• Schedule B (Specification of Services)
• Schedule C (Charges)
• Appendix 6 to the RFT (Confidentiality Agreement)