Provision of Quality Management Software

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 a software package to manage the controlled operation of a quality management system within Laois County Council, specifically including payroll and superannuation services. The contract duration is two years, with potential for three 12-month extensions. The software must be supplied, installed, configured, and users trained within two months of contract signing. The solution will support approximately 100 general users and 10 administrator users.

Key activities and functionalities required include:

• Software Provision: Supply of a hosted software solution.
• Installation and Configuration: Full installation and configuration of the software.
• User Training: Training for approximately 100 general users and 10 administrators.
• Maintenance and Support: Ongoing maintenance and support services.
• Document Management:
• Submission and approval of document change requests via automated workflows.
• Publishing and distribution of documents to staff.
• Tracking of document changes and authors.
• Inclusion of a document register.
• Audit Management:
• Audit planning tools.
• Audit checklists.
• Audit reporting capabilities.
• Management of subsequent corrective actions.
• Customer Management: Functionality to assist in managing customers.
• Asset Management: Functionality to assist in managing assets.
• Staff Training & Development:
• Identification of procedures relevant to specific staff.
• Tracking of training provided to specific staff.
• Reporting: Generation of reports across all functional areas.
• General System Requirements:
• Individual user logins and passwords.
• Recording of all user actions under their username.
• Simultaneous login capability for multiple users, potentially accessing the same forms/screens.
• Email notification functionality for staff.
• Optional Additional Services: Tenderers may propose value-added services or optional additional services relevant to the subject matter, with detailed descriptions and pricing if applicable.
• Value-Added Services: Tenderers may propose value-added products or services at no additional cost, such as SharePoint compatibility or integration features.
• Technical Arrangements:
• Hosted solution within the EU or a country with an EU Adequacy decision.
• Details on hosting arrangements and locations.
• Supported internet browsers.
• Web-based or non-web-based provision.
• Data protection and security measures.
• Pricing for software upgrades (minor and major releases).
• Capability for data migration.

3. Background & buyer context

Laois County Council is procuring a Quality Management Software (QMS) solution. This procurement is driven by the council's need to manage its controlled operations, including payroll and superannuation services, through a dedicated software package. The council is seeking to enhance its internal processes by implementing a system that supports document management, audit management, customer and asset management, and staff training tracking. The indicative budget for this contract is €80,000. The procurement follows an open procedure at a national level.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

• Turnover requirement:
• Tendering party turnover must have exceeded €20,000 during one of the last three years.
• Firms established more recently must demonstrate pro-rata turnover, provided they have been in existence for at least 6 months.
• Confirmation of financial standing ensuring the tendering party has the financial capacity to pay its debts as they fall due, evidenced by current statement of assets and liabilities.
• Insurance:
• Employer's Liability: €13,000,000
• Public Liability: €6,500,000
• Product Liability: €6,500,000
• Professional Indemnity: €1,000,000
• Cyber Liability: €2,000,000
• Insurance providers must be authorised for the Republic of Ireland and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
• Certifications:
• Quality Assurance Management System: Tenderers must demonstrate a commitment to quality assurance and provide details of policies and systems, and whether 3rd party certified.
• Environmental Management System: Tenderers must demonstrate operation of an appropriate environmental management system, whether 3rd party certified or in-house.
• Health & Safety Management System: Tenderers must demonstrate operation of health & safety systems and procedures in line with Safety, Health & Welfare at Work legislation.
• Past experience: Not specified as a minimum requirement in the provided text, but reference projects are required for evaluation.
• Personnel: Tenderers must demonstrate access to the minimum number of skilled personnel as indicated in the Tender Response Document (TRD). Specific roles and minimum years of experience are not detailed in the provided extract but will be in the TRD.
• Geographic / facility constraints:
• Software must be hosted within the EU or a country with an EU Adequacy decision.
• Capability to access two data centres located within the European Economic Area (EEA) or an adequate country.
• Installation, configuration, and training must be completed within 2 months of contract signing.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded on the basis of the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). Qualitative award criteria are assessed first. A tie-break will be awarded to the tenderer with the highest quality score. If quality scores are identical, the tenderer with the highest score on the highest weighted qualitative criterion will be awarded.

6. Submission requirements

• Method statement / response document: Tenderers must use the provided Tender Response Document (TRD). Personalisation of the TRD with branding/colours is not allowed.
• CVs: Not explicitly mentioned, but key personnel assigned to the contract must be available for verification meetings.
• Pricing schedule: A separate pricing document may be provided. Tenderers must include detailed pricing for optional additional services.
• Case studies: Not explicitly mentioned, but reference projects are required for evaluation.
• Declarations:
• Declaration of Bona Fides (Art. 57 of Directive 2014/24/EU).
• Declaration regarding compliance with relevant statutory obligations (Irish or equivalent).
• Declaration regarding the International Procurement Instrument (2022/1031) and restrictive measures.
• Confirmation of tax compliance.
• Confirmation of financial standing.
• Confirmation of insurances being in place.
• Information demonstrating access to minimum skilled personnel.
• Information demonstrating access to required technical resources.
• Information on Health & Safety Management System.
• Information on Quality Assurance Management System.
• Information on Environmental Management System.
• Information on Data Hosting Locations.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified as mandatory for tenderers. A visit to the tenderer's premises may be required for clarification.
• Submission portal: Tenders must be submitted electronically via the eTenders postbox facility on www.etenders.gov.ie only. Tenders submitted by any other means will not be accepted. Responses must be uploaded as a ZIP FILE.

7. Key dates & process

The dates provided are estimates. Tender validity period is 3 months from the deadline for tender submissions.

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: 2 years, with a right for the Contracting Authority to extend for three (3) periods of twelve (12) months each, subject to satisfactory performance, budget availability, and business needs.
• Payment terms: Not specified in the provided extract, but prompt payment is a general clause.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Not detailed in the extract, but contract management activities will include performance review against an agreed Service Level Agreement and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Liquidated damages or penalty regimes: Not specified in the provided extract.
• Termination clauses: The Contracting Authority may terminate the agreement by giving a minimum of 30 days' prior written notice. Termination may also occur due to increased costs arising from changes in the Customs Union rendering the arrangement uncompetitive.
• IP ownership: Not specified in the provided extract.
• Sub-contracting rules: Tenderers may use subcontractors, but if relying on a subcontractor's capacity for selection criteria, specific information must be provided. If the subcontract value exceeds 10% of the contract value, the subcontractor must also meet exclusion ground requirements.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond requirements: Not specified in the provided extract.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Indicative Budget vs. Contract Length: The indicative budget of €80,000 for a 2-year contract with potential for three 1-year extensions (€80,000 total over up to 5 years) is exceptionally low. This suggests a very limited scope or a high expectation of value-added services being provided at minimal or no additional cost.
• Tight Mobilisation: The requirement for software installation, configuration, and user training within 2 months of contract signing is a tight timeframe, especially for a system managing payroll and superannuation.
• Quality vs. Cost Weighting: The significant weighting on Software Functionality (45%) and Cost (30%) indicates a strong emphasis on both the technical solution and its price. However, the low overall budget may create tension between achieving high quality and offering a competitive price.
• Minimum Quality Scores: Minimum marks are required for each qualitative criterion (B, C, D, E), meaning a tender cannot succeed solely on price if it fails to meet minimum quality thresholds.
• No Explicit Turnover Requirement for Bidder: While a turnover of €20,000 is mentioned, it is not framed as a strict minimum requirement for eligibility in the same way as insurance. This could allow smaller, newer firms to bid, but the low budget and extensive requirements may still favour established providers.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely open to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that specialise in providing Quality Management Software solutions, particularly those with experience in local government or public sector environments. A viable bidder would need to demonstrate:

• Technical Capability: Proven ability to deliver a hosted QMS solution with the specified functionalities (document management, audit, asset, staff training, reporting). Experience with payroll and superannuation integration would be advantageous.
• Financial Standing: Ability to meet the insurance requirements (€13m EL, €6.5m PL/Prod, €1m PI, €2m Cyber) and a turnover exceeding €20,000 in one of the last three years.
• Operational Capacity: Resources for installation, configuration, training, and ongoing support within tight timelines.
• Compliance: Adherence to quality, environmental, and health & safety standards.

Consortium or sub-contracting is permitted, allowing SMEs to partner with others to meet capacity requirements. The bid preparation effort is moderate, primarily involving completing the TRD, detailing the software solution, and compiling supporting documentation. The low indicative budget (€80,000 total) suggests that the primary focus will be on cost-effectiveness, potentially favouring SMEs that can offer competitive pricing. However, the insurance requirements are substantial for a small business. The Pwin signal is neutral; there is no clear indication of an incumbent or a specific favoured supplier.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: QMS Request for Tender.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided text.
• Contact for Queries: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie
• Key Attachments:
• Tender Response Document (TRD)
• Appendix 1 – Contract Terms and Conditions
• Appendix 2 – Data Protection Agreement