Provision of a Collections Management System for Trinity College Dublin

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 provision of a cloud-based Collections Management System for Trinity College Dublin's Art Collections and the Zoological Museum Collection. The system must deliver significant functionality as standard, without requiring customisation. The contract will encompass the acquisition of the system, implementation services, and ongoing support and maintenance.

The scope includes:

• System Acquisition: A cloud-based Collections Management System.
• Implementation Services: Design and deployment of new systems and processes into full operation, in conjunction with Trinity College Dublin’s internal project team and staff.
• Support and Maintenance: Services for the continued operation of the new solution.

Key functional and non-functional requirements are detailed in Appendix 1. The system is expected to be deployed across campus and in Dublin, potentially in up to 500 locations. Record statistics highlight the scale of data management, with existing records including 1132 Location records and 1102 Documentation records.

The system must:

• Be compliant with ISO 15489 records management principles.
• Be compliant with WCAG 2.1 AA Standard.
• Maintain audit logs for a minimum of 30 days.
• Retain backup data for at least 30 days with configurable retention policies.
• Adhere to recognised cyber security best practices, including compliance with ISO/IEC 27001 standards and Trinity College Dublin’s internal cyber security policies and procedures.

The proposed solution must be delivered within 12 months from the date of contract award.

3. Background & buyer context

Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, is procuring a Collections Management System to manage its Art Collections and the Zoological Museum Collection. This procurement is conducted under an open procedure, adhering to EU and Irish public procurement regulations. The contract is intended to replace or upgrade existing systems and processes for managing these significant collections. The strategic driver for this procurement is to acquire a modern, cloud-based system that offers standard functionality, thereby minimising customisation requirements and ensuring efficient management of the college's assets. The tender process aims to identify a supplier capable of delivering a comprehensive solution encompassing system acquisition, implementation, and ongoing support.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must meet the following mandatory selection criteria to be considered for evaluation. Failure to meet any of these criteria will result in the tender being deemed non-compliant.

• Turnover requirement:
• Candidates must demonstrate that their annual turnover exceeds €300,000 in at least one of the three previous financial years.
• In cases where annual turnover is less than €12 Million, audited accounts are not necessary; a statement of accounts from the company's accountants will suffice.
• Insurance: The successful tenderer must hold the following insurances for the term of the Services Contract:
• Employer Liability: €13,000,000
• Public Liability: €6,500,000
• Product Liability: €6,500,000
• Professional Indemnity: €2,000,000
• Cyber Insurance: €2,000,000
• Certifications:
• Compliance with ISO 15489 records management principles.
• Compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA Standard.
• Adherence to ISO/IEC 27001 standards for cyber security.
• Alignment with Trinity College Dublin’s internal cyber security policies and procedures.
• Past experience: Tenderers must provide details of 2 contracts undertaken within the last 3 years that demonstrate successful provision of a service of similar scope, scale, and complexity.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender, beyond the requirement for insurance policies to include Ireland within their territorial limits and jurisdiction.

Tenderers must also submit an eESPD and declare the absence of mandatory grounds for exclusion.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The Services Contract will be awarded on the basis of the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT), evaluated against the following criteria:

Tenderers must achieve a minimum of 60% on all award criteria, excluding Ultimate Cost, to avoid elimination. Only tenders achieving this threshold will be evaluated against the Ultimate Cost criterion. The lowest cost tender will receive the maximum score for the Ultimate Cost criterion.

6. Submission requirements

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the eTenders.gov.ie portal. The following documentation is required:

• European Single Procurement Document (eESPD): Completed and submitted.
• Tender Response Document (TRD): Containing Company Summary, details of financial standing, and responses to technical requirements.
• Pricing Schedule (Appendix 2): Completed in full, with all prices in Euro, exclusive of VAT.
• CVs: Not explicitly mentioned, but implied for key personnel if required by the TRD.
• Case Studies: Details of 2 previous contracts demonstrating similar scope, scale, and complexity.
• Declarations:
• Tenderer’s Statement (Appendix 3), signed and scanned.
• Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer (Appendix 4).
• Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference Number for online verification.
• Confirmation of acceptance of Services Contract terms.
• Mandatory Site Visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission Portal: www.etenders.gov.ie. All tender files must be submitted within a compressed/ZIP folder. File size limit per file is 250MB, with a total limit of 500MB.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The Services Contract will have an initial term of five (5) years, with the possibility of one or two extensions of up to one (1) year each, not exceeding seven (7) years in aggregate. Payments will be made in accordance with the Services Contract. The contract includes provisions for liquidated damages or penalty regimes, though specific details are not provided in the metadata. Termination clauses allow for termination by either party with 6 or 12 months' written notice, and for breach (if capable of remedy) within 30 days. Intellectual property ownership is not specified. Sub-contracting is permitted, with requirements for subcontractors to submit eESPDs. A parent-company guarantee or bond requirement is not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The tender specifies a cloud-based system with a strong emphasis on standard functionality, aiming to minimise customisation. This could favour established SaaS providers. The requirement for compliance with Trinity College Dublin's specific IT security policies (Appendix 7) alongside ISO 27001 necessitates careful review by bidders. The award criteria heavily weight System Functionality (40%) and Ultimate Cost (25%), with a minimum 60% pass mark on all non-cost criteria, indicating a balanced approach but with a significant emphasis on technical merit. The tight deadline for clarifications (29th July 2026) for a tender closing on 7th August 2026 requires prompt engagement.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely open to medium-sized to larger enterprises with established experience in providing cloud-based Collections Management Systems. The significant insurance requirements (€6.5m Public Liability, €2m Professional Indemnity) and the emphasis on technical functionality and IT security compliance may present barriers for very small or newly established businesses. Consortium bids are implicitly encouraged by the contracting authority's policy to encourage SME participation, suggesting that SMEs could partner with larger firms or other SMEs to meet the requirements. The bid preparation effort is likely substantial, requiring detailed technical responses, financial documentation, and case studies. The Pwin signal is neutral, as no incumbent is named, and the procedure is open.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: RFT - TCD-26-C2308 Collections Mgt Final.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in provided metadata.
• Contact / Clarification Portal: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie
• Most Important Attachments:
• Appendix 1: Requirements and Specifications Document
• Appendix 2: Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 5: Services Contract