Supply and Support of Satellite Communications Systems, Satellite Space Segments and 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

This tender seeks to establish a Framework Agreement for the Supply and Support of Satellite Communications Systems, Satellite Space Segments, and associated Support Services. The procurement is divided into two lots, each intended to be a single-supplier contract.

Lot 1: Supply and Support of End-to-End Satellite Communications Systems, Satellite Space Segments, and all Associated Support Services and Systems. This lot covers new deployments and their operations and maintenance. It requires the supply and support of:

• Systems: End-to-end satellite communications systems compatible with ESB's existing infrastructure, capable of providing backhaul communications for mission-critical SCADA services operating on IEC60870-5-101 and IEC60870-5-104 protocols. These systems must be deployable at ESB premises without external cloud connectivity.
• Space Segment Details and Capacity: Provision of satellite space segments, including detailed information on satellite names, operators, design life, orbital locations, coverage maps, capacity, and expansion options.
• Ground Segment Equipment, Hardware and Components: Satellite modems, gateway equipment, antenna systems (small to medium dish size, fixed antenna systems preferred), active and passive RF equipment, and independent rapid deployable kits. Equipment must withstand Irish environmental conditions and operate in high voltage environments.
• Network Performance Requirements: Core network availability of at least 99.95% over a rolling 3-month period, and remote terminal minimum service availability of 99.9% per terminal over a rolling 3-month period. End-to-end average Round Trip Time (RTT) not to exceed 600ms. Detailed link budgets and performance characteristics are required.
• Resilience, Survivability, Redundancy, Scalability and Interoperability: Systems must demonstrate resilience, survivability during critical events, redundancy (including geographical redundancy for hubs), scalability, and interoperability with ESB's WAN and SCADA networks.
• Manageability: Network Management Systems (NMS) with FCAPS functionality, capable of remote monitoring, management, configuration, and troubleshooting. Support for 3rd party systems is required.
• Life Cycle and Longevity: Longevity of components and services, technology roadmaps, upgrade plans, and clear end-of-sale/support dates.
• Reliability Characteristics: Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) and failure rate data.
• Maintainability, Serviceability and Supportability: Mean Time To Repair (MTTR) assumptions, warranty, spare strategy, repair/replacement processes, defined delivery times for new orders and spares, rapid RMA turnaround, hot-swappable modules, 24/7 Technical Assistance Centre (TAC) support with precise SLAs, and engineering support.
• Training Services: For ESB staff and partners on deployment, installation, configuration, operations, and troubleshooting.
• Standards, Regulations, Directives and Security: Compliance with National Regulator (ComReg) recommendations, relevant National/International Standards, EU Directives (including NIS2), and provision of security measures, role-based access controls, and encryption.

Approximately 130 new remote terminals and associated end-to-end service requirements are anticipated. Deployment locations include ESB-owned sites, substations, generation stations, offices, and approved 3rd party locations within the Republic of Ireland.

Lot 2: Maintenance of Existing End-to-End Satellite Communications Systems, including Support of Existing Satellite Space Segments, all Associated Services, Systems, and Supply of Spares. This lot focuses on the maintenance and support of existing TSAT satellite communications systems. It includes:

• Systems: Maintenance of existing TSAT satellite communications systems.
• Space Segment Details and Capacity: Assessment and documentation for continued support of existing space segments, including any necessary modifications.
• Ground Segment Equipment, Hardware and Components: Support for existing TSAT satellite modems, compatible gateway equipment, antenna systems, RF equipment, and rapid deployable kits.
• Network Performance Requirements: Assessment and documentation of existing satellite link budgets, availability, and RTT, with recommendations for improvement where possible without major physical intervention.
• Resilience, Survivability, Redundancy, Scalability and Interoperability: Assessment and documentation of existing capabilities, with recommendations for improvement.
• Manageability: Support for TSAT Network Management Systems (NMS).
• Life Cycle and Longevity: Continued supply and support, technology roadmaps, and upgrade requirements.
• Reliability Characteristics: MTBF and failure rate data.
• Maintainability, Serviceability and Supportability: MTTR assumptions, warranty, spare strategy, repair/replacement processes, defined delivery times for spare orders, rapid RMA turnaround, and 24/7 TAC support.
• Training Services: For ESB staff and partners.
• Standards, Regulations, Directives and Security: Compliance with relevant standards and security requirements.

There are no new deployments in Lot 2. The existing network comprises approximately 170 remote terminals and 4 satellite hub locations.

3. Background & buyer context

Electricity Supply Board (ESB), established in 1927, is a statutory corporation majority-owned by the Irish Government. It operates across the electricity market, including generation, transmission, and supply, with a regulated asset base of approximately €12 billion. ESB employs around 8,000 people and supplies electricity to approximately 2 million customers.

The procurement aligns with ESB's strategy, 'Driven to Make a Difference: Achieving Net Zero by 2040', which prioritises sustainability and leadership in the transition to a net-zero future. ESB seeks to procure supplies and services with positive environmental, social, and economic impacts, aligning its procurement processes with ISO20400 standards for Sustainable Procurement. ESB has also developed a Sustainability Leadership Plan and is a founding member of the Irish Supply Chain Sustainability School. The contract may be entered into by ESB or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

• Turnover requirement:
• For an applicant with fewer than 50 employees and an annual turnover not exceeding €10 million.
• For an enterprise with 50-249 employees and an annual turnover not exceeding €50 million.
• Minimum average turnover of €647,400 (Lot 1) or €382,600 (Lot 2), excluding VAT, over the two previous financial years, for applicants relying on their own resources.
• Combined average turnover of €647,400 (Lot 1) or €382,600 (Lot 2), excluding VAT, over the two previous financial years, for applicants relying on entities being relied upon.
• For a consortium, a combined average turnover of €1,100,000, excluding VAT, over the two previous financial years.
• Insurance:
• Public/Products Liability Insurance: Minimum indemnity limit of €6.5 million per claim.
• Employer’s Liability Insurance: Minimum indemnity limit of €13 million per claim.
• Professional Indemnity Insurance: Minimum indemnity limit of €2 million per claim and in the annual aggregate.
• Certifications:
• ISO 45001, Safe T Cert, or an equivalent safety management system.
• ISO 14001 or EMAS (if applicable, details required).
• ISO 27001 or equivalent information security standard (if applicable, certification copy required).
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender, beyond the operational requirement within the Republic of Ireland.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award criteria are not detailed in the provided PQQ document. This document focuses on pre-qualification. The Request for Tender (RFT) stage, which follows this PQQ, will outline the award criteria and scoring methodology. It is anticipated that the evaluation will follow the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) principle, balancing price and quality.

6. Submission requirements

• Method statement / response document: Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) to be completed and returned in accordance with attached information and instructions.
• CVs: Not specified for this tender.
• Pricing schedule: Not specified for this tender (pricing is expected at the RFT stage).
• Case studies: Not specified for this tender.
• Declarations:
• ESPD (European Single Procurement Document) is implied by the nature of the PQQ.
• Bona Fides declarations (e.g., tax clearance).
• Tax clearance certificate or access number from Irish Revenue.
• Conflict of Interest declarations.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission portal: Responses are to be submitted via the messaging functions on Gov e-Tenders.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract will be a Framework Agreement, with an initial term of three (3) years. There are two optional extension periods, each of two (2) years, allowing for a maximum contract duration of seven (7) years. The specific terms and conditions, including technical, commercial, financial, and safety requirements, will be detailed in a draft contract provided at the Request for Tender (RFT) stage. Bespoke terms and conditions, based on the Contracting Entity's requirements, will apply.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The tender is structured as a Framework Agreement with two lots, each for a single supplier. This structure, combined with the specific technical requirements for satellite communications systems and the existing TSAT hardware in Lot 2, may favour incumbent suppliers or those with direct experience with TSAT systems. The requirement for compatibility with existing ESB systems and the focus on specific protocols (IEC60870-5-101 and IEC60870-5-104) could present a barrier to new entrants. The long potential contract duration of up to seven years indicates a need for long-term supplier commitment and product roadmaps. The PQQ stage is focused on suitability, with detailed contract terms and award criteria to be provided at the RFT stage.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured for suppliers with significant experience and capacity in satellite communications systems and services. The technical depth and breadth of requirements, particularly concerning network performance, resilience, and specific protocols, suggest that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) would likely need to form a consortium or act as subcontractors to a larger prime contractor to meet the eligibility and capability criteria. Consortium bidding is explicitly permitted. The bid preparation effort is likely to be substantial, requiring detailed technical proposals and evidence of compliance with stringent insurance and potentially turnover requirements. The PQQ does not provide explicit indications of incumbent strength, but the focus on existing TSAT systems in Lot 2 suggests potential advantages for existing providers.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: TR5395 Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (P