IT3954C - IP Address Management (IPAM) Licensing for Dublin City University

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 IP Address Management (IPAM) licensing, support, maintenance, software updates, upgrades, and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) support for Dublin City University (DCU). The contract aims to ensure the continuous, valid, and active operation of the IPAM system throughout its duration.

The successful supplier will be responsible for:

• IPAM Licensing: Maintaining the IPAM licensing in a fully active, valid, and available state for the entire contract period.
• OEM Support: Ensuring access to EfficientIP OEM support for technical issues or escalated support requirements.
• Software Updates and Upgrades: Making software updates and upgrades available to DCU throughout the licence term.
• Support Request Resolution: Responding to and resolving all support requests within agreed service levels.
• Service Continuity: Preventing any disruption to the existing IPAM service arising from licensing, support, or maintenance issues.
• Compliance and Validity: Ensuring all licences remain compliant and valid for the full three-year contract period.
• Reliable Functionality: Guaranteeing the service continues to provide reliable and uninterrupted IPAM functionality throughout the contract.

The estimated expenditure for these services is €40,000 ex VAT per year. The contract is for an initial term of three years, with a potential for one or two extensions totalling up to 12 months, not exceeding five years in aggregate. The specific IPAM solution required is EfficientIP.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is being conducted by the Education Procurement Service (EPS) on behalf of Dublin City University (DCU). The requirement arises from DCU's need to maintain and support its existing IP Address Management (IPAM) system, specifically the EfficientIP solution. The tender aims to secure ongoing licensing, maintenance, and support services to ensure the uninterrupted and compliant operation of this critical network infrastructure component. The procurement follows an open procedure under Irish regulations, reflecting standard public sector tendering practices for IT services.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must meet the following criteria to be considered eligible:

• Turnover requirement: Average annual turnover must exceed €150,000 in any of the three previous financial years.
• Insurance: The successful tenderer must hold the following insurances for the term of the contract:
• Employer's Liability: €13,000,000
• Public Liability: €6,500,000
• Product Liability: €2,500,000
• Professional Indemnity: €2,500,000
• Cyber Liability/Cyber Risk: €2,500,000
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Insurance policies must include the Republic of Ireland within their territorial limits and jurisdiction.

Tenderers must also submit a completed European Single Procurement Document (eESPD) and confirm satisfaction of selection criteria. Reliance on subcontractors for selection criteria requires them to submit separate eESPDs and provide proof of resource availability.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award criteria are not explicitly detailed with scoring percentages in the provided extract. However, the tender states that compliant tenders will be evaluated in accordance with the Award Criteria at Part 3.3. Tenderers must meet all selection criteria (Part 3.2) to be considered for evaluation against the award criteria. The contracting authority reserves the right to reject tenders based on exclusion grounds and may examine tenders before verifying selection criteria and absence of exclusion grounds. The overall approach suggests a standard evaluation process where the most economically advantageous tender will be selected.

6. Submission requirements

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the eTenders platform (www.etenders.gov.ie). Key submission requirements include:

• Method statement / response document: The Tender Response Document (TRD) must be completed, including:
• Section A: Selection Criteria
• Section B - Supplier Response
• Appendix 3: Tenderer’s Statement
• Appendix 4: Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer (signed and stamped by a practising solicitor/commissioner of oaths).
• CVs: Not specified for this tender.
• Pricing schedule: Appendix 2 Pricing Schedule must be completed.
• Case studies: Not specified for this tender.
• Declarations:
• European Single Procurement Document (eESPD)
• Tenderer’s Statement (Appendix 3)
• Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer (Appendix 4)
• Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference Number for online verification.
• Mandatory site visit: Not used for this tender.
• Submission portal: eTenders.gov.ie. All documents must be uploaded in one zipped folder.
• File size limits: 250MB per file, 2GB total.
• Document format: Excel, Word, PDF Reader compatible. Filenames should be short and avoid specific characters.
• RFT Document: Not to be populated or returned; it is for information only.
• Brochures: May be submitted as supplementary documents if referenced in the TRD, citing exact page and section.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: Initial 3 years, with an option for one or two extensions totalling up to 12 months, not exceeding 5 years in aggregate.
• Payment terms: As per the Services Contract at Appendix 5.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Support requests must be responded to and resolved within agreed service levels.
• Liquidated damages or penalty regimes: Not specified for this tender.
• Termination clauses: Not specified for this tender.
• IP ownership: Not specified for this tender.
• Sub-contracting rules: Permitted, but the Prime Contractor remains responsible. Subcontractors may need to submit eESPDs if relied upon for selection criteria or if their subcontract value exceeds 10% of the contract value.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond requirements: Not specified for this tender.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Estimated value vs. Turnover requirement: The estimated annual value (€40,000) is significantly lower than the minimum annual turnover requirement (€150,000). This suggests the tender may be structured to favour established suppliers with a broader business base, or that the turnover requirement is a standard template clause not specifically tailored to this contract's scale.
• Specific Software Requirement: The tender explicitly requires EfficientIP IPAM licensing and OEM support. This limits the pool of potential bidders to those who are authorised resellers or partners for EfficientIP products, potentially reducing competition.
• Insurance Requirements: The insurance indemnity limits are substantial (€13m for Employers Liability, €6.5m for Public Liability), which could be a barrier for very small or new entrants to the market.
• No Site Visit: The absence of a mandatory site visit may simplify the process for bidders but also means less direct engagement with the DCU environment.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely best suited for established IT service providers with existing partnerships or authorisation to supply and support EfficientIP software.

• Who can credibly bid: Companies with demonstrated experience in IPAM solutions, specifically EfficientIP, and the capacity to meet the significant insurance requirements. The turnover requirement of €150,000 suggests a business of a certain scale, likely beyond a sole trader or very small startup.
• Consortium/sub-contracting: Consortia and sub-contracting are permitted. This allows smaller firms to participate by partnering with others, particularly if they are EfficientIP specialists but lack the turnover or insurance capacity alone.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Bid preparation will involve completing the TRD, Pricing Schedule, eESPD, and Declaration as to Personal Circumstances. This requires careful attention to detail, particularly regarding the specific software and insurance requirements. Effort could range from 5-10 days for an experienced bidder.
• Pwin signal: The specific requirement for EfficientIP software and OEM support suggests that incumbent suppliers or authorised EfficientIP partners have a strong advantage. The tender does not name past winners or explicitly favour an incumbent, but the software specificity is a key factor.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: IT3954C - RFT - IPAM - DCU - FINAL.pdf
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided text.
• Contact email or clarification portal: Queries via the messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.
• Most important attachments:
• TRD (Tender Response Document)
• Appendix 2 Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 5 Goods Contract