AG3786C UL RFT for the Provision of Equitation Services

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Here is a comprehensive Tender Briefing for the AG3786C UL RFT for the Provision of Equitation Services:

1. At a glance

2. Scope of Work

This tender seeks the provision of comprehensive equitation services to support the University of Limerick's (UL) Equine Science modules. The contract requires the successful tenderer to supply a range of facilities and resources, including horses, arenas, stabling, and a lecture area, to facilitate academic delivery and practical instruction throughout the teaching semester.

The core activities and requirements include:

• Horse Provision:

• A minimum of fourteen (14) fit, healthy, sound, free-moving, well-mannered, and trained horses.

• Horses must be aged four years and older, with heights of 15hh and above.

• Horse types specified are riding horse, hunter, or cob.

• Horses must be capable of jumping up to 90cm in good style.

• Horses are limited to a maximum of three (3) work sessions per 24-hour period.

• All horses must be managed and maintained to the highest standards of health and welfare.

• New horses offered to the programme require approval from the University faculty.

• Appropriate, dedicated, clearly labelled, safe, well-maintained, and fitted tack suitable for adult riders must be provided.

• Riding Facilities:

• The University of Limerick (UL) has absolute priority of use during contracted time.

• Indoor School:

• Must have a safe and secure surface with consistent going, regularly maintained.

• Must be suitable and have safe kicking boards and boundaries.

• A minimum size of 25m x 60m is recommended.

• Must have a gallery with a seated viewing area.

• Adequate artificial lighting is recommended.

• Large (60cm), lightweight, purpose-made mounting blocks must be provided.

• Mirrors are required: two of 1.6m wide by 2.2m high and one of 4.5m wide by 1.6m high on the short side; one of 1.6m high and 4.5m wide on the long side.

• Marker letters must be present.

• A minimum of 20 poles, 12 wing stands, and suitable cups, readily available and dedicated to the area, must be provided.

• Outdoor School:

• Must have a safe, well-drained, and secure surface with consistent going, regularly maintained.

• Must have suitable and safe boundaries.

• Large (60cm), lightweight, purpose-made mounting blocks must be provided.

• A minimum size of 25m x 60m is recommended.

• Marker letters and dressage boards for a 20m x 40m arena must be present.

• A minimum of 20 poles, 12 wing stands, and suitable cups, readily available and dedicated to the area, must be provided.

• A wide variety of small (70cm), portable, safe, and well-maintained cross-country fences for use in the Outdoor School are recommended.

• Mirrors are required: two of 1.6m wide by 2.2m high and one of 4.5m wide by 1.6m high on the short side; one of 1.6m high and 4.5m wide on the long side.

• Ancillary and Service Facilities:

• Lecture Room:

• Suitable size with chairs and writing tables for 28 people.

• Space to accommodate a projection screen/board.

• Blinds on windows.

• Power outlets.

• Heated to a minimum of 18°C.

• Lockable.

• Broadband wireless connection.

• Office:

• Access at all reasonable times.

• Suitable for use by two people concurrently.

• Sufficient power outlets.

• Natural light and blinds.

• Heated to 18°C.

• Lockable.

• Broadband wireless connection.

• Refreshments Room:

• Suitable for use by twenty-eight (28) people.

• Serviced and cleaned regularly.

• Provision of hot water for beverages, a microwave, and a fridge.

• Basic crockery.

• Heated to 18°C.

• Changing Rooms & Toilets:

• Male, female, and accessible facilities.

• Regularly serviced and cleaned.

• Heated to 18°C.

• Lockable.

• Hot and cold water.

• Service Delivery:

• Services must be available for the full duration of the teaching semester (September to December and January to May inclusive), Mondays to Thursdays only.

• The contract duration is 4 years with a 1-year extension option.

• The service provider must be located within a 40km radius of the University of Limerick Plassey campus.

3. Background & buyer context

The University of Limerick (UL), established 50 years ago, is an energetic and enterprising institution with over 17,500 students and 1,800 staff. It offers over 200 programmes across various disciplines and is committed to innovation, including its award-winning Cooperative Education programme. The Biological Science Department is a leading centre for biological research and education, housing cutting-edge facilities funded by university investment and international grants. This department has a specific focus on equine science, supported by academics, technical officers, administrators, PhD students, and postdoctoral scientists. This procurement is part of UL's planning for the future, post-Covid pandemic, to ensure continued excellence in its academic programmes, specifically the Equine Science modules.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered for evaluation:

• Turnover requirement:

• Candidates must provide evidence that their annual turnover related to the services has exceeded €300,000.00 in at least one of the three previous financial years (2023, 2024, or 2025).

• Audited accounts are not required for companies with an annual turnover less than €12 Million; a statement of accounts from the company's accountants will suffice.

• For candidates established less than three years, turnover may be assessed on a pro-rata basis.

• In the absence of turnover, candidates must demonstrate financial viability through access to funding or equivalent evidence.

• Insurance:

• Employer's Liability: Minimum Limit of Indemnity €13,000,000.

• Public Liability: Minimum Limit of Indemnity €6,500,000.

• Bidders must confirm their current levels and state any excess. They must also confirm their ability to obtain higher levels if required by the contract.

• Certifications:

• Not specified for this tender.

• Past experience:

• Evidence of successful delivery of two (2) comparable contracts within the previous three (3) years.

• One contract must be external to the University of Limerick if UL is used as a reference.

• Contact details for a referee for each project must be provided.

• Personnel:

• Not specified for this tender.

• Geographic / facility constraints:

• The successful tenderer MUST be located within a 40km radius from the University of Limerick Plassey campus.

• Other Mandatory Requirements:

• GDPR compliance and adherence to Data Protection legislation.

• Valid Tax Clearance Certificate or evidence of application.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded on the basis of the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). Bids will be evaluated against the following criteria, with minimum score requirements for qualitative criteria:

Tenderers must achieve a minimum of 60% on all award criteria above, excluding Ultimate Cost, to avoid elimination. Only tenderers achieving this threshold will be evaluated for Ultimate Cost.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders must complete and return the following documents:

• Tender Response Document (TRD): This document must be completed in full, with responses to all sections.
• Appendix 2: Pricing Schedule: A separate Excel document containing pricing details.
• Supporting Documents: Any additional documents required to support responses must be clearly referenced within the TRD.
• Zipped Folder: All returned documents must be uploaded to eTenders in one zipped folder.

Specific requirements include:

• Company Summary: Including organisation chart.
• Contact Person Details: For the tender competition.
• Insurance Certificates: To confirm current levels.
• Tax Clearance Certificate: Or evidence of application.
• Turnover Evidence: As per Section A2.3.
• Audited Accounts/Statement of Accounts: Three years' worth, or as per Section A2.4.
• Previous Experience: Details of two comparable contracts.
• Mandatory Requirements Confirmation: Including GDPR compliance.
• Specification Response: Detailed answers within the TRD's blue response boxes.

A mandatory site visit is not specified.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Contract Length: 4 years with a 1-year extension option.
• Payment Terms: Not specified, but standard prompt payment legislation applies.
• SLAs/KPIs: Detailed in Appendix 1 – Specifications & Supplier Response, focusing on horse welfare, facility standards, and service availability. Failure to meet specifications may lead to contract termination or award to the next-ranked tenderer.
• Liquidated Damages: Not explicitly detailed, but failure to meet requirements can lead to contract termination.
• Termination: The contracting authority may cancel the competition before contract execution. Contractual termination clauses are not detailed in the provided extract.
• IP Ownership: Not specified.
• Sub-contracting: Not specified.
• Guarantees/Bonds: Not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Geographic Constraint: The 40km radius requirement significantly limits the potential bidder pool, potentially favouring incumbent or locally based providers.
• Minimum Horse Numbers & Workload: The requirement for a minimum of 14 horses, each limited to three work sessions per day, implies a substantial operational requirement for the supplier.
• Detailed Specification: The extensive list of mandatory requirements for facilities and equipment (e.g., specific mirror sizes, pole counts, heating temperatures) means that only providers with existing, compliant infrastructure can realistically bid.
• Pass/Fail Criteria: Several critical requirements (Facility Availability, Location, Pandemic Provision) are designated as Pass/Fail, meaning any non-compliance will lead to disqualification regardless of scoring.
• Pandemic Provision: The clause regarding payment reduction during government-mandated lockdowns for essential horse care costs requires negotiation, introducing potential uncertainty.
• Tie-Break Mechanism: The detailed tie-break procedure, including Best and Final Offer (BAFO), indicates a potential for close competition.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely best suited for established equine service providers with significant existing infrastructure and a proven track record in delivering services to educational or similar institutions.

• Credible Bidders: Firms with dedicated equestrian facilities (indoor/outdoor arenas, stabling, lecture rooms, offices) that meet the detailed specifications, a substantial number of suitable horses, and experience in managing educational programmes. The 40km radius from UL is a critical constraint.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: Not explicitly mentioned as allowed or disallowed. Given the specific facility and horse requirements, a consortium might be feasible if individual members possess complementary assets, but the lead bidder must meet the location and primary operational requirements.
• Indicative Bid-Prep Effort: Significant. Developing detailed responses for the extensive specification, gathering evidence for past experience, financial standing, and ensuring all mandatory requirements are met would likely require several weeks of dedicated effort from a team familiar with tender processes and equestrian operations.
• Pwin Signal: The detailed, prescriptive nature of the facility and horse requirements, coupled with the geographic constraint, suggests the tender may be shaped to favour an incumbent or a limited number of existing providers who already meet these specific criteria. The University's need for consistent academic delivery implies a preference for reliable, established operations.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename: AG3786C - Provision Equitation Services TRD.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not surfaced.
• Contact for Queries: Thelma Connaughton, via eTenders clarification portal.
• Most Important Attachments:
• AG3786C - Provision Equitation