Support, maintain and enhance existing telephony solution and associated technologies

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

The services required by South Dublin County Council involve the ongoing maintenance, support, and enhancement of its existing telephony system. The primary objective is to ensure efficient call handling, deliver accurate reporting insights, and enable data-driven decision-making across Customer Care functions.

The scope of work includes:

• Maintenance and Support: The contractor will be responsible for the upkeep and operational stability of the existing telephony system and its associated technologies. This includes proactive monitoring, troubleshooting, and resolution of any issues that may arise to ensure continuous service availability.
• Enhancement: The contractor will be required to implement enhancements to the telephony solution. This implies making improvements to functionality, performance, or integration with other systems to meet evolving business needs and to support data-driven decision-making.
• System Scope: The services cover the "existing telephony system that supports efficient call handling, delivers accurate reporting insights, and enables data-driven decision-making across Customer Care functions." Specific details on the exact technologies, platforms, or call volumes are not detailed in the provided extract but are expected to be within the scope of "associated technologies."
• Reporting: A key aspect of the service is ensuring the system delivers accurate reporting insights. This suggests a need for the contractor to maintain or develop reporting capabilities that provide actionable data for the Customer Care department.
• Data Security: The contractor must ensure that data security standards are maintained throughout the provision of services.
• Super User Access: The contract mandates providing super user access for a minimum of three allocated and identified staff members. No license fee will be charged for these three super user access accounts.

The contract is structured for an initial term of 12 months, with the Contracting Authority reserving the right to extend the term for periods up to a maximum of 12 months, for up to four such extensions.

3. Background & buyer context

South Dublin County Council is procuring these services through an open procedure under the European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulations 2016. The estimated expenditure for the services over the initial 12-month term and any potential extensions is €800,000 (excluding VAT). This figure is an estimate based on current and future expected usage. The Council aims to encourage participation by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in this competition, suggesting a strategic objective to foster SME engagement in public procurement. Larger enterprises are also encouraged to consider how SMEs can be included in their proposals. The procurement is driven by the need to maintain and enhance critical communication infrastructure supporting the Council's Customer Care functions.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered:

• Turnover requirement:
• Confirmation that turnover exceeded €800,000.
• This must be demonstrated for each of the last three years.
• For recently established firms, pro-rata turnover will suffice.
• For groups of undertakings, this can be met by the group as a whole or by the lead applicant.
• Insurance: The successful tenderer must hold the following insurances for the term of the Services Contract:
• Employer’s Liability: €13 million, containing a notation of indemnity to South Dublin County Council.
• Public Liability: €6.5 million, containing a notation of indemnity to South Dublin County Council.
• Professional Indemnity: €2 million.
• Cyber Insurance: €2 million.
• All insurances must contain a notation of indemnity to the Council.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel:
• Super user access for a minimum of three allocated and identified staff.
• No license fee for these three super user access accounts.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

Tenderers must also declare via eESPD that they satisfy the economic and financial standing requirements and technical and professional ability requirements. They must be able to provide supporting documentation upon request.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The evaluation of tenders will be conducted in two stages: first, compliance with mandatory requirements and selection criteria, and second, evaluation against award criteria. The award criteria are not explicitly detailed with percentage weightings in the provided extract. However, it is stated that the lowest cost tender that also meets all minimum requirements of the qualitative award criteria will receive the maximum score for that criterion. This indicates a "Most Economically Advantageous Tender" (MEAT) approach, balancing cost and quality. A minimum scoring threshold per criterion or overall is not specified.

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers must submit the following documentation:

• European Single Procurement Document (eESPD): The electronic version must be completed and submitted.
• Tenderer’s Statement: A scanned, signed copy of the Tenderer’s Statement (Appendix 3), printed on the tenderer's letterhead, must be returned. Signatures must be legible.
• Pricing Schedule: All tenders must complete the Pricing Schedule (Appendix 2). Prices must be all-inclusive (excluding VAT), expressed in Euro, and remain valid for 12 months from the Tender Deadline.
• Declarations:
• Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer (Appendix 4).
• Confirmation of acceptance of the Services Contract terms (Appendix 5).
• Declaration regarding Data Protection Laws compliance.
• Declaration regarding compliance with Regulation (EU) 2022/1031 (IPI) and Regulation (EU) 2022/2560 (Foreign Subsidies).
• Declaration that the preparation of the tender was carried out independently.
• Supporting Documentation: Tenderers must be able to provide supporting documentation for economic and financial standing and technical and professional ability upon request.
• Submission Portal: Tenders must be submitted via the electronic tenderbox on www.etenders.gov.ie.
• Format: Tenders must be submitted in English and compiled as a ZIP FILE to protect file integrity. All documents must be readable using a PDF Reader.

7. Key dates & process

Tenderers wishing to attend the site visit must confirm attendance by 13/07/2026 at 12 noon via the eTenders messaging facility.

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: The Services Contract will be for an initial term of 12 months.
• Extension: The Contracting Authority reserves the right to extend the term for periods of up to 12 months, with a maximum of four such extensions.
• Payment Terms: Payments will be made in accordance with the Services Contract (Appendix 5). Invoices are deemed accepted if no queries are raised within 14 days.
• Price Validity: All prices quoted must remain valid for 12 months commencing from the Tender Deadline. Currency variations over the contract term are borne by the Tenderer.
• Termination: Either party may terminate the contract if a Force Majeure Event continues for 14 calendar days. The Contracting Authority may terminate by serving 3 months' written notice.
• Breach: Breaches, if capable of remedy, must be rectified within 30 days of a written request.
• Confidentiality: Information disclosed by the Contracting Authority must be treated as confidential and used solely for the purpose of this RFT.
• Sub-contracting: Where a Tenderer intends to subcontract, and the subcontract value exceeds 10% of the Services Contract value, the subcontractor must meet specific requirements, including submitting an eESPD. The Prime Contractor is responsible for the overall service delivery.
• Indemnity: The contractor must indemnify the Contracting Authority against claims arising from failure to comply with employee rights regulations (Council Directive 2001/23/EC).

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Estimated Value vs. Turnover: The estimated contract value (€800,000 over the term) is identical to the minimum annual turnover requirement (€800,000 for each of the last three years). This could suggest a tender shaped for an incumbent or a firm of a specific size, potentially limiting competition.
• Mandatory Site Visit: A mandatory site visit is scheduled for 14/07/2026 between 09:00 and 15:00. Tenderers must confirm attendance by 13/07/2026 at 12 noon. Failure to attend or confirm may impact the bid.
• Insurance Requirements: The insurance requirements, particularly Public Liability (€6.5 million) and Professional Indemnity (€2 million), are substantial for a contract with an estimated value of €800,000 over its potential lifespan.
• Open Procedure with Specific Value: While an open procedure is used, the explicit mention of the €800,000 estimate and the turnover requirement might narrow the practical field of bidders.
• No Price Indexation: Clause 2.10.6, which would typically allow for price adjustments based on an index, is marked as "Not Used." This means prices are fixed for the duration of the contract, including any extensions, unless otherwise agreed.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely suitable for established SMEs with a proven track record in telephony support and maintenance, particularly those with experience in public sector environments.

• Credible Bidders: A viable bidder would need to demonstrate consistent annual turnover exceeding €800,000 for the past three years and possess the required insurance coverages. Experience in maintaining and enhancing complex telephony systems, including reporting capabilities, is essential.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: The tender encourages SMEs to explore forming relationships with other SMEs or larger enterprises. Sub-contracting is permitted, and subcontractors may need to provide an eESPD if their portion of the work exceeds 10% of the contract value.
• Indicative Bid-Prep Effort: Preparing a compliant bid will require significant effort. This includes gathering financial documentation, detailing technical capabilities, preparing a pricing schedule, completing the eESPD, and potentially attending the mandatory site visit. An estimate of 10-20 days of dedicated effort for a small team is reasonable.
• Pwin Signal: The identical turnover requirement and estimated value, coupled with substantial insurance demands, might indicate a preference for larger or incumbent suppliers. However, the explicit encouragement for SMEs and consortiums suggests an openness to diverse bidding structures. The mandatory site visit and the need for detailed technical responses will be key differentiators.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename(s):
• [SDCC Invitation to Tender memo.pdf]
• [Telephony - open national services template.docx]
• eTenders CFT ID: CFT 3979
• Contact / Clarification Portal: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie
• Most Important Attachments:
• Appendix 1: Requirements and Specifications
• Appendix 2: Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 3: Tenderer’s Statement
• Appendix 5: Services Contract