Carrigans to Lifford Greenway UAV Survey

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 procurement seeks a Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) LiDAR and Orthographic Survey for the Carrigans to Lifford Greenway scheme, currently in Phase 3 Design and Environmental Evaluation. The survey's primary purpose is to gather data essential for informing the development of this phase.

The contractor will be responsible for:

• UAV LiDAR Survey: Conducting a LiDAR survey with a minimum Quality Level QL0 to Table 1 and Table 4 of the USGS LiDAR Base. This involves capturing data with a minimum of 20% overlap between adjacent flightlines.
• Orthographic Survey: Performing an orthographic survey.
• Data Processing and Reporting: Processing the captured LiDAR and orthophotography data. This includes delivering equivalent or higher resolution data capture, data deliverables, and accuracy tolerances as detailed in the Technical Specification.
• Site Survey: Executing topographical surveys, which must include LiDAR. The Senior Surveyor on site is required to have a minimum of 2 years of experience in topographical surveys of similar scale and complexity, including LiDAR.
• Traverse Surveys: Conducting traverse surveys where each traverse leg is obtained with a minimum of four sets of observations, measured in both forward and backward directions.
• Deliverables: Providing a minimum of four sets of observations for each traverse setup. The specific data deliverables and accuracy tolerances are detailed in the Technical Specification.
• Quality Control: Ensuring a minimum of 20% overlap between adjacent flightlines for LiDAR surveying.

The anticipated service contract period is 2 months.

3. Background & buyer context

Donegal County Council is progressing the Carrigans to Lifford Greenway scheme. The project is currently in Phase 3, focusing on Design and Environmental Evaluation. To support the development of this phase, the Council requires comprehensive data. This procurement is to obtain a UAV LiDAR and Orthographic Survey to furnish the necessary information for the ongoing design and evaluation processes. The tender is being conducted under an Open Procedure.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered:

• Turnover requirement:
• Minimum certified turnover directly related to Topographical Surveys: €300,000 (including VAT) per annum, averaged over the previous three financial years.
• Combined total turnover for all members of a consortium must meet the minimum turnover requirement.
• Insurance:
• Professional Indemnity Insurance: €6,500,000 on an "Each and Every claim" basis and not specified for an annual aggregate.
• Public Liability Insurance: €6,500,000 in respect of any one accident. Maximum excess for property only is €10,000.
• Employer's Liability Insurance: €13,000,000 in respect of any one accident.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience:
• A minimum of two surveys which included the use of LiDAR of similar scale and complexity, each with a contract value exceeding €50,000 (exclusive of VAT) in the last 5 years.
• Demonstrate equivalent or higher resolution data capture, data deliverables, and accuracy tolerances for LiDAR and orthophotography data processing and reporting for a minimum of two projects of similar nature.
• Personnel:
• Senior Surveyor on site: Minimum 2 years of experience in topographical surveys (including LiDAR) of similar scale and complexity.
• A minimum of 4 professional staff involved in surveying work for each of the past three years (2023, 2024, and 2025).
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). The award criteria and their weighting are not explicitly detailed in the provided text. However, the tender process will assess suitability and then identify the most economically advantageous tender from those deemed suitable. The evaluation will consider both quality and price.

6. Submission requirements

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the eTenders portal. The submission must include:

• Form of Tender: Completed and signed using the Applicant’s full legal name.
• Schedules A and B: Completed in accordance with the requirements of Section 5.14 of the Instructions to Tenderers.
• Detailed breakdown of tender price: Where required, this should include the total estimate broken down into man-hours with associated hourly rates and other itemised costs.
• Detailed quality submission: To meet the requirements set out in the Particulars.
• Suitability Assessment Submission: This must be included and pass the qualification criteria.
• Insurance Proof: Completed MF 2.1 or equivalent proof that required insurances are in place.
• Tax Clearance: Evidence of tax clearance.
• Sub-consultant details: Where applicable, sub-consultant appointments for approval and certified copies.
• Collateral Warranties: Duly executed collateral warranties from sub-consultants, if required.
• Reliance Guarantee/Warranties: If relying on other entities for suitability criteria, these may be required.

All documents must be written in English. Sums must be in Euros, to two decimal places, excluding VAT unless otherwise stated. Tenders must not be qualified in any way.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Contract Period: Anticipated Service Contract Period is 2 months.
• Payment Terms: Payment is due within 30 days after the Consultant supplies a valid invoice.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Not specified in the provided text.
• Liquidated Damages: Not specified in the provided text.
• Termination: The contract may be terminated by the Client with notice periods ranging from 14 to 28 days.
• IP Ownership: Not specified in the provided text.
• Sub-contracting: Sub-consultants may be used, but their appointments require Contracting Authority approval. Collateral warranties from sub-consultants will be required.
• Parent-company guarantee/bond: Reliance guarantees or collateral warranties may be required from entities relied upon for suitability criteria.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Tight Deadline for Submission: The submission deadline of August 28, 2026, is relatively distant, but the contract duration is short (2 months), suggesting a need for rapid mobilisation post-award.
• Specific LiDAR Quality Level: The requirement for a minimum Quality Level QL0 to specific USGS LiDAR Base tables indicates a need for specialised technical expertise and equipment.
• Insurance Requirements: The €6.5 million Professional Indemnity Insurance requirement is substantial for a €50,000 estimated value contract, potentially limiting the pool of eligible bidders.
• Experience Threshold: The requirement for two past projects each exceeding €50,000 (exclusive of VAT) in LiDAR surveys of similar scale and complexity, within the last 5 years, is a significant hurdle for smaller or newer firms.
• Personnel Requirements: The need for a minimum of 4 professional staff involved in surveying for the last three years suggests a requirement for established teams.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely best suited for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with a demonstrated track record in specialised UAV LiDAR and orthographic surveying.

• Credible Bidders: Firms with a proven history of delivering complex LiDAR surveys, holding substantial professional indemnity insurance (€6.5m), and possessing a team of at least four experienced surveying professionals are well-positioned. Experience with projects exceeding €50,000 (excl. VAT) in the last five years is a key differentiator.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: While not explicitly forbidden, the reliance on other entities for meeting suitability criteria is permitted. This allows SMEs to partner with other firms or specialist providers to meet the insurance and experience requirements. However, the lead consultant must demonstrate they can deliver the core service.
• Indicative Bid-Prep Effort: Preparing a compliant bid will require significant effort, likely 10-15 days, due to the detailed technical specifications, insurance requirements, and past experience documentation needed.
• Pwin Signal: The high insurance threshold and specific experience requirements suggest a potentially limited bidder pool. If an incumbent has a strong existing relationship and has met these criteria previously, they may have an advantage. However, the open procedure indicates a desire for competitive bidding.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename(s):
• [ITT_S2b_Services_Open_THR_v2.0-04-11-2024 - P01.docx]
• [MF_2.2_v1.2_25-11-2025.doc]
• [Appendix_B1_QC1_and_QC2_09-02-2022.docx]
• [UAV Survey Contract Docs.zip]
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified.
• Contact / Clarification Portal: Queries must be raised in writing via the means of communication stated in the Particulars.
• Most Important Attachments:
• ITT_S2b_Services_Open_THR_v2.0-04-11-2024 - P01.docx (Instructions to Tenderers)
• Appendix B1: List of Previous Projects/Certificate of Satisfactory Execution
• Technical Specification (within UAV Survey Contract Docs.zip)