TR5142 - Customer campaign and communications management tool

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 Electricity Supply Board (ESB) seeks a contractor to provide a Software as a Service (SaaS) Customer Campaign and Communications Management Tool. This tool will support the ongoing "Is This a Good Time?" (ITAGT) programme, which aims to manage electricity consumption during peak periods. The contractor will be responsible for the following activities:

• Participant Data Management:

• Ingest and manage participant sign-up information from external systems.

• Maintain alignment with updates from source systems.

• Share campaign and consent-related data with other platforms.

• Provide APIs for integration with business systems and an event notification service for real-time data synchronization.

• Campaign Execution:

• Support high-volume email and SMS campaigns, including design capabilities and asset management.

• Automate communications based on event triggers and participant engagement history.

• Enable personalization of messages based on participant attributes.

• Campaign Insight and Optimization:

• Provide analytics on deliverability, engagement, and participation metrics.

• Support testing and refinement of messaging approaches.

• Enable experimentation across email and SMS channels.

• Operational Management and Support:

• Handle data cleansing and user management.

• Address delivery issues and provide ongoing product support.

The solution must comply with accessibility standards (e.g., EN 301 549, WCAG 2.2 AA) and be capable of handling 5,000 concurrent users within 5 minutes. The contract duration is initially set for 2 years, with options for extensions based on performance and business needs.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement aligns with ESB's strategy to enhance customer engagement and manage electricity demand effectively. The ITAGT programme was launched to address potential gaps in electricity generation during winter peak periods, following a successful pilot involving 18,000 participants. The programme has since expanded to over 45,000 participants, necessitating a robust campaign management tool to facilitate ongoing communications and engagement.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following eligibility and selection criteria:

• Turnover requirement: Minimum average annual turnover of €564,000 excluding VAT over the last two 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 €1 million per claim.
• Cyber Liability Insurance: Minimum indemnity limit of €1 million per claim.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

Bids will be evaluated based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) principle. The scoring criteria are as follows:

Minimum scoring thresholds per criterion or overall are not specified.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders must submit the following documents:

• Method statement / response document: Follow the named template with specified page limits.
• CVs: Include CVs for key personnel, adhering to page count limits.
• Pricing schedule: Use the specified format and template.
• Case studies: Provide a minimum of two case studies with a value range of €100,000 to €500,000.
• Declarations: Include ESPD, Bona Fides, Tax clearance, and Conflict of Interest declarations.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission portal: Responses must be submitted via eTenders, following specific format rules.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

Key contract terms include:

• Duration: Initial 2 years with options for extensions of 2 years and then 1 year (total of 5 years).
• Payment terms: Not specified for this tender.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Not specified for this tender.
• Liquidated damages: Not specified for this tender.
• Termination clauses: Not specified for this tender.
• IP ownership: Not specified for this tender.
• Sub-contracting rules: Not specified for this tender.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

Potential risks and concerns include:

• The turnover requirement of €564,000 may limit participation from smaller firms, potentially favoring larger incumbents.
• The lack of specified past experience or personnel requirements may lead to ambiguity in evaluation.
• The absence of detailed scoring criteria could result in subjective evaluations.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender appears suitable for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with capabilities in software development and campaign management. A viable bidder would likely have:

• Experience in SaaS solutions and customer engagement tools.
• Relevant certifications and insurance coverage.
• The ability to manage high-volume communications effectively.

Consortium or sub-contracting arrangements are not explicitly mentioned but may be permissible. Bid preparation is expected to require several days, depending on the complexity of the proposal. The presence of an established incumbent may signal a competitive landscape, but the growing scope of the ITAGT programme presents opportunities for innovative solutions.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: TR5142 - Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ).docx
• eTenders CFT ID: 2026-OJS096-00344199
• Contact email: [email protected]
• Important attachments:
• Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)
• Sustainability Leadership Plan (link provided in the documents)