Glazing Cleaning Services for Children's Health Ireland (CHI)

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 a single legal entity to provide comprehensive glazing cleaning services across all Children's Health Ireland (CHI) properties. The contract requires the successful bidder to perform all services directly, without the use of subcontractors.

The scope of work encompasses the safe and effective cleaning of all specified glazing. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Curtain walling
• Atrium glazing
• Skylights
• Roof lights
• High-level windows
• Glass façades
• Link bridges
• Other elevated glazed structures

The service provision is scheduled to commence from March 2027 for most CHI sites. However, specific locations, including 700 South Circular Road, 321 Crumlin Road, and 305 Crumlin Road, will require cleaning immediately upon contract award.

The tender also requests consideration for providing external window cleaning services to Ronald McDonald House, located on the St. James’s Hospital Campus, on a complimentary basis, acknowledging its charitable status.

The contract mandates the use of specific access methods for cleaning, requiring a minimum of three from the following in the same project:

• Rope Access with Work Positioning
• Permanent Safety Line Systems
• Scissor Lifts / MAWPs
• MEWP
• Powered Suspended Platforms on Monorails
• Abseil Anchors

The scope also includes cleaning both internal and external glazing and performing cleaning in buildings that are open to the public during the cleaning activity. All contractors working via rope access must be qualified Rope Access Technicians certified by IRATA.

3. Background & buyer context

Children's Health Ireland (CHI) is procuring these glazing cleaning services through an open procedure under the EU (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulations 2016. The procurement aims to establish a single legal entity responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of glazing across its various hospital and associated properties. The services are intended to commence from March 2027 for most sites, with immediate commencement required for a few specific locations upon contract award. The contract duration is set at 60 months, with the possibility of up to two 12-month extensions. CHI's policy encourages SME participation, suggesting that larger enterprises consider including SMEs in their proposals.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

To be considered for this tender, bidders must meet the following mandatory requirements:

• Turnover requirement: Evidence of a minimum average annual turnover of €250,000 for the past three years (2022-2024 or 2023-2025). This must be supported by an auditor's letter and a bank statement confirming the account is in good standing.
• Insurance: The successful tenderer must hold the following insurances for the term of the contract:
• Employer’s Liability: €13 million
• Public Liability: €6.5 million
• Product Liability: €6.5 million
• Professional Indemnity: €2.5 million
• Certifications: Contractors working via rope access must be qualified Rope Access Technicians certified by IRATA.
• Past experience: A minimum of three glazing cleaning projects completed within the last three years. Each project must have required the use of at least three specific access methods (Rope Access with Work Positioning, Permanent Safety Line Systems, Scissor Lifts / MAWPs, MEWP, Powered Suspended Platforms on Monorails, Abseil Anchors) in the same project. Projects must also include internal and external glazing and cleaning in buildings open to the public.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender, beyond the requirement for insurance policies to include Ireland within their territorial limits.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT), determined by a combination of quality and cost. The total marks available are 10,000.

A minimum score of 60% is required for each quality criterion (Organisational and Management Capability, Technical Methodology and Approach, Health and Safety Compliance, Environmental Sustainability and Social Value, Quality Assurance, Reporting & Performance Management). Failure to meet this threshold in any quality criterion will result in an automatic FAIL.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders must submit their tenders electronically via the eTenders platform. The submission must include:

• European Single Procurement Document (eESPD): Completed electronically.
• Pricing Schedule: As per Appendix 2, all prices must be all-inclusive (excluding VAT), quoted in Euro, and remain valid for 180 days from the tender deadline.
• Tenderer’s Statement: As per Appendix 3, signed and scanned, printed on the tenderer's letterhead.
• Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer: As per Appendix 4.
• Supporting Documentation: As required by the selection criteria (e.g., auditor's letter for turnover, bank statement, insurance details, evidence of past experience, IRATA certifications).
• CVs: Not explicitly mentioned, but implied for key personnel within Organisational and Management Capability.
• Case Studies: Not specified.
• Mandatory Site Visit: A site visit to the National Children's Hospital Ireland is mandatory. Tender responses from companies without a representative present will automatically FAIL. Details will be communicated via eTenders.
• Submission Portal: www.etenders.gov.ie. A maximum file size limit of 250MB per file and a total limit of 2GB applies. Tenders must be submitted in PDF format.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract will have an initial term of 60 months, with the possibility of up to two 12-month extensions. Payments will be made in accordance with the Services Contract (Appendix 5). Price adjustments are permitted only on the second anniversary of the contract's effective date, linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and requiring prior agreement with CHI. The successful tenderer must comply with all applicable environmental, social, and labour laws, including those related to employee rights on transfer of undertakings and temporary agency work. Subcontracting is strictly prohibited; the successful tenderer must perform all services directly using its own resources. Failure to comply with these terms may lead to contract termination.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

A significant red flag is the prohibition of subcontractors. This means the successful bidder must have the full capacity and resources to deliver all services directly, which may limit the pool of potential bidders to larger, established firms. The mandatory site visit for the National Children's Hospital Ireland is a critical requirement; failure to attend will result in automatic disqualification. The requirement for immediate cleaning upon contract award for specific sites, contrasting with the March 2027 start for others, necessitates careful logistical planning. The request for complimentary service for Ronald McDonald House, while optional, could influence overall pricing strategy or perceived value.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured to favour a single legal entity with substantial direct operational capacity, as subcontracting is prohibited. Therefore, it is likely best suited for medium to large enterprises with established teams, equipment, and a proven track record in complex glazing cleaning operations involving multiple access methods. The minimum turnover requirement of €250,000 per annum, coupled with the insurance mandates and the need for three distinct project types, suggests that very small or newly formed businesses may find it challenging to meet the eligibility criteria. Consortium bids are not permitted. The bid preparation effort is likely to be significant, requiring detailed methodology, safety plans, and financial documentation. The incumbent's strength is not explicitly stated, but the strict prohibition on subcontractors and the emphasis on direct resource deployment suggest a preference for bidders with demonstrable in-house capabilities.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: RFT Glazing Cleaning Services for CHI.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not surfaced in provided text.
• Contact / Clarification Portal: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie
• Most Important Attachments:
• Appendix 1: Requirements and Specifications
• Appendix 2: Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 5: Services Contract