Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles for Driver and up to 6 Passengers

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 Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) requires the supply and delivery of two (2) Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAVs). These vehicles are intended to accommodate a driver plus up to six passengers, with the capacity to include one wheelchair user. The initial delivery locations are specified as Tipperary and Galway, with the potential for delivery to any IWA site across Ireland.

The contract includes an option for IWA to purchase up to four (4) additional vehicles within a 12-month period from the contract award date, subject to funding. This option does not obligate IWA to purchase additional vehicles. The successful tenderer will be required to provide a visual specification check and a test drive of the proposed vehicles. IWA intends to award the contract to a single service provider.

Key vehicle specifications include:

• Engine: Automatic, Diesel, 1.5 litres (1500cc) to 2.0 litres (2000cc) capacity.
• Condition: New model from a reputable manufacturer, with less than 100 km on the odometer at delivery and a standard manufacturer warranty.
• Conversion: Full lowered floor up to the back of the front two seats with slip-resistant flooring.
• Safety Equipment:
• Interior wheelchair winch.
• 200kg capacity wheelchair restraints and passenger restraints (including seat belts for diagonal chest and lateral abdominal restraint), compliant with ISO 10542.
• Driver and front passenger side airbags (details of additional airbags to be provided).
• Laminated windscreen glass.
• Headrests in all vehicles.
• Accessibility: Minimum unobstructed opening of 758mm wide by 1,367mm high to facilitate wheelchair access. Integrated ramp at the rear with 400kg capacity for manual deployment. Maximum wheelchair length of 1580mm (full cut floor to back of front seats).
• Features: Power-assisted steering, adjustable steering, adaptive cruise control, spare wheel, interior lights, suitable quality floor mats, electric wing/door mirrors, sliding doors for passenger use (desirable on both sides), parking assist sensors with rear-facing cameras, pre-collision assist and forward collision warning (desirable), air conditioning, factory-fitted Sat Nav, keyless start, privacy glass.
• Emissions: Vehicles must have all instruments/equipment required under current or pending EU Regulations for their size and use.
• Seating:
• 2 front seats.
• 3 seats in the second row (60/40 split, foldable for wheelchair space).
• Triflex seating in the third row (480mm width each side).
• Capacity: Driver plus 4 passengers with a wheelchair, or Driver plus 6 passengers without a wheelchair.
• Documentation: Vehicle to be supplied with all relevant documentation to qualify for the Disabled Passengers VRT/VAT relief scheme.
• Colour: Uniform colour is preferred, but non-uniform colour will be considered.

The total cost quoted must be inclusive of vehicle price and delivery, and VRT. VAT should be quoted separately.

3. Background & buyer context

The Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) is a leading organisation and service provider for people with physical disabilities in Ireland. It has 20,000 members, over 2,500 employees, 57 local community centres, and 2,000 volunteers. This procurement addresses IWA's requirement for specialised vehicles to support its operations and members. The procurement is being conducted via eTenders.gov.ie.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered:

• Turnover requirement:
• Overall average annual turnover: €1.2m
• Turnover relating to specific product(s)/service(s): €500,000
• Insurance:
• Employers Liability: €12.7m
• Public Liability: €6.5m
• Professional Indemnity: €1m
• Certifications:
• Seat belts must be compliant with ISO 10542.
• Past experience:
• At least 3 relevant company references for similar scale, nature, and complexity within the last 3 years.
• At least 3 relevant examples of company experience and track record of major contracts/projects/services (other than those listed above) within the last 3 years.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

Bidders must also demonstrate sufficient financial capacity, overall staffing resources, facilities, satisfactory internal quality assurance procedures, satisfactory external quality assurance mechanisms and accreditation, and satisfactory data protection policies and procedures. A Bona Fide Declaration (Appendix 1) must be submitted by all tenderers.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded to the tenderer who scores the highest marking, based on the following criteria:

The evaluation will be based on a Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) principle.

6. Submission requirements

Tender responses must be submitted via the eTenders post-box in PDF, Word, or Excel format, with clear page and section numbers. Failure to follow submission format guidelines will result in exclusion.

Required documents include:

• Bona Fide Declaration: Appendix 1, fully completed.
• Pricing Schedule: Total cost of 2 x Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles, inclusive of vehicle price, delivery, and VRT. VAT rate to be provided separately. This price must be guaranteed for 12 months for any further requirements.
• Vehicle Specifications: Detailed information on proposed vehicles, addressing all minimum requirements.
• References: At least 3 relevant company references within the last 3 years for similar scale, nature, and complexity.
• Insurance Certificates: Confirmation of required insurance levels.
• Tax Clearance: Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference Number to facilitate online verification.
• Other Documentation: IWA may seek copies of safety statements and method statements where applicable.

Tenderers should address all issues and requirements point-by-point in the sequence they appear in the document, indicating any goods, services, capabilities, functionality, or locations they cannot source or provide.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: Not specified.
• Extension: Option to purchase up to four additional vehicles within 12 months of contract award, subject to funding.
• Payment terms: Not specified.
• SLAs/KPIs: Not specified.
• Liquidated damages: Not specified.
• Termination: Not specified.
• IP ownership: Not specified.
• Sub-contracting: Not specified, but subcontractors must be approved by IWA.
• Guarantees/Bonds: Not specified.
• Pricing: Prices quoted cannot be increased during the term of the contract. The price for the initial two vehicles must be guaranteed for 12 months for any further requirements.
• Data Processing: Vendor will act as a Data Processor. A Data Processing Agreement will be required. All data must be held within EU data centres.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Optional Quantity: The option to purchase up to four additional vehicles is subject to funding, introducing uncertainty in the total contract value and volume.
• Single Supplier Intent: While IWA intends to award to a single provider, they reserve the right to award to one or more tenderers.
• Pricing Guarantee: The requirement to guarantee pricing for 12 months on optional vehicles, coupled with the uncertainty of funding for those options, presents a pricing risk for bidders.
• Delivery Locations: Initial delivery is to Tipperary and Galway, but future deliveries could be to any IWA site across Ireland, requiring logistical flexibility.
• VRT/VAT Relief Documentation: The successful tenderer must supply all relevant documentation for Disabled Passengers VRT/VAT relief, which may require specific expertise.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely best suited for established vehicle conversion specialists or automotive dealerships with a proven track record in supplying adapted vehicles. The turnover requirements (€1.2m overall, €500k specific) and insurance levels (€6.5m Public Liability, €12.7m Employers Liability) suggest that very small or newly formed businesses may find it challenging to meet the financial and risk-bearing capacity criteria.

Consortium or joint venture submissions are explicitly permitted, allowing smaller firms to collaborate to meet the requirements. Sub-contracting is also possible, provided subcontractors are approved by IWA.

The bid preparation effort would involve compiling detailed technical specifications, pricing, references, and declarations. Given the specific vehicle requirements and the need for compliance with accessibility standards, this could represent a significant effort, potentially several weeks for a dedicated team. The "Pwin" signal is neutral; there is no clear incumbent mentioned, and the tender appears open to competition.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename: CFT#8546421_Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles 6 Passenger IWA2026.pdf
• eTenders CFT ID: CFT#8546421
• Contact for Queries: Question and Answers facility on eTenders.gov.ie
• Key Attachments:
• Appendix 1. IWA Bona Fida Template.pdf
• CFT#8546421_Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles 6 Passenger IWA2026.pdf (main RFT document)