Invitation for Expressions of Interest for the Appointment of a Development for Design, Construction, Delivery and Sale of a Mixed-Tenure Housing Development

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 expressions of interest for the design, construction, delivery, and sale of a mixed-tenure housing development. The appointed developer will be responsible for the entire lifecycle of the project, from initial design through to the final sale of the residential units.

The scope of work encompasses:

• Design: Development of architectural and engineering designs for a mixed-tenure housing project. This includes conceptual design, detailed design, and ensuring compliance with all relevant building regulations and planning requirements.
• Construction: Undertaking all construction activities necessary to build the housing development. This involves site preparation, infrastructure works, building construction, and landscaping.
• Delivery: Managing the project from inception to completion, including procurement of subcontractors, site management, and ensuring adherence to project timelines and quality standards.
• Sale: Marketing, selling, and delivering the completed residential units to purchasers. This includes managing the sales process and ensuring customer satisfaction.

The tender documents indicate a site area of 1.5439 Hectares. Specific details regarding the number of housing units, the mix of tenures (e.g., social, affordable, private), and the exact nature of the development are not detailed in the provided extract but will be a core component of the developer's proposal. The developer will be expected to manage the project as a whole, from initial concept through to the final sale of all units.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is initiated by Westmeath County Council to facilitate the development of new housing. The tender is an invitation for expressions of interest, indicating a preliminary stage in the procurement process. The objective is to identify and engage a developer capable of undertaking a comprehensive mixed-tenure housing project. Specific policy drivers or programme alignments, such as national housing strategies or local development plans, are not explicitly stated in the provided text but are implicit in the Council's role as a public authority procuring housing development. No incumbent developer or existing site history is mentioned in the extract.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered:

• Turnover requirement:
• A minimum average annual turnover of €15,000,000 (ex VAT) for each of the last three financial years.
• Alternatively, for consortia, the main contractor must demonstrate a minimum average annual turnover of €10,000,000 (ex VAT) for each of the last three financial years, with the aggregate turnover of all consortium members meeting €15,000,000 (ex VAT) per annum for each of the last three financial years.
• Insurance:
• Public Liability: €10.0m
• Employer's Liability: €13m
• Professional Indemnity: €6.5m
• Certifications:
• Building Contractor: Registered with Construction Industry Federation and Construction Industry Register of Ireland (CIRI) or equivalent.
• Architect: Listed on the Register of Architects of the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland or equivalent.
• Civil and Structural Engineer: Member of Engineers Ireland or equivalent.
• Mechanical & Electrical Engineer: Member of the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers or equivalent.
• Fire & DAC Consultant: Member of the Institute of Fire Engineers or equivalent.
• Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP): Statutory appointment, member of NEBOSH, IOSH, or equivalent.
• Assigned Certifier: Statutory appointment as per Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014.
• Quantity Surveyor: Listed on the Register of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland or equivalent.
• Landscape Architect: Member of the Irish Landscape Institute or equivalent.
• Planning & Environmental Engineer: Registered with the Irish Planning Institute or equivalent.
• Past experience:
• Developer Lead: Two projects of similar scale and complexity completed within the last 10 years.
• Construction Manager: Two projects of similar scale and complexity completed within the last 10 years.
• Commercial/Sales Manager: Two projects of similar scale and complexity completed within the last 10 years.
• Project Supervisor Construction Stage (PSCS): Two projects of similar scale and complexity completed within the last 10 years.
• Developer (overall): Two mixed-tenure multi-unit residential projects of similar scale and complexity completed within the last 10 years.
• Personnel: Specific roles require demonstrated experience, with CVs to be provided for Developer Lead, Construction Manager, Commercial/Sales Manager, and PSCS.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

Bidders must also declare absence from mandatory and discretionary exclusion grounds and confirm tax compliance.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award criteria are not detailed in the provided extract. However, the tender is for expressions of interest, suggesting that the initial evaluation will focus on the suitability and capability of potential developers based on the selection criteria outlined in Section 4. A formal award process with defined scoring will follow at a later stage, likely for a Request for Tender (RFT) phase.

6. Submission requirements

Expressions of Interest (EOI) must be submitted by the deadline. The submission will require bidders to provide detailed information on their organisation, proposed project structure, and personnel. Key submission components include:

• Applicant Summary: Details of the organisation, its role, registration number, contact information, and date of establishment.
• Consortia Information: If applicable, details of consortium members, an organisational chart, and a description of the commercial and legal relationship.
• Developer Personnel CVs: CVs for key personnel including Developer Lead, Construction Manager, Commercial/Sales Manager, and PSCS, demonstrating relevant experience.
• Accreditation/Registration Confirmation: Confirmation that sub-contractors and consultants hold required accreditations and registrations.
• Declarations:
• Declaration A: Grounds for Mandatory Exclusion.
• Declaration B: Grounds for Exclusion for Non-Payment of Taxes.
• Declaration C: Grounds for Discretionary Exclusion.
• Tax Clearance: Self-declaration of tax compliance and provision of access numbers for verification, or application for Irish tax clearance.
• Relevant Insurances: Self-declaration of insurance levels, with a commitment to provide evidence (letter from broker) prior to shortlisting.
• Previous Experience: Detailed information on two past projects for each of the key personnel roles (Developer Lead, Construction Manager, Commercial/Sales Manager, PSCS) and for the Developer entity itself. Each project description must not exceed 2 pages.

The submission method is via eTenders.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The provided extract focuses on the Expression of Interest (EOI) stage and does not detail specific contract terms. These will be elaborated upon in subsequent tender documents (e.g., Request for Tender - RFT). However, based on the nature of the procurement (design, construction, delivery, and sale of housing), typical contract terms would include:

• Contract Duration: Likely to be defined by the project completion and sale of all units.
• Payment Terms: Standard construction payment schedules, potentially linked to project milestones and sales progress.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Performance indicators related to construction quality, health and safety, environmental standards, sales targets, and project completion timelines.
• Liquidated Damages: Penalties for delays in project completion or sales targets.
• Termination Clauses: Provisions for contract termination due to breach of contract, insolvency, or force majeure.
• IP Ownership: Ownership of design and construction intellectual property.
• Sub-contracting Rules: Conditions and limitations on the use of sub-contractors.
• Parent Company Guarantee/Bond: Requirements for financial security, particularly for larger developments.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Long Submission Deadline: The submission deadline of July 31, 2026, is unusually far in the future for an Expression of Interest. This suggests a lengthy pre-qualification or planning phase before a formal tender is issued.
• "Invitation for Expressions of Interest" (EOI) Stage: This is not a full tender. It is a preliminary market engagement to gauge interest and identify potential candidates before a formal RFT is published. Bidders are not submitting full proposals at this stage.
• Detailed Personnel Experience Requirements: The tender places significant emphasis on the experience of specific named individuals within the bidding team, requiring detailed case studies for each. This indicates a focus on individual expertise as much as corporate capability.
• Comprehensive Accreditation Checks: A wide range of specific professional accreditations and registrations are mandated for various roles, including sub-contractors. This suggests a high standard for technical competence and compliance.
• Absence of Value and Specific Scope: The estimated value is not disclosed, and the precise scope (e.g., number of units, tenure mix) is not detailed in the EOI documents. This means bidders must express interest based on the general description of a mixed-tenure housing development.

10. SME fit assessment

This procurement is structured to attract experienced developers and development teams capable of managing large-scale housing projects from conception to sale.

• Who can credibly bid: Bidders should be established development companies or consortia with a proven track record in mixed-tenure residential development. This includes demonstrated experience in design, construction management, sales, and project supervision. The requirement for specific accreditations for numerous roles suggests that specialist sub-consultants will be integral to any bidding team. Small businesses may find it challenging to meet the turnover requirements and the extensive personnel experience criteria independently.
• Consortium or sub-contracting: The tender explicitly allows for consortia and requires bidders to detail their proposed organisational structure, including the roles of contractors, consortium members, and sub-contractors. This indicates that collaboration is expected and may be necessary for many bidders to meet the full scope of requirements.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Preparing a comprehensive Expression of Interest, particularly with the detailed personnel experience requirements and accreditation checks, would likely require significant effort. This could range from 10-20 days for a well-prepared organisation, involving senior management, technical leads, and administrative support.
• Pwin signal: The long lead time to the submission deadline and the EOI format suggest a structured, potentially lengthy procurement process. The emphasis on individual experience and specific accreditations points towards a desire for high-quality, reliable delivery. The absence of a disclosed value means potential bidders must assess the scale based on the site area and general description.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename(s): Not specified in the provided text.
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided text.
• Contact email or clarification portal: Not specified in the provided text.
• Most important attachments:
• APPENDIX 1 - Part 2 - Developer Assessment.docx
• APPENDIX 1 - Part 3 - Previous experience of Developer.docx
• APPENDIX 1 - Part 1 - Preliminary Assessment.docx