2026P060 - Provision of Media Monitoring Services

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 Central Bank of Ireland requires a contractor to provide media monitoring services. The contract aims to identify one successful tenderer to deliver these services. The scope of work, detailed in Appendix 1A, encompasses the provision of media monitoring. Tenderers must understand that there is no guaranteed volume of work under the contract; any references to notional volumes for evaluation are indicative only.

Key activities and requirements include:

• Media Monitoring: Providing daily and weekend morning media reports, written to client specifications.
• Online Portal: Offering an online portal with data and analytics capabilities. This portal must be suitable for a Civil Service Organisation, Public Organisation, or Private Organisation.
• Service Delivery: Demonstrating experience in successfully delivering these services.
• Reporting: Producing edited daily and weekend morning media reports.
• Data and Analytics: Providing an online portal with data and analytics functionality.

The contract is structured for an initial term of twenty-four (24) months, with the Central Bank holding the right to extend the duration by any period or series of periods up to a total of twenty-four (24) months. This allows for a maximum aggregate contract duration of forty-eight (48) months. The specific terms regarding termination and extension are detailed in Appendix 4. Tenderers are advised that the Central Bank may require a live demonstration of their platform to validate the proposed solution against the requirements in Appendix 1A. This demonstration, which may be remote or on-site, will be a further validation step for the most economically advantageous tender.

3. Background & buyer context

The Central Bank of Ireland is procuring media monitoring services to support its mission of safeguarding monetary and financial stability and ensuring the financial system operates in the best interests of consumers and the wider economy. This procurement is an open procedure, inviting interested parties to tender for a contract to provide these essential services. The ITT documents outline the nature of the services, the competition structure, assessment criteria, and important information for potential tenderers. Tenderers are strongly advised to read all tender documents thoroughly and comply with the specified rules to avoid elimination. The contract terms are set out in Appendix 4, and successful tenderers must also comply with the Central Bank’s policies as detailed in the Contractor Policy Pack.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must meet specific criteria to be considered for this contract. These are assessed on a pass/fail basis.

• Turnover requirement: Tenderers must declare an average annual turnover of not less than €120,000 for each of the three previous financial years. For newer companies, this applies for each year of establishment or pro rata. Audited accounts for the three previous financial years and an auditor's confirmation statement will be required from the successful tenderer.
• Insurance: The successful tenderer must maintain minimum levels of insurance with reputable insurers. Specific requirements include:
• Employers’ Liability Insurance: Minimum indemnity of €13,000,000 for each and every occurrence.
• Professional Indemnity Insurance: Minimum indemnity of €500,000 for each and every occurrence.
• Cyber Insurance: Minimum indemnity of €1,000,000 for each and every occurrence.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Tenderers must demonstrate relevant experience by submitting details of two (2) reference contracts.
• Both contracts must show experience in providing media monitoring services, including:
• Edited daily and weekend morning media reports, written to client specifications.
• Provision of an online portal with data and analytics capabilities for a Civil Service Organisation, Public Organisation, or Private Organisation.
• At least one (1) of these contracts must have had an approximate total value in excess of €40,000 per year.
• Both reference contracts must have been successfully delivered within the 48 months prior to the tender submission deadline.
• Personnel: Not specified as a distinct selection criterion, but quality of proposed personnel is an award criterion.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded to the tenderer who submits the most economically advantageous tender, based on the following criteria:

The total score will determine the ranking. A tender must achieve the minimum marks for each criterion to avoid elimination. The price criterion is explained in Appendix 3. For quality criteria, marks are awarded out of 10, with increments of 0.5 possible.

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers must submit their responses electronically via the eTenders website (www.etenders.gov.ie). Key submission requirements include:

• Method statement / response document: Tenderers must provide substantive responses to the award criteria. The ITT documents, including Appendices 1A and 3, detail what must be submitted.
• CVs: Not explicitly mentioned as a separate submission item, but quality of proposed personnel is an award criterion.
• Pricing schedule: Must be completed using the format in Appendix 3 and should be the only document containing pricing information.
• Case studies: Details of two (2) reference contracts must be submitted using the table format in Appendix 6.
• Declarations: Tenderers must complete the Tenderer’s Statement in Appendix 2. This includes providing details of a nominated representative. Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference Number must be provided to facilitate online checks. Declarations regarding conflicts of interest and registrable interests must also be made.
• Mandatory site visit: Not applicable ("Not Used").
• Submission portal: All tenders must be submitted through the eTenders post-box. Tenderers should allow sufficient time for uploads and ensure documents are not corrupt. Submissions must be in PDF or Microsoft Office format.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract is intended to have an initial term of twenty-four (24) months, with the Central Bank holding the option to extend it for periods up to a further twenty-four (24) months, making a maximum aggregate duration of forty-eight (48) months. The form of the contract is provided at Appendix 4.

• Payment terms: Not specified in the provided extract, beyond a general note about reimbursement for overpayments within 40 days.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Not specified in the provided extract.
• Liquidated damages or penalty regimes: Not specified in the provided extract.
• Termination clauses: The contract allows for termination by either party upon serving twenty-one (21) days' written notice. Force Majeure events continuing for 14 days may also lead to termination.
• IP ownership: Not specified in the provided extract.
• Sub-contracting rules: Tenderers must indicate any share of the contract they intend to subcontract. In group tenderers, all members except the prime contractor are considered sub-contractors.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond requirements: Not specified in the provided extract.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Contract Value vs. Turnover: The estimated contract value of €200,000 over two years (€100,000 per year) is relatively low compared to the €120,000 annual turnover requirement. This suggests a focus on established, financially stable providers rather than very small start-ups, and may indicate a preference for providers with a proven track record in similar public sector engagements.
• Demonstration Requirement: A live demonstration of the platform is a potential validation step, which may be required for the most economically advantageous tenderer. This adds an uncosted element to the bid preparation and execution. The Central Bank reserves the right to require demonstrations from all tenderers or none.
• No Guaranteed Volume: The explicit statement that there is no guarantee as to the volume of work is a risk for tenderers in forecasting revenue and resource allocation.
• Strict Compliance: The ITT emphasizes strict compliance with its terms and conditions. Non-compliance can lead to elimination, and the Central Bank's decisions on compliance are final.
• No EU Regulations: The procurement is explicitly stated as not being regulated by EU procurement regulations, suggesting a simpler, domestic process.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely best suited for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that specialise in media monitoring and possess a robust online platform with data analytics capabilities.

• Who can credibly bid: An SME with a proven track record in delivering media monitoring services to organisations similar to the Central Bank (e.g., public sector, financial institutions) would be a strong candidate. The requirement for two reference contracts, one exceeding €40,000 annually, and the €120,000 annual turnover threshold, means the SME must have a certain level of established revenue and operational capacity.
• Consortium/sub-contracting: Consortium bidding is permitted, with one entity acting as the Prime Contractor and others as sub-contractors. This allows smaller firms to partner to meet requirements. Sub-contracting is also permitted, and tenderers must declare any intended sub-contracting.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Preparing a compliant tender will require significant effort. This includes detailing methodology, personnel, pricing, and providing two detailed reference contracts. Estimating bid preparation time is difficult without knowing the SME's existing documentation, but it could range from 5-15 days of focused effort for a well-prepared firm.
• Pwin signal: The tender is an open procedure, suggesting it is open to new entrants. The absence of an incumbent name and the clear criteria suggest a competitive process. The turnover requirement and the need for specific platform functionality might favour established players over very new or niche providers.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: [2026P060 - Media Monitoring Services (domestic) Services Single Contract ITT.pdf]
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided text.
• Contact email or clarification portal: All queries must be submitted via the messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.
• Most important attachments:
• Appendix 1A - Requirements and Specifications
• Appendix 3 - Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 4 - Contract
• Appendix 6 - Reference Contracts