Supply of Academic Robes and Related Support Services and Photography and Framing Services

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1. At a glance

2. Scope of Work

This procurement seeks to appoint an official provider for academic robes and related support services, and for photography and framing services, for Dublin City University (DCU). The contract is divided into two lots.

Lot 1: Supply of Academic Robes and Related Support Services This lot requires the provision of high-quality academic dress hire for DCU conferring ceremonies and other events. The services will cover:

• Graduates being conferred in person.
• Honorary graduates.
• Academic staff of DCU and partner/guest institutions participating in processions.
• Members of the University's Governing Authority, Trustees, Alumni Council, and Officers.

The provider will operate a concession model for graduate academic dress hire, paying DCU an annual fee based on overall sales. Academic dress for honorary graduates, staff, and officers will be provided at no charge to the individual or the University. Key operational requirements include:

• An online pre-booking facility for graduates.
• On-site collection and return facilities for graduates and staff, commencing the day before major graduation sessions and continuing for the duration of the ceremonies.
• Arrangements for staff academic dress for other formal events will be determined in consultation with DCU.
• No other academic dress providers will be permitted on site.
• Designated space will be provided on the DCU Glasnevin campus at no additional cost.
• Potential requirement for provision on more than one campus simultaneously.
• Robes may be required for approximately 300 academic staff during larger Autumn conferring sessions.
• Occasional cleaning and maintenance of officers' academic robes.
• Assistance with the design of new academic dress items and their production, if requested.
• A named point of contact available at all times, including during ceremonies, to manage enquiries and resolve issues.
• An on-site manager with decision-making authority during conferring events.
• Sufficient experienced staff to ensure courteous, smooth, and efficient service.
• Sales staff must dress professionally and identify themselves clearly.
• Provision of sufficient academic dress stock to accommodate fluctuations, late arrivals, and emergencies.
• Access to a wide range of robes from various institutions for academic staff use.
• Ad-hoc provision of gowns throughout the year for smaller events, with deliveries to DCU addresses.
• A fully functional online presence for easy ordering, with clear navigation and multiple payment options.
• Adherence to HSE Public Health Guidelines.
• Honorary award recipients may keep their academic dress permanently at no cost.

Lot 2: Photography and Framing Services This lot requires the provision of studio photography sessions and a framing service for DCU graduates' parchments. Key requirements include:

• Studio photography sessions bookable in advance by graduates.
• A framing service for DCU graduate parchments.
• Designated space will be provided on the DCU campus at no additional cost.
• No other external photographers will be permitted on DCU sites.
• A named point of contact available at all times, including during ceremonies.
• An on-site account manager with decision-making authority during conferring events.
• Sufficient experienced staff for courteous, smooth, and efficient service.
• Sales staff must dress professionally and identify themselves clearly.
• Online booking facilities for photography, with information included in graduate communications.
• Agreed price packages must remain fixed for the two-year contract period.
• Adherence to HSE Public Health Guidelines.

3. Background & buyer context

Dublin City University (DCU) is procuring these services to appoint official providers for academic robes and related support, and for photography and framing services. DCU is an innovative European University with over 20,000 students across five faculties and three campuses. It positions itself as Ireland's University of Impact, focusing on addressing global challenges and providing a transformative student experience, leading in graduate employment rates. The university is research-intensive and a leader in technology transfer. This procurement aligns with DCU's strategic plan and its commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. The contract duration is two years, with an option to extend for one additional year.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must demonstrate the required financial and technical capacity to be considered. These criteria are assessed on a pass/fail basis.

• Turnover requirement: Confirmation that the tendering party's turnover exceeded €300,000 in each of the last three financial years, or pro-rata for more recently established firms. The firm must have been in existence for at least 6 months.
• Insurance:
• Employer’s Liability: €13 million (an indemnity to Principals clause must be included; sole traders with no employees are exempt).
• Public Liability: €6.5 million (an indemnity to Principals clause must be included).
• Product Liability: €6.5 million.
• Professional Indemnity (for Lot 2 only): €1 million.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Not specified as a distinct criterion, but implied through the need to demonstrate technical capacity and operational plans.
• Personnel: Not specified as a distinct criterion, but the need for experienced staff and named points of contact is detailed in the scope.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Services are to be delivered on the DCU Glasnevin campus. For Lot 2, Professional Indemnity insurance is required.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded based on the most economically advantageous compliant tender, considering cost and qualitative criteria.

Qualitative criteria are scored using a system where less than 50% is considered ineligible. Exceptional responses score 90-100%, Excellent 80-89%, Very Good 70-79%, Good 60-69%, and Acceptable 50-59%.

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers must submit their responses electronically via the eTenders post-box facility.

• Method statement / response document: Tenderers must use the provided Tender Response Document (TRD).
• CVs: Not specified with page limits, but key personnel should be available for verification meetings.
• Pricing schedule: Not specified with a named template, but cost elements are detailed in the award criteria.
• Case studies: Not specified.
• Declarations:
• European Single Procurement Document (ESPD).
• Declaration of Bona Fides.
• Declaration regarding compliance with relevant statutory obligations.
• Article 5K Declaration regarding EU restrictive measures.
• Tax Compliance confirmation.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified.
• Submission portal: eTenders post-box facility on www.etenders.gov.ie. Submissions must be uploaded as a ZIP FILE.

7. Key dates & process

The tender validity period is 12 months from the closing date.

8. Contract terms that matter

• Contract length: 2 years, with an option to extend for one additional year.
• Payment terms: Not specified.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Not specified.
• Liquidated damages or penalty regimes: Not specified.
• Termination clauses: DCU may terminate the contract at any time during the Term upon giving 30 days’ notice in writing.
• IP ownership: Not specified.
• Sub-contracting rules: Tenderers may rely on the resources of other entities, but must prove they will have these resources at their disposal. If a consortium is successful, it must establish legal personality.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond requirements: Not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Indicative Value vs. Turnover: The estimated contract value of €550,000 over two years (€275,000 per year) is close to the minimum annual turnover requirement of €300,000. This suggests a need for a firm with a proven track record in this specific niche, rather than a generalist.
• Lot 2 Professional Indemnity: Professional Indemnity insurance is only required for Lot 2, indicating a specific risk profile associated with photography and framing services that is not present for Lot 1.
• Concession Model: Lot 1 operates on a concession model where the provider pays DCU an annual fee based on sales. This shifts some financial risk to the provider and requires a strong sales and operational capability.
• No Guaranteed Expenditure: The contract value is stated as indicative, with no guaranteed expenditure, meaning actual spend could be lower.
• Accessibility Act Compliance: A mandatory requirement to demonstrate compliance with the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) from June 2025 onwards is a significant technical compliance gate.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured to be accessible to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), particularly those with specialised experience in academic regalia or graduation photography and framing.

• Who can credibly bid: A viable bidder would likely be an established supplier of academic dress hire or a professional photography studio with experience in event services. For Lot 1, a firm with a robust inventory management system and online booking capability is essential. For Lot 2, a studio with experience in high-volume event photography and quality framing services is required. SMEs are explicitly encouraged to form relationships or consortia to meet capacity requirements.
• Consortium or sub-contracting: Consortium or joint venture arrangements are permitted and encouraged, especially for SMEs needing to meet financial or technical capacity requirements. Tenderers can rely on the resources of other entities.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Preparing a compliant bid will require significant effort, likely in the range of 5-10 days for a small team. This includes gathering financial data, detailing operational plans, preparing case studies (if required), and ensuring all declarations and technical requirements (like accessibility compliance) are met.
• Pwin signal: The tender is open procedure, suggesting it is not pre-determined for an incumbent. However, the specific requirements for on-site presence, concession models (Lot 1), and the dual nature of the lots might favour firms with existing operational infrastructure and experience in higher education environments. The high weighting on the Operational Plan (55%) indicates that the quality of service delivery and execution is paramount.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: ITT Open Procedure - Academic Robes and Photography.pdf
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided text.
• Contact email or clarification portal: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.
• Most important attachments:
• Appendix 1A - Procurement Specification for Academic Dress of DCU
• Tender Response Document (TRD)
• DCU’s Terms and Conditions