Low Cost Safety Schemes 2026

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 contractors for "Low Cost Safety Schemes 2026". The scope of work involves the construction and completion of various safety-related works across Louth County Council's administrative area. The contract will be governed by the PW-CF6 Short Public Works Contract conditions.

The contractor's responsibilities include:

• Construction and Completion: Undertaking all works as described in the contract documents, at the contractor's own expense, in compliance with the contract, instructions from the Employer's Representative, and applicable law.
• Site Management: Securing the site, keeping it in good order, and ensuring the safety of persons on site and protection of nearby areas from hazards and interference resulting from the works. This includes preventing unnecessary or improper nuisance or inconvenience to the public or users of adjacent land, roads, or footpaths.
• Works Execution: Constructing the works according to good practice, using goods and materials of good quality. This involves setting out the works by reference to contract specifications and instructions, and verifying the accuracy of points, lines, and levels.
• Access and Services: Ensuring the suitability and maintenance of access routes to and through the site, and obtaining and providing all necessary facilities, power, water, and other services for construction, unless the contract specifies otherwise.
• Inspections and Testing: Providing access for the Employer, Employer's Representative, Assigned Certifier, and authorised persons to inspect, test, and observe the works, goods, materials, and activities at all stages. This includes providing necessary information and opportunities for inspection before work is covered or materials are packed.
• Rectification of Defects: Uncovering, dismantling, re-covering, or re-erecting work as instructed, and removing and replacing non-compliant works, goods, or materials.
• Suspension of Works: Complying with instructions to suspend all or part of the works, protecting, storing, and securing affected works, and maintaining insurances during suspension.
• Discovery of Items of Interest: Promptly notifying the Employer's Representative and complying with instructions upon discovering fossils, coins, antiquities, monuments, items of value, or human remains on site.
• Substantial Completion: Substantially completing the works within the Time for Completion and completing any outstanding work promptly after certification.
• Payment Claims: Submitting payment claim notices and statements as per the contract schedule, and invoicing for certified amounts.

The contract specifies that the contractor must not remove works, goods, materials, or plant from the site without the Employer's Representative's consent until substantial completion.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is being undertaken by Louth County Council. The tender title, "Low Cost Safety Schemes 2026," indicates a focus on implementing safety improvements through cost-effective measures. While specific policy drivers are not detailed in the provided metadata, such schemes typically align with national and local government objectives for road safety, public realm enhancement, and accident reduction. The procurement is likely part of the council's ongoing commitment to maintaining and improving public infrastructure within its jurisdiction. The use of the PW-CF6 Short Public Works Contract suggests a project with an estimated value below the EU thresholds for full procurement procedures, typically for works valued under €250,000.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered eligible:

• Turnover requirement: A minimum yearly turnover of €700,000 arising from the General Construction/Civil Engineering category of work.
• Insurance:
• Public Liability Insurance: Minimum indemnity limit of €6,500,000 in respect of any one accident.
• Employer's Liability Insurance: Minimum indemnity limit of €13,000,000 in respect of any one accident.
• Professional Indemnity Insurance: Minimum cover of €1.5 million (default level, subject to proportionality to project size).
• Certifications:
• Safety Management System: In accordance with ISO 45001:2018 or equivalent.
• Past experience: Not explicitly quantified in terms of number of projects, but the tender requires a list of completed projects similar in nature and complexity to the works required. Appendix B1 requires a list of completed projects for which certificates of satisfactory execution are available.
• Personnel:
• Designer (TTM): Accredited Level 7 Engineering Qualification, minimum 5 years post-graduate experience in an engineering role, and Certified qualification in Temporary Traffic Management Design.
• Site Foreman: Minimum 10 years experience on Civil Works/Construction Works.
• Personnel involved in traffic management: Construction Skills certificate in Signing and Guarding at Roadworks, minimum 3 Road Schemes experience with traffic management of over 500 AADT, and at least 5 years experience in construction traffic management.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award criteria and scoring mechanism are not detailed in the provided extract. However, public sector tenders in Ireland typically follow a Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) approach, balancing price and quality. The specific weighting between price and quality, and any sub-criteria for quality assessment (e.g., technical merit, methodology, experience, personnel qualifications), would be detailed in the full tender documents.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders are required to submit the following:

• Pricing Schedule: Format and template to be specified in the tender documents.
• Declarations:
• Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference Number for online verification of tax status.
• Bona Fides declarations.
• ESPD (European Single Procurement Document) if applicable.
• Conflict of Interest declarations.
• Letters of Undertaking:
• Letter of Undertaking re. Bond from a surety (Appendix D2-QW2 or D1-QW1).
• Banker's Letter (Appendix C-Bankers-Letter).
• List of Previous Works Projects: As per Appendix B1, organised by project number and title, matching certificates of satisfactory execution.
• Copies of Tender: Number and type of electronic copies to be inserted by the Contracting Authority (e.g., USB key).

A mandatory site visit is not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Contract Type: Short Public Works Contract (PW-CF6 v1.15 25-11-2025).
• Term: Not specified, but the contract comes into effect upon acceptance of the tender.
• Extension: Not specified.
• Payment Terms: Interim payments on account as scheduled, with a final payment after the Defects Certificate is issued. Payment claim notices are to be submitted, with the Employer's Representative issuing a certificate within 14 days. The Employer shall pay the invoiced amount within the period stated in the Schedule.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Not explicitly detailed in the provided text, but substantial completion within the Time for Completion is a key performance indicator.
• Liquidated Damages: Applicable at the rate in the Schedule if the Contractor fails to substantially complete the Works within the Time for Completion.
• Termination: The Employer may be considered to have terminated the Contractor's obligation to complete the Works if a suspension lasts longer than 3 months and the Employer does not grant permission to proceed.
• IP Ownership: Not specified.
• Sub-contracting: Contractor may not assign the Contract or any part of it without the Employer's consent. Sub-processors for Personal Data require prior written notice and potential objection from the Employer.
• Performance Bond: Required if stated in the Schedule. Must be provided within 7 days of tender acceptance, executed by the Contractor and an Employer-approved surety, in the amount stated in the Schedule. A Letter of Undertaking from a surety is required as part of the tender submission.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Value Undisclosed: The estimated value is listed as "not disclosed," which is unusual for a public tender and may indicate a framework agreement or a very small project value. This lack of clarity could impact bidder confidence and resource allocation for bid preparation.
• Tight Submission Deadline: The submission deadline is in July 2026, which is a considerable time from the current date. This could mean the tender documents are still subject to change or that the buyer is planning far in advance.
• Limited Detail on Scope: The provided text offers a general overview of the PW-CF6 contract but lacks specific details on the "Low Cost Safety Schemes" themselves, such as the types of schemes, locations, or expected volumes. This necessitates bidders making assumptions or seeking significant clarification.
• Personnel Requirements: Specific minimum experience and qualifications for roles like Designer (TTM) and Site Foreman are detailed, requiring careful verification of candidate suitability.
• Weather Event Definition: The definition of a "weather event" is complex, relying on Met Éireann data and 90th percentile thresholds, which may require detailed analysis and potentially lead to disputes if not clearly understood.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely open to small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with experience in general construction and civil engineering, particularly those with a focus on road safety and traffic management.

• Credible Bidders: Firms with a proven track record in delivering similar schemes, possessing the required insurance levels, and having qualified personnel for traffic management design and site supervision would be well-positioned. The turnover requirement of €700,000 suggests that very small sole traders may not meet this threshold, but established small businesses should be able to.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: The PW-CF6 contract states the contractor may not assign the contract without consent. While not explicitly forbidding sub-contracting, it is not encouraged. Consortium bidding is not mentioned but is a common route for SMEs to pool resources and meet requirements.
• Indicative Bid-Prep Effort: Given the need to gather project references, insurance details, and potentially develop method statements for specific safety schemes (even if not detailed in the brief), bid preparation could range from 5 to 15 days for an experienced SME. The complexity of the weather event definition and personnel requirements might add to this.
• Pwin Signal: The "Low Cost" aspect suggests a competitive pricing environment. The lack of a disclosed value and the long lead time to the deadline make it difficult to assess incumbent strength or specific market dynamics without further information. The use of a standard short public works contract implies a relatively straightforward procurement process.

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 / Clarification Portal: Not specified in the provided text.
• Most Important Attachments:
• PW-CF6_Contract_v1.15_25-11-2025.pdf (Conditions of Contract)
• Appendix B1-List-of-Previous-Works-Projects-which-is-CEE (2).docx (Previous Works List Template)
• Appendix D2-QW2-Letter-of-Undertaking-re.-Bond (2).docx / Appendix D1-QW1-Letter-of-Undertaking-re.-Bond.docx (Surety Letter of Undertaking Template)