PQQ for an operator of the food and beverage concession

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

Shannon Airport Authority DAC (SAA) is procuring an operator for its food and beverage concessions across Shannon Airport. This procurement seeks a leading brand to refresh and operate multiple food and beverage outlets. The contract involves the operation of five distinct food and beverage units, located both landside and airside within the airport. These units include a restaurant and bar, a coffee kiosk, a bar and restaurant, a restaurant and food court, and a cafe located post-US Customs and Border Protection.

The scope of work encompasses the full operation of these outlets, including the provision of a wide variety of food and drink offers tailored to different passenger and staff demographics. Specific requirements for each unit include:

• Landside Restaurant and Bar (Currently t/a JJ Ruddles): A contemporary licensed outlet in the Arrivals Hall catering to arriving passengers, meeters and greeters, airport staff, and hotel management students. It requires a wide variety of all-day food and drink offers, operating in line with airport schedules. The space is 278m² (180m² seating, 98m² kitchen/servery).
• Landside Coffee Kiosk (Currently t/a The Tuk Tuk): Positioned in a high-traffic area in the Arrivals Hall, this unit supports the main landside restaurant. It focuses on speed, convenience, and quality, offering a consistent coffee experience, fresh pastries, bakery items, and grab-and-go snacks. The area is modular, currently c30m², with seating for approximately 50.
• Airside Bar and Restaurant (Currently t/a The Sheridan Bar): Located in the Departures Lounge, this licensed premises offers a full bar and a variety of food options including brunch, lunch, all-day mixed light bar food, and snacks. It operates in line with airport schedules. The space is 360m² (220m² bar/seating, 140m² kitchen/stores).
• Airside Restaurant and Food Court (Currently t/a Zest At!): Also in the Departures Lounge, this unit offers a wide variety of food and drink, including hot breakfast, lunch, salads, hot dishes, sandwiches, and pastries. It operates from the first to the last departing flight. The space is 213m² (113m² seating, 100m² kitchen/servery).
• Airside Cafe - Post US Customs & Border Protection (Currently t/a Harry’s @ 8): Located at Gate 8, this licensed cafe caters solely to the US-bound market after passengers clear US Pre-Clearance. It offers light snacks and beverages, including sandwiches, pastries, coffee, wine, and beer, with restrictions on certain food produce. Opening hours align with US departures. The space is 75m² (60m² seating, 15m² servery).

Additionally, the scope includes the operation of a shared seating area in the Departures Lounge (233m²) and the use of two dry goods stores, one landside (21.2m²) and one airside (21.2m²). The operator will also need to achieve "known supplier status" if delivering stock via the Ramp Area.

3. Background & buyer context

Shannon Airport Authority DAC (SAA) is a commercial semi-state company responsible for the management, operation, and development of Shannon Airport. Headquartered at the airport, SAA's principal activities include managing airport operations, retail, concession management, aviation fuel, car parks, and executive lounges. Shannon Airport operates 24 hours a day without curfews, slots, or noise restrictions. The airport campus employs approximately 1,500 people and hosts various entities including government agencies, airlines, maintenance services, and the Shannon College of Hotel Management.

SAA is focused on driving regional economic growth through vital air connectivity and property solutions. The procurement of a new food and beverage operator aligns with SAA's strategic mandate to enhance the airport's commercial activities and deliver a vibrant economy. This tender is part of a broader objective to refresh the airport's food and beverage offering and appoint a leading company to deliver on this vision. The current food and beverage operations comprise a mix of bar, restaurant, and cafe outlets.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following mandatory requirements to be considered for this tender:

• Turnover requirement: A minimum average annual turnover of €8 million for any three of the previous four years (2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025). This applies to the applicant or a combination of applicants in a consortium.
• Insurance:
• Public Liability Insurance: €6.5 million in respect of any one incident.
• Employer's Liability Insurance: €13 million in respect of any one accident. Evidence of insurance in place or letters from an insurance broker confirming cover can be obtained is required.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender, beyond general company registration.
• Past experience: Tenderers must provide at least three examples within the last five years of operating similar food and beverage units. These examples should demonstrate successful transformation of customer experience, how challenges were overcome, how changing customer demands were met, and experience working at scale with restrictive procedures, including business continuity. A reference for one example is required.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender, beyond the requirement for Irish tax clearance.

Additionally, bidders must confirm that none of the grounds for mandatory exclusion under Article 80 of Directive 2014/25/EU and Regulation 2016 of SI No 286 of 2016 apply. This includes convictions relating to criminal offences, non-payment of taxes or social security contributions, bankruptcy, grave professional misconduct, distortion of competition, conflict of interest, or significant deficiencies in prior contract performance.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The PQQ evaluation focuses on the Tenderer's capacity to undertake the contract based on three key criteria: Appropriate Financial/Economic Profile, Food & Beverage Operational Capability, and Growth & Service Excellence.

Criterion Weight (%) Sub-criteria