Digital Communities - Empowering People to Engage with Technology (EP2EIT). Lot 2 - Development of sectoral management and evaluation tools.

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 contract involves the development of three sectoral data-management and evaluation tools tailored for organizations operating in youth work, community enterprise centres, local enterprise areas, hubs, and women's groups. The contractor will engage in the following activities:

• Tool Development: Create three distinct management and evaluation tools, ensuring they meet the specific needs of the target sectors.
• User Engagement: Collaborate with stakeholders from youth work, community enterprise centres, and women's groups to gather requirements and feedback.
• Testing and Validation: Implement a testing phase to validate the tools with end-users, ensuring functionality and usability.
• Training and Support: Provide training sessions for users to facilitate the adoption of the tools, along with ongoing support during the implementation phase.
• Documentation: Develop comprehensive user manuals and technical documentation for the tools.
• Evaluation Metrics: Establish metrics for evaluating the effectiveness of the tools post-implementation.

The project is expected to be completed within a timeline of 33 months, with specific milestones for each phase of development, testing, and training.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement aligns with the broader initiative of the Digital Communities project, which aims to empower individuals and organizations to engage effectively with technology. The Wheel, as the contracting authority, seeks to enhance the capacity of community organizations through tailored digital solutions. The urgency for this procurement arises from the increasing need for effective management and evaluation tools in the community sector, particularly in light of evolving digital landscapes and community needs.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following eligibility and selection criteria to be considered for evaluation:

• Turnover requirement: Minimum average annual turnover of €325,000 for the last three years in relevant sectors.
• Insurance:
• Public Liability Insurance: Minimum €6.5 million
• Employer's Liability Insurance: Minimum €13 million
• Professional Indemnity Insurance: Minimum €1.5 million
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Minimum of 2 comparable projects completed in the last 3 years, each with a value of at least €100,000.
• Personnel: Key personnel must have a minimum of 3 years' experience in software development and project management.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

Bids will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

The evaluation will follow a Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) approach, with a price/quality split of 30% for price and 70% for quality-related criteria.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders must provide the following documents as part of their submission:

• Method statement / response document: Complete the provided template, adhering to page limits.
• CVs: Include CVs for key personnel, limited to 2 pages each.
• Pricing schedule: Complete the pricing template provided.
• Case studies: Submit at least 2 case studies of relevant projects, each valued at a minimum of €100,000.
• Declarations: Include ESPD, Bona Fides, Tax clearance, and Conflict of Interest declarations.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission portal: All documents must be submitted through the eTenders portal (www.etenders.gov.ie) in the specified format.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

Key contract terms include:

• Term: The contract duration is 33 months, with potential extensions subject to performance.
• Payment terms: Payments will be milestone-based, with specific deliverables tied to each payment.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Performance indicators will be established to measure the effectiveness of the tools post-implementation.
• Liquidated damages: Not specified for this tender.
• Termination clauses: The contract may be terminated for non-compliance or failure to meet project milestones.
• IP ownership: All intellectual property developed during the contract will be owned by The Wheel.
• Sub-contracting rules: Sub-contracting is permitted but must be disclosed and approved by The Wheel.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

Potential risks and concerns specific to this tender include:

• Turnover threshold: The minimum turnover requirement of €325,000 may limit participation from smaller firms, potentially favouring larger incumbents.
• Project complexity: The requirement for three distinct tools may pose challenges in resource allocation and project management for bidders with limited capacity.
• Timeline: The 33-month duration may be tight for comprehensive development, testing, and training phases, raising concerns about the feasibility of meeting deadlines.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is suitable for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the following characteristics:

• Credible bidders: Firms with experience in software development, particularly in creating management and evaluation tools for community organizations.
• Consortium/sub-contracting: Bidders may consider forming consortia or subcontracting to meet the required expertise and capacity.
• Bid-prep effort: Expect a preparation effort of approximately 10-15 days to compile the necessary documentation and responses.
• Pwin signal: The presence of a minimum turnover requirement may indicate a competitive landscape, with potential advantages for established firms or incumbents.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: Quotation_Response_Template Tender 2.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified
• Contact email: Not specified
• Important attachments:
• Quotation_Response_Template Tender 2.docx
• Financial_Budget_Template_Tender 2.xlsx
• Appendix B2 — Suitability Assessment (if applicable)