Farmyard Development at Teagasc Solohead Farm

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 a contractor for farmyard development works at Teagasc Solohead Farm in County Tipperary. The project involves the construction of a single-storey milking parlour shed, associated underground and above-ground slurry and effluent storage, silage pits, a dungstead, and a bale storage area. Ancillary site works include effluent and surface water drainage networks. The works are divided into four Work Packages, with Teagasc intending to commence with Work Package 1 and potentially proceed with others subject to funding and operational requirements.

The constituent activities and components include:

• Milking Parlour Shed: Construction of a single-storey, steel portal-framed structure, with all building elements to comply with Department of Agriculture specifications.
• Slurry Storage: Construction of an underground slurry storage tank.
• Effluent Storage: Construction of an above-ground effluent storage tank, including yard area base.
• Silage Pits: Construction of two silage pits.
• Dungstead: Construction of a proposed dungstead area.
• Bale Storage: Construction of a proposed bale storage area.
• Drainage Networks:
• Proposed effluent drainage network.
• Surface water management drainage network.
• Ancillary Site Works: All associated site works required to complete the development.
• Safety, Health, and Welfare: The appointed contractor will act as Project Supervisor for the Construction Stage (PSCS) in accordance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations. This includes developing and implementing a Health and Safety Plan.
• Site Works: Includes mobilisation, site establishment, protection of existing services, temporary works, and compliance with all relevant legislation.

The project is scheduled to commence in October 2026 and complete by December 2026 for the initial works. The contract will be based on the PW-CF6 – Public Works Short Form of Contract.

3. Background & buyer context

Teagasc, the Agriculture and Food Development Authority, is procuring these farmyard development works at its Solohead Farm facility in County Tipperary. The project aligns with Teagasc's ongoing research and development activities in low-input milk production systems, focusing on productivity, grazing management, clover sward persistence, and environmental impacts such as nitrate leaching and emissions. The procurement is driven by the need to upgrade and develop farmyard infrastructure to support these research objectives. The works are structured into four Work Packages, allowing Teagasc flexibility in implementation based on funding and operational needs. The preliminary safety and health plan indicates Malone O’Regan Consulting Engineers acted as Project Supervisor for the Design Process.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered:

• Turnover requirement: Not specified for this tender.
• Insurance:
• Public Liability Insurance: Minimum cover of €6,500,000.
• Employer's Liability Insurance: Minimum cover of €13,000,000.
• Professional Indemnity Insurance: Minimum level not specified.
• Excess limits for public liability and employer's liability are capped at €6,500.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award of the contract will be based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). The evaluation will consider both price and quality.

The specific weighting between price and quality, and the detailed sub-criteria for quality assessment, are not explicitly detailed in the provided tender metadata.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders are required to submit the following:

• Method statement / response document: Not specified in terms of format or page limits, but will include Contractor Suitability Assessment and Award Criteria responses.
• CVs: Not specified in terms of format or page limits.
• Pricing schedule: A separate price for each of the four Work Packages must be provided in the specified Pricing Document format.
• Case studies: Not specified.
• Declarations:
• Tenderers must submit a competitive tender.
• Bona Fides declarations are implicitly required as part of the tender process.
• Tax clearance and Conflict of Interest declarations are standard requirements.
• Mandatory site visit: Not mandatory, but can be organised via Abigail Ryan or Aaron Maguire.
• Submission portal: Tenders must be submitted electronically via eTenders.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Contract Type: PW-CF6 – Public Works Short Form of Contract.
• Price Validity: Tendered prices for each Work Package are fixed and valid for 12 months from the Tender Deadline. No price adjustment is permitted for timing or phasing within this period.
• Work Packages: The contract is structured into four Work Packages. Teagasc may instruct Work Package 1 and potentially others, but there is no commitment to proceed with subsequent packages. Each subsequent package requires separate written instruction.
• Concurrent Works: If multiple Work Packages are instructed concurrently, duplicate preliminaries, mobilisation, site establishment, PSCS, or other common costs will not be payable. The Pricing Document details how these costs apply.
• PSCS Role: The successful applicant will be appointed Project Supervisor for the Construction Stage (PSCS).
• Liquidated Damages: Rate of liquidated damages is €150 per day.
• Termination: Not detailed in the provided extract.
• IP Ownership: Not detailed in the provided extract.
• Sub-contracting: Not detailed in the provided extract.
• Performance Bond: Not detailed in the provided extract.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Phased Procurement: The division into four Work Packages introduces uncertainty for bidders regarding the total scope of work. Teagasc's right to proceed with "some, all or none" of Work Packages 2, 3, and 4 means the final contract value is not guaranteed. Bidders must price for all packages but may only be awarded a subset.
• Price Certainty: The 12-month price validity for each Work Package, regardless of when it is instructed, means bidders must factor in potential inflation or market changes over that period. No price adjustment is allowed for timing.
• Concurrent Work Costing: The requirement to avoid duplicate preliminaries and common costs if Work Packages are instructed concurrently necessitates careful planning and costing in the tender submission.
• PSCS Appointment: The contractor is appointed as PSCS, which carries significant health and safety responsibilities and requires appropriate expertise and management systems.
• Short Construction Window: The stated commencement in October 2026 and completion in December 2026 for the works implies a tight construction schedule, requiring efficient project management.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely suitable for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with demonstrable experience in agricultural or general construction projects, particularly those involving farmyard infrastructure.

• Who can credibly bid: A firm with experience in constructing agricultural buildings, slurry storage, and associated civil works would be well-positioned. Experience acting as PSCS is essential. The insurance requirements (€6.5m PL, €13m EL) are substantial and may be a barrier for very small firms without adequate cover.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: The tender documents do not explicitly prohibit consortia or sub-contracting. However, the PSCS role typically requires a single, responsible entity.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Estimating bid preparation effort is difficult without full tender documents. However, given the need to price four work packages, address safety regulations, and potentially develop method statements for specific risks, a minimum of 5-10 days of focused effort from a qualified team would be a reasonable estimate.
• Pwin signal: The phased approach and the potential for only partial award suggest Teagasc is seeking flexibility. The absence of specific turnover or experience criteria in the provided metadata might indicate an openness to a broader range of bidders, provided they meet the insurance and capability requirements. The PW-CF6 contract form is typically used for projects with an estimated value below €1 million, suggesting the total value of all four work packages is within this range.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: C4894 - Invitation to Tender.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not surfaced in provided metadata.
• Contact email: [email protected] or [email protected] for site visit organisation.
• Most important attachments:
• Volume A: Works Requirements
• Volume B: Tender & Schedule
• Volume C: Pricing Document
• Preliminary Safety and Health Plan (W25100-X-XX-RP-MOR-01005.pdf)