Fingal County Council - Single-Supplier Framework Agreement for Traffic Control Equipment Maintenance and Emergency General Works

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 to establish a single-supplier framework agreement for the maintenance of traffic control equipment and the provision of emergency general works. The framework will include an initial contract period of 12 months. The estimated total value of the framework agreement is €9,000,000, though there is no guarantee of expenditure.

The scope of work encompasses:

• Traffic Control Equipment Maintenance: This includes the ongoing maintenance of various traffic control assets. Specific details on the number and types of assets are not fully detailed in the provided metadata, but the tender documents reference "the number and type of junctions, crossings and traffic control assets maintained."
• Emergency General Works: This covers the provision of general works required on an emergency basis. The nature and scale of these works are not specified but are implied to be related to traffic control infrastructure.
• Roles and Responsibilities: Bidders will be assessed on their capability to act as:
• Works Contractor
• Project Supervisor for the Construction Stage (PSCS)
• Designer
• Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP)

The tender documents indicate the need for bidders to demonstrate competence in Health and Safety management for these roles, referencing the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013. Specific requirements for safety management systems, risk assessments, and personnel qualifications are detailed within the Health and Safety supplements.

The framework agreement is intended to provide a single point of contact for Fingal County Council for these services, ensuring a consistent and reliable approach to traffic control infrastructure management and emergency response. The initial 12-month contract will serve as the commencement of this framework.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is being conducted by Fingal County Council. The tender is for the establishment of a single-supplier framework agreement for traffic control equipment maintenance and emergency general works. The framework includes an initial contract of 12 months. The estimated value of the framework is €9,000,000. The procurement is being managed under a restricted procedure, meaning only shortlisted candidates invited to tender will be able to submit a bid. The tender documents reference "Traffic Maintenance" in the context of suitability assessment questionnaires, suggesting this is a continuation or consolidation of existing services. No specific programme or policy drivers beyond the operational needs of Fingal County Council are explicitly stated in the provided metadata.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

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

• Turnover requirement:
• Minimum average annual turnover arising from the area of work: Not specified.
• Insurance:
• Public Liability Insurance: Minimum level of €6,500,000 in respect of any one accident.
• Employer's Liability Insurance: Minimum level of €13,000,000 in respect of any one accident.
• Professional Indemnity Insurance: Minimum level of €1,500,000 for Works Contractor, PSCS, Designer, and PSDP. The maximum permissible excess is the greater of 2% of the applicant's annual turnover or €5,000.
• Certifications:
• Safety Management System: Must be in accordance with ISO 45001:2018 or equivalent. Certified membership of Safe-T-Cert may be deemed equivalent.
• Quality Management System: Any externally accredited quality management system, such as ISO 9001 or equivalent, is mentioned.
• Environmental Management System: Must hold ISO 14001 accreditation or equivalent.
• Past experience:
• Evidence of Health and Safety aspects of works previously undertaken by the applicant. This can be over the past 5 years, or 7 years where necessary for competition.
• Evidence of Project Supervisor Construction Stage (PSCS) appointments previously undertaken. This can be over the past 3 years, or 5 years where necessary for competition.
• A list of completed projects similar in nature and complexity to the works required, supported by Certificates of Satisfactory Project Execution (Appendix B2).
• Personnel:
• Management staff with appropriate educational/professional qualifications and experience, including Health and Safety qualifications, training, and experience relevant to the Works.
• Personnel with appropriate educational and professional qualifications and experience relevant to the Works.
• CVs for management staff and personnel are required, detailing qualifications, experience, and roles on similar projects.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award criteria are not explicitly detailed in the provided metadata. However, the procurement is under a restricted procedure, which typically involves a suitability assessment phase followed by an award phase for the shortlisted candidates. The suitability assessment is pass/fail based on meeting the eligibility and selection criteria. For the award phase, it is standard practice for public sector tenders in Ireland to use a Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) approach, which balances price and quality. The specific weighting between price and quality, and the sub-criteria for quality, are not provided in the extracted information.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders are required to submit the following:

• Suitability Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ): This includes Part 1 (Information for Applicants, Project Particulars, and Suitability Assessment Questionnaire) and relevant Health and Safety Supplements (3.4.1 HS Works Contractor, 3.4.2 HS PSCS).
• Certificates of Satisfactory Project Execution: A separate certificate (Appendix B2) must be provided for each project listed in Appendix B1 (List of Previous Works projects).
• Curricula Vitae (CVs): For management staff and personnel, detailing relevant qualifications, experience, and roles. Page limits are not specified in the metadata.
• Declarations:
• Tax clearance status.
• Bona Fides declarations.
• Conflict of Interest declarations.
• Declarations related to Health and Safety competence (Appendix 1 for HS Works Contractor and HS PSCS).
• Pricing Schedule: Format and template not specified in the metadata.
• Case Studies: Not explicitly mentioned as a submission requirement in the metadata.
• Mandatory Site Visit: Not specified in the metadata.
• Submission Portal: Bids must be submitted via eTenders. Specific formatting rules for electronic submission are not detailed in the metadata.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The tender establishes a single-supplier framework agreement. The initial contract period is 12 months. Details regarding contract extensions, payment terms, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), liquidated damages, termination clauses, intellectual property ownership, sub-contracting rules, and parent company guarantees or bonds are not specified in the provided metadata. Standard public sector contract terms regarding GDPR, Freedom of Information, and prompt payment are assumed to apply but are not detailed here.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Single-Supplier Framework: The establishment of a single-supplier framework limits competition for the duration of the agreement. This structure can sometimes favour an incumbent supplier or lead to less competitive pricing over time if not managed carefully.
• Estimated Value vs. Expenditure: The tender states an estimated value of €9,000,000 but explicitly notes "There is no guarantee of any expenditure under this Framework Agreement." This implies that actual spend could be significantly lower, depending on demand and council operational needs.
• Comprehensive HS Requirements: The detailed Health and Safety (HS) requirements across multiple roles (Works Contractor, PSCS, Designer, PSDP) indicate a strong emphasis on compliance and risk management. Bidders must have robust HS systems and demonstrable experience.
• Pass/Fail Suitability Assessment: The restricted procedure means that the initial stage is a pass/fail assessment based on technical and financial capability. Failure to meet any minimum standard in the suitability criteria will result in exclusion from the tender process.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured as a restricted procedure for a single-supplier framework, with an estimated value of €9,000,000. The comprehensive Health and Safety requirements and the need to demonstrate experience across multiple roles (Works Contractor, PSCS, Designer, PSDP) suggest that the ideal bidder is an established company with significant experience in traffic management infrastructure and construction project supervision.

• Who can credibly bid: Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that possess a strong track record in civil engineering, traffic management, and construction project management, particularly those holding relevant ISO certifications (9001, 14001, 45001) and a proven safety management system, could be competitive. However, the requirement for experience across multiple roles and potentially significant project values in past performance may present a barrier for very small or newly established firms.
• Consortium or sub-contracting: The documents do not explicitly state whether consortium bids or sub-contracting are permitted. However, given the single-supplier framework nature and the breadth of roles required, a lead contractor might engage specialist sub-contractors for specific functions if allowed.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Preparing a compliant bid for this tender would likely require significant effort. This includes gathering detailed project histories, compiling CVs for key personnel, developing method statements for HS compliance, and ensuring all documentation meets the stringent requirements. An estimate of 10-20 working days for a dedicated bid team is plausible, depending on the applicant's existing documentation and internal resources.
• Pwin signal: The restricted procedure indicates a pre-qualification process, suggesting the buyer has a shortlist of capable bidders. The single-supplier framework nature might imply a desire for a long-term partner, potentially favouring bidders with a strong existing relationship or demonstrable long-term capability. The absence of specific award criteria weighting makes it difficult to assess the price/quality balance and thus the Pwin.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename(s): FCC/320/25, QW1 v2.3, 3.4.1 HS Works Contractor.docx, 3.4.2 HS PSCS.docx, Appendix B1.docx, Appendix B2.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in metadata.
• Contact email or clarification portal: Not specified in metadata.
• Most important attachments:
• QW1 Part 1 - Traffic Maintenance (Suitability Assessment Questionnaire)
• 3.4.1 HS Works Contractor.docx (Health and Safety Competence for Works Contractor)
• 3.4.2 HS PSCS.docx (Health and Safety Competence for PSCS)
• Appendix B1.docx (List of Previous Works Projects)
• Appendix B2.docx (Certificate of Satisfactory Project Execution)