Supply, refurbishment, delivery, and installation of a decommissioned wind turbine nacelle

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 procurement is for the supply, refurbishment for training use, delivery, and full installation of one decommissioned wind turbine nacelle. This asset will serve as a static training tool at Kerry College Monavalley Campus for the Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician apprenticeship and related further education programmes. The nacelle will not be returned to power-generating service.

The successful supplier is responsible for providing a complete, safe, and fully installed equipment solution. This includes all necessary labour, supervision, plant, lifting arrangements, fixings, accessories, connections, testing, and handover procedures required for its intended training use. The equipment must be safe, fully accessible, and representative of industry standards for apprentices.

Key activities and components include:

• Supply: Provision of one decommissioned wind turbine nacelle, complete with drivetrain and auxiliary systems.
• Refurbishment: Modification of the nacelle to ensure it is suitable for static training purposes, safe, and accessible. This implies ensuring all moving parts are secured or disabled for safety, and access points are clear and safe for instructional use.
• Delivery: Transportation of the refurbished nacelle to Kerry College Monavalley Campus.
• Installation: Full installation of the nacelle at the designated site. This encompasses all labour, supervision, plant, lifting equipment, fixings, accessories, and necessary connections.
• Testing and Handover: Comprehensive testing to ensure the installed asset is safe and functional for training, followed by a formal handover to Kerry ETB.
• Training: A minimum of one day of familiarisation and handover training for College instructional staff, to be provided on-site.

The specification is brand-neutral, allowing for equipment from any manufacturer that meets the functional and dimensional characteristics described. The contract duration is twelve months, with potential for extensions.

3. Background & buyer context

Kerry Education and Training Board (Kerry ETB) is procuring this wind turbine nacelle to enhance its vocational training offerings. The asset is intended for use at Kerry College Monavalley Campus, specifically to support the Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician apprenticeship and related further education programmes. This initiative aligns with the broader need for skilled personnel in the renewable energy sector. The procurement is conducted under an open procedure, adhering to EU and Irish public procurement regulations. The estimated value of the contract is €770,000 (excluding VAT) over the initial twelve-month term. Kerry ETB aims to encourage participation from Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and larger enterprises, promoting collaboration to maximise social and economic benefits.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

To be considered for this tender, bidders must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Turnover requirement: Not specified for this tender.
• Insurance: The successful Tenderer must hold the following insurances for the term of the Goods Contract:
• Employer's Liability: €13 million
• Public Liability: €6.5 million
• Product Liability: €1 million
• Professional Indemnity: €1 million
• 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, beyond the requirement for the delivered and installed nacelle to be at Kerry College Monavalley Campus, Tralee, Co. Kerry.

Tenderers must confirm their ability to meet these insurance requirements by signing the Tenderer's Statement. A formal confirmation from the tenderer's insurance company or broker will be requested from the successful tenderer prior to contract award.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award criteria are not explicitly detailed with scoring weights in the provided extract. However, the tender procedure is an open procedure, and the evaluation will be conducted in accordance with the Award Criteria outlined in Part 3.3 of the RFT. Tenderers must submit compliant tenders that meet the selection criteria to be evaluated. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to examine tenders before verifying exclusion grounds and selection criteria. The contract will be awarded to the tenderer who meets the selection criteria and whose tender is deemed most advantageous according to the award criteria, which will likely include a balance of quality and price.

6. Submission requirements

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the eTenders platform (www.etenders.gov.ie).

• Method statement / response document: Tenderers must follow the RFT format and respond to each element in the order presented. The RFT itself should not be altered or edited.
• CVs: Not specified for this tender.
• Pricing schedule: All Tenderers must complete the Pricing Schedule at Appendix 2. Prices must be all-inclusive (including shipping, packaging, delivery, ancillary costs), expressed in Euro, and exclusive of VAT. VAT rates should be indicated separately.
• Case studies: Not specified for this tender.
• Declarations:
• European Single Procurement Document (eESPD) must be completed and submitted electronically.
• A scanned, signed copy of the Tenderer’s Statement (Appendix 3), printed on the tenderer's letterhead, must be returned.
• A Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer (Appendix 4) may be required.
• Mandatory site visit: A site visit to Kerry College Monavalley Campus is organised for the week of 14th to 18th September 2026, between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. Tenderers wishing to attend must confirm by 2:00 pm on Monday, 11th September 2026, by contacting Con O'Sullivan at [email protected] / 066 7149600.
• Submission portal: Tenders must be submitted via the electronic postbox on www.etenders.gov.ie. Uploaded files should be in a ZIP format. There is a file size limit of 250MB per single file and a total limit of 2GB for all documentation. Tenderers must ensure they click the "Submit" button.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: The Goods Contract will be for a term of twelve months. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to extend the term for additional periods under the same terms and conditions, subject to legal obligations.
• Payment terms: Payments will be made in accordance with the Goods Contract at Appendix 5.
• Price variation: Prices may be increased or decreased only on the first anniversary of the Goods Contract's Effective Date and subsequent anniversaries, based on a specified price index.
• Currency variations: Any currency variations over the contract term will be borne by the Tenderer.
• Termination: The contract can be terminated with 14 days' notice.
• Sub-contracting: Where a tenderer intends to subcontract, they must designate a single entity (Prime Contractor) to carry overall responsibility. Subcontractors may need to submit separate eESPDs.
• Tax clearance: Compliance with all EU and domestic tax laws is a condition of the contract. The successful tenderer must provide Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference Number for online verification.
• Confidentiality: Information disclosed by Kerry ETB is for replying to the RFT only and may not be used or published without prior written consent.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Estimated value vs. contract length: The estimated value of €770,000 for a 12-month contract, with potential extensions, suggests a significant project scope. However, the lack of specific detail on the refurbishment and installation complexity could lead to underestimation of costs or timelines by bidders.
• Brand-neutral specification: While standard practice, a brand-neutral specification for complex equipment like a wind turbine nacelle can sometimes lead to ambiguity in interpretation or require more detailed technical proposals to demonstrate compliance.
• Site visit confirmation deadline: The deadline for confirming attendance at the site visit (11th September 2026) is relatively close to the tender submission deadline (8th October 2026), requiring prompt action from interested parties.
• Insurance confirmation: While insurance levels are specified, formal confirmation from the insurer is only required from the successful tenderer prior to award, not at the submission stage. This places a degree of risk on the bidder to secure such cover if awarded.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely suitable for SMEs with specialised expertise in the refurbishment, transportation, and installation of large industrial equipment, specifically wind turbine components.

• Credible bidders: A viable bidder would possess proven experience in handling, refurbishing, and installing complex mechanical and electrical systems. This includes expertise in heavy lifting, logistics for oversized components, and ensuring safety compliance for static industrial equipment. While the nacelle itself is decommissioned, the associated drivetrain and auxiliary systems may require specific technical knowledge.
• Consortium/sub-contracting: The RFT explicitly allows for groups of undertakings (consortia) and the designation of Prime/Subcontractors. SMEs are encouraged to form relationships with other SMEs or larger enterprises if the scope is beyond their individual capacity.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Preparing a compliant tender will require significant effort. This includes understanding the technical specifications, developing a refurbishment plan, detailing installation methodologies, preparing a comprehensive pricing schedule, and completing all required declarations and documentation. An estimate of 10-20 days of dedicated effort for a small team is plausible, depending on the complexity of the proposed solution and the bidder's existing documentation.
• Pwin signal: The tender is an open procedure, suggesting it is intended to be competitive. There is no explicit mention of an incumbent supplier. The encouragement for SME participation and consortium formation indicates a desire for a broad market response. The primary competitive factors will likely be technical capability, proposed refurbishment approach, safety plan, and price.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: CFT KC Equipment Wind Turbine Nacelle Final.pdf
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided text.
• Contact email / clarification portal: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.
• Most important attachments:
• Appendix 1: Requirements and Specifications
• Appendix 2: Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 5: Goods Contract