Request for Tender for the operation of the Woodlands Bistro Café

AI-generated analysis of the documents. Check the official notice and any amendments for current submission details.

1. At a glance

Buyer Title CPV / category Estimated value Per-year Procedure type Lots Location Contract length Submission deadline Go-live / start | :-------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------ | :------------- | :-------------- | :------- | :--------------- | :--- | :-------------- | :-------------- | :------------------ | :-------------- | Clare County Council Request for Tender for the operation of the Woodlands Bistro Café 55300000-2 not disclosed not stated Open Procedure 1 Kilrush, Co. Clare 2 years 2026-09-16 12:00 not stated

2. Scope of Work

The Contracting Authority seeks an experienced catering operator to manage and operate the Woodlands Bistro Café at Vandeleur Walled Gardens & Visitor Centre in Kilrush, Co. Clare. The café is a year-round facility and a key component of the visitor experience.

The café is located within a refurbished courtyard building, part of the historic Vandeleur Walled Gardens and surrounding 160 Ha of state-owned woodlands. The café building comprises a ground floor space of approximately 278.77 sq. metres and an outdoor seating area of 63.90 sq. metres. It includes a first-floor mezzanine seating area overlooking the main café space.

The operator will be responsible for:

• Food Offering: Providing a quality food offering with a focus on County Clare provenance. This must include hot meals, light bites, coffee, and confectionery. A limited menu is acceptable.
• Retail: A retail food option may be considered, but the retailing of other items, such as gifts, is prohibited.
• Alcohol Sales: Obtaining appropriate licences for the sale and service of alcohol.
• Trading Hours: Operating daily from 10:00 to 17:00 throughout the year. Trading hours may be adjusted for on-site events.
• Event Catering: Adapting and broadening operations to cater for events including the Summer Festival, Halloween event, and Christmas Grotto. This includes providing services for venue hire, meeting rooms, and private gatherings. Opportunities exist for additional services like a garden pop-up bar and ice cream offering.
• Kitchen Facilities: Utilising the existing fitted commercial kitchen.
• Utilities: Providing and paying for own internet and data services. Electricity costs are metered and payable by the operator.
• Visitor Numbers: Serving an estimated 75,000 annual visitors to the site. The café and courtyard are accessible without a paywall.
• Partnership: Working in partnership with stakeholders to maximise the café's potential as an integral part of the visitor attraction.
• Contract Management: Nominate a dedicated contract manager responsible for the working relationship, performance reporting, meetings, dispute resolution, and suggesting service improvements.

The contract is initially for two years with a one-year break clause, with potential for a longer-term lease subject to review and negotiation.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is initiated by Clare County Council, seeking to appoint an operator for the Woodlands Bistro Café at Vandeleur Walled Gardens & Visitor Centre. The café is described as an integral part of the visitor offering and the overall success of the site. The Vandeleur Walled Gardens and surrounding woodlands are a significant historical and recreational asset, attracting approximately 75,000 visitors annually. The café building has undergone recent refurbishment. The contract is being procured under an open procedure. The incumbent operator is not named, but TUPE regulations are mentioned, indicating existing staff are engaged by the outgoing operator.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements on a pass/fail basis:

• Turnover requirement: Average annual turnover exceeded €60,000 in one of the last three years. Firms established more recently must demonstrate this on a pro-rata basis. The firm must have been in existence for at least 6 months. This must be supported by an Accountant's letter.
• Insurance:
• Employer's Liability: €13 million
• Public Liability: €6.5 million
• Product Liability: €6.5 million
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Successful delivery of two (2) comparable projects within the last five (5) years. Projects must provide sufficient information to demonstrate comparability, skills, efficiency, experience, and reliability. Contact details for referees must be provided.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender, but an organisation chart and proposed staffing arrangements are required if successful.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

Tenderers must also provide:

• Confirmation of tax compliance in Ireland or their country of establishment.
• Declarations of Bona Fides, compliance with statutory obligations, and regarding the International Procurement Instrument and Russian sanctions.
• If relying on other entities for capacity, proof that these resources will be at their disposal.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded based on the most economically advantageous tender, using a combination of price and quality. The total maximum marks available are 10,000.

The Lease Fee Proposal is scored using a formula where the highest proposed fee receives maximum marks, and others are scored proportionally. Qualitative criteria are assessed first. A minimum score is required for each qualitative criterion.

6. Submission requirements

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the eTenders postbox facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.

The submission must include:

• Tender Response Document (TRD): This mandatory template must be used without personalisation or branding. All fields must be completed.
• Pricing Schedule: To be completed within the TRD.
• Declarations:
• Declaration of Bona Fides.
• Declaration regarding compliance with statutory obligations.
• European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) - either electronically or as an attachment.
• Declaration regarding the International Procurement Instrument and Russian sanctions.
• Supporting Documents:
• Accountant's letter to support financial standing.
• Details of insurance cover.
• Information demonstrating previous comparable projects (including referee contact details).
• Organisation chart and proposed staffing arrangements.
• Current Health & Safety plan.
• Consortium/Joint Venture Information: If applicable, all relevant information must be provided separately for each party.
• Site Visit: Tenderers wishing to visit the premises should email [email protected] to arrange an appointment. Questions raised during site visits will be documented and circulated via eTenders.

7. Key dates & process

The provided dates are estimates and cannot be guaranteed.

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: Two (2) years initially, with a one-year break clause. A longer-term lease may be offered post-review.
• Payment Terms: The operator will pay an annual lease fee to the Contracting Authority. The indicative budget for the contract is €60,000, but tenderers must propose an annual lease fee. Offers below €30,000 per annum are non-compliant.
• SLAs/KPIs: Not detailed in the provided extract, but contract management duties include adherence to an agreed Service Level Agreement and Key Performance Indicators.
• Liquidated Damages: Not specified for this tender.
• Termination: The Contracting Authority reserves the right to terminate if increased costs (e.g., from Customs Union changes) render the arrangement uncompetitive. Termination will follow contract terms.
• IP Ownership: Not specified for this tender.
• Sub-contracting: Tenderers may rely on the resources of other entities for capacity. If a subcontractor's value exceeds 10% of the contract value, they must also meet exclusion ground requirements.
• Guarantees/Bonds: Not specified for this tender.
• TUPE: Tenderers are advised that TUPE may apply. They must conduct their own due diligence and will indemnify Clare Tourism Development DAC against all TUPE-related claims, except where liabilities arise solely from the Contracting Authority's acts or omissions.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Lease Fee Structure: The tender requires bidders to propose an annual lease fee payable to the authority, rather than the authority paying a service fee. This shifts the financial risk to the operator.
• Minimum Lease Fee: A minimum offer of €30,000 per annum is stipulated, with offers below this being non-compliant. This acts as a floor for the operator's revenue contribution.
• Indicative Budget vs. Lease Fee: The "indicative budget" of €60,000 appears to represent the authority's expectation of revenue from the lease, not a budget for services to be procured.
• TUPE Application: The responsibility for determining and managing TUPE compliance rests entirely with the tenderer, with significant indemnification required.
• No Retail of Gifts: A specific restriction prohibits the sale of non-food items like gifts, limiting the operator's revenue streams.
• Contract Length: The initial two-year term with a one-year break clause is relatively short, with the potential for a longer lease dependent on future negotiation.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured to allow experienced catering operators to bid. A viable bidder would likely be a small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) with a proven track record in café or restaurant operations, particularly in visitor attractions or heritage sites. The requirement for two comparable projects within the last five years, coupled with the insurance and turnover thresholds, suggests a business with established operations and financial stability.

Consortium or joint venture bids are permitted, and SMEs are encouraged to explore relationships with other entities to meet capacity requirements. This allows smaller businesses to pool resources or partner with larger firms.

The bid preparation effort would involve compiling detailed operational and event catering proposals, sustainability initiatives, and health & safety documentation, in addition to financial and experience evidence. This could require several days of focused effort.

The "Pwin" signal is moderate. While the lease fee structure and specific operational requirements might deter some, the relatively modest turnover requirement and the potential for a longer lease could attract established SMEs. The absence of a named incumbent and the open procedure suggest a competitive process.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename: RFT for VWG Woodland Cafe Operation (Final).pdf
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided extract.
• Contact Email: [email protected] (for site visit appointments).
• Key Attachments:
• Tender Response Document (TRD)
• Appendix C – Contract Terms and Conditions
• Appendix D – Indicative Turnover figures