N67/N85 Inner Relief Road Ennistymon (Blakes Corner) Construction

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

1. At a glance

Buyer Clare County Council : N67/N85 Inner Relief Road Ennistymon (Blakes Corner) | CPV / category | 45233000-9 - Construction work for roads, highways and streets | | Estimated value | Not disclosed | | Per-year (if multi-year) | Not stated | | Procedure type | Restricted procedure | | Lots | Not stated | | Location | Ennistymon, County Clare, Ireland | | Contract length | 18 months (stated as CA Entry) | | Submission deadline | 2026-10-23T16:00:00+00:00 | | Go-live / start | Not stated |

2. Scope of Work

The procurement is for the main works construction of the N67/N85 Inner Relief Road in Ennistymon, County Clare, also referred to as Blakes Corner. The contract duration is specified as 18 months. The works involve civil engineering, building, and roadworks construction.

The contractor will be responsible for:

• Road Construction: Realignment of roads and bridge construction. The project involves road construction for a project with a construction value at tender award exceeding €8,000,000 (excluding VAT).
• Bridge Construction: Construction of a bridge over a waterway. This bridge must be similar in scale and complexity to those shown in accompanying photomontages and have a construction value exceeding €2,000,000 (excluding VAT).
• Civil Engineering Works: The contractor will act as the main contractor for civil engineering works projects, potentially as a sole contractor or part of a joint venture.
• Health and Safety Management: The contractor will also act as the Project Construction Safety Partner (PSCS). This requires demonstrating competence in health and safety management in accordance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013. This includes:
• Having a safety management system in accordance with ISO 45001:2018 or equivalent, or certified membership of Safe-T-Cert.
• Providing details of safety and health plans from previous projects and how health and safety management was implemented.
• Ensuring staff are aware of their responsibilities under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and associated regulations.
• Conducting risk assessments and maintaining them on the job file.
• Having a Safety Statement that addresses specific requirements and minimum standards related to health and safety policy, management structure, method statements, risk assessments, training, coordination, and information dissemination.
• Quality Management: Applicants must provide details of their Quality Management System.
• Project Scale: The works involve construction and refurbishment over approximately 1000 sqm.

3. Background & buyer context

This tender is for the main works construction of the N67/N85 Inner Relief Road in Ennistymon, County Clare. The project is designed by the Employer and will be procured using the PW-CF3 form of contract for Civil Engineering Works. The procurement is being conducted under a restricted procedure, meaning only shortlisted candidates will be invited to tender. The project is part of Clare County Council's infrastructure development plans. The Suitability Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) is used to shortlist qualified candidates for the subsequent tender stage.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

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

• Turnover Requirement:
• Average annual turnover of €10,000,000 in Civil Engineering, Building, and Roadworks Construction over the period specified in the qualification criteria.
• Insurance:
• Public Liability Insurance: Minimum of €6,500,000 per accident. Maximum excess for property only is €10,000.
• Employer's Liability Insurance: Minimum of €13,000,000 per accident.
• Professional Indemnity Insurance: Not specified for the Works Contractor, but the maximum permissible excess is the greater of 2% of 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 is deemed equivalent.
• Quality Management System: Applicants must provide details of their Quality Management System.
• Past Experience:
• Minimum of 2 and a maximum of 5 reference projects where the applicant acted as the main contractor (sole or joint venture) in Civil Engineering works projects.
• Reference projects must be road and bridge projects that reached Substantial Completion within the last 7 years.
• At least one reference project must include:
• Road construction with a construction value at tender award exceeding €8,000,000 (excluding VAT).
• Construction of a bridge over a waterway, similar in scale and complexity to accompanying photomontages, with a construction value exceeding €2,000,000 (excluding VAT).
• Minimum of 10 years' experience in a similar role in the construction of road and bridge projects of similar nature and complexity.
• Minimum of 60 months (5 years) experience in a similar role in the co-ordination and management of roads and bridge projects, with at least one project having a construction value at Contract Award in excess of €5m (excluding VAT).
• Personnel:
• Management Staff: Evidence of appropriate educational/professional qualifications and experience, with relevant Health and Safety qualifications, training, and experience.
• Personnel: Evidence of appropriate educational and professional qualifications and experience, with relevant Health and Safety qualifications, training, and experience.
• Minimum of 120 months (10 years) post-graduate experience in civil engineering.
• Minimum of 120 months (10 years) experience dedicated to Health and Safety.
• Geographic / Facility Constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

This stage of the procurement is a Suitability Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ). Therefore, there are no award criteria or scoring applied at this stage. Bidders are assessed on a pass/fail basis against the eligibility and selection criteria outlined in Section 4. Only those who meet all minimum requirements will be shortlisted and invited to submit a tender in the subsequent stage.

6. Submission requirements

To be considered for shortlisting, applicants must submit the following:

• Suitability Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ): This comprises several documents, including:
• QW1_Part1_v2.3_25-11-2025_MW (Information for Applicants, Project Particulars and SAQ)
• QW_Part_2_v1.1_18-11-2024_MW (Applicant Details and Declaration)
• 3.4.1-HS-Works-Contractor_v3.1-25-11-2025_MW (Health and Safety for Works Contractors)
• 3.4.2-HS-PSCS_v3.1-25-11-2025_MW (Health and Safety for PSCS)
• Appendices:
• Appendix_A_Applicants_Self-Declaration_Regulation_57_MW (Applicant's Self Declaration)
• Appendix_B1_List_of_Previous_Works_Projects_which_is_CEE_MW (List of Previous Works Projects)
• Appendix_B2_Certificate_of_Satisfactory_Project_Execution_MW (Certificate of Satisfactory Project Execution)
• Appendix_B3_Certificate_of_Satisfactory_Delivery_of_Services_MW (Certificate of Satisfactory Delivery of Services)
• Appendix_C_Bankers_Letter_MW (Banker’s Letter)
• Appendix_D1_Letter_of_undertaking_MW (Letter of Undertaking re. Bond)
• IPI_Annex_v1.0_18-11-2024_MW (IPI Annex – EU Regulation 2022/1031)
• Declarations:
• Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference Number for online verification.
• Declaration of any conflicts of interest.
• Pricing Schedule: Not applicable at this SAQ stage.
• CVs: Curricula Vitae for management staff and personnel, detailing qualifications, training, experience, and roles on previous projects.
• Site Visit: Not specified as mandatory for the SAQ stage.
• Submission Portal: Submissions are made via eTenders.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract will be based on the PW-CF3 form for Civil Engineering Works, designed by the Employer. The contract length is stated as 18 months. Specific terms regarding payment, SLAs, liquidated damages, termination, IP, sub-contracting, and parent company guarantees are not detailed in the SAQ documents provided. However, the SAQ requires bidders to confirm their ability to provide specific insurance coverages, which will form part of the contractual obligations. A Letter of Undertaking regarding a bond may be required from successful bidders. Tax clearance will be a condition of award.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The submission deadline for this SAQ is October 23, 2026, which is significantly in the future. This long lead time may indicate potential for project scope changes or funding adjustments. The SAQ process itself is a gatekeeping mechanism, meaning only a limited number of bidders will be invited to tender, potentially favouring established firms with extensive road and bridge project experience. The specific value thresholds for reference projects (€8m for road, €2m for bridge) are substantial, requiring significant past project scale. The absence of a disclosed estimated value for the contract makes it difficult for bidders to gauge the overall project scale and their potential return on investment. The requirement for specific health and safety certifications (ISO 45001 or Safe-T-Cert) and detailed safety management system documentation indicates a strong emphasis on health and safety compliance.

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