Graphic Design Services for Housing Delivery Action Plan

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1. At a glance

2. Scope of Work

The contract requires the provision of graphic design and visualisation services to support Limerick City and County Council's Housing Delivery Action Plan (HDAP). The consultant will transform technical data and narrative content into a professional, visually engaging, and publication-ready document. The estimated expenditure for these services over the initial 12-month term and potential extensions is €100,000 (excluding VAT).

The scope of services includes:

• HDAP Report Design:

• Development of the overall visual identity for the HDAP.

• Production of a professionally designed A4 report, approximately 100 pages in length.

• Establishment of document templates and style guides.

• Ensuring a clear hierarchy of information throughout the publication.

• Formatting of all text, tables, charts, and graphics.

• Application of Council branding requirements.

• Preparation of final files suitable for both print and digital publication.

• Minor text corrections and amendments within design software, with content supplied substantially proofed by the Council.

• Final outputs to be supplied in print-ready and web-accessible formats.

• Neighbourhood Graphic Packs:

• Preparation of graphic packs for a minimum of eight City neighbourhoods.

• Each pack may include: neighbourhood profile, site and housing pipeline mapping, housing delivery trajectory, tenure breakdown, housing typology analysis, density profile, development opportunity analysis, delivery timeline, housing intervention strategy, and key statistics/performance indicators.

• Data Visualisation and Infographics:

• Preparation of up to 50 bespoke visual elements based on data supplied by the Council.

• These may include graphs, charts, infographics, housing delivery diagrams, housing pipeline illustrations, place-based visualisations, timeline graphics, funding pathway diagrams, data dashboards, and strategic housing intervention graphics.

• Executive Summary Design:

• Development of an Executive Summary suitable for senior decision-makers, presented as an A5 brochure (up to 20 pages), based on the A4 report style.

• Social Media Graphics:

• Creation of one social media graphic.

• Hourly Rates:

• Quotation of hourly rates for Junior Designer, Senior Designer, and Creative Director.

The consultant will receive technical content, housing data, mapping, financial modelling outputs, and draft narrative text from the Council and other appointed consultants.

3. Background & buyer context

Limerick City and County Council is preparing a Housing Delivery Action Plan (HDAP). This plan is intended to function as a key governance, delivery, and funding document, outlining how national housing targets will be translated into a deliverable local programme and identifying future housing delivery interventions and investment requirements. The Council has completed substantial preparatory work, including demographic analysis, housing need assessment, private sector pipeline analysis, land capacity assessment, TRABIS pipeline review, neighbourhood-based housing modelling, and initial financial profiling. This procurement seeks to transform these technical outputs into a professional, visually engaging, and publication-ready document for diverse audiences. The contract is being procured under an open procedure in accordance with the European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulations 2016.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following criteria to be considered:

• Turnover requirement: Not specified for this tender.
• Insurance:
• Employer’s Liability: €12.7 million
• Public Liability: €6.5 million
• (Confirmation of insurance levels and territorial limits including Ireland is required. A formal confirmation from the insurer will be requested prior to award.)
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience:
• Provision of two example works, similar in nature to the Council's requirements, reflecting the type of work to be delivered.
• Examples must demonstrate innovative and engaging design.
• Examples must be within the past two years.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

Tenderers must confirm acceptance of the Services Contract terms and conditions.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The contract will be awarded based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT), determined by the following criteria:

Note: Tenderers must achieve the minimum qualifying threshold for non-price criteria (Criteria 1, 2, and 4) to be considered for award. Failure to meet these thresholds will result in elimination. The price score is calculated based on the lowest tendered rate. In case of a tie, the tender with the highest overall qualitative score (Criteria 1, 2, and 4) will be selected.

6. Submission requirements

Tenders must be submitted electronically via www.etenders.gov.ie by the specified deadline.

• Method statement / response document: A detailed description demonstrating how tenderers will meet the requirements and specifications set out in Appendix 1. This must go beyond affirmative statements or reiteration of requirements.
• CVs: Not explicitly specified, but implied for personnel involved in the project.
• Pricing schedule: Must be completed as per Appendix 2, providing all-inclusive prices in Euro (exclusive of VAT), with VAT indicated separately. Prices must remain valid for 24 months from the Tender Deadline.
• Case studies: Two examples of existing work, similar in nature and within the past two years, demonstrating innovative and engaging design.
• Declarations:
• Scanned signed copy of the Tenderer’s Statement (Appendix 3) on letterhead.
• Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer (Appendix 4).
• Evidence of tax clearance certificate (required prior to payment).
• Disclosure of any registrable interest or conflict of interest.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission portal: www.etenders.gov.ie. Tenders must be submitted in English and compiled in PDF format.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: 12 months, with a potential extension of up to 6 months, subject to legal obligations.
• Payment terms: As per the Services Contract at Appendix 5. Invoices are deemed accepted if not processed within 14 days.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Not specified in detail within the provided extract, beyond general quality expectations.
• Liquidated damages or penalty regimes: Not specified in detail.
• Termination clauses: Either party may terminate with 2 months' written notice if a specific condition continues for 48 calendar days.
• IP ownership: Not specified in detail.
• Sub-contracting rules: Permitted, but a single Prime Contractor must be designated with overall responsibility.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond requirements: Not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Estimated value disclosure: The estimated expenditure of €100,000 (excl. VAT) is provided, but this is stated as an estimate based on current and future expected usage, not a guaranteed contract value.
• Price validity: Tenderers must confirm prices remain valid for 24 months from the Tender Deadline, which is a significant period for graphic design services.
• SME encouragement: The Council actively encourages participation by SMEs, including through consortia or larger enterprises, indicating a potential openness to varied bidder structures.
• Minimum neighbourhood packs: A minimum of eight City neighbourhood graphic packs are required, which could represent a substantial portion of the work.
• Portfolio recency: Portfolio samples must be within the past two years, limiting the scope of demonstrated experience.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured to be accessible to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with strong graphic design and data visualisation capabilities. The estimated contract value of €100,000 over 12-18 months suggests a project size manageable for specialist design agencies. The emphasis on creative execution, portfolio quality, and strategic approach, rather than extensive technical infrastructure, aligns with SME strengths.

• Credible bidders: Specialist graphic design studios, agencies with a focus on public sector or planning documents, and consultancies offering integrated design and visualisation services. Firms with demonstrable experience in creating visually engaging reports and infographics from complex data will be well-positioned.
• Consortium/sub-contracting: Allowed. SMEs are encouraged to form relationships with other SMEs or larger enterprises to bid. A single Prime Contractor will be designated for the contract.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Preparing a compliant tender will require significant effort, likely several days, focusing on developing a strategic approach, creative concepts, and compiling portfolio evidence.
• Pwin signal: No explicit incumbent is named. The encouragement of SME participation and consortia suggests the market is not necessarily dominated by a single large provider. The award criteria heavily favour quality and creative execution (60% weighting) over price (20%), indicating a preference for high-calibre design work.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: Graphic Design RFT.pdf
• eTenders CFT ID: Not surfaced in provided text.
• Contact email or clarification portal: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie
• Most important attachments:
• Appendix 1: Requirements and Specifications
• Appendix 2: Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 3: Tenderer’s Statement
• Appendix 5: Services Contract