Supply of Rolling Stock Paint

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 the supply of paint for Iarnród Éireann-Irish Rail (IÉ) rolling stock. The scope encompasses the technical requirements for painting new, modified, and overhauled rolling stock, ensuring a minimum service duration of thirty years. The paint systems must perform under operating conditions with ambient temperatures ranging from -20°C to +35°C and humidity from 10% to 100%. Painting bay conditions require a temperature of at least +15°C and a maximum humidity of 75%.

The work involves detailed specifications for surface preparation and treatment across various materials, including:

• Steel Sections, Sheets, and Plates: Degreasing, blasting to Grade Sa 2 ½ (SIS 055900), application of a weldable two-component primer (minimum 10µm), and protection of inaccessible areas with wax-based corrosion inhibitors.
• Aluminium Alloy Sections, Sheets, and Plates: Degreasing, sanding or swept blasting, application of a weldable two-component primer (minimum 10µm).
• Stainless Steel Sections, Sheets, and Plates: Generally untreated, stored in a sheltered area.
• Wooden Parts: Application of a sealant/primer (50µm), with surfaces for adhesives remaining free of treatment.
• Rolling Stock Components and Subassemblies: Cleaning and dressing of deteriorated areas, application of a weldable two-component primer (10µm-15µm) to unprotected areas, and anticorrosion coating for inaccessible areas.

Specific paint processes are detailed for:

• Locomotives, Multiple Units, and Carriages: Including carbody structures (steel and stainless steel), bodysides, car ends, exterior roofs, polyester/phenolic exterior parts, underframes, carbody interiors, supports, and piping (steel, copper, stainless steel). This involves multi-layer systems including epoxy primers, polyurethane bases, and aliphatic polyurethane enamels, with specified dry film thicknesses ranging from 35µm to 1500µm for various components.
• Battery Box: Blasting, primer application, and two coats of epoxy anti-acid finishing paint (35µm-50µm).
• Freight Vehicle: Surface preparation to Grade 04 (SFS 8145), centrifugal blast cleaning to Grade Sa 2 (SFS-ISO 8501-1), and a two-pack epoxy primer (70µm) followed by a semi-gloss, two-pack epoxy topcoat (60µm).
• Bogie: Main frame and secondary fix steel components require blasting to Grade Sa 2 ½, application of chromate-free two-component epoxy primer (80µm-120µm), and polyurethane finishing coat (40µm-80µm or 40µm-60µm). Wheel-sets and axles also have specific preparation and coating requirements.
• Primary and Secondary Suspension Coil Springs: Phosphate treatment, degreasing, washing, passivating, and application of a two-component epoxy paint.

The paint process must achieve a Category 1b classification as defined in BS EN 45545-2 for fire performance. Compliance with specified tests including gloss, scratch, humidity, liquid resistance, cross-cut, bend, falling-weight, chipping resistance, salt spray, and pendulum damping is mandatory. Colour matching requires CIE LAB Illuminant D65 with a ΔE value ≤ 1.

The scope also covers painting processes for existing rolling stock, including pre-wash, preparation, masking, exterior body priming, spray painting (solid colour or base coat/clear process), and finishing bay operations for interior and exterior details.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is driven by Iarnród Éireann-Irish Rail's need to establish technical requirements for the painting of its rolling stock fleet. The standard, CME-TMS-309, defines mandatory practices for the CME Department. It aims to ensure rolling stock is designed, operated, and maintained to a high standard, with a minimum service duration of thirty years. The current version of the standard, Version 5, was operative from 14.11.2022, indicating an update to align with modern painting practices. The procurement process is structured in two stages, commencing with a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) to shortlist suitable suppliers before proceeding to a full tender.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum qualification criteria:

• Turnover requirement: A minimum average annual turnover of €400,000 (exclusive of VAT) for the last three audited financial year ends. If a subsidiary relies on its parent company for this, the parent company must provide the required details and a Declaration of Eligibility.
• Insurance: Not specified for this tender.
• Certifications: The paint supplier must be accredited with ISO 9001. The Quality Management System must be certified as compliant with EN ISO 9001:2015 or an equivalent internationally recognised standard.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award criteria and scoring methodology are detailed in the PQQ appendices. The tender process will follow a two-stage approach: PQQ for shortlisting, followed by a tender stage where bids will be evaluated.

The PQQ stage focuses on minimum qualification criteria, economic and financial capacity, and technical/professional ability. Specific scoring methodologies for selection criteria are outlined in Section 6 of the PQQ.

• Part 4 (Technical/Professional Ability - Experience): 65% of allocated score, with a minimum pass mark of 40% of the allocated score for this criterion.
• Part 5 (Technical/Professional Ability - Company Resources): 15% of allocated score, with a minimum pass mark of 40% of the allocated score for this criterion.
• Part 6 (Economic and Financial Capacity): 15% of allocated score, with a minimum pass mark of 40% of the allocated score for this criterion.
• Part 8 (Declarations): 5% of allocated score, with a minimum pass mark of 40% of the allocated score for this criterion.

The overall award will be based on a combination of quality and price, with the specific weighting to be detailed in the subsequent tender stage.

6. Submission requirements

The initial submission is a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ). Bidders must complete all parts of the PQQ, including:

• Part 1: General Information, Applicant Structure, Sub-Contracting, and Reliance on Resources.
• Part 2: Minimum Qualification Criteria and Reliance on Resources (if applicable).
• Part 3: Economic and Financial Capacity Selection Criteria and Reliance on Resources (if applicable).
• Part 4: Technical/Professional Ability Selection Criteria: Experience (and Reliance on Resources, and information on any proposed Sub-Contractors).
• Part 5: Technical/Professional Ability Selection Criteria: Company Resources (and Reliance on Resources).
• Part 6: Not specified in the provided extract, but likely relates to further technical or financial details.
• Part 8: Declarations.

Bidders must also provide:

• A copy of their current ISO 9001 Certification or equivalent international standard if they are YES to the QMS question.
• If relying on a parent company for turnover requirements, the parent company must provide details and a Declaration of Eligibility.
• Declarations referred to at Parts 2 and 8 must be duly completed and executed.

The submission must be made via the eTenders portal by the specified deadline.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract will be awarded following a two-stage process, starting with a PQQ. The duration of the contract and the specific form of contract are not specified in the PQQ documentation. Further details on contract terms, including payment, SLAs, penalties, termination, IP, sub-contracting, and guarantees, will be provided in the subsequent tender documentation issued to shortlisted bidders.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Two-Stage Process: The procurement uses a PQQ followed by a tender, meaning initial qualification is critical.
• Technical Depth: The "Rolling Stock Paint" standard (CME-TMS-309) is highly detailed, specifying numerous preparation methods, paint types, layer thicknesses, and testing standards. This indicates a need for suppliers with deep technical expertise in railway coatings.
• ISO 9001 Requirement: Mandatory ISO 9001 certification for the paint supplier is a clear gate.
• Turnover Requirement: The €400,000 annual turnover requirement, while not exceptionally high, is a standard financial gate.
• No Budget Disclosed: The estimated value is not disclosed, making it difficult to gauge the scale of the contract.
• Deadline: The submission deadline is in September 2026, which is a significant lead time from the PQQ issue date.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured to qualify specialist suppliers of rolling stock paint. A small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) could potentially bid if they possess:

• Specialised Expertise: Proven experience and technical capability in supplying paints that meet stringent railway industry standards, including fire performance (BS EN 45545-2) and durability requirements for a 30-year service life.
• ISO 9001 Certification: Current certification for their Quality Management System.
• Financial Capacity: Ability to demonstrate an average annual turnover of €400,000 over the last three years.

Consortium or sub-contracting arrangements are permitted, as indicated by the PQQ structure allowing for reliance on resources and information on proposed sub-contractors. This could enable SMEs to partner with larger firms or specialists to meet certain criteria. The bid preparation effort would be significant due to the detailed technical specifications and the need to complete the comprehensive PQQ. The PQQ process itself acts as a filter, suggesting Iarnród Éireann-Irish Rail is seeking established suppliers with a track record in this niche sector.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename: Rolling Stock Paint.pdf, 9899 PQQ.pdf
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided documents.
• Contact: Not specified for clarifications in the provided documents.
• Key Attachments:
• CME-TMS-309 –Rolling Stock Paint (Version 5)
• 9899 PQQ - Pre-Qualification Questionnaire
• Appendix 1: The Pre-Qualification Questionnaire to be Completed