Provision of Contracted training courses to Kerry College Monavalley Campus QQI Level 5 Certificate in Early Learning and Care Programme

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1. At a glance

2. Scope of Work

This procurement seeks contracted training services for the QQI Level 5 Certificate in Early Learning and Care Programme (5M21473) at Kerry College, Monavalley Campus. The contract is for the provision of a single course, with the potential for up to two additional cohorts under the same terms and pricing structure, subject to budget, learner demand, and operational requirements. The initial delivery location is Ardfert Community Centre V92 H0FE.

The scope of work includes:

• Programme Delivery: Delivering the QQI Level 5 Certificate in Early Learning and Care Programme.
• Curriculum Coverage: Covering 8 units of comparable content areas.
• Directed Hours: A minimum of 500 directed (classroom/face-to-face) hours across the programme modules.
• Professional Practice Placement: Learners must complete 150 hours of professional practice placement per stage in a minimum of two Early Learning and Care (ELC) settings. This includes:
• Working directly with children aged between 0 and 2 years 8 months.
• Working with children aged between 2 years 8 months and six years, with an appropriate balance between settings.
• A minimum of 50 hours must be completed with each age cohort.
• Alternative Placement Requirements: Where the workplace focus is greater, 375 work placement hours are required, with a minimum of 75 practice hours with each of three different age ranges:
• From 0-1 year, 11 months.
• 2 years to 4 years, 11 months.
• 5 years to 7 years, 11 months.
• Module Delivery: Modules may be scheduled in semesters (14-16 weeks) or throughout the programme duration (28-48 weeks full-time, 56-96 weeks part-time).
• Learner Achievement: A cumulative total mark of a minimum of 50% per module is required for learner success.
• Account Management: Nominate a dedicated Account Manager responsible for the contract's overall working relationship, performance review, dispute resolution, feedback, and efficiency improvements. Account management activities are non-billable.
• Reporting: Submit invoices on a monthly basis for all costs due.
• Quality Assurance: Implement and demonstrate a commitment to quality assurance policies and systems.
• Health & Safety: Operate health & safety systems and procedures in line with relevant legislation.

3. Background & buyer context

Kerry Education and Training Board (Kerry ETB) is one of 16 ETBs established under the Education and Training Boards Act 2013. ETBs provide a comprehensive range of quality education and training programmes to meet community needs, including Further Education and Training. Kerry ETB integrated the training function formerly provided by FÁS on January 1st, 2014. Its mission is to promote lifelong learning in Kerry, providing access to education and training for all ages. Kerry ETB operates across approximately 38 locations in Co. Kerry and other community locations, serving approximately 2,900 primary/post-primary students and 14,000 further education and training beneficiaries annually. This procurement is part of Kerry ETB's strategy to meet evolving Further Education and Training Service Plan goals through outsourced provision. The contract is being procured via an Open Procedure.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following criteria to be eligible for evaluation:

• Turnover requirement: Not specified for this tender.
• Insurance:
• Employers Liability: €12.7m for any one claim or series of claims arising out of a single occurrence. (Not required if the third party is self-employed).
• Public Liability: €6.5m for any one claim or series of claims arising out of a single occurrence. (May be provided as part of a combined public liability/product liability policy).
• Professional Indemnity: €1m for any one claim or series of claims arising out of a single occurrence.
• Tenderers must confirm that if awarded, they will obtain and hold these insurances, with territorial limits including Ireland, and be unaware of any exclusions that could materially impact coverage. Evidence will be requested from the successful tenderer prior to award.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience:
• Demonstrate successful delivery of three (3) previous comparable training projects.
• Provide a list of existing clients where services of the same type have been provided within the last 12 months, with contact details from two clients for reference checks.
• Demonstrate previous experience of one course development and provide examples of past courses.
• Demonstrate operation of Health & Safety systems and procedures in line with relevant legislation.
• Demonstrate a commitment to quality assurance, providing details of policies and systems, and whether externally certified.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Initial delivery is required at Ardfert Community Centre V92 H0FE.

Tenderers must provide evidence of self-declared information within seven (7) calendar days of request, made prior to any award decision. Failure to provide evidence will result in elimination.

5. Award criteria & scoring

Tenders meeting the selection criteria will be evaluated against the following award criteria, based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT):

Note: Tenderers must achieve a minimum rating of 50% for each qualitative criterion (B to D) to avoid elimination. Qualitative criteria use a baseline scoring system from Outstanding (90-100%) to Poor (1-24%). The cost criterion is calculated using a formula based on the lowest bona fide tender.

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers must submit their response electronically via the eTenders postbox facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.

• Format: Tenders must follow the format of the tender document and respond to each element in order. Responses should ideally be a SINGLE UPLOADED FILE, clearly labelled, page numbered, and indexed.
• File Size Limits: A maximum of 250MB per single file, with a total limit of 2GB for all documentation.
• Submission Process: Tenderers must ensure they follow the steps on the eTenders platform, including clicking the "Submit" button. The entire tender must be re-submitted if modifications are needed before the deadline.
• Pricing Schedule: Complete the separate Pricing Schedule document. Prices must be all-inclusive, in Euro, and exclusive of VAT. VAT rate should be indicated separately. Prices must remain valid for 12 months from the tender deadline.
• Declarations: Complete and sign the Declaration of Bona Fides.
• Evidence: Provide evidence of self-declared information within seven (7) calendar days of request, prior to award.
• Language: Tenders must be submitted in English.
• Queries: All queries must be submitted through the messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie by the clarification deadline.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: 24 months or until the course is completed. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to extend the term for up to [insert relevant period] with a maximum of [insert number] extensions, subject to performance, business needs, budget, and legal obligations.
• Payment: Invoices to be submitted monthly for costs incurred in the preceding month. All invoices must quote a Contracting Authority purchase order number.
• Service Levels/KPIs: Set out in the Course outline & specifications, Operational Guidelines Document, and Service Contract. Precise KPIs will be agreed with contract members.
• Liquidated Damages: Not specified for this tender.
• Termination: Tenderers must fulfil obligations regardless of changes in EU/national circulars, laws, regulations, taxation, or duties. Specific termination clauses are detailed in Appendix 2.
• IP Ownership: Not specified for this tender.
• Sub-contracting: Permitted, with reliance on other entities' resources allowed if demonstrable.
• Guarantees/Bonds: Not specified for this tender.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Indicative Budget vs. Contract Length: The indicative budget of €210,000 over a 24-month term suggests a potential constraint on the scale or number of cohorts that can be commissioned, despite the provision for additional cohorts.
• Conditional Contract Award: The contract award is conditional upon the minimum required number of learners being enrolled, and subject to budget approval.
• Potential for Additional Cohorts: While the contract is for a single course, the possibility of commissioning up to two additional cohorts exists. The successful tenderer may be requested to deliver these under the same terms, but there is no commitment.
• No Contract Amendments: Tenderers may not amend the Contract Terms and Conditions as contained in Appendix 2.
• Evidence Submission Timeline: A strict seven-day deadline for providing evidence of self-declared information prior to award is a critical risk for bidders.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is open to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and larger enterprises. SMEs are encouraged to form relationships or consortia to meet capacity requirements.

• Credible Bidders: Viable bidders will likely be training providers with established experience in delivering QQI Level 5 programmes, specifically in Early Learning and Care. They will need to demonstrate a strong track record in course development, professional practice placement management, and have qualified tutors. The insurance requirements (€12.7m EL, €6.5m PL, €1m PI) are significant and may necessitate careful consideration for smaller entities.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: Consortiums and joint ventures are permitted. Tenderers may rely on the resources of other entities to meet qualification criteria, provided they can prove these resources will be at their disposal.
• Indicative Bid-Prep Effort: Bid preparation will likely require significant effort, estimated at 10-15 days, to compile detailed responses for technical capacity, past experience, tutor qualifications, and the environmental/CSR sections, alongside the pricing schedule and mandatory declarations.
• Pwin Signal: The tender is an open procedure, suggesting it is not exclusively for an incumbent. However, the requirement for three comparable training projects and evidence of recent client supply indicates a need for proven capability. The MEAT award structure, with 60% weighting on cost, favours competitive pricing.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename: Call For tender CT Early Learning.pdf
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided text.
• Contact: All queries via the messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.
• Key Attachments:
• Appendix 2 (Requirements and Specification)
• Pricing Schedule (Separate Document)
• Appendix 3 (Service Contract)