Multi-Party Framework for Consultancy Services for Flood Risk Assessments

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 to establish a multi-party framework agreement for the provision of consultancy services related to Strategic Flood Risk Assessments (SFRAs). The framework will be established with five economic operators. An initial contract will be awarded to one successful tenderer shortly after the framework's establishment. This initial contract involves undertaking an SFRA at an appropriate scale to inform proposed Variation No. 4 to the Limerick Development Plan 2022-2028.

The scope of services under the initial contract includes:

• SFRA Preparation: Undertaking Strategic Flood Risk Assessments for up to 8 Local Area Plan (LAP) settlements that will be incorporated into the Limerick Development Plan. Seven of these LAPs have live plans, while one (Aeskeaton) has an expired plan.
• Reporting: Producing short written overviews (3-5 pages) for settlements that were LAPs and not previously included in the Development Plan, including settlement-specific objectives, zoning, and flood maps. This is to align with the format of Volume 2b of the existing Limerick Development Plan 2022-2028.
• Zoning Assessment: Assessing proposed zoning for new residential development, expecting circa 2-3 sites per LAP settlement to be zoned for new residential use not currently zoned for that purpose, and potentially for any use.
• Lower Tier Settlements: Including 5-10 sites in lower tier settlements for new residential development, which are not currently zoned for that use or any use.
• Legislative Compliance: Ensuring all SFRA preparation is informed by and consistent with European, national, and regional legislation, policy, and guidance, including:
• The Planning System and Flood Risk Management – Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DEHLG / OPW, 2009)
• Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended)
• Planning and Development Act 2024 (as amended)
• EU Floods Directive (2007/60/EC)
• Assessment and Management of Flood Risks Regulations 2010 (S.I. No. 122 of 2010)
• CFRAM Studies and OPW flood risk mapping datasets
• Office of the Planning Regulator guidance
• National Planning Framework (First Revision) & NPO78
• Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Southern Region
• Limerick Development Plan 2022–2028 (as varied)
• Relevant adopted Local Area Plans.
• Deliverables:
• Strategic Flood Risk Assessment reports suitable for statutory publication.
• GIS-based flood risk mapping and associated spatial datasets.
• Assessment of flood risk from fluvial, pluvial, coastal, climate, and groundwater flooding.
• Application of the sequential approach and justification test where required.
• Identification of appropriate mitigation measures and flood risk management responses.
• Review and reporting on public consultation submissions relating to flood risk.
• Updated and final SFRAs to accompany Development Plan variation adoption.
• Additional Contracts: The framework will also be used for future SFRAs for planned variations to the Limerick Development Plan 2022-2028 and for SFRA or reporting required for the extension of this plan.
• Contract Management: Nominate a dedicated contract manager responsible for the working relationship, performance reporting, and proactive suggestions for improvement. Contract management activities are non-billable.

3. Background & buyer context

Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) is procuring these consultancy services to support its planning functions. LCCC was formed on 1st June 2014 through the merger of Limerick City Council and Limerick County Council. The council operates across six electoral areas and has 40 elected members. This procurement aligns with the need to update the Limerick Development Plan 2022-2028 through Variation No. 4, which involves incorporating existing Local Area Plans. The direct election of a Mayor in 2024 signifies a new governance structure for Limerick. The services are required to ensure flood risk is adequately assessed and managed as part of the statutory planning process.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered eligible. These are assessed on a pass/fail basis.

• Turnover requirement: Confirmation that the tendering party's average annual turnover exceeded €1,000,000 during each of the last three years, or pro-rata if the firm is more recently established.
• Insurance:
• Employers Liability: €13,000,000
• Public Liability: €6,500,000
• Professional Indemnity: €1,000,000
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Tenderers must nominate reference contracts for inclusion in the assessment. The Tender Response Document (TRD) will specify the number of reference contracts required. If more are provided than required, only the first listed will be considered. At least one reference must include relevant experience.
• Personnel: Tenderers must demonstrate access to at least the minimum numbers of skilled personnel stated in the Tender Response Document. Specific roles and minimum experience levels are not detailed in the provided extract.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

Tenderers may rely on the resources of other entities to meet these criteria, provided they can prove these resources will be at their disposal. If a tenderer relies on other entities, all relevant information must be provided for each party.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award criteria are not explicitly detailed with scoring percentages in the provided extract. However, the tender states that the framework agreement will be established based on the "lowest cost tender that also meets all the minimum requirements of the qualitative award." This indicates that while quality is a prerequisite (meeting minimum requirements), cost will be the primary determinant for selection within the qualified pool. For call-off contracts awarded via mini-competitions, a Supplementary Request for Tender will be issued detailing specific award criteria.

The overall award methodology for the framework appears to be a combination of meeting minimum qualitative requirements and then selecting based on the lowest cost.

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers must submit their responses using the provided Tender Response Document (TRD) and must not personalise it with their branding. The response should be uploaded as a Zip file to eTenders.

• Method statement / response document: The Tender Response Document (TRD) must be used. Personalisation is not allowed.
• CVs: Not explicitly mentioned, but personnel details are required.
• Pricing schedule: A separate pricing document may be provided and must be used.
• Case studies: Tenderers must nominate reference contracts for assessment. The TRD will specify the number required.
• Declarations:
• Declaration of Bona Fides (Art. 57 of Directive 2014/24/EU).
• Declaration regarding compliance with relevant statutory obligations.
• European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) - electronic or separate attachment.
• Declaration regarding the International Procurement Instrument (2022/1031) and Article 5K of Regulation 2022/576.
• Mandatory site visit: Not applicable.
• Submission portal: Via www.etenders.gov.ie only. Tenderers must associate their company with the competition on eTenders.

7. Key dates & process

These dates are estimates and cannot be guaranteed.

8. Contract terms that matter

• Framework Duration: Maximum of four years. Contracts awarded under the framework may extend beyond its expiry date.
• Payment Terms: Not specified in the provided extract.
• SLAs/KPIs: Not specified, but contract management will involve adherence to an agreed Service Level Agreement and Key Performance Indicators.
• Liquidated Damages: Not specified.
• Termination: The Contracting Authority may terminate the appointment of a Framework Member for material breach, failure to perform obligations, or if the member enters into insolvency proceedings.
• IP Ownership: Not specified.
• Sub-contracting: Tenderers may rely on the resources of other entities. If successful, the Contracting Authority may require formal arrangements supporting collateral warranties for group members' performance.
• Parent-Company Guarantee/Bond: Not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Low Estimated Value: The estimated maximum spend under the framework is €221,000 excluding VAT over four years. The initial call-off contract is estimated between €25,000 to €50,000. This low value for a four-year framework might suggest limited guaranteed work or a reliance on future variations.
• Mini-Competition Threshold: Contracts over €25,000 will be awarded via mini-competition among framework members. Contracts under €25,000 will use a cascade method, awarding to the first-ranked firm unless they are unavailable. This structure could lead to uneven distribution of work.
• No Guaranteed Expenditure: The €221,000 framework value is explicitly stated as indicative, with no guaranteed expenditure.
• Tight Award Timeline: The award decision is scheduled for 07 September 2026, only three days after the tender submission deadline, suggesting a highly efficient or pre-determined evaluation process.
• Multi-Party Framework: The establishment of a multi-party framework with five operators means competition will continue for call-off contracts.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured as a multi-party framework for consultancy services.

• Who can credibly bid: The tender is open to firms with demonstrated expertise in Strategic Flood Risk Assessments, environmental consulting, and planning policy. The turnover requirement of €1,000,000 average annual turnover over three years suggests that very small, newly established consultancies might struggle to meet this threshold independently. However, SMEs are explicitly encouraged to form relationships or consortia to meet capacity requirements.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: Consortiums, joint ventures, and sub-contracting are permitted. Tenderers can rely on the resources of other entities to meet selection criteria and deliver contract requirements. A lead tenderer will be designated to manage communications and contractual arrangements.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Preparing a compliant bid will require significant effort, including completing the TRD, gathering financial and insurance documentation, detailing past experience with reference contracts, and preparing declarations. This could represent 5-10 days of work for a dedicated team, depending on the firm's existing documentation.
• Pwin signal: The tender is an open procedure, but the framework is capped at five operators. The award for the framework is based on meeting minimum qualitative requirements and then selecting the lowest cost. The initial contract value is relatively low (€25k-€50k), and the overall framework value is modest (€221k). This suggests it may not be a high-priority, high-value contract for large incumbent firms, potentially creating opportunities for smaller, specialised consultancies, especially if they can form consortia.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: 4A Request for Tender Multi-Party Framework Open Procedure SFRA.pdf
• eTenders CFT ID: 8799735
• Contact for Queries: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie
• Most Important Attachments:
• Framework Agreement Terms and Conditions (Appendix 1)
• Tender Response Document (TRD)