Request-for-Tenders under Open Procedure for the Supply of Service Contracts

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

The State Laboratory requires service contracts for multiple laboratory instruments across nineteen distinct categories. This procurement is structured as a single lot, with each category resulting in a separate contract. The estimated total expenditure for these services, including potential extensions, is €4,000,000 (excluding VAT). Contract lengths for each category are detailed in Appendix 1 and the Pricing Schedule.

The nineteen categories of laboratory instruments and associated services are:

• Category 1: Ventilated Balance Enclosure
• Category 2: Safety Storage Cabinets
• Category 3: Reformulyser
• Category 4: GenoGrinder
• Category 5: Fibretecs
• Category 6: MIURA
• Category 7: Microwave Asher
• Category 8: Smoking Machine
• Category 9: LCMS - Category 9
• Category 10: ICPMS
• Category 11: GCMS
• Category 12: GC
• Category 13: HPLC
• Category 14: Grinding Mills
• Category 15: Freezedrier
• Category 16: UV Spectrophotometer
• Category 17: 2DGC-TOFMS
• Category 18: Tobacco lab equipment
• Category 19: LCMS - Category 19
• Category 1: Automated SPE (Note: This appears to be a duplicate or miscategorisation, listed alongside Category 1 above).

The services encompass the provision of service contracts for these instruments. Specific details regarding the nature of the services, such as maintenance, repair, calibration, or supply of parts, are to be found within Appendix 1, which details the requirements and specifications for each category. Tenderers must provide pricing for all services in the format specified in Appendix 2, the Pricing Schedule. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to extend the term of any resulting Services Contract for up to four periods of 12 months each.

3. Background & buyer context

This Request for Tenders (RFT) is issued by the State Laboratory, the Contracting Authority. The procurement is being conducted under an open procedure, as defined by the European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulations 2016. The estimated expenditure of €4,000,000 (excl. VAT) over the potential contract term, including extensions, indicates a significant ongoing requirement for laboratory instrument servicing. The Contracting Authority aims to encourage participation from Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and encourages larger enterprises to consider how SMEs can be included in their proposals. The RFT supersedes all previous documentation and communications.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must satisfy the following criteria to be considered for evaluation:

• Turnover requirement: Combined turnover must have exceeded €50,000 per annum, averaged over the last three years (2022, 2023, 2024). Audited accounts are required unless annual turnover is less than €12 million, in which case a statement from the company's accountants suffices.
• Insurance: The successful Tenderer must hold the following insurances for the term of the Services Contract:
• Employer’s Liability: €13 Million
• Public Liability: €6.5 Million
• Product Liability: €6.5 Million
• Professional Indemnity: €1.3 Million Requests for lower indemnity limits will be considered if submitted as a query before the deadline.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: A minimum of two suitably qualified engineers must be available for the specific instrument and ancillary parts.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender, beyond the implication that services are for the State Laboratory in Ireland.

Tenderers must also declare via the eESPD that they satisfy the economic and financial standing requirements and technical and professional ability requirements. Supporting documentation must be provided upon request.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The evaluation of tenders will be conducted in accordance with the Award Criteria detailed in Part 3.3 of the RFT. While specific scoring weights are not detailed in the provided extract, the tender documents indicate that Tenderers MUST achieve a minimum of 60% in each subsection of Section A (excluding Ultimate Cost) to avoid elimination. A score of 5 represents an "Excellent response that fully meets and exceeds the minimum requirements," while a score of 3 represents a "Satisfactory response which demonstrates a reasonable understanding of minimum requirements." The overall award will likely follow a Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) approach, balancing price and quality.

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers must submit their tenders electronically via the eTenders platform. The submission must include:

• European Single Procurement Document (eESPD): Completed electronically.
• All required documentation: As specified in the RFT.
• Pricing Schedule: Completed as per Appendix 2.
• Tenderer’s Statement: Signed and returned on letterhead as per Appendix 3.
• Declaration as to Personal Circumstances: As per Appendix 4.
• Format: Tenders must be in English and compiled in formats readable by standard software (Word, Excel, PDF).
• File Size Limits: 250MB per file, 2GB total.
• Submission Portal: www.etenders.gov.ie.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified for this tender.

Tenderers are limited to submitting one tender in their own capacity and one as part of a consortium.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: Specified in Appendix 1, with the option for the Contracting Authority to extend for up to four periods of 12 months each.
• Payment terms: Subject to and made in accordance with the Services Contract at Appendix 5.
• Price validity: Quoted prices must remain valid for 12 months from the Tender Deadline.
• Currency variations: Borne by the Tenderer.
• Termination: Not explicitly detailed in the provided extract, beyond general clauses regarding breach and notice periods.
• IP ownership: Not specified for this tender.
• Sub-contracting: Permitted, with specific requirements for eESPD submission for subcontractors. If a subcontractor's value exceeds 10% of the contract value, they must also meet certain regulatory compliance checks.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond: Not specified for this tender.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Lot Structure: While presented as one lot, it comprises 19 distinct categories, each resulting in a separate contract. This requires bidders to assess their capability across potentially diverse instrument types.
• Estimated Value: The €4,000,000 estimate is for the total potential expenditure over the full term, including extensions, not an annual figure. This means the annual value per category could be significantly lower.
• Turnover Requirement: The €50,000 average annual turnover requirement is relatively low, potentially indicating a desire for broad market participation, but the scale of 19 categories might still be challenging for very small firms.
• Insurance Requirements: The insurance levels, particularly Public Liability (€6.5M) and Employer's Liability (€13M), are substantial and may be a barrier for very small or newly established businesses.
• No Lowest Price: The Contracting Authority explicitly states it does not bind itself to accept the lowest priced tender.
• SME Encouragement: While SMEs are encouraged, the breadth of 19 categories within a single lot might necessitate consortia or joint bids for many SMEs.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured to allow for participation by a range of businesses, including SMEs. The relatively low turnover requirement (€50,000 average annual) suggests that smaller, specialised firms could potentially bid, particularly if they focus on a subset of the 19 categories. However, the substantial insurance requirements (€6.5M Public Liability, €13M Employer's Liability) represent a significant hurdle for very small entities.

Consortium or subcontracting is permitted and encouraged, particularly for SMEs that may not have the capacity to cover all 19 categories or meet the insurance thresholds independently. Larger enterprises are also encouraged to include SMEs in their proposals.

The bid preparation effort is likely to be moderate to high, given the need to address 19 distinct categories, even if a bidder only targets a few. The complexity lies in understanding the specific service requirements for each instrument type and accurately pricing them.

The "Pwin" signal is mixed. The low turnover threshold suggests openness, but the broad scope and high insurance levels might favour established players or consortia. There is no clear indication of an incumbent, and the open procedure suggests a competitive process.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename: SL2026SC State Laboratory - RFT the Supply of Services.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided text.
• Contact / Clarification Portal: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.
• Key Attachments:
• Appendix 1: Requirements and Specifications
• Appendix 2: Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 3: Tenderer’s Statement