Supply and delivery of Turntable Ladder Aerial Fire Appliance

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 and delivery of one Turntable Ladder Aerial Fire Appliance for Waterford Fire Service. The vehicle is required to respond to emergency incidents, facilitating the rescue of persons and the delivery of water for firefighting. The estimated maximum expenditure for this procurement is €900,000 (excluding VAT).

The core activities and specifications for the appliance include:

• Vehicle Type: One Turntable Ladder Aerial Fire Appliance.
• Functionality: To provide an adequate response to emergency incidents requiring rescue of persons and delivery of water for firefighting.
• Standards Compliance: The appliance must be built to meet the requirements of EN 14043 and EN 1846 (Firefighting and Rescue Service vehicles), where applicable. Specific compliance points include:
• Chassis manufacturer standards as defined in EN 1846-2:2009+A1:2013, Paragraph 5.
• Brakes meeting the European standard EN1846 as a minimum.
• Electrical system to be 24 V DC negative earth, complying with EN 60204-1.
• All electrical/electronic components must meet at least IP54 per EN 60529.
• Turntable ladder package requirements to EN 14043 standard.
• Safety-related parts achieving PL targets per EN 14043 Table 4.
• Consoles to have non-glare illumination per EN 14043:5.
• Stowage dimensions and rung spacing per Table 6 and Figures 16–17 EN 14043.
• Operating controls, safety stops, and fail-safe devices according to EN14043.
• Rescue cage to comply with EN 14043:5.
• Design calculations, testing, and markings to be consistent per EN 14043.
• Testing and certification according to EN795 (position and configuration to be confirmed with Waterford Fire Service).
• Operating times according to EN14043:5.
• Delivery: The appliance must be delivered to Waterford Fire Station, Kilbarry Road, Waterford, within 12 months of the order being placed.
• Ancillary Services: The successful tenderer must operate at least one workshop facility with the capacity and capability to carry out repairs and servicing to the fire appliance and its ancillary equipment. A nationwide call-out service within 24 hours in the Republic of Ireland is also required. Costs for collection and transport of fire appliances to the tenderer's workshop must be borne by the tenderer.
• Training: Two days of vehicle maintenance training are to be provided for up to two personnel.
• Charging Sockets: A minimum of two USB charging sockets are to be provided.
• Locker Construction: The floor of all lockers must be covered in aluminium plate, folded to a minimum of one inch up the sides and rear of the locker.

3. Background & buyer context

Waterford City and County Council is procuring this Turntable Ladder Aerial Fire Appliance for Waterford Fire Service. The procurement is conducted under an open procedure, aligning with EU public procurement regulations. The estimated expenditure of €900,000 (excl. VAT) suggests a significant investment in critical emergency response infrastructure. The Council's policy aims to encourage participation by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), encouraging larger enterprises to include SMEs in their proposals. This procurement addresses the need for enhanced emergency response capabilities within the Waterford region.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

To be considered for this tender, bidders must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Turnover requirement:
• Minimum average annual financial turnover (excl. VAT) of €1,000,000 for each of the last three years, or pro-rata if the firm is more recently established.
• The firm must have been in existence for at least 6 months.
• Confirmation of financial standing demonstrating the capacity to pay debts as they fall due, evidenced by the current statement of assets and liabilities.
• Insurance:
• Employer's Liability: €13,000,000
• Public Liability: €6,500,000
• Product Liability: €6,500,000
• Professional Indemnity: €1,000,000
• Policies must include Ireland within their territorial limits and jurisdiction.
• Certifications: Not explicitly stated as mandatory for submission, but compliance with specified EN and BS standards is required for the appliance itself.
• Past experience:
• Successful delivery of three (3) previous comparable contracts/experience. Details must demonstrate capability.
• Personnel: Not specified.
• Geographic / facility constraints:
• Must operate, either directly or via an agent, at least one workshop facility capable of repairs/servicing to the fire appliance and ancillary equipment.
• Must have the capability to provide a call-out service within 24 hours on a nationwide basis in the Republic of Ireland.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award criteria are not explicitly detailed with scoring percentages in the provided extract. However, the tender states that only compliant tenders meeting the selection criteria will be evaluated according to the Award Criteria at Part 3.3. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to reject tenders based on non-compliance or other factors. The contract will not necessarily be awarded to the lowest priced tender.

The tender operates under the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) principle, implying a balance between price and quality, though specific weighting is not detailed.

6. Submission requirements

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the eTenders platform (www.etenders.gov.ie).

• Method statement / response document: Tenderers must follow the format of the RFT and respond to each element in the order set out. All documentation must be in English.
• CVs: Not specified.
• Pricing schedule: Must be completed as per Appendix 2. Prices must be all-inclusive (excluding VAT), expressed in Euro, and remain valid for 12 months from the Tender Deadline.
• Case studies: Details demonstrating successful delivery of three (3) previous comparable contracts/experience.
• Declarations:
• European Single Procurement Document (eESPD) – electronic version.
• Tenderer's Statement (Appendix 3), confirming acceptance of RFT and Goods Contract terms.
• Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer (Appendix 4).
• Confirmation of tax compliance (Irish Revenue Commissioners and country of establishment).
• Confirmation of insurance coverage.
• Declaration that preparation of the tender was carried out independently.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified.
• Submission portal: www.etenders.gov.ie. File size limit per file is 250MB, with a total limit of 2GB. Tenders must be fully uploaded and submitted by clicking the "Submit" button before the deadline.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: The Goods Contract will have a term of 12 months, to be confirmed at the time of order.
• Pricing Validity: All prices quoted must remain valid for 12 months commencing from the Tender Deadline. Price adjustments are permitted only on the first anniversary of the Effective Date of the Goods Contract and subsequent anniversaries, based on a specified price index.
• Payment Terms: Payments will be made subject to and in accordance with the Goods Contract (Appendix 5). Invoices are deemed accepted if no queries are raised within 14 days.
• Termination: Either party may terminate the contract with 3 months' written notice if the contract continues for 60 calendar days without activity. Termination for breach is possible if the breach is not remedied within 30 days of written request.
• Sub-contracting: The successful tenderer must designate a single entity as the Prime Contractor, responsible for the entire contract, irrespective of tasks performed by subcontractors.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond: Not specified.
• IP Ownership: Not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Turnover Requirement: The €1 million annual turnover requirement, while standard for many public tenders, is a significant hurdle for very small businesses. It is also close to the estimated contract value of €900,000, potentially indicating a focus on established suppliers.
• Delivery Timeline: Delivery within 12 months of order placement is a firm deadline. Failure to meet this could have implications, though specific penalties are not detailed in this section.
• Standardisation: The extensive referencing of EN standards (EN 1846, EN 14043, EN 60204-1, EN 60529, EN795) indicates a highly specific technical requirement, favouring manufacturers with proven compliance.
• Foreign Subsidies Regulation: Tenderers must comply with Regulation (EU) 2022/2560 on Foreign Subsidies, requiring notification of foreign financial contributions if applicable. This adds an administrative layer for non-Irish/EU-based entities.
• Contractual Amendments: Tenderers are explicitly told they may not amend the Goods Contract terms (Appendix 5) or the Tenderer's Statement (Appendix 3).

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely best suited for established manufacturers or suppliers of specialised fire-fighting equipment with a proven track record in delivering complex vehicles to public sector bodies.

• Credible bidders: Companies with demonstrated experience in manufacturing or supplying aerial fire appliances, meeting stringent EN/BS standards, and possessing the required financial standing (€1 million annual turnover) and insurance levels. This typically points to medium to large enterprises or specialised SMEs with significant operational capacity.
• Consortium/sub-contracting: Consortiums or prime/subcontractor arrangements are permitted. SMEs may participate by forming relationships with other SMEs or larger enterprises, with the prime contractor taking overall responsibility.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Preparing a compliant bid for a specialised vehicle of this nature, including technical specifications, compliance documentation, and pricing, would likely require several weeks of dedicated effort from a team of technical, commercial, and legal personnel.
• Pwin signal: The detailed technical specifications and the €1 million turnover requirement suggest a competitive but potentially incumbent-friendly environment, depending on existing supplier relationships with Waterford Fire Service. The emphasis on specific EN standards also favours manufacturers with existing product lines that meet these criteria.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: WFS Request-for-tender Turntable Ladder For Publication.docx
• 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 5: Goods Contract