Provision of FEA and CFD Analysis Software

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 provision of engineering simulation software packages, associated licenses, customer support, maintenance, software release updates, and training. The scope encompasses Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software, along with other numerical modelling and engineering analysis tools.

The contractor will be required to supply:

• Software Packages and Licenses: Specifically, the supplier MUST offer the following ANSYS software packages and licenses:
• ANSYS Mechanical Enterprise
• ANSYS Mechanical Premium
• ANSYS CFD Premium
• ANSYS HPC Pack
• ANSYS Geometry Interface for Solidworks
• ANSYS Academic Teaching packages Suppliers SHOULD also offer all software products listed in the Pricing Schedule (Appendix 5). This includes various Ansys System Architecture Modeler Pro and Enterprise licenses (10, 50, 250 users), Ansys Digital Safety Manager (10, 50, 250 users), and Ansys Academic Research and Teaching System Architecture Modeler packages (5, 25, 50, 100 users). The pricing schedule details options for Software Purchase Fee, Annual Maintenance Fee, 2 Month Lease Fee, 9 Month Lease Fee, and Annual Lease Fee.
• Customer Support, Maintenance, and Updates: The supplier MUST offer ongoing customer support, corrective and adaptive maintenance for all supplied software packages and licenses. This includes providing the latest software releases as they become available.
• Training: The supplier MUST offer training for all supplied software packages and licenses. This training must be conducted at a dedicated and suitably equipped training facility located in the Republic of Ireland, capable of catering to at least 6 people.

The university anticipates graduating over 6,000 students annually, indicating a significant potential user base for the software.

3. Background & buyer context

South East Technological University (SETU) was established on 1st May 2022, making it the newest university in Ireland. It operates across multiple regions with campuses in Carlow, Waterford, Wexford, and Wicklow, serving over 18,000 learners and 2,000 staff. SETU is positioned as a leader and centre for knowledge, research, and innovation within its region, aiming to drive social inclusion, social justice, and technological, cultural, and artistic activity. The procurement aligns with SETU's strategic objective to support its educational and research functions through the provision of essential engineering simulation tools. The context of a rapidly growing region with a diversifying economy and changing socio-cultural landscape underscores the university's role in equipping future generations.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered:

• Turnover requirement: Tenderers must demonstrate a minimum average annual turnover of €350,000 (ex VAT) in each of the three most recent financial years. Alternative documentation may be accepted if the preferred bidder cannot provide standard proof for a valid reason.
• Insurance: The successful tenderer must hold the following minimum insurance levels for the contract term:
• Employer's Liability: €13 million per accident
• Product/Public Liability: €6.4 million
• Professional Indemnity: €1 million per claim or series of claims arising from a single occurrence, per insurance year (excluding defence costs).
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Not specified as a distinct criterion, but implied through the requirement to provide details of previous relevant contracts in Appendix 4.
• Personnel: Not specified as a distinct criterion.
• Geographic / facility constraints: The supplier MUST have a suitably equipped and dedicated training facility located in the Republic of Ireland, capable of catering to at least 6 people.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The evaluation of tenders will be based on a combination of cost and quality. The weighting is as follows:

Scoring: Responses will be scored on a scale from 0% to 100% for each criterion, with specific qualitative descriptions for score ranges (e.g., 91%-100% for "excellent").

Minimum Thresholds: Tenderers must achieve 40% of the points in each of the Proposed Solution items (A, B, and C) to avoid exclusion. Failure to offer all mandatory software packages and licenses (Requirement A1) will result in 0 points for Proposed Solution Item A and exclusion from the tender process.

Cost Assessment: The lowest eligible tender will receive the maximum marks for Ultimate Cost.

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers must submit the following:

• Response to Qualification Criteria: As detailed in Section B of the tender document.
• Form of Tender: Completed and signed (Appendix 2).
• Declarations: Completed and signed Declaration of Bona Fides (Appendix 3) and Certificate relating to Bona Fide Tender (Appendix 4).
• Company Information: Completed sections on Company Information, Economic & Financial Standing, Insurances, and Previous Relevant Contracts (Appendix 5).
• Pricing Schedule: Completed electronic version of the pricing schedule (Appendix 1). Failure to return this may result in an invalid submission.
• Other Responses: All other information required by the tender document.
• Submission Method: Electronically via the eTenders platform (www.etenders.gov.ie).
• Mandatory Site Visit: Not specified.
• Tender Validity: 120 days from the closing date for tender receipt.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Contract Length: Not specified.
• Extension Structure: Not specified.
• Payment Terms: In accordance with Late Payment in Commercial Transactions Regulations (2002), with SETU aiming to reduce payment periods to 15 calendar days from receipt of a valid invoice.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Not specified.
• Liquidated Damages: Not specified.
• Termination Clauses: The client may terminate the contract if the service provider offers inducements or rewards related to the contract, or if similar acts are done by employees or agents.
• IP Ownership: Not specified.
• Sub-contracting Rules: Tenderers must confirm they have procedures to ensure subcontractors apply the same standards. The client reserves the right to disqualify tenderers who change composition after submission.
• Guarantees/Bonds: Not specified.
• Price Firmness: Prices must be held firm for the duration of the contract. No price increases will be accepted.
• Standstill Period: A minimum 14-day standstill period applies post-notification of award results before a contract can be executed.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Mandatory Software Offering: The requirement to offer specific ANSYS software packages (Requirement A1) is a significant constraint. Bidders must be able to supply these exact items.
• Training Facility Location: The mandatory requirement for a training facility located within the Republic of Ireland limits the potential supplier pool.
• Price Firmness: The stipulation that prices must be held firm for the contract duration, with no increases accepted, presents a pricing risk for suppliers, especially if the contract term is lengthy.
• Turnover Requirement: The €350,000 annual turnover requirement, while not excessively high, is a standard gate. The flexibility for "other suitable alternative documentation" for economic and financial capacity could be a point of negotiation or clarification.
• No Explicit Contract Length: The absence of a defined contract length means bidders must price for an unknown duration, potentially impacting their financial projections.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is likely accessible to small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that specialise in the distribution and support of engineering simulation software, particularly ANSYS products.

• Credible Bidders: A viable bidder would be an established reseller or partner of ANSYS, possessing the necessary technical expertise for support and training. They must meet the €350,000 annual turnover threshold and have the required insurance levels. The key differentiator will be their ability to provide the mandatory ANSYS software suite and a compliant training facility in Ireland.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: The tender document does not explicitly prohibit consortia or sub-contracting. However, the mandatory software and training facility requirements might make this complex. Tenderers must declare any subcontractors.
• Bid-Prep Effort: Estimating bid-prep effort is challenging without knowing the complexity of the pricing schedule and the depth of the proposed solution response required. However, for a specialist software tender, it could range from 10-20 days for a dedicated team, including technical and commercial input.
• Pwin Signal: The tender is open to competition, but the specific software and training location requirements may favour incumbent suppliers or those with established Irish operations and ANSYS partnerships. The award criteria heavily favour cost (50%), suggesting competitive pricing will be critical.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename: FEACFD202605.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided text.
• Contact for Queries: Via the messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie
• Key Attachments:
• Appendix 1: Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 2: Form of Tender
• Section B: Qualification Criteria
• Section C: Award Criteria and Tender Dates
• Section E: Specifications/Scope of Requirements