Local Improvement Scheme 2026

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 procurement concerns the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) for 2026, involving road improvement works across various locations within County Louth. The contractor will be responsible for executing these works, which are intended to enhance local infrastructure. The scope encompasses the planning, execution, and completion of road reconstruction and resurfacing activities.

Key activities and deliverables include:

• Road Improvement Works: Undertaking a range of road improvement schemes. The specific locations identified for these works include:
• Oliver Clarke, Ardee, Co Louth
• Rathcor, Riverstown, Dundalk A91 Y9P1
• New Road, Bellurgan, Dundalk A91 TFC1
• Rathiddy, Knockbridge, Dundalk, Co Louth A91 YX71
• Green Road, Dromiskin, Dundalk A91 CY82 (subject to additional funding)
• Drumgoolestown, Castlebellingham, Co Louth A91 XW50
• Rockfield Cottage, Banktown A92 VY36
• Drumcashel, Castlebellingham, Co Louth A91 VY23
• Traffic Management: Implementing and managing traffic control measures to ensure the safety of workers and the public during construction. This includes the use of signage, cones, barriers, and potentially temporary diversions or stop/go systems, in accordance with Chapter 8 of the DOE Traffic Signs Manual and IAT Guidelines.
• Health and Safety Management: Adhering to all relevant health and safety legislation, including the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013. This involves developing and implementing risk assessments, method statements, and ensuring all personnel are adequately trained and equipped.
• Quality Control: Ensuring that works are carried out to specified quality standards, including material quality control for road construction.
• Environmental Considerations: Managing environmental aspects of the works, potentially including adherence to ISO 14001 standards as referenced by Louth County Council.
• Coordination: Liaising with relevant authorities, utility providers (e.g., ESB Networks), and the public to ensure smooth project execution.

The risk assessment document highlights hazards such as live traffic, overhead power lines, construction plant movements, open excavations, noise, vibration, working with materials like hot bitumen, potential dust and vapour inhalation, and underground services. Control measures include personnel training, information dissemination, managerial controls, and physical and procedural safety measures.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement relates to the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) for 2026, managed by Louth County Council. The LIS programme is a government initiative aimed at improving local and rural road infrastructure. The scheme is funded through a combination of Exchequer grants and local contributions from beneficiaries. The current procurement seeks to appoint a contractor to deliver these improvement works across identified locations within County Louth for the 2026 programme year. The identified locations suggest a focus on residential or minor rural roads requiring enhancement. The tender documents indicate that Louth County Council has a commitment to environmental management, referencing ISO 14001.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered:

• Turnover requirement:
• A minimum average annual turnover of €2,000,000 (excluding VAT) over the three previous financial years, in the area of road reconstruction/resurfacing works.
• Insurance:
• Public Liability Insurance: Minimum cover of €6,500,000 per accident. Maximum excess of €10,000 for property.
• Employer's Liability Insurance: Minimum cover of €13,000,000 per accident.
• Professional Indemnity Insurance: Minimum cover not explicitly stated but noted as proportionate to project size, with a default level of €1.5m. The maximum permissible excess is the greater of 2% of annual turnover or €5,000.
• Certifications:
• Safety Management System: Must be in accordance with ISO 45001:2018 or equivalent. Certified membership of Safe-T-Cert may be deemed equivalent.
• Environmental Management: Louth County Council references ISO 14001 in relation to Roads, Water, and County services.
• Past experience:
• A minimum of four projects each with a value in excess of €500,000 (excluding VAT).
• These projects must demonstrate experience in Road Reconstruction/Resurfacing Works, including level and material quality control.
• At least one project must have included level and material quality control.
• Experience in managing road reconstruction/resurfacing works is required, with specific personnel experience detailed below.
• Personnel:
• Management Staff: Evidence of appropriate educational/professional qualifications and experience, with Health and Safety qualifications, training, and experience relevant to the Works.
• Project Management (Road Reconstruction/Resurfacing): Minimum of 15 years post-graduation experience.
• General Management (Road Reconstruction/Resurfacing): Minimum of 12 years post-graduation experience.
• Construction Personnel (Civil Engineering Projects): Minimum of 5 years post-graduation experience, with at least one road construction project including level & material quality control.
• Construction Personnel (Road Reconstruction/Resurfacing): Minimum of 10 years post-graduation experience, with one project implemented on a single works site.
• Civil Engineering Work Projects: Minimum of 2 years experience.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award of the contract will be based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). The specific weighting between price and quality is not detailed in the provided extract. However, the evaluation process will consider:

• Technical Capability: This includes:
• Educational and Professional Qualifications (Management and Personnel)
• List of Works Carried Out (demonstrating Health and Safety aspects)
• Measures for Ensuring Quality (including safety management systems)
• Statement of Average Annual Numbers of Persons Employed (over the last 3 years)
• Health and Safety Competence: All health and safety selection criteria are pass/fail. Bidders must meet the relevant minimum standards. This includes demonstrating competence in accordance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013.
• Price: The financial offer submitted by the bidder.

Specific scoring mechanisms or minimum thresholds per criterion are not detailed in the provided text.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders are required to submit the following documentation:

• Suitability Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ): This forms the core of the submission and includes detailed responses to technical and financial capability criteria.
• Health and Safety Supplement (3.4.1 HS): A mandatory supplement detailing the applicant's health and safety competence, including:
• Educational and Professional Qualifications (Management and Personnel)
• List of Works Carried Out (over the past 5-7 years)
• Measures for Ensuring Quality (including safety management system evidence)
• Statement of Average Annual Numbers of Persons Employed (over the last 3 years)
• Appendix 1: Declaration for 3.4.1d (HS) regarding Safety Statement and compliance with regulations.
• List of Previous Works Projects (Appendix B1): A list of completed projects similar in nature and complexity to the Works, organised in order of precedence, with supporting Certificates of Satisfactory Execution (Appendix B2).
• Banker's Letter (Appendix C): Confirmation of financial standing and facilities from the bidder's principal banker.
• Letter of Undertaking re. Bond (Appendix D1/D2): Confirmation from a surety company regarding the ability to issue a performance bond.
• Curricula Vitae (CVs): For management staff and personnel, detailing relevant qualifications, experience, and roles on similar projects. Specific page limits are not stated.
• Pricing Schedule: Format and template to be provided.
• Declarations: Including ESPD (if applicable), Bona Fides, Tax Clearance, and Conflict of Interest declarations.
• Mandatory Site Visit: Not specified in the provided documents.
• Submission Portal: Submissions are to be made via eTenders. Specific formatting rules for electronic submission are not detailed.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Contract Length: Not specified.
• Extension Structure: Not specified.
• Payment Terms: Not specified, but standard prompt payment directives for public sector contracts would apply.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Not specified.
• Liquidated Damages: Not specified.
• Termination Clauses: Not specified.
• IP Ownership: Not specified.
• Sub-contracting Rules: Not specified.
• Performance Bond: A performance bond is required, with the amount to be not more than a specified percentage of the eventual contract sum or a fixed euro amount, as detailed in criterion 3.3h of the Suitability Assessment Questionnaire. A letter of undertaking from a surety company is required.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Health and Safety Focus: The tender places a significant emphasis on Health and Safety competence, with dedicated sections and mandatory pass/fail criteria. Bidders must demonstrate robust H&S management systems and personnel qualifications.
• Specific Personnel Experience: The detailed requirements for years of post-graduation experience for various roles (e.g., 15 years for project management in road reconstruction) may limit the pool of eligible candidates or require careful structuring of project teams.
• Funding Contingency: One of the listed locations (Green Road, Dromiskin) is explicitly noted as "Subject to Additional Funding Being Released," indicating potential scope reduction or cancellation for that specific site.
• Turnover vs. Project Value: While the minimum turnover is €2 million per annum, the requirement for four projects each exceeding €500,000 (totaling at least €2 million in project value) suggests a need for substantial project delivery capability, potentially aligning with the turnover requirement.
• Lack of Detailed Award Criteria: The absence of specific weighting for price vs. quality and detailed scoring mechanisms for technical criteria makes it difficult to precisely gauge the evaluation emphasis.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured to attract experienced contractors capable of managing significant road improvement projects. A small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) could potentially bid if they possess:

• Proven Track Record: Demonstrable experience in at least four road reconstruction/resurfacing projects exceeding €500,000 each, with strong evidence of quality control and health and safety management.
• Financial Stability: The €2 million average annual turnover requirement is a significant hurdle for very small businesses.
• Qualified Personnel: Access to personnel with the specified minimum years of post-graduation experience, particularly in project management and civil engineering roles related to roadworks.
• Robust H&S Systems: Certified or equivalent safety management systems (ISO 45001/Safe-T-Cert) and a strong safety culture.

Consortium/Sub-contracting: The documents do not explicitly prohibit consortia or sub-contracting. However, the turnover requirement applies to the "Applicant" or "Lead Member" of a consortium. SMEs might consider forming consortia to meet the financial and experience thresholds. Sub-contracting specific elements might be possible, but the primary contractor must meet the core eligibility criteria.

Indicative Bid-Prep Effort: Preparing a compliant bid, particularly the detailed Health and Safety supplement, past projects documentation (Appendices B1/B2), and financial information, would likely require several weeks of dedicated effort from a bid team, potentially involving 10-20 person-days of work.

Pwin Signal: The tender's emphasis on specific experience and financial thresholds suggests it may favour established contractors. The absence of an incumbent name or specific framework details means a direct Pwin assessment is difficult, but the requirements point towards firms with a solid history in civil engineering and roadworks.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename(s):
• 2026 3.4.1-HS-Works-Contractor_v3.1-25-11-2025 (1).docx
• No.1 Risk Assessment for LIS 2026.docx
• Appendix-C-Bankers-Letter (2).docx
• Appendix-B1-List-of-Previous-Works-Projects-which-is-CEE (2).docx
• Appendix-D2-QW2-Letter-of-Undertaking-re.-Bond (2).docx
• Appendix-D1-QW1-Letter-of-Undertaking-re.-Bond.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in provided documents.
• Contact / Clarification Portal: Not specified in provided documents.
• Most Important Attachments:
• 2026 3.4.1-HS-Works-Contractor_v3.1-25-11-2025 (1).docx (Health and Safety Supplement)
• Appendix-B1-List-of-Previous-Works-Projects-which-is-CEE (2).docx (Previous Projects)
• No.1 Risk Assessment for LIS 2026.docx (Risk Assessment)