Supply of Various Steel Sections and Plates

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1. At a glance

Buyer Title CPV / category Estimated value Per-year Procedure type Lots Location Contract length Submission deadline Go-live / start |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| Iarnród Éireann-Irish Rail Supply of Various Steel Sections and Plates Not specified €2,000,000 Not stated Qualification System Not specified Ireland 8 years 2026-10-21T11:00:00+00:00 Not stated

2. Scope of Work

Iarnród Éireann-Irish Rail (IE) is establishing a qualification system for the supply and delivery of various steel sections and plates. This qualification system is intended to be valid for a period of 8 years, with new applicants able to apply for inclusion at any stage during its life. The specific requirements for the supply and delivery of steel sections and plates will be detailed at the Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage, following pre-qualification.

The scope of work for pre-qualified applicants will involve responding to future tenders for the supply and delivery of steel sections and plates. While the exact nature and volume of these supplies are not defined at this PQQ stage, the context of IE's operations in the transport sector suggests requirements for infrastructure maintenance, renewal, or new construction projects.

Key activities and considerations for potential applicants at this PQQ stage include:

• Demonstrating Financial Resources: Applicants must meet a minimum annual turnover requirement.
• Providing Relevant Experience: A minimum of three relevant contracts for the supply of structural steel within the last five years must be demonstrated. This includes providing details such as dates, quantities/values, locations, and client contact names.
• Submitting Material Test Certificates: Sample EN 10204 3.1 Material Test Certificates are required for the referenced contracts.
• Detailing Quality Management Systems: Applicants must describe their Quality Management Processes and Procedures, specifically addressing how steel sections are managed through their stocking system.
• Documenting Environmental Management: Certification to ISO 14001 or equivalent is required. If not certified, applicants must detail internal documented environmental control practices, including policy, operating procedures, pollution prevention, and monitoring.
• Outlining Energy Management and CSR: Applicants must provide details on their organisation’s sustainability strategy, energy reduction/efficiency measures, and documented approach to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), including ethical sourcing, human rights, labour practices, and community engagement.
• Identifying Personnel and Resources: Information on staff, plant, and equipment utilised in the delivery of contracts is required.
• Specifying Sub-Contractor Use: If sub-contractors are proposed, their details and roles must be clearly identified. Reliance on sub-contractor resources for selection criteria must be explicitly stated and supported.

The exact requirements for the supply and delivery of steel sections and plates will be detailed in the ITT documentation issued to shortlisted applicants.

3. Background & buyer context

Iarnród Éireann-Irish Rail (IE) is the contracting authority for this procurement. IE is a designated activity company, limited by shares, operating within the transport sector. Its procurement procedures are governed by the Utilities Directive (2014/25/EU) and the implementing Irish national legislation, the European Union (Award of Contracts by Utility Undertakings) Regulations 2016. This procurement process is designed to establish a qualification system for the supply and delivery of various steel sections and plates, which will be valid for eight years. This long-term qualification system indicates a strategic need for a consistent and reliable supply chain for steel products to support IE's ongoing operational and infrastructure requirements. The establishment of a qualification system allows IE to pre-vet suppliers, ensuring they meet specific standards before being invited to tender for specific contracts over the system's duration.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

To be considered for this qualification system, applicants must meet the following minimum qualification criteria:

• Turnover requirement: A minimum average annual turnover of €500,000 per annum for three of the previous four audited financial year ends. This requirement can be met by a parent company or consortium members, provided specific declarations and evidence are supplied.
• Insurance: Not specified for this tender at the PQQ stage. Insurance requirements will be detailed in the ITT.
• Certifications:
• Environmental Management System: Certification to ISO 14001 or an equivalent internationally recognised standard is required. If not certified, applicants must detail internal documented environmental control practices.
• Quality Management System: Applicants must provide details of their Quality Management Processes and Procedures, demonstrating how steel sections are processed through their stocking system.
• Past experience: Applicants must provide three examples of contracts completed within the past five years for the supply of structural steel. These examples must include dates, quantities/values, locations, and client contact names. Sample EN 10204 3.1 Material Test Certificates for these contracts are also required.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender at the PQQ stage.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender at the PQQ stage.

5. Award criteria & scoring

This tender is for a qualification system, and therefore, the award criteria are focused on pre-qualification rather than a direct contract award at this stage. The evaluation of submissions will be based on meeting specific selection criteria, with a weighting applied to certain elements.

Criteria Weighting Minimum Rule Max Score Min Score |---|---|---|---|---| Financial Resources Pass/Fail A minimum annual turnover of €500k per annum for the last three audited financial year ends. Pass Pass Declaration of Eligibility Pass/Fail A Declaration of Eligibility must be signed by a company director. Pass Pass Relevant Experience of Applicant 70% Applicants must provide 3 examples of contracts completed that demonstrate their experience in the supply of structural steel over the past 5 years providing dates, quantities/values, locations and contact names. Please provide sample EN 10204 3.1 Material Test Certificates for the references provided. 7000 2800 Quality Management Systems 30% Applicants are required to provide details of their Quality Management Processes and Procedures in particular demonstrating how steel sections are processed through their stocking system. 3000 1200 Environmental Management Systems Pass/Fail Applicants are required to be certified to an internationally recognized and externally audited Environmental Management System relevant to this supply requirement, i.e., ISO 14001. If no certification is in place, provide details on internal documented environmental control practices, including but not limited to environmental policy, operating procedures, pollution prevention measures and environmental monitoring. Pass Pass Energy Management Pass/Fail Applicants must provide details of their organisation’s sustainability strategy and the steps taken to embed this in everyday delivery of service relating to energy reduction and energy efficiency. Pass Pass Corporate Social Responsibility Pass/Fail Tenderers are required to provide details on your company’s documented approach to Sustainability in terms of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), including ethical & responsible sourcing, human rights, fair operating & labour practices and social inclusion & community engagement. Pass Pass

The minimum qualification criteria are assessed on a Pass/Fail basis. For criteria with a weighting, a minimum score is required to pass. The "Relevant Experience" criterion carries a 70% weighting, and "Quality Management Systems" carries a 30% weighting.

6. Submission requirements

Applicants must complete and submit the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) via the e-tenders portal. The submission must include:

• Completed Questionnaire: All parts of Appendix 1, the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire, must be completed. This includes:
• Part 1: Applicant Details and General Information
• Part 2: Information/Declaration re Minimum Qualification Criteria
• Part 3: Technical/Professional Ability: Relevant Experience
• Part 4: Company Technical Resources
• Part 5: Quality Management Systems
• Part 6: Environmental Management System
• Part 7: Energy Management + Corporate Social Responsibility
• Part 8: Declaration of Eligibility
• Appendices:
• Appendix 2: Consortium Requirements (where applicable)
• Appendix 3: Sub-Contractors (where applicable)
• Appendix 4: Applicant’s Statement of Confirmation enclosing completed PQQ
• Supporting Documentation: This includes details of staff, plant, and equipment, and any sub-contractor resources. Sample EN 10204 3.1 Material Test Certificates for referenced contracts.
• Declarations: Declaration of Eligibility (Part 9 of Questionnaire) must be completed by the Applicant, all Consortium members, and all proposed Sub-Contractors.
• Format: All electronic copies must be in PDF portable document format.
• Submission Portal: Submissions must be made via the e-tenders portal only.
• Mandatory Site Visit: Not specified for this PQQ stage.
• Pricing Schedule: Not applicable at this PQQ stage.

7. Key dates & process

The PQQ is valid for 8 years, and new applicants can apply for inclusion throughout this period. The initial return date for completed PQQs is 21st October 2026.

8. Contract terms that matter

This procurement establishes a qualification system valid for 8 years. The actual contract terms, including duration, payment schedules, SLAs/KPIs, liquidated damages, termination clauses, IP ownership, sub-contracting rules, and performance bonds, will be detailed in the Invitation to Tender (ITT) documentation issued to shortlisted applicants. Applicants should note that the contract does not permit the entire obligations of the contractor to be sub-contracted, and any sub-contracting is at IE's sole discretion and may require consent. Shortlisted tenderers will be required to possess and produce a Tax Clearance Certificate from the Revenue Commissioners of Ireland at the time of contract award.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The most significant unusual aspect of this tender is its structure as a qualification system with an 8-year validity period. This means that pre-qualified suppliers are not awarded a specific contract but are placed on a list from which IE will draw for future tenders over an extended timeframe. This long duration may require suppliers to maintain their qualification status and be prepared for potential tenders at any point within those eight years. The absence of specific value or volume for the future contracts at this stage means applicants must assess their capacity and willingness to engage in potentially varied future requirements. The PQQ itself does not specify insurance requirements, which will be a critical element to be addressed at the ITT stage.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured as a qualification system for the supply of steel sections and plates, open to a range of economic operators.

• Who can credibly bid: Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with a demonstrated track record in supplying structural steel, robust quality and environmental management systems (ISO 14001 certification is a significant advantage), and the financial capacity to meet the €500,000 annual turnover requirement are well-suited. Companies that can provide strong references for past structural steel supply contracts and possess the necessary material certifications (EN 10204 3.1) are likely to be competitive.
• Consortium or sub-contracting: Consortiums and sub-contracting are explicitly permitted. This allows smaller firms to pool resources and expertise to meet the qualification criteria, particularly for the turnover and experience requirements. A prime contractor can also rely on sub-contractor resources to meet selection criteria.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Preparing a comprehensive PQQ submission, including detailing experience, quality and environmental systems, and financial information, could require 5-10 working days for a focused team. This effort would be higher if significant reliance on third-party resources (consortium members or sub-contractors) is necessary, as their documentation and declarations must also be coordinated.
• Pwin signal: The 8-year validity of the qualification system suggests IE is seeking long-term supply relationships. The absence of specific contract values or volumes at this stage means the "win" is entry onto the qualified list, not a guaranteed contract. The PQQ does not explicitly favour incumbent suppliers, but strong, verifiable experience in structural steel supply is a key criterion.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: [9967 PQQ.docx]
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified in the provided text.
• Contact email or clarification portal: Queries should be submitted via the e-tenders portal.
• Most important attachments:
• Appendix 1: The Pre-Qualification Questionnaire to be Completed
• Appendix 2: Requirements Concerning Consortium/Groups
• Appendix 3: Requirements Concerning Sub-Contractors