GIS Mapping Solution Framework

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

Pobal seeks to establish a single-party framework agreement for a comprehensive Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping solution. This framework will cover support, development, maintenance, and associated services for current and future requirements over a four-year period. The successful contractor will provide end-to-end GIS services encompassing infrastructure, platform support, data management, accessibility, integration, analytics, governance, and ongoing support.

The contractor's day-to-day activities will involve:

• Technical Maintenance and Upgrades: Ongoing technical maintenance, continual upgrades, and updates to the latest versions of the current Pobal Maps solution, infrastructure environments, and related services. This includes ensuring a positive user experience.
• Product and Feature Improvement: Continuous development of new features and improvements to the maps solution throughout the contract term. This includes potential migration of the solution to Azure cloud, migration of systems, services, and data management to reside on EU servers, and leveraging new future features and enhancements of the current software solution.
• AI Integration: Ensuring the platform supports the integration of AI technologies and services as approved by Pobal. Tenderers must demonstrate capability and experience in implementing AI-enabled GIS solutions.
• CRM Geodata Utilisation: Providing secure Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) capabilities to extract geographic and location-related information from transactional CRM systems (Dynamics 365). This involves creating automated workflows to transform, validate, and publish data for use within the ArcGIS platform, potentially using FME or equivalent tools, with appropriate security, governance, and access controls.
• Eircode Database Integration: Supporting the integration of Pobal's Eircode dataset with ArcGIS Desktop and necessary GIS environments, enabling authorized users to perform Eircode-based searches and lookups.
• Demographic & Deprivation Analysis: Updating Pobal HP Deprivation Index maps using data provided by Pobal (estimated 2028). This includes revising map layers, incorporating new shapefiles, modifying map slider functionality for comparability across census waves, and updating the Pobal Community Profile dashboard.
• Map Accessibility: Ensuring compliance with the EU Web Accessibility Directive, WCAG 2.1 AA, and EN 301 549 for geospatial content, web applications, dashboards, and digital outputs. This includes compatibility with assistive technologies, keyboard navigation, accessible presentation of spatial information, and support for users with visual impairments. Key map content and descriptions must be available in machine-readable formats.
• Platform Management: Installation, support, and maintenance of ESRI software, including upgrades and updates. This covers ArcGIS Enterprise, ArcGIS Server, Desktop GIS (ArcGIS Pro), and ArcGIS Online administration (users, security, content, credits, applications).
• Data Management: Development of data management, automation, and transformation solutions, including data architecture, geodatabase design, spatial data management, metadata, governance, ETL, data migration, integration with internal/external systems, automation of data processing workflows (preferably with FME or equivalent), data lifecycle management, version control, auditability, and data quality management.
• Application Development: .NET development, Angular/Bootstrap, services integration, ArcGIS API for JavaScript, performance and penetration testing, agile delivery, application of security and data protection practices (e.g., ISO 27001), and CI/CD pipelines.
• Infrastructure Support: Design and configuration of PRODUCTION and UAT environments, support and maintenance, cloud migration strategy, performance monitoring, and integration with on-premise, cloud (Azure, AWS), and Dynamics 365.
• Project Management: PRINCE2 or equivalent project management, business requirements specification, UAT support, leading user requirements workshops, and supporting senior stakeholders.
• Data Analytics & BI: Development of systems and mobile applications for data capture and analysis through custom reporting tools.
• Knowledge Transfer and Training: Facilitating knowledge transfer, skills development, collaborative working with in-house GIS resources, technical documentation, and mentoring.
• API & Integration: Development of REST API endpoints, web services, geospatial service integration, integration with internal/external business systems, and data exchange.
• Quality Assurance: Testing of GIS platforms, applications, and integrations; quality assurance and control methodologies; test planning, execution, and documentation; issue tracking, resolution, and change management; quality reviews; and data quality management.
• Security, Compliance & Governance: Operating within a secure and compliant framework aligned with GDPR, Pobal Data Governance policies, and industry standards. This includes encryption, authentication, role-based access controls, audit logging, vulnerability management, and ensuring data processing and storage occur within the EEA.
• Support: Providing an annual support agreement (SLA) for reactive and proactive support, software renewals, patching, and incident management via an electronic ticketing system. This includes advice on GIS improvements, data management, spatial analysis, tool development, visualisations, third-party data management, and specialized advice on cloud computing, AI, and emerging geospatial technologies.
• Service Continuity and Transition: Ensuring continuity of service, maintaining documentation, and facilitating an orderly transition of services to Pobal or a nominated future supplier upon expiry or termination.

3. Background & buyer context

Pobal, a registered charity, operates on behalf of the Irish Government to support communities and local agencies in achieving social inclusion and development. Formerly known as Area Development Management (ADM), Pobal was established in 1992 to manage EU grants for local development. Today, Pobal manages 42 programmes and services across social inclusion, early years, and young people, administering these on behalf of various government departments including Rural and Community Development, Children, Disability and Equality, Social Protection, Health/HSE, Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Climate, Energy and the Environment, and Transport. Pobal allocated €1.52 billion in 2025.

This procurement is driven by Pobal's need for a robust and scalable GIS mapping solution to support its diverse programme management, analysis, and decision-making activities. The current requirement is for a single-party framework agreement to ensure continuity and specialized support for their GIS infrastructure, which comprises a hybrid environment of on-premises ESRI server infrastructure integrated with cloud-hosted GIS services and third-party spatial data services. The framework is intended to cover ongoing maintenance, upgrades, and future development, including potential cloud migration and AI integration.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered eligible:

• Turnover requirement: Not specified for this tender.
• Insurance:
• Public Liability: €6.5 million per claim.
• Employer's Liability: €13 million per claim.
• Product Liability: €6.5 million per claim.
• Professional Indemnity: €1 million per claim (maintained for at least 1 year post-agreement expiry).
• Cyber Liability: €1 million per claim.
• Certifications:
• ISO 27001 is mentioned in relation to information security for software development, SaaS hosting, data analytics, and consultancy.
• Compliance with GDPR, EU Web Accessibility Directive, WCAG 2.1 AA, and EN 301 549 is mandatory.
• Demonstration of operation of Health & Safety systems and procedures in line with relevant legislation is required.
• Confirmation of compliance with all relevant environmental legislation is required.
• Past experience: Tenderers must demonstrate successful delivery of three (3) comparable GIS projects/contracts completed within the previous five years.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender, beyond the requirement to provide CVs for proposed team members.
• Geographic / facility constraints: All processing, storage, and access to personal data must occur within the European Economic Area (EEA).

5. Award criteria & scoring

The award criteria are not explicitly detailed with scoring percentages in the provided extract. However, the tender specifies a "lowest cost tender that also meets all the minimum requirements of the qualitative award criteria." This indicates a price-driven award, contingent on meeting qualitative standards. The following qualitative aspects are implied as critical for evaluation:

Criterion Weighting Sub-criteria