Pension Consultancy, Administration and Actuarial Services

EirGrid plc

The objective of this Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) process is to produce a short-list of suitably qualified companies who will be invited to tender for the provision of Pension Consultancy, Administration and Actuarial Services as required for EirGrid Group and the Trustees of the Pension Schemes and Funds sponsored by EirGrid group companies. Specifically EirGrid plc is the sponsor of the 2 general staff schemes in Ireland: the EirGrid Designated Staff scheme and the EirGrid Model scheme both of which use a single fund. This combination of schemes and fund is known as ‘The EirGrid Pension Fund’. SONI Ltd is the sponsor of a defined benefit scheme and a defined contribution scheme in Northern Ireland which have separate funds but these are all collectively known as ‘The SONI Ltd Pension Scheme’. There is 1 set of Trustees for the EirGrid Pension Fund and a separate set of Trustees for the SONI Ltd Pension Scheme.
Candidates are invited to submit a qualification application for inclusion on the tender list for one or more of the applicable Framework Lots in accordance with this document.
Lot 1: Pension Administration, Actuarial and Consultancy Services to the Trustees of the EirGrid Pension Fund and to the Trustees of the SONI Ltd Pension Scheme.
Lot 2: Pension related Consultancy, Advisory and Actuarial Services to EirGrid Group.

Deadline

The time limit for receipt of tenders was 2016-03-03. The procurement was published on 2016-01-26.

Suppliers

The following suppliers are mentioned in award decisions or other procurement documents:

Who?

• EirGrid plc

What?

Where?

• Éire/Ireland

Procurement history

Date	Document
2016-01-26	Contract notice
2017-05-17	Contract award notice
2024-05-28	Contract award notice

Contract notice (2016-01-26)
Object
Scope of the procurement
Title: Pension services
Quantity or scope:

The initial contract period envisaged is 5 years with the possibility to extend annually up to a further 3 years, subject always to the satisfactory performance of the supplier(s).

Total value of the procurement: 2 000 000 💰
Notice metadata
Original language: English 🗣️
Document type: Contract notice
Nature of contract: Services
Regulation: European Union, with participation of GPA countries
Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
Code: Pension services 📦

Procedure
Procedure type: Negotiated procedure
Type of bid: Submission for one or more lots
Award criteria
The most economic tender

Contracting authority
Identity
Country: Ireland 🇮🇪
Awarding authority type: Utilities entity
Awarding authority name: EirGrid plc
Postal address: Block 2 — The Oval, 160 Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge
Postal code: 4
Postal town: Dublin
Contact
Internet address: http://www.eirgrid.com 🌏
E-mail: paul.valentine@eirgrid.com 📧
Phone: +353 12370200 📞

Reference
Dates
Date dispatched: 2016-01-26 📅
Submission deadline: 2016-03-03 📅
Publication date: 2016-01-28 📅
Identifiers
Notice number: 2016/S 019-030406
OJ-S issue: 19
Additional information

1) Interested parties must register their interest on the eTenders web site: www.etenders.gov.ie in order to be included on the mailing list for clarifications. All information relating to attachments, including clarifications and changes, will be published on the Irish Government Procurement Opportunities Portal: www.etenders.gov.ie only. Registration is free of charge. The contracting authority will not accept responsibility for information relayed (or not relayed) via third parties. 2) This is the sole call for competition for this service. 3) The contracting authority will not be responsible for any costs, charges or expenses incurred by candidates or tenderers. 4) Contract award will be subject to the approval of the competent authorities. 5) It will be a condition of award that candidates are tax compliant and are in a position to produce a valid tax clearance certificate or e-Tax Clearance from the Revenue Commissioners when requested. 6) If for any reason it is not possible to award the contract one or more of the tenderers invited following the conclusion of this competitive process, the contracting authority reserves the right to award the contract to the next ranked tenderer as appropriate. 7) At its absolute discretion, the contracting authority may elect to terminate this procurement process or any contract awarded. 8) Please note in relation to all documents, that where reference is made to a particular standard, make, source, process, trademark, type or patent, that this is not to be regarded as a de facto requirement. In all such cases it should be understood that such indications are to be treated strictly and solely for reference purposes only, to which the words ‘or equivalent’ will always be appended. 9) Without prejudice to the principle of equal treatment, the contracting authority is not obliged to engage in a clarification process in respect of questionnaires with missing or incomplete information. Therefore, candidates are advised to ensure that they return fully completed questionnaires in order to avoid the risk of elimination from the competition.

Additional information

1) Interested parties must register their interest on the eTenders web site: www.etenders.gov.ie in order to be included on the mailing list for clarifications. All information relating to attachments, including clarifications and changes, will be published on the Irish Government Procurement Opportunities Portal: www.etenders.gov.ie only. Registration is free of charge. The contracting authority will not accept responsibility for information relayed (or not relayed) via third parties.

2) This is the sole call for competition for this service.

3) The contracting authority will not be responsible for any costs, charges or expenses incurred by candidates or tenderers.

4) Contract award will be subject to the approval of the competent authorities.

5) It will be a condition of award that candidates are tax compliant and are in a position to produce a valid tax clearance certificate or e-Tax Clearance from the Revenue Commissioners when requested.

6) If for any reason it is not possible to award the contract one or more of the tenderers invited following the conclusion of this competitive process, the contracting authority reserves the right to award the contract to the next ranked tenderer as appropriate.

7) At its absolute discretion, the contracting authority may elect to terminate this procurement process or any contract awarded.

8) Please note in relation to all documents, that where reference is made to a particular standard, make, source, process, trademark, type or patent, that this is not to be regarded as a de facto requirement. In all such cases it should be understood that such indications are to be treated strictly and solely for reference purposes only, to which the words ‘or equivalent’ will always be appended.

9) Without prejudice to the principle of equal treatment, the contracting authority is not obliged to engage in a clarification process in respect of questionnaires with missing or incomplete information. Therefore, candidates are advised to ensure that they return fully completed questionnaires in order to avoid the risk of elimination from the competition.

Object
Scope of the procurement
Service category: 6
Frequency of contracts to be awarded:

The Framework Agreement period will be for an initial duration of 5 years with the option to extend annually for up to an additional 3 years, subject always to the satisfactory performance of the suppliers.

Short description:

Candidates are invited to submit a qualification application for inclusion on the tender list for one or more of the applicable Framework Lots in accordance with this document.

Lot 1: Pension Administration, Actuarial and Consultancy Services to the Trustees of the EirGrid Pension Fund and to the Trustees of the SONI Ltd Pension Scheme.

Lot 2: Pension related Consultancy, Advisory and Actuarial Services to EirGrid Group.

Lot number: 1
Title of the lot: Lot 1: Pension Administration, Actuarial and Consultancy Services to the Trustees of the EirGrid Pension Fund and to the Trustees of the SONI Ltd Pension Scheme
Short description:

Pension Administration, Actuarial and Consultancy Services to the Trustees of the EirGrid Pension Fund and to the Trustees of the SONI Ltd Pension Scheme.

The EirGrid Pension Fund, which operates on a defined benefit (DB) basis in Ireland, was established in 2006 to provide retirement and life assurance benefits for its members and is a distinct legal entity, separate in every respect from the principle employer; EirGrid. Membership is open to all eligible employees. The Pension Fund currently has of the order of 360 active members, 100 deferred members and 10 Pensioners.

The SONI Ltd Pension Scheme (which is available to staff working in SONI in Northern Ireland, one of the EirGrid Group companies, operates on both a DB and defined contribution (DC) basis. There are approximately 30 active members, 1 deferred member and 4 pensioners in the DB element of the scheme.

The Lot 1 services relate to the operation of the EirGrid Pension Schemes and Funds on behalf of the trustees of the EirGrid Pension Fund and the trustees of the SONI Ltd Pension Scheme.

Part A: Pension Schemes Administration Services.

Part B: Pension Fund Administration Services.

Part C: Scheme Actuarial Services.

Part D: Pensions related Consultancy and Advisory Services.

Quantity or scope:

Please see Information Memorandum and Pre-Qualification Questionnaire attached to this notice.

Additional information about the lots:

Interested Candidates may choose to submit a PQQ response in line with this document for consideration of qualification for one or more of the above Framework Lots. Companies who wish to be considered for both lots will need at RFT stage to demonstrate that they will put, or have put, processes and structures in place to manage potential conflicts of interest, for example should EirGrid (the company) wish to seek actuarial advice under Lot 2 independently of the actuarial advice given to the Trustees under Lot 1.

Lot number: 2
Title of the lot: Pension related Consultancy, Advisory and Actuarial Services to EirGrid Group
Short description:

Pension related Consultancy, Advisory and Actuarial Services to EirGrid Group.

Lot 2: EirGrid Group will from time to time require independent pensions advisory and consultancy services relating to the provision of pensions services in general. These services may include but are not limited to services relating to the EirGrid Pension Fund, and the SONI Ltd Pension Scheme. In addition to the main EirGrid Pension Fund, EirGrid plc also operates a separate Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) Scheme. The AVC Scheme is established under a legal trust, separate from both EirGrid plc and the EirGrid Pension Fund.

The Lot 2 services relate to consultancy or advisory services relating to any pensions schemes and or funds as required by the EirGrid group of companies.

Part A: Pensions related Consultancy and Advisory Services.

Part B: Actuarial Services.

Description of options:

The initial contract period envisaged is 5 years with the possibility to extend annually up to a further 3 years, subject always to the satisfactory performance of the supplier(s).

Reference number: ENQEIR522
Place of performance
Main site or place of performance: Ireland.

Legal, economic, financial and technical information
Conditions for participation
Suitability to pursue the professional activity:

Please see Information Memorandum and Pre-Qualification Questionnaire attached to this notice.

Economic and financial standing:

Please see Information Memorandum and Pre-Qualification Questionnaire attached to this notice.

Technical and professional ability:

Please see Information Memorandum and Pre-Qualification Questionnaire attached to this notice.

Contract execution
Deposits and guarantees required:

Please see Information Memorandum and Pre-Qualification Questionnaire attached to this notice.

Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:

Please see Information Memorandum and Pre-Qualification Questionnaire attached to this notice.

Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:

Please see Information Memorandum and Pre-Qualification Questionnaire attached to this notice.

Other particular conditions:

Please see Information Memorandum and Pre-Qualification Questionnaire attached to this notice.

Procedure
Duration of the framework agreement in years: 8
Languages
Language: English 🗣️
Other languages: Irish.

Contracting authority
Identity
National registration number: N/a
Contact
Contact point: Paul Valentine
Address of the buyer profile: http://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/CompanyInformation/Index/219 🌏
URL for documents: http://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=95992&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE 🌏

Reference
Dates
Start date: 2016-05-02 📅
End date: 2021-05-02 📅

Complementary information
Review body
Name: The High Court
Postal address: Four Courts
Postal town: Dublin
Postal code: 7
Country: Ireland 🇮🇪
Phone: +353 18886000 📞
Internet address: http://www.courts.ie 🌏
Information about review deadlines:

The contracting authority will not conclude this contract to which a standstill period applies in accordance with Irish Statutory Instrument SI 130 of 2010, until after the expiry of the standstill period which commences on the day following the date of notification on concerned candidates and tenderers. The duration of the standstill period will be 14 calendar days where notifications are sent electronically or by fax and 16 calendar days where these are sent by any other means. The Statutory Instrument mentioned above provides that review procedures are available in the High Court to a person who has or has had an interest in obtaining the reviewable public contract and alleges that he or she has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed by an infringement of the law in relation in this contract.

Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Name: Central office of the High Courts (Appeal Section)
Postal address: Ground Floor, East Wing, Inns Quay
Source: OJS 2016/S 019-030406 (2016-01-26)

Contract award notice (2017-05-17)
Object
Scope of the procurement
Short description:

A tender has been ran for the provision of Pension Consultancy, Administration & Actuarial Services as required for EirGrid Group and the Trustees of the Pension Schemes and Funds sponsored by EirGrid group companies. There is one set of Trustees for the EirGrid Pension Fund and a separate set of Trustees for the SONI Ltd Pension Scheme. Lot 1: Pension Administration, Actuarial and Consultancy Services to the Trustees of the EirGrid Pension Fund and to the Trustees of the SONI Ltd Pension Scheme. Lot 2: Pension related Consultancy, Advisory and Actuarial Services to EirGrid Group. This tender competition is now complete.

Total value of the procurement: 1 630 000 EUR 💰
Notice metadata
Document type: Contract award notice
Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
Additional CPV: Pension investment services 📦
Place of performance
NUTS region: Northern Ireland 🏙️

Procedure
Type of bid: Not applicable

Contracting authority
Contact
E-mail: purchasing@eirgrid.com 📧
Phone: +353 16771700 📞
Fax: +353 16615375 📠

Reference
Dates
Date dispatched: 2017-05-17 📅
Publication date: 2017-05-19 📅
Identifiers
Notice number: 2017/S 096-190013
Refers to notice: 2016/S 019-030406
OJ-S issue: 96

Object
Scope of the procurement
Short description:

A tender has been ran for the provision of Pension Consultancy, Administration & Actuarial Services as required for EirGrid Group and the Trustees of the Pension Schemes and Funds

sponsored by EirGrid group companies. There is one set of Trustees for the EirGrid Pension Fund and a separate set of Trustees for the SONI Ltd Pension Scheme.

This tender competition is now complete.

Title of the lot: Pension Admin, Actuarial and Consultancy Services to the Trustees of EirGrid and SONI
Short description:

Description of options:

This contract is a framework agreement for 5 years with the option to extend for an additional 3 years.

Place of performance
Main site or place of performance:

Dublin and Belfast.

Dublin Belfast.

Procedure
Award criteria
Quality criterion (name): Approach & Methodology
Quality criterion (weighting): 20
Quality criterion (name): Contract Team
Quality criterion (weighting): 35
Quality criterion (name): Service Level Agreement
Quality criterion (weighting): 5
Quality criterion (name): Legal
Price (weighting): 35

Award of contract
Date of contract conclusion: 2017-04-01 📅
Name: Willis Risk Services
National registration number: 574936
Postal town: Dublin
Country: Ireland 🇮🇪
ie021 🏙️
Name: Barnet Waddingham
Postal town: London
Country: United Kingdom 🇬🇧
London 🏙️
Date of contract conclusion: 2017-01-18 📅
Name: Lane Clark & Peacock
National registration number: 6357796
Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
5

Contracting authority
Contact
Address of the buyer profile: https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Company/CompanyInformation/Index/219 🌏

Complementary information
Review body
Internet address: www.courts.ie 🌏
Source: OJS 2017/S 096-190013 (2017-05-17)

Contract award notice (2024-05-28)
Object
Scope of the procurement
Title: Pension Consultancy, Administration & Actuarial Services.
Reference number: ENQEIR522
Short description:

Type of contract: Services
Products/services: Pension services 📦
Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT): 2 430 000 EUR (framework approximate) 💰
Description
Title: Pension Admin, Actuarial and Consultancy Services to the Trustees of EirGrid and SONI
Additional products/services:

Actuarial services 📦

Group pension services 📦

Insurance and pension services 📦

+ 4 more

Pension fund administration services 📦

Pension fund consultancy services 📦

Pension fund management services 📦

Pension investment services 📦

Information about options
Options ✅
Description of options:

This contract is a framework agreement for 5 years with the option to extend for an additional 3 years.

Title
Lot Identification Number: LOT-0001

Procedure
Type of procedure
Legal basis: Directive 2014/25/EU

Award of contract
Lot Identification Number: LOT-0001
Contract Number: Willis
Date of conclusion of the contract: 2017-04-01 📅
Title: Pension Admin, Actuarial and Consultancy Services to the Trustees of EirGrid and SONI
Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Re-estimated value of the framework agreement: 2 430 000 EUR 💰
Total value of the contract/lot: 2 430 000 EUR 💰
Tender identifier: Willis
Identifier of lot or group of lots: LOT-0001
Information about tenders
Name of the tendering party: Willis Risk Services
Name and address of the contractor
Name: Willis Risk Services
National registration number: 574936
Postal town: Dublin
Region: Dublin 🏙️
Country: Ireland 🇮🇪
Tender identifier: Barnett Waddingham
Information about tenders
Name of the tendering party: Barnett Waddingham
Name and address of the contractor
Name: Barnet Waddingham
National registration number: BARNETWADDINGHAM
Postal code: London
Postal town: London
Region: Camden and City of London 🏙️
Country: United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Contracting authority
Name and addresses
Name: EirGrid plc
National registration number: N/A
Postal address: Block 2 — The Oval, 160 Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge
Postal town: Dublin
Region: Dublin 🏙️
Country: Ireland 🇮🇪
Contact point: Paul Valentine
E-mail: purchasing@eirgrid.com 📧
Phone: +353 16771700 📞
Fax: +353 16615375 📠
URL: http://www.eirgrid.com 🌏

Complementary information
Review body
National registration number: TheHighCourt
Region: Dublin 🏙️
URL: www.courts.ie 🌏

Changes
Other additional information

art 89.1 (c) [of Directive 2014/25/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on procurement by entities operating in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors and repealing Directive 2004/17/EC. where all of the following conditions are fulfilled: (i)The need for modification has been brought about by circumstances which a diligent contracting entity could not foresee; (ii)the modification does not alter the overall nature of the contract. Request to increase the tender value of Lot 1 from original awarded value of €1,630,000 to €2,430,000. In 2017, when the Contracting Authority awarded the tender, it could not have reasonably foreseen the following circumstances (set out below), leading to unexpected increase in costs to the tender value.  Scheme reform in 2019 covering closure to new entrants, cessation of transfers in and purchase of service arrangements and modification to the pension increase basis in the Fund. This reform involved significant engagement, communication and collaboration with stakeholders (unions, members, government departments, etc) and consequent development of a Draft Amending Scheme 2020 and related Defined Contribution Scheme. This Designated Staff Scheme Regulations were also drafted in conjunction with this broader reform project.  Compliance with the IORP II Directive which was transposed into Irish law in April 2021 (with Code of Practice only being issued in November 2021). This Directive transformed the legislative landscape for pensions in Ireland and resulted in significant additional governance and risk management compliance requirements including: adoption of a suite of IORP II policies and a governance framework, implementation of new risk management and internal audit key functions and appointment of corresponding key function holders, increased monitoring of outsourced providers including critical reviews of the registered administrator and investment managers being required every 3 years, preparation of an own risk assessment for the Fund being required every 3 years, issuance of benefit statements for deferred pensioners (including related data validation work), increased trustee fit and proper requirements, etc. Due to the above statutory requirements, which the Contracting Authority could not have reasonably foreseen, it is now seeking to modify the contract by increasing the original tender value by an additional €800K. This modification will not alter the overall nature of the contract, but merely assist in bridging the financial gap until the end of the contract [March 2025].

Other additional information

art 89.1 (c) [of Directive 2014/25/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on procurement by entities operating in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors and repealing Directive 2004/17/EC.
where all of the following conditions are fulfilled:
(i)The need for modification has been brought about by circumstances which a diligent contracting entity could not foresee;
(ii)the modification does not alter the overall nature of the contract.
Request to increase the tender value of Lot 1 from original awarded value of €1,630,000 to €2,430,000.
In 2017, when the Contracting Authority awarded the tender, it could not have reasonably foreseen the following circumstances (set out below), leading to unexpected increase in costs to the tender value.
 Scheme reform in 2019 covering closure to new entrants, cessation of transfers in and purchase of service arrangements and modification to the pension increase basis in the Fund. This reform involved significant engagement, communication and collaboration with stakeholders (unions, members, government departments, etc) and consequent development of a Draft Amending Scheme 2020 and related Defined Contribution Scheme. This Designated Staff Scheme Regulations were also drafted in conjunction with this broader reform project.
 Compliance with the IORP II Directive which was transposed into Irish law in April 2021 (with Code of Practice only being issued in November 2021). This Directive transformed the legislative landscape for pensions in Ireland and resulted in significant additional governance and risk management compliance requirements including: adoption of a suite of IORP II policies and a governance framework, implementation of new risk management and internal audit key functions and appointment of corresponding key function holders, increased monitoring of outsourced providers including critical reviews of the registered administrator and investment managers being required every 3 years, preparation of an own risk assessment for the Fund being required every 3 years, issuance of benefit statements for deferred pensioners (including related data validation work), increased trustee fit and proper requirements, etc.
Due to the above statutory requirements, which the Contracting Authority could not have reasonably foreseen, it is now seeking to modify the contract by increasing the original tender value by an additional €800K. This modification will not alter the overall nature of the contract, but merely assist in bridging the financial gap until the end of the contract [March 2025].

Main reason for change: Need for additional works, services or supplies by the original contractor.
New value
Text:

Request to increase the tender value from original awarded value of €1,630,000 to €2,430,000.

Source: OJS 2024/S 103-316873 (2024-05-28)

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