In advance of the expiration of the current contract for the operation of the Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) on 24 November 2025, the Department is undertaking this Procurement for the appointment of a new entity or entities to operate the ECAS. Although the Current Contract is due to expire on 24 November 2025, there are provisions in the Current Contract to allow for the Minister to extend the contract for a further two (2) years. The ECAS is responsible for answering all emergency communications, providing a vital link between the individual contacting the ECAS and the Emergency Services which include Garda, Fire, Ambulance and the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG) or, in emergencies involving aircraft, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA). Emergency communication is defined in the S.I. No. 444/2022 as communication by means of interpersonal communications services between an end-user and the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) with the goal to request and receive emergency relief from emergency services. The role of ECAS is to establish which Emergency Service is being requested and the location of where the Emergency Services are required to attend for the purpose of routing the call to the most appropriate Emergency Services Control centre. Bidders should note that it is anticipated that, during the currency of the within procurement competition, the responsibility for Communications will transfer to another nominated Government Minister in accordance with the Programme for Government 2025. All references to the Contracting Authority shall be deemed to include reference to the relevant minister with responsibility for Communications at the relevant time as the context so requires and admits.
Deadline
The time limit for receipt of tenders was 2025-03-24.
The procurement was published on 2025-02-19.
Contract notice (2025-02-19) Object Scope of the procurement
Title: Operator of the National Emergency Call Answering Service
Short description:
โIn advance of the expiration of the current contract for the operation of the Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) on 24 November 2025, the Department is...โ
Short description
In advance of the expiration of the current contract for the operation of the Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) on 24 November 2025, the Department is undertaking this Procurement for the appointment of a new entity or entities to operate the ECAS. Although the Current Contract is due to expire on 24 November 2025, there are provisions in the Current Contract to allow for the Minister to extend the contract for a further two (2) years. The ECAS is responsible for answering all emergency communications, providing a vital link between the individual contacting the ECAS and the Emergency Services which include Garda, Fire, Ambulance and the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG) or, in emergencies involving aircraft, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA). Emergency communication is defined in the S.I. No. 444/2022 as communication by means of interpersonal communications services between an end-user and the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) with the goal to request and receive emergency relief from emergency services. The role of ECAS is to establish which Emergency Service is being requested and the location of where the Emergency Services are required to attend for the purpose of routing the call to the most appropriate Emergency Services Control centre. Bidders should note that it is anticipated that, during the currency of the within procurement competition, the responsibility for Communications will transfer to another nominated Government Minister in accordance with the Programme for Government 2025. All references to the Contracting Authority shall be deemed to include reference to the relevant minister with responsibility for Communications at the relevant time as the context so requires and admits.
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Type of contract: services
Products/services: Telecommunications services๐ฆ
Estimated value excluding VAT: 60 500 000 EUR ๐ฐ
Description
Description of the procurement:
โIn advance of the expiration of the current contract for the operation of the Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) on 24 November 2025, the Department is...โ
Description of the procurement
In advance of the expiration of the current contract for the operation of the Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) on 24 November 2025, the Department is undertaking this Procurement for the appointment of a new entity or entities to operate the ECAS. Although the Current Contract is due to expire on 24 November 2025, there are provisions in the Current Contract to allow for the Minister to extend the contract for a further two (2) years. The ECAS is responsible for answering all emergency communications, providing a vital link between the individual contacting the ECAS and the Emergency Services which include Garda, Fire, Ambulance and the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG) or, in emergencies involving aircraft, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA). Emergency communication is defined in the S.I. No. 444/2022 as communication by means of interpersonal communications services between an end-user and the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) with the goal to request and receive emergency relief from emergency services. The role of ECAS is to establish which Emergency Service is being requested and the location of where the Emergency Services are required to attend for the purpose of routing the call to the most appropriate Emergency Services Control centre. Bidders should note that it is anticipated that, during the currency of the within procurement competition, the responsibility for Communications will transfer to another nominated Government Minister in accordance with the Programme for Government 2025. All references to the Contracting Authority shall be deemed to include reference to the relevant minister with responsibility for Communications at the relevant time as the context so requires and admits.
Procedure Type of procedure
Competitive dialogue โ Administrative information
Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate: 2025-03-24 17:00:00 ๐
Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: English ๐ฃ๏ธ Information about reduction of the number of solutions or tenders during negotiation or dialogue
Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated โ
Complementary information Review body
Name: The High Court of Ireland
National registration number: The High Court of Ireland
Postal address: Four Courts, Inns Quay, Dublin 7
Postal code: D07 WDX8
Postal town: Dublin
Region: Dublin๐๏ธ
Country: Ireland ๐ฎ๐ช
E-mail: highcourtcentraloffice@courts.ie๐ง
Phone: +353 1 8886000๐ Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Name: Department of the Environment Climate and Communications
National registration number: 4002073W
Postal address: Tom Johnson House, Haddington Road
Postal code: D04K7X4
Postal town: Dublin
Region: Dublin๐๏ธ
Country: Ireland ๐ฎ๐ช
E-mail: susan.fleming@decc.gov.ie๐ง
Phone: 01 678 2000๐
URL: http://www.decc.gov.ie๐ Information about electronic workflows
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Source: OJS 2025/S 037-116620 (2025-02-19)