Provision of a Digital Platform for the Charities Regulator and Related Services

Short description

The Charities Regulator seeks applications in relation to a tender process for a single party framework agreement for the provision of a Digital Platform to manage all aspects of the Charities Regulator’s business including an online portal for use by charities and other persons and a back office system for the Registration, Compliance and Enforcement and Charity Services units. The Charities Regulator requires an enterprise-wide Digital Platform which will include, inter alia, a communications solution, an integrated case management system, a document management system, and a business intelligence solution facilitating workflow optimisation.

Additional information

(1) Interested parties must associate their organisation with this competition on the eTenders web site (www.etenders.gov.ie) in order to be included on the mailing list for clarifications and to upload tender responses. To do this you must do the following: Log-in to the eTenders portal; Locate the competition using the Advanced Search by searching under the Contracting Authority or Resource ID. Click on the hyperlink for the competition which will bring you to the CfT Workspace. In the Show CfT Menu for the competition click on the “Expression of Interest in the drop-down menu. Complete the Association with the CfT tab. This will then provide you with a link to Tender under the Show CfT Menu where you can prepare your submission. . (2) When finalising your submission please upload your final response as a zip file as individual documents may lose their titles if uploaded individually. Also ensure that you receive a message under the status header called Submitted, as the percentage tab does not imply you have successfully submitted your response. . (3) There is a maximum upload limit of 100MB per submission. . (4) Suppliers should note the following when making their submission suppliers must ensure that they give themselves sufficient time to upload & submit all required documentation before the submission deadline. Suppliers should consider the fact that upload speeds vary and that the new eTenders system operates in a different manner to the previous platform operated by EU-Supply. The submit button will be disable automatically upon the expiration of the response deadline. . (5) If you experience difficulty when uploading documents, please contact the eTenders Support Desk for technical assistance. Email irish-eproc-helpdesk@eurodym.com or Telephone: +353(0)818 001459 (09:00 – 17:00 hours).. (6) Applications submitted by any other means (including but not limited to email or post or hand delivery) will not be accepted. . (7) 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.. (8) All queries regarding this process must be submitted through the Irish Government Procurement Opportunities Portal www.etenders.gov.ie as a specific question. Responses will be circulated to those tenderers that have registered an interest in this notice on www.etenders.gov.ie. The details of the person making a query will not be disclosed when circulating the response. (9) The estimated value for the framework published is provided strictly for indicative purposes only as there is no guaranteed expenditure under the framework agreement.. (10) The contracting authority will not be responsible for any costs, charges or expenses incurred by candidates or tenderers. Contract award will be subject to the approval of the competent authorities.. (11) Without prejudice to the principle of equal treatment, the contracting authority is not obliged to engage in a clarification process in respect of the procurement documents with missing or incomplete information. Therefore, respondents are advised to ensure that they return completed documentation in order to avoid the risk of elimination from the competition.. (12) Where applicable, 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.. (13) At its absolute discretion, the contracting authority may elect to terminate this procurement process, the framework agreement or any contract awarded under the framework agreement at any time..

Justification for the framework agreement

The extended duration for the framework has been selected for a number of reasons including: (a) There will be significant learning curves and associated developmental work with a new integrated Digital Platform to support the extensive operational areas of the Charities Regulator which will require the investment of significant time and effort in developing knowledge, learning and familiarity for successful operation on behalf of the vendor and the Charities Regulator. (b) The embedded and strategic nature of the proposed ICT system amounts to a core enterprise system and to replace and transition from such a system in a shorter period of time would cause significant disruption to the workings of the Charities Regulator and the delivery of services for the relevant regulated sector and members of the public reliant on such services. (c) The financial cost for the Charities Regulator in designing and implementing the ICT system will amount to a significant investment and this investment could not be optimised and the necessary return achieved if the replacement of the system and transitioning from same was required in a shorter period of time and would not achieve value for money on behalf of the taxpayer..

Justification for framework agreement duration over four years

The extended duration for the framework has been selected for a number of reasons including: (a) There will be significant learning curves and associated developmental work with a new integrated Digital Platform to support the extensive operational areas of the Charities Regulator which will require the investment of significant time and effort in developing knowledge, learning and familiarity for successful operation on behalf of the vendor and the Charities Regulator. (b) The embedded and strategic nature of the proposed ICT system amounts to a core enterprise system and to replace and transition from such a system in a shorter period of time would cause significant disruption to the workings of the Charities Regulator and the delivery of services for the relevant regulated sector and members of the public reliant on such services. (c) The financial cost for the Charities Regulator in designing and implementing the ICT system will amount to a significant investment and this investment could not be optimised and the necessary return achieved if the replacement of the system and transitioning from same was required in a shorter period of time and would not achieve value for money on behalf of the taxpayer..