Professional Services Tenders & Public Procurement in Ireland

Irish public bodies tender for a wide range of professional services including management consultancy, legal advice, accounting and audit, engineering design and supervision, architectural services, quantity surveying, HR and recruitment, communications and PR, research and evaluation, and strategic planning. The OGP categorises these under various CPV codes in the 79000000 series.

Professional services tenders typically use MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender) criteria, with quality weighted at 60-70% and price at 30-40%. Quality criteria usually assess methodology, relevant experience, team qualifications, and understanding of the brief. Some tenders also include interviews or presentations as part of the evaluation process.

Yes. Irish procurement rules do not exclude sole traders. Many consultancy tenders are divided into lots by value, discipline, or region, making them accessible to individual practitioners. Sole traders need current tax clearance, professional indemnity insurance, and must demonstrate relevant qualifications and experience.

Most professional services tenders require professional indemnity insurance (typically €1.5M-€5M depending on contract value), public liability insurance (€6.5M is standard), and employer's liability insurance if you have staff (€13M minimum). Specific requirements vary by tender, always check the tender documents for exact levels required.