Provision of courier service for the delivery of water samples from multiple coastal locations around Ireland to EPA Laboratories in Monaghan and Dublin (2022)

Tender description

The Contracting Authority proposes to engage in a competitive process for the award of a contract for the Provision of courier service for the delivery of water samples from multiple coastal locations around Ireland to EPA Laboratories in Monaghan and Dublin (2022) as specified hereunder. The Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) (WFD) was adopted in October 2000 and transposed into Irish legislation by the European Communities (Water Policy) Regulations 722/2003. The objective of the Directive is to prevent any further deterioration in status of surface waters, groundwater and water dependent ecosystems and to restore polluted water bodies to at least ‘good status’. Under the WFD, the types of water bodies requiring assessment include rivers, lakes, groundwater and transitional & coastal waters. A national monitoring programme to provide an overview of water status in transitional and coastal waters has been established and is undertaken by the Environmental Protection Agency, Marine Institute and the Inland Fisheries Ireland. The programme is coordinated by the EPA. As part of the monitoring programme samples are collected from estuaries and coastal waters from around the country 4 times each year. Sampling is undertaken Monday to Thursday to allow for delivery to laboratories for next day analyses. This tender seeks the provision of courier services for the delivery of water samples from various locations around Ireland to EPA laboratories in Monaghan and Dublin.