Lähde: TED

Establishment of a Single-Party Framework Agreement for the collection, transport, storage, installation, servicing and repair, decommissioning and disposal of Assistive Technology Equipment and related services. For the purposes of this competition, ‘Assistive Technology Equipment’ for children could include equipment such as Speech-to-text Devices/Software, Braille Readers, Digimaster SoundField Systems, or other similar items. Such equipment/devices help with learning, communication, and daily tasks- enabling children’s independence and full participation in play, education and daily life. This equipment will have been prescribed specifically to assist children with disabilities to participate meaningfully in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). Examples of assistive technology equipment that may require collection, storage, transport, installation, decontamination, servicing, repairs and disposal. Please consider the examples as an indication only (the list is not exhaustive): Soundfield Systems, Receivers. For the purposes of this tender, the scope does not include supply of equipment. There are separate arrangements in place within Pobal for the supply of equipment. Please note this competition is advertised along with another one for the establishment of Single-Party Framework Agreement for the collection, transport, storage, installation, servicing and repair, decommissioning and disposal of Specialised Equipment and related services (CfT ID 7753020). The two tenders are advertised separately on eTenders for ease of use of the system, but they should be considered as a whole for the purposes of applying the rules of Directive 2014/24/EU.

This procurement supports the fulfilment of social objectives by ensuring that all participating preschool settings have a minimum standard of access to essential technology, as highlighted in the tender’s focus on supporting participation in shared education partnerships. By supplying and installing the required laptops, visual display equipment, software, and connectivity improvements, the procedure directly enhances the digital capacity of approximately 170 educational settings, including those with lower existing levels of digital capability.

The tender identifies that these resources will facilitate collaboration between children, parents, and educators across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland, including through online shared sessions. By providing consistent equipment, on-site installation, staff support, basic training, and improved internal Wi-Fi in selected locations, this procurement contributes to reducing inequalities in access to technology and connectivity.

The procurement therefore supports the wider social aims of the PEACEPLUS ASPIRE project by enabling high-quality shared learning and cross-community engagement, particularly in settings where digital resources or infrastructure are currently limited.