Invitation to tender

Foras na Gaeilge is seeking applications from individuals or companies to conduct research and provide advice on the question of succession in the Irish language publishing sector.                                            

1.1    Introduction

Foras na Gaeilge’s responsibilities include supporting Irish language publishers to ensure a supply of high quality reading material in Irish for Irish speakers. This is done by providing funding for publishers through Scéim na Foilsitheoireachta (the Publishing Scheme). Funding support of approximately €640,000 is provided annually to 12-14 Irish language publishers.

Many of the Irish language publishing companies are small enterprises.  Some of them have grown from family businesses. They publish a wide range of books, books for young children, adults and teenagers. There is a mixture of genres, including fiction books, poetry collections and non fiction books. Some of the publishers publish a small number (3-4) of books per year, and the largest of the companies publish between 15 and 35 books per year.

Foras na Gaeilge has a publishing house of its own, An Gúm, which publishes a wide range of educational resources.

In recent years some publishing companies have closed, and Foras na Gaeilge is concerned for the long-term wellbeing of the sector in the next 20 years.

1.2    Scope of the work

Foras na Gaeilge wishes to commission advice on the long-term wellbeing of Irish language publishing, the question of succession in the Irish language publishing sector: the risks associated with the issue, the signs of potential danger, the mitigation measures which should be put in place to sensibly manage it, and ways to strengthen and ensure the long-term welfare of publishing in Irish. The following questions in particular should be focused on:

• What is the current state in relation to the issue of succession in the Irish language publishing sector?
• What are the greatest risks facing the sector?
• What are the important lessons to be learnt from other business sectors similar to the Irish language publishing sector as regards size, turnover, number of employees, relationship with the state and so on?
• Recommendations for mitigation measures which could be developed (i) for the publishers themselves, (ii) for Foras na Gaeilge, and (iii) any other recommendations.

Those undertaking the research will have to work closely with Foras na Gaeilge staff in relation to the following:

• Contacting interested parties
• Drafting questionnaires
• Work methods
• Reporting

A period of around 4 weeks is recommended to complete the work. It is envisaged that the successful candidate might get advice themselves from an external professional advisor while they are completing the work. This cost would be included as part of the sum below. All reports and recommendations must be made available to Foras na Gaeilge by 14 December, 2018.  A budget no greater than €7,000, inclusive of VAT, is available.  Candidates must provide a schedule of costs as part of the tender.

1.3    The following areas must be covered in the tender:

• Qualifications, expertise, experience, and skills of those who will be participating in all aspects of the research
• Irish language ability, including spoken and written Irish, of those participating in the work, although this is not a compulsory criterion
• Any possible conflict of interest must be openly registered
• The approach recommended to undertake the research
• A description of the recommended approach for reporting and how communication will be administrated between the candidate and Foras na Gaeilge, and any other points considered to increase the value of the application
• The indicators that will be used to carry out evaluation of the research itself at the end of the project.

1.4 The main steps expected to be in the work

• Prepare a project plan and provide it to Foras na Gaeilge, and take feedback on it
• Provide an early draft of any questionnaire which will be used, and of the report itself, and receive feedback on it from Foras na Gaeilge
• Complete the necessary research
• Provide a final written report to Foras na Gaeilge based on the results of the survey
• Provide recommendations to Foras na Gaeilge on the mitigation measures and which would benefit the Irish language publishing sector in future years
• Provide recommendations to Foras na Gaeilge on ways to strengthen the sector and/or to ensure Irish language publishing in the long term
• Provide recommendations on any other work or research which should be done on the issue of succession or any related matters.

1.5  Other information

Candidates are asked to provide a schedule of costs as part of the application:

• A schedule of estimated time and work
• The estimated number of days plus daily rate
• The fee for undertaking the project (any extra external advice included)
• The VAT associated with this fee
• Travel & subsistence costs

1.6 Evaluation criteria

Tenderers will be assessed by reference to the following criteria: 

Foras na Gaeilge will not award any contract if there are no eligible candidates in accordance with the above criteria.

1.7 Goal

The tender must be sent to  leabhar@forasnagaeilge.ieby 12 midday on 14 November,   2018. Tenders will be accepted by email only.