The Houses of the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) Commission Service (‘the Commission’, also ‘the Contracting Authority’) is initiating a Tender process for the provision of a Digital Audio Recording Solution and Related Services for the Dáil (Lower House), Seanad (Senate, or Upper House) and Committee Rooms of the Houses of the Oireachtas (together “the Chambers” and “the Committee Rooms”). The Chambers and Committee Rooms are based at Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

The solution and related services will include provision of the following:

• Recording and audio distribution and retrieval in real-time for the production of the Official Report of all Parliamentary Proceedings;

• a digital logging system;

• a digital rostering system which allows the recorded audio sound files to be assigned to staff in the Debates Office;

• audio archiving and retrieval.

The Houses of the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) Commission Service (‘the Commission’, also ‘the Contracting Authority’) is initiating a Tender process for the provision of a Digital Audio Recording Solution and Related Services for the Dáil (Lower House), Seanad (Senate, or Upper House) and Committee Rooms of the Houses of the Oireachtas (together “the Chambers” and “the Committee Rooms”). The Chambers and Committee Rooms are based at Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

The solution and related services will include provision of the following:

• Recording and audio distribution and retrieval in real-time for the production of the Official Report of all Parliamentary Proceedings;

• a digital logging system;

• a digital rostering system which allows the recorded audio sound files to be assigned to staff in the Debates Office;

• audio archiving and retrieval.

Provision will include supply of application software, database and necessary workflow processes. Tenderers must propose their own Audio application, database and workflow components.

The Debates Office produces the Official Report of proceedings of the Dáil, Seanad and Committees. The Official Report is produced in real time using the recorded digital audio sound files. The importance of these services cannot be overstated. The Official Report is the historical record of the Oireachtas debates and is a legal document which may be relied on, for example, in cases of dispute and tribunals of inquiry. Tenderers must demonstrate and guarantee that they can fulfil the requirements set out in this document to ensure reliability and continuity of supply of service.