Limerick City and County Council has awarded a €1.11M contract for Christmas in Limerick (2026–2028) event services to Blast Events LTD

Limerick City and County Council (LCCC), a local authority operating in general public services, has awarded a contract for Event Management, Delivery, Planning, Design, Technical, Operations, Stakeholder Engagement and Sponsorship Services for 'Christmas in Limerick' (2026 – 2028) (Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) - Event Management, Delivery, Planning, Design, Technical, Operations, Stakeholder Engagement and Sponsorship Services for 'Christmas in Limerick' (2026 – 2028)) to Blast Events LTD. The awarded value of the contract is €1,109,756.10, with an estimated value of €1,109,756.10, covering festival organisation services and event services. The contract duration is 3 years starting from 4 September 2026. The contract was awarded following an open procedure under the standard regime, governed by EU Directive 2014/24/EU.

Introduction

Limerick City and County Council (LCCC), a local authority operating in general public services, has conducted an open procedure for Event Management, Delivery, Planning, Design, Technical, Operations, Stakeholder Engagement and Sponsorship Services for 'Christmas in Limerick' (2026 – 2028). Christmas in Limerick, presented by LCCC, is Limerick City's hugely successful Christmas festival with an annual audience of over 80,000. The much-loved annual event is centred on a family-friendly festive experience in Limerick City Centre. LCCC's vision is to, along with the successful tenderer, create a cohesive, signature Christmas festival built around a walkable Christmas experience from King John's Castle (KJC) to O'Connell Crescent that celebrates Limerick's Georgian character, culture, retail, and public realm, delivered through inclusive programming, premium experiences, and strong community and business partnerships. As a result of the delivery of the Christmas in Limerick event/experience, LCCC wants Limerick to stand as a nationally recognised, themed winter destination with resilient financing, high community participation, and measurable economic uplift.

The procurement is not financed with EU funds but is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA). Strategic procurement includes an aim of reduction of environmental impacts, with a description of sustainability and greening of events/experiences; the approach to reducing environmental impacts is Other, and National Green Public Procurement criteria apply. The evaluation criteria are cost (10%) and quality (90%), with the MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender) method. Four tenders were received. One winner was appointed: Blast Events LTD (small enterprise). Subcontracting is not yet known. The contract was concluded on 4 September 2026; the date the winner was chosen was 7 July 2026.

Why This Contract Matters

This contract ensures the delivery of the Christmas in Limerick festival for 2026–2028, supporting Limerick's position as a nationally recognised, themed winter destination.

This contract matters because it:

• Supports Festival Delivery: Provides event management, delivery, planning, design, technical, operations, stakeholder engagement and sponsorship services
• Significant Value: €1,109,756.10 awarded and estimated value
• Medium-Term Commitment: 3-year duration starting from 4 September 2026
• Comprehensive Scope: Festival organisation and event services for a walkable Christmas experience from King John's Castle to O'Connell Crescent
• Quality Focus: 90% quality, 10% cost
• SME Participation: Winner is a small enterprise
• Strategic Procurement: Reduction of environmental impacts (sustainability and greening of events); National Green Public Procurement criteria

Contract Timeline

• Start date: 04 September 2026
• Date winner chosen: 07 July 2026
• Contract concluded: 04 September 2026
• Estimated duration: 3 years
• Notice published: 01 October 2026 (OJ S 190/2026)
• Notice dispatch date: 30 September 2026
• Previous notice: 938c0453-6978-4a9a-8403-4eebb7b81679-01

Contract Overview

Limerick City and County Council conducted an open procedure under the standard regime, governed by EU Directive 2014/24/EU.

Key features include:

• One lot: LOT-0001
• Estimated value: €1,109,756.10
• Awarded value in this notice: €1,109,756.10
• Duration: 3 years starting from 04 September 2026
• Framework type: No framework agreement
• Evaluation: Cost (10%) and Quality (90%) – MEAT
• Winner: Blast Events LTD (small enterprise)
• Subcontracting: Not yet known
• No EU funding
• Covered by GPA: Yes
• Strategic procurement: Reduction of environmental impacts (sustainability and greening of events); National Green Public Procurement criteria

Key Contract Details

• Main classification: 79953000 Festival organisation services
• Additional classification: 79952000 Event services
• Place of performance: Mid-West, Ireland (NUTS: IE051)
• Procedure identifier: 82bb0d19-0d96-455b-b97f-0904347ce004
• Internal identifier: 0
• Type of procedure: Open
• Accelerated procedure: No
• Legal basis: Directive 2014/24/EU
• Review body: The High Court of Ireland

Lot Structure

Lot 1 – Event Management, Delivery, Planning, Design, Technical, Operations, Stakeholder Engagement and Sponsorship Services for 'Christmas in Limerick' (2026 – 2028)

• Title: Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) - Event Management, Delivery, Planning, Design, Technical, Operations, Stakeholder Engagement and Sponsorship Services for 'Christmas in Limerick' (2026 – 2028)
• Description: Christmas in Limerick, presented by LCCC, is Limerick City's hugely successful Christmas festival with an annual audience of over 80,000; the event is centred on a family-friendly festive experience in Limerick City Centre; LCCC's vision is to create a cohesive, signature Christmas festival built around a walkable Christmas experience from King John's Castle (KJC) to O'Connell Crescent that celebrates Limerick's Georgian character, culture, retail, and public realm, delivered through inclusive programming, premium experiences, and strong community and business partnerships
• Internal identifier: 0
• Estimated value: €1,109,756.10
• Awarded value: €1,109,756.10
• Winner: Blast Events LTD
• Tenders received: 4
• Contract concluded: 04 September 2026
• Duration: 3 years
• Contract identifier: 457967

Lot Summary Table

Lot	Title	Value (€)	Winner	Tenders
1	Event Management, Delivery, Planning, Design, Technical, Operations, Stakeholder Engagement and Sponsorship Services for 'Christmas in Limerick' (2026 – 2028)	1,109,756.10	Blast Events LTD	4
Total		1,109,756.10

Scope of Supply

The contract covers the following services:

• Event Management: Management of the Christmas in Limerick festival
• Delivery: Delivery of the festival experience
• Planning: Planning of the festival
• Design: Design of the festival experience
• Technical: Technical services for the festival
• Operations: Operational management of the festival
• Stakeholder Engagement: Engagement with community and business partners
• Sponsorship Services: Sponsorship services for the festival
• Walkable Christmas Experience: Experience from King John's Castle to O'Connell Crescent
• Festival Organisation Services: Services under CPV 79953000
• Event Services: Services under CPV 79952000

Special Procurement Conditions

• Quality Criterion: Quality (90%) – the highest weighting
• Cost Criterion: Cost (10%)
• MEAT: Most Economically Advantageous Tender method
• Strategic Procurement: Reduction of environmental impacts; sustainability and greening of events/experiences; ensure the festival operates within all current applicable environmental guidelines and legislation governing major festivals and public realm events (e.g. Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill (2021) and European Climate Law - Regulation (EU) 2021/1119); consider and implement best practice in terms of sustainability and environmentally friendly methods of event/experience delivery as mutually agreed with LCCC; sustainable and environmentally friendly implementations and data on same must be included in the Post Event Report; refer to Limerick City and County Council's local-authority-climate-action-plan-2024-2029.pdf; refer to Fáilte Ireland's Sustainable Festival Guidelines 2023
• National Green Public Procurement Criteria: Apply
• No Framework Agreement: No framework agreement
• Subcontracting: Not yet known

About the Contracting Authority

Limerick City and County Council is a local authority operating in general public services in Ireland.

• Legal type: Local authority
• Activity: General public services
• Registration number: 3267368TH
• Location: Limerick, Mid-West, Ireland (NUTS: IE051)
• Address: Merchant's Quay, Limerick, V94 EH90
• Email: festivalsandevents@limerick.ie
• Telephone: +353 61 556000
• Internet address: https://www.limerick.ie/

About the Winning Supplier

Blast Events LTD is a small enterprise based in Limerick, Ireland, specialising in event management and festival organisation.

• Size: Small enterprise
• Registration number: IE3743556AH
• Location: Limerick, Mid-West, Ireland (NUTS: IE051)
• Address: 1 Danesfort Corbally, Limerick, V94 A6KC
• Email: info@bigbossevents.ie
• Telephone: 0851465523
• Internet address: www.bigbossevents.ie
• Subcontracting: Not yet known

Evaluation Criteria

The lot uses the following evaluation criteria:

• Cost (10%): 10% at cost
• Quality (90%): 90% at Quality
• Method: MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender)

Procurement Analysis

• Procedure: Open procedure under the standard regime, governed by EU Directive 2014/24/EU
• Competition: 4 tenders received
• Subcontracting: Not yet known
• No EU funding: The procurement was not financed with EU funds
• No framework agreement: No framework agreement
• No dynamic purchasing system used
• Accelerated procedure: No
• Strategic procurement: Reduction of environmental impacts (sustainability and greening of events); National Green Public Procurement criteria
• Review body: The High Court of Ireland
• Call for competition terminated: The call for competition has been terminated (contract awarded)

Additional Procurement Facts

• The contract is covered by the WTO's Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
• No EU funds were used for this procurement
• The estimated value is €1,109,756.10
• The awarded value in this notice is €1,109,756.10
• The procurement is divided into one lot
• Cost (10%) and Quality (90%) are the evaluation criteria (MEAT)
• Four tenders were received
• The winner is a small enterprise
• Subcontracting is not yet known
• The contract duration is 3 years starting from 04 September 2026
• The contract includes event management, delivery, planning, design, technical, operations, stakeholder engagement and sponsorship services
• The festival has an annual audience of over 80,000
• The vision is a walkable Christmas experience from King John's Castle to O'Connell Crescent
• The contract was concluded on 04 September 2026

Market & Industry Perspective

The Irish public sector festival and event services market features a mix of large event management companies and specialised SMEs. Festival organisation services are essential for delivering high-quality public events and experiences that support tourism, community participation and economic uplift.

Key trends in this market include:

• Quality focus: 90% quality, 10% cost
• SME participation: Winner is a small enterprise
• Comprehensive scope: Event management, delivery, planning, design, technical, operations, stakeholder engagement and sponsorship
• Medium-term contracts: 3-year duration
• Sustainability and greening: Reduction of environmental impacts; National Green Public Procurement criteria
• Community and business partnerships: Strong partnerships for event delivery
• Economic uplift: Measurable economic uplift and national recognition as a winter destination

Economic Significance

At €1,109,756.10, this contract represents a significant investment in the Christmas in Limerick festival for Limerick City and County Council. The contract will:

• Support Festival Delivery: Provide event management, delivery, planning, design, technical, operations, stakeholder engagement and sponsorship services
• Support SME: Blast Events LTD is a small enterprise
• Provide Medium-Term Stability: 3-year contract
• Ensure Festival Availability: Contract with one supplier
• Enable Economic Uplift: Measurable economic uplift and high community participation
• Support Sustainability: Reduction of environmental impacts and National Green Public Procurement criteria
• Support Tourism: Position Limerick as a nationally recognised, themed winter destination

Future Procurement Opportunities

With this contract now in place, future opportunities include:

• Re-tender: Expected after the 3-year contract duration
• Related Services: Additional event and festival services
• Subcontracting: Potential opportunities with Blast Events LTD
• Other Limerick Events: Similar festival and event procurement opportunities
• Other Irish Local Authorities: Similar Christmas festival and event services

Opportunities for Suppliers

While this contract is awarded, opportunities remain for event and festival service providers:

• Re-tender: Prepare for future procurement cycles
• Subcontracting: Potential opportunities with Blast Events LTD
• Related Services: Other event and festival services
• Other Irish Local Authorities: Similar Christmas festival and event services

What Businesses Should Watch

• Limerick City and County Council's future procurement notices
• Other Irish local authority festival and event tenders
• Festival and event services market trends
• Changes to Irish procurement regulations
• Sustainability and Green Public Procurement requirements
• Christmas festival and winter destination initiatives

IrelandTenders.com Procurement Intelligence

This Christmas festival contract is a notable example of Irish public sector procurement. Several features stand out:

• Scale: €1.11M awarded and estimated value
• Quality focus: 90% quality, 10% cost
• SME winner: Blast Events LTD
• One lot: Event Management, Delivery, Planning, Design, Technical, Operations, Stakeholder Engagement and Sponsorship Services for 'Christmas in Limerick' (2026 – 2028)
• Competition: 4 tenders received
• Medium-term contract: 3-year duration
• Strategic procurement: Reduction of environmental impacts; National Green Public Procurement criteria
• Annual audience: Over 80,000

For suppliers, this procurement highlights the importance of:

• Quality: 90% quality-based evaluation
• Competitive cost: 10% cost-based evaluation
• Event and festival expertise: Ability to deliver event management, delivery, planning, design, technical, operations, stakeholder engagement and sponsorship services
• Public sector experience: Understanding of Irish local authority requirements
• Sustainability awareness: Understanding of environmental guidelines and Green Public Procurement criteria
• Community and business partnerships: Ability to build strong partnerships

Supplier Takeaways

• Ensure high quality – 90% of evaluation is quality-based
• Offer competitive cost – 10% of evaluation is cost-based
• Demonstrate event and festival expertise
• Showcase sustainability awareness and Green Public Procurement compliance
• Develop public sector experience with Irish local authorities
• Demonstrate ability to build community and business partnerships
• Monitor Limerick City and County Council and Irish local authority procurement opportunities
• Prepare for potential subcontracting and re-tender opportunities

Key Takeaways

• Limerick City and County Council awarded a €1,109,756.10 Christmas festival contract to Blast Events LTD
• One lot: Event Management, Delivery, Planning, Design, Technical, Operations, Stakeholder Engagement and Sponsorship Services for 'Christmas in Limerick' (2026 – 2028)
• Duration: 3 years starting from 04 September 2026
• Evaluation: Cost (10%) and Quality (90%) – MEAT
• 4 tenders received
• Winner is a small enterprise
• Subcontracting: Not yet known
• No EU funding
• Covered by GPA: Yes
• No framework agreement
• Strategic procurement: reduction of environmental impacts (sustainability and greening of events); National Green Public Procurement criteria
• Festival has an annual audience of over 80,000
• Vision: walkable Christmas experience from King John's Castle to O'Connell Crescent
• Contract concluded on 04 September 2026

Conclusion

This Christmas festival contract ensures the delivery of the Christmas in Limerick festival for 2026–2028, supporting Limerick's position as a nationally recognised, themed winter destination. By awarding the contract to Blast Events LTD, Limerick City and County Council secures a reliable small enterprise supplier with the capability to deliver comprehensive event management, delivery, planning, design, technical, operations, stakeholder engagement and sponsorship services.

The 90% quality and 10% cost evaluation (MEAT) reflects the quality-driven nature of festival and event services procurement, where the quality of the event experience is the primary differentiator among qualified suppliers. The 3-year duration, the walkable Christmas experience from King John's Castle to O'Connell Crescent, and the sustainability and greening requirements reflect the specific operational and strategic context of Limerick's Christmas festival.

For suppliers, this procurement highlights the importance of quality, competitive cost, event and festival expertise, public sector experience, sustainability awareness and community and business partnerships in winning Irish public sector festival and event services contracts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Limerick City and County Council?

Ans: A local authority operating in general public services in Ireland.

Q: What is the value of the contract?

Ans: Awarded and estimated value €1,109,756.10.

Q: Who is the winner?

Ans: Blast Events LTD, a small enterprise based in Limerick, Ireland.

Q: What services are covered?

Ans: Event management, delivery, planning, design, technical, operations, stakeholder engagement and sponsorship services for 'Christmas in Limerick' (2026 – 2028).

Q: What were the evaluation criteria?

Ans: Cost (10%) and Quality (90%) – MEAT.

Q: How long is the contract?

Ans: 3 years starting from 04 September 2026.

Q: How many tenders were received?

Ans: Four tenders.

Q: Is this contract funded by the EU?

Ans: No, the procurement is not financed with EU funds.

Q: What is the review body?

Ans: The High Court of Ireland.

Q: What is the lot structure?

Ans: One lot – LOT-0001 (Event Management, Delivery, Planning, Design, Technical, Operations, Stakeholder Engagement and Sponsorship Services for 'Christmas in Limerick' (2026 – 2028)).

Q: Is subcontracting allowed?

Ans: Subcontracting is not yet known.

Q: What strategic procurement objectives apply?

Ans: Reduction of environmental impacts (sustainability and greening of events/experiences); National Green Public Procurement criteria apply.

Q: What is the annual audience of the festival?

Ans: Over 80,000.

Q: What is the vision for the festival?

Ans: A cohesive, signature Christmas festival built around a walkable Christmas experience from King John's Castle (KJC) to O'Connell Crescent that celebrates Limerick's Georgian character, culture, retail, and public realm.

Source: EU Official Journal, Contract Award Notice 674820-2026, OJ S 190/2026, published 01 October 2026.

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