How to Start an Irish Company for Government Contracts and Tenders

Confirm that a company is the right bidder

Some competitions accept sole traders, partnerships, consortia or subcontractors as well as companies. Read the published eligibility rules before incorporating solely for one opportunity. A limited company can still be useful for ownership, hiring, contracts and risk management, but it does not cure missing experience or licences.

The bid should use the exact legal name and CRO number of the entity that will sign and deliver the contract. Do not submit another business's case studies, financial information or insurance as though they belong to the new company. Explain consortium, reliance and subcontracting arrangements transparently where the tender allows them.

Set up the company for its real activity

Form A1 should describe the company's genuine principal activity and Irish location. Choose directors who can supervise delivery, an ownership structure that fits the founders and a secretary who can maintain the statutory record. Check sector licences before bidding.

After incorporation, open company banking, register relevant taxes and establish bookkeeping that can produce management figures. Arrange professional indemnity, public liability, employer liability, cyber or other insurance according to the service and tender requirements.

• Certificate of incorporation and constitution.
• CRO, tax and beneficial-ownership records.
• Relevant licences and insurance certificates.
• Team CVs, references and delivery methodology.
• Reliable cost, VAT and cash-flow model.

Find opportunities and read the full documents

The government's eTenders portal publishes calls for competition, requests for information, prior information notices and requests for tenders. Notices can also lead to framework agreements or dynamic purchasing systems with rules extending beyond a single project.

Search by category and contracting authority, but download the full suite before deciding to bid. Record clarification deadlines, submission time, mandatory declarations, minimum turnover, insurance levels, award criteria, format and signature requirements. A strong proposal can still fail if a pass-or-fail item is omitted.

Prepare tax clearance and connected-party compliance

Revenue states that tax clearance is required for certain grants and public sector contracts. A certificate confirms that tax affairs are in order at the date of issue, and an applicant uses the electronic Tax Clearance service through ROS or myAccount where eligible.

Revenue can review connected persons when a company applies. Keep filings and payments current from the start, and do not wait until the intended award date to resolve an old director or shareholder issue. Give the Tax Clearance Access Number and tax reference only through the appropriate verification process.

Price the contract, not just the work

Include payroll, employer costs, insurance, travel, equipment, software, compliance, subcontractors, financing and the administrative burden of reporting. Confirm whether tender values and evaluation prices include or exclude VAT and whether price adjustments are available over a long contract.

Public contracts can impose data protection, information security, accessibility, prompt-payment, audit, conflict and subcontracting clauses. Obtain legal review for material commitments. StartCompany.ie can create the Irish company, while the bidder remains responsible for procurement eligibility and its proposal.