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Approved Natural and Artificial Pitch Consultant
Irish Football Association (IFA)
The Irish FA is the governing body for football in Northern Ireland.
Job Posted- 25 Apr 2026
Status- Part Time
Location- Northern Ireland
Closing date- 5 May 2026
Request for Proposal (RFP) - Approved Natural and Artificial Pitch Consultant
1. Introduction
The Irish Football Association (Irish FA) supports the development of football facilities across Northern Ireland through investment, assistance and technical guidance.
Through its facility funding programmes, the Irish FA is committed to improving the quality, consistency and sustainability of football pitches. Achieving this requires high quality technical advice to support clubs and organisations through increasingly complex design, construction and maintenance requirements.
The Irish FA is therefore seeking to identify an experienced natural and artificial pitch consultant to support organisations in receipt of Irish FA facility grants throughout 2026-2027.
2. Purpose
The primary objective of this RFP is to identify a suitably qualified consultant to provide independent technical advice and guidance to Irish FA facility grantees delivering:
- New natural turf and artificial pitch developments
- Refurbishment, replacement or upgrading of existing pitches
The consultant will help ensure projects:
- Meet appropriate technical, safety and performance standards
- Deliver long term value and sustainability
- Are fit for purpose for community and football use
The approved consultant will be engaged directly by facility grantees, with no contractual relationship with the Irish FA.
3. Scope of Services
The approved consultant may be required to provide support across the project lifecycle, including but not limited to:
1. Assessment and Planning
- Site assessments and feasibility studies
- Advice on project readiness, risks and constraints
2. Design and Specification
- Technical advice on natural turf and artificial pitch design
- Specifications for drainage, irrigation, shockpads and performance systems
- Preparation or review of tender and technical documentation
- Advice on compliance with FIFA, UEFA and other relevant standards
3. Construction and Installation
- Site visits and quality assurance inspections
- Verification of works against specification
- Written reporting to grantees (with copies provided to the Irish FA)
4. Maintenance and Sustainability
- Development of pitch maintenance programmes
- Advice on sustainable construction and maintenance practices
- Guidance on regulatory developments, including preparation for the EU microplastics ban (2031)
The Irish FA will:
- Assess experience, qualifications and technical capability
- Approve a consultant as a recommended provider for Irish FA funded projects
- Set expectations for quality standards, reporting and professional conduct
- Publish guidance for grantees on engaging the approved consultant
Approved consultants will:
- Operate independently of the Irish FA
- Be engaged directly by individual grant recipients
- Apply the agreed approach consistently across Irish FA funded projects
- Acknowledge that approval does not guarantee any volume of work
4. Submission
RFP should include:
- Company profile and relevant experience
- Approach and methodology for addressing the scope of work.
- Case studies of similar projects, including references.
- Team professional qualifications and key personnel.
- Proposed timeline and budget estimates for services 1 – 4 (above) for natural turf and artificial pitch projects and enhanced natural turf maintenance programme
5. Evaluation Criteria
The proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Relevance and depth of experience.
- Understanding of football facilities development and challenges.
- Quality and feasibility of the proposed approach.
- Value for money.
- References and testimonials.
6. Submission Guidelines
Proposals should be submitted by May 5th 2026
Please click 'Apply Now' to submit proposals to Maura Denny.
The Irish FA reserves the right not to approve any consultant and does not guarantee any level of future engagement.