Bus Éireann to spend €7 million on gift cards to reward staff for safe driving
Bus Éireann is set to spend around €7 million on gift cards for its staff to reward safe driving and other positive practices at work.
The state-owned company, which relies heavily on public funding, recorded total losses of €2.2 million over the course of its two most recent financial years.
It's now seeking tenders for the supply of pre-loaded gift cards for its staff members, which will be used to reward positive performance, such as safe driving and employee referrals.
The estimated value of the contract for the supply of the gift cards is €7 million excluding VAT, according to tender documents, and it's for a period of five years with two possible 12-month extensions.
Bus Éireann has specified that the gift cards it will purchase must be universally accepted in Ireland, but they will not be redeemable for the purpose of online gaming or gambling.
The cards must remain valid for at least one year and recipients should be able to check the balance of each card by phone, online, or in store, the tender states. They will use debit card technology and will not feature the name of the beneficiary.
'Bus Éireann seeks to engage the services of a qualified agency to provide pre-loaded gift cards for its staff,' it said. 'The main demand will be for bonus cards for driving staff and engineering staff. The cards will be required in varying denominations.'
The successful supplier will be required to deliver the cards to the company's offices throughout the country based on 'award lists' provided by Bus Éireann. They will be purchased in batches at various times during the year.
The bus and coach operator receives significant public funding and was awarded a five-year contract worth €1.2 billion last year for services on Public Service Obligation (PSO) routes.
In 2022, it recorded a €1.5 million loss, and a further loss of €700,000 the following year despite revenues rising by 14 per cent to €583.7 million, and passenger journeys climbing nearly 20 per cent to 107 million.
Tenders for the €7 million contract for the supply of gift cards must be received by June 24, according to the company.
Bus Éireann did not respond to a request for comment.
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