- DAA launched a new procurement competition.
- The contract covers the Terminal 1 landside store.
- The franchise is valued at €9.4 million.
- The previous legal challenge was withdrawn.
- The outlet ir required to operate 24 hours.
DAA plc has launched a new procurement competition to operate the the landside convenience store in Terminal 1 at Dublin Airport. The process follows the withdrawal of a legal challenge by the previous operator Wright’s Airport Convenience Store Ltd. DAA awarded the original contract to Smart Horizon Ltd before the dispute.
The five-year contract covers the Terminal 1 atrium unit and an adjacent external coffee pod with an estimated value of €9.4 million. The outlet provides 24-hour foodvenience services that include hot deli, bakery, grab and go items, coffee and commuter products. It employs 51 people under the current operator.
DAA plc is launching a new procurement competition to select an operator for the landside convenience store in Terminal 1 at Dublin Airport. This decision follows the withdrawal of a high-profile legal challenge in the Commercial Court.
The current operator, Wright’s Airport Convenience Store Ltd (trading as Wright’s Food Fayre), initiated a High Court challenge earlier this year against airport operator DAA plc. The lawsuit was filed after DAA awarded the new five-year contract to a rival company, Smart Horizon Ltd.
Wright’s claimed that DAA’s evaluation of the bids was flawed by “manifest error,” that award criteria were applied incorrectly, and that the evaluation lacked transparency and equal treatment. When Wright’s withdrew its legal challenge, under EU public procurement rules, the automatic suspension on awarding the contract was lifted, allowing DAA to initiate a fresh, neutral bidding process. The judge awarded legal costs to Wright’s.
The upcoming procurement process will decide the future of one of the airport’s most strategic 24/7 retail footprints:, evaluated at approximately €9.4m over a five-year term. The deal covers the Terminal 1 atrium unit and an adjacent external coffee pod/truck.
The operator must provide around-the-clock “foodvenience” services. This includes a hot food deli, fresh bakery, “grab and go” options, coffee, and essential commuter travel products like Leap cards, bus tickets, lotto cards, and mobile top-ups.
Interest parties are askedf to submit bids through the eTenders portal for a neutral selection process after the earlier challenge.
