Provision of a Cloud-Based Grant Management System

The objective of this procurement is to secure a modern, cloud-hosted, configurable off-the-shelf Grant Management System capable of supporting the full grant lifecycle for applicants, assessors, panellists, and Arts Council staff. The solution will provide a secure and accessible digital platform for application management, assessment workflows, award administration, post-award monitoring, reporting, and integration with the Arts Council’s existing Finance Management System. The organisation's strategic preference is for a solution that requires minimal custom development and can be configured using standard platform functionality. The replacement programme will be delivered through a phased implementation approach centred on the successful completion of a Proof of Concept (PoC) using a live Arts Council funding programme. This approach is intended to validate vendor capability, system performance, user experience, and organisational readiness before progressing to full production deployment. The Arts Council is seeking a long-term technology partner capable of delivering a proven solution while supporting a structured, low-risk transition from the existing environment. The new system must support bilingual service delivery (Irish and English), modern digital user experiences, robust security controls, workflow automation, management reporting, and interoperability with current and future finance platforms. The solution should also align with public sector best practice, including cloud-first principles, accessibility requirements, data protection obligations, cybersecurity standards, and emerging NIS2 requirements.