The Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention Tuam has gone out to tender for qualified experts in a contract expected to last between one and two years, but can be extended to a third year given the complexity of the process.
This is the next step of a long-awaited process to retrieve the remains of 796 children who died in the former Bons Secours home for mostly unmarried mothers in Tuam. The religious-run institution operated between 1925 and 1961.
The plan to recover the children's remains comes under the Burial Act, which allows for the entire site to be excavated.
The office is seeking experts, with experience ranging from at least five to 10 years for some roles, in the areas of forensic archaeology, osteoarcheology and forensic anthropology as well as photographers and evidence managers.
The actual number of people required in each position will depend on the requirements of the project as the excavation progresses.
Preliminary works got under way at the site before Christmas and this has been completed.
The project involves the forensic excavation and recovery of human remains at the former Mother and Baby Institution, Tuam, including all associated works on site to facilitate the forensic excavation and recovery.
It should be understood that this project is large in scale and complexity and will require the recovery of commingled human remains, according to the office.
Speaking to the , director of Authorised Intervention at Tuam, Daniel MacSweeney, said: "We have two more tenders coming out, this will be for a forensic team to work on site in Tuam. The tenders will be for the main contractor and building contractor for the works involved in the intervention, and they will work with us.
"It will be in three phases, a tender for the specialised forensic team, the anthropologist and the archaeologist, there will also be a photographer.
"The budget we have will be €5m and the tenders will be done through the Office of Public Works.”
Mr MacSweeney said that he couldn’t stress enough that what they are dealing with at Tuam is a “complex site”.
"We have the preliminary works done, looking at the maps and how this is going to go, the main contract will finalise the team on site,” he said.
"We still have that window of works to begin between February and June, we are on budget and on time. But the main message is that the complexity of the job is very high. We want to have the right people at the right level to do the work for us."
In terms of DNA collections, Mr MacSweeney said his office is still only taking samples from the elderly and vulnerable, but that anyone is welcome to get in touch with his office if they believe they are related to the any of the children buried at the site.
Anyone who wished to contact the office of the intervention can do so at their website.