The requirements of this contract are to provide archaeological consultancy services for the planned Killaloe Bypass, Shannon Crossing and R494 Improvements Scheme in Counties Clare and Tipperary in advance of its construction. The road scheme has been approved by An Bord Pleanála (ref. 03. HA0038) and is being carried out under the direction of Clare County Council. The entire scheme is approximately 6.2km long and will include crossings over the River Shannon approximately 1km to the south of the existing Killaloe Bridge as well as the Kilmastulla River on the R494. The proposed scheme can be described in the following three sections:
• Killaloe Bypass: This part of the scheme aims to create an approx. 2km long Type 2 Single Carriageway western bypass around the town of Killaloe which will connect the R463 to the north of town with the proposed Shannon Bridge Crossing section and R463 to the south of the town. The scheme has a typical width approx. 30m with localisedwider areas.
• Shannon Bridge Crossing: This section of the scheme will cross the River Shannon approximately 1km south of the existing Killaloe Bridge and will connect the proposed Killaloe Bypass with the R494.
• R494 Upgrade: This section will involve an approx. 3.3km long widening, regrading and local realignment of the existing R494 to create a Type 3 Single Carriageway from its junction with the R496 and proposed Shannon Bridge Crossing south of Ballina, as far as the junction with the R445 north of Birdhill.

The archaeological consultancy services are to be supplied under a single contract and are to be performed in four main stages;

i) Test Trenching
ii) Pre-Excavation Services
iii) Excavation & Post-Excavation Assessment Services
iv) Post-Excavation & Dissemination Services