A smart procurement solution, as follows, could help accelerate housing construction activity. The Land Development Agency, the contracting authority, on its own behalf and on behalf of Approved Housing Bodies, tenders for the construction of an initial quantum of 100,000 social and affordable housing units on identified public sites where planning permission has been secured. Using the Competitive Dialogue procurement process, the LDA negotiates the technical specifications for distinct housing unit types with pre-qualified potential contractors. A maximum of three contracts are awarded with ..read more

Irish contracting authorities have published 185 tenders using the Dynamic Purchasing System to procure a wide range of supplies services and works. Want to know more about the DPS? This short presentation/tutorial should be of interest to both buyers and suppliers. https://bidservices.ie/tender-and-procurement-training-modules ..read more

Quite unusually for a PfG, procurement/tendering is mentioned a lot in the document. For example… As part of the National Economic Plan (to be agreed as part of Budget 2021), an action (unspecified) will be taken to support SMEs to compete for public service contracts. Will a bespoke initiative for small businesses replace the Go-2-Tender programme currently funded by InterTradeIreland? A procurement strategy for EVs will be published. The aim is that by 2025, contracting authorities will only be allowed to purchase low or no-emissions cars and light goods vehicles. A sustainable procurement ..read more

There is a potential gap in the scope of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020: green public procurement. Making GPP mandatory is a Programme of Government commitment. So why not do this in the Climate Action Bill in respect of all tenders valued over the prevailing EU threshold? GPP is the most sustainable, quickest, cost effective and most efficient way to drive down GHG emissions and to improve energy efficiency Peter Brennanpeter@bidservices.ie ..read more

Brexit and Public Procurement: First Impressions from an Irish Supplier Perspective While the media was obsessively distracted by the last-minute Punch & Judy fish negotiations, little or no attention was paid to public procurement arrangements post-Brexit. This is a far bigger sector of economic activity than fish, estimated to account for approx. £290 billion in the UK and some €2 trillion in the EU. The following is a brief summary of what is known at this point. The new arrangements post the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement will be largely determined by the EU’s and UK’s commitmen ..read more

The systematic introduction of GPP selection and award criteria into Irish public tenders (over the EU threshold values) will potentially have a higher impact on reducing national GHG emissions and energy consumption than many other actions identified in the National Energy and Climate Action Plan. The draft guidance is described as a ‘Starter Kit’. Would it not be much better if comprehensive guidance based on the EU’s GPP Toolkit was published now? Quite correctly, the draft guidance hints (but does not require) that the introduction of GPP by a public body should be based on an initial nee ..read more

Let’s look at the budget from a procurement point of view. Next year the Public Capital Programme will be at a record level at over €10 billion; the commercial semi-state sector will procure at least €8 billion; and Ireland’s 3,000+ contracting authorities will tender for some €15 billion+ in supplies and services. Ireland’s procurement market has grown to €33 billion. Wow. Busy times ahead for buyers and suppliers. Peter Brennan / email: peter@bidservices.ie ..read more

Here are some public interest issues that have got scant attention in recent weeks. In compliance with Cabinet procedures, the Government’s decision to tender for the construction and fit-out of the proposed NMH must be based on a detailed business case prepared under the Public Spending Code. The business case will have assessed construction and other risks. It is assumed it will be informed by the many (avoidable) mistakes made in the procurement of the National Children’s Hospital. The business case will set an affordability cap based on a financial and economic appraisal having regard to ..read more

OGP has just published a tender to a value of €200m over four years for a wide range of services, including business strategy, ICT consultancy, economics, social research, research policy advice, environmental consultancy, design services, PR and marketing consultancy, financial management consultancy, project and programme management, organisational change, HR and business process management. The framework that will be used by practically every public body (excluding utilities) applies to contracts valued over €50,000. Details on eTenders. The deadline for response is 21 March. With between 2 ..read more

Getting Value for Money Through the Smarter Procurement of Works Contracts The following actions would improve VfM and contract performance in relation to works contracts. Under the Public Spending Code, it should be made compulsory that all works projects with a capex in excess of €25m should be procured using the competitive procedure with negotiation. This proposal would result in contracting authorities getting a Best and Final Offer based on a more precise and negotiated understanding of the project brief and costs. The current practice of using the restrictive procedure for large scale ..read more