I am informed that my Department did not historically collate centrally the information sought by the Deputy.
However, over the last twenty months, since the appointment of a Head of Procurement, my Department has run a small number of above-EU threshold public tender competitions, that did not result in an award, including for the following reasons:
• A change in business requirements. This tender was cancelled and subsequently re-run. A successful outcome is expected in the following weeks.
• Duplication of requirements. This tender was cancelled following the recent transfer of functions into my Department.
• No responses received. My Department engaged with marketplace participants post-tender deadline and determined that the services required were available from only one single supplier.
• No responses received. My Department is currently engaging with marketplace participants to better understand why no bids were received.
I am informed that, where a contract is not awarded, the responsible business unit undertakes an analysis in order to improve future tendering outcomes.
I would like to assure the Deputy that my Department adheres to all national and EU procurement procedures and best practice. This includes pre-market consultation and the use of subject matter experts, where appropriate, to ensure that tender documents are clear and well specified.
Procurement within my Department is subject to audit and scrutiny under the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993. Procurement in my Department is also subject to internal audit.
Under Department of Finance Circular 40/02, my Department makes an annual return to the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) in respect of contracts above the applicable threshold which are awarded without a competitive process. These are detailed in my Department’s annual Appropriation Accounts as published by the C&AG, which is subject to scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department’s level of 40/02 procurement compliance increased significantly in 2024 and that this is an important public procurement efficiency benchmark.
I can also assure the Deputy that I fully appreciate the important role public procurement plays in the delivery of Departmental and Government objectives. It enables public money to be spent in an efficient, transparent, sustainable and strategic way. Accordingly, my Department engages fully with initiatives of the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) focusing especially on achieving savings and the use of established framework agreements for the procurement of goods and services.
The importance placed by my Department on procurement is further evidenced by the appointment, in 2023, of a dedicated professional Head of Procurement at Principal Officer level. In addition, two Assistant Principal Officers with extensive public procurement knowledge, experience and qualifications have also been appointed to the Procurement Unit.
The Procurement Unit has a key role in providing oversight, advice and support to facilitate the timely and effective management of public procurement processes. Below are some examples of recent developments in relation to procurement in the Department:
• The development of a training programme to enhance the Department’s procurement and contract management capability and capacity. It is envisaged that such training would support improvement in areas mentioned by the Deputy including planning, specifications, market research and consultations.
• Development of a range of standard template documents, model forms and related guidance documents, leveraging existing material for Department staff.
• Establishment of a procurement knowledge base accessible via the Department’s intranet site.
• Process to identify a suitable replacement solution for our current management information system used to record contract details.
• Establishment of an internal procurement network to ensure procurement best practice is communicated in an efficient and effective manner.
