From Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform
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High success rate (56%) for SMEs tendering for framework.
Simon Harris TD, Minister of State with special responsibility for Public Procurement, today (20 April 2016) announced a framework for Business Consultancy and Advisory Services.
This tender process was conducted by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). In addition to delivering up to €14 million savings per annum across the public service, the new OGP-designed framework will significantly reduce administrative overheads and provide greater budgetary control for public sector buyers.
Welcoming the framework, Minister Harris said:
“I am encouraged by the high level of Irish SME success and regional spread of this tender process. 56% of all framework suppliers are SMEs, with successful bidders based in Wexford, Cork, Galway, Offaly, Laois and Tipperary.
"The SME sector can be confident that in a growing economy they can secure their share of the valuable public sector market.”
SME involvement in this competition is promoted through a range of measures including:
Emphasising the OGP commitment to encouraging SMEs to engage fully with public sector procurement opportunities, Minister Harris noted:
“Another essential element of this tender was the use of consortium bidding. In this case, three Irish consortia have successfully achieved a place on the framework.
"I encourage SMEs to consider using consortia where they are not of sufficient scale to tender in their own right. Template tender and contract documents frequently allow for consortia to tender for public procurement opportunities.”
ENDS
This framework is the first of its kind for the OGP in relation to Business and Management Consulting and Advisory Services for the Public Sector. It provides public sector customers with a range of benefits including: