Minister Harris welcomes projected annual savings from new framework for Consultancy and Advisory Services
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Ó: An Roinn Caiteachais Phoiblí, Seachadta ar an bPlean Forbartha Náisiúnta, agus Athchóirithe
- Foilsithe: 20 Aibreán 2016
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 20 Nollaig 2018
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:
- using non-restrictive turnover requirements and proportionate insurance levels
- organising a bidders’ briefing to advise businesses about the tender and to explain the process and requirements
- breaking the framework into smaller lots by consultancy discipline, for example, research services, HR and business strategy and operations
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
Note to editor
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:
- easy access to pre-selected specialist providers who are best placed to deliver business and management consultancy and advisory services to the public sector across a wide range of practice areas
- less time and cost spent in running procurement processes
- compliance with procurement regulations
- control of and input into consultancy selection and engagement
- competitive fees
- access to meaningful management information
- terms and conditions that have already been established and agreed – this removes the need to re-draft and/or renegotiate terms for each procurement to be undertaken