Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 365: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the guidelines in place for the commissioning of outside expertise in the consultancy and public relations fields; and if ministerial approval is required for approval of expenditure on such commissions. [30158/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department operates to detailed guidelines when commissioning outside expertise from our consultancy or research budgets. In that regard, my Department interprets consultancy as relating mainly to the provision of advice and research as relating to the compilation of information or data.

The guidelines state, inter alia, that the requirements for external consultancies and-or research projects should arise only where appropriate skills, knowledge or expertise are not available within the Department, where a particular need arises that cannot be addressed within the resources available, and-or where expertise available in other Departments and offices, for example, obtaining legal advice from the Chief State Solicitor's office in preference to engaging external consultants, cannot be used.

Furthermore, to maximise the effectiveness of the consultancy and research budgets, all proposals for funding must present a strong business case to my Department's management board for its consideration and approval.

In evaluating each business case my Department examines whether the project is designed to tackle a problem of sufficient importance to the Department relative to the costs, both in terms of financial and staff resources involved. It also examines whether the business case has been properly identified, prepared and is convincing, and the links to the Department's strategy statement.

The guidelines also set out the specific information required in each application for funding. These include: an evaluation of possibilities other than engaging external consultants to carry out the project; the purpose of the project; an outline of the timescale and scope of the project; the main objectives of the study; the amount requested and the anticipated timescale for the project; the tendering and evaluation process to be undertaken, including the timescale anticipated for this; any proposed companies it is intended to invite to tender, if appropriate, and if available; and the deliverables expected to result from the project, including the possibility for future cost savings.

The guidelines also address the issue of regular progress reports on projects approved. My Department's management board approves projects bidding for funding for the commissioning of external expertise in line with the aforementioned guidelines and ministerial approval is not routinely required. I would, naturally, be made aware of particular projects from time to time.

Insofar as the commissioning of outside expertise in consultancy funded through mainstream subheads of my Department's Vote is concerned —for example, in the area of science and technology — the same principles for the use of public moneys to purchase goods or services apply. These include, equal treatment, non-discrimination, transparency, and value for money. We also require that multiple quotes are requested and that clear criteria are set against which competing tenders can be assessed.

The same guidelines apply to the commissioning of PR consultancies. However, my Department has not commissioned such expertise in either 2004 or 2005 to date. Our 2004 expenditure in this general area was confined to media advertising in related to statutory obligations, advertising in the national and provincial papers, exhibitions and so on.

Where a contract is anticipated to exceed €152,000, excluding VAT, the EU's tendering rules must be applied. In this regard, the Department of Finance procurement guidelines have been disseminated throughout my Department and we have a dedicated resource available to assist in clarifying these rules should that prove necessary.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 366: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the percentage of reports, consultancies and cases from external commissions where the issue of poor value for money was highlighted in his Department, from 1998 to date in 2005. [30173/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

All proposals for funding from my Department's consultancy and research budgets are evaluated against the criteria outlined in my response to the Deputy's Question No. 365, also for answer today. These criteria have ensured maximisation of the effectiveness of both the consultancy and research subheads. My Department is satisfied that value for money has been achieved in all cases.