Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Question 287: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a campaign has been initiated to encourage greater small and medium enterprise registration on e-tenders; the nature of the campaign; if not initiated, when this will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20075/12]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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The National Procurement Service (NPS) in the Office of Public Works has responsibility for initiatives in procurement to achieve efficiencies and value for money for the Irish taxpayer.

Since its establishment in 2009, the NPS has made continuous efforts to ensure that Irish Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are able to take full advantage of the public procurement opportunities that arise and are available to them. This includes the promotion of the use of eTenders by SMEs to gain access to public sector tenders.

The NPS, in conjunction with the SME representative bodies such as the SFA and ISME, facilitate seminars for SMEs, which cover all the issues relating to competing for public procurement contracts, including accessing public tenders through the use of eTenders.

Workshops were also delivered in 2011 on public procurement opportunities in association with Enterprise Ireland and IntertradeIreland. At all of these events the eTenders platform is promoted.

Following a procurement process, to find a new platform to replace the current eTenders platform, a preferred tenderer will shortly be appointed. Once this contract has been signed a concerted communication and advertising campaign will be put in place to encourage suppliers to sign up to eTenders. It should be noted that the number of suppliers registered on eTenders has risen from just over 50,000 suppliers when the NPS took control of the site in 2009 to 72,876 suppliers now. The Deputy may wish to note that, to date, 1405 suppliers have registered for the month of April. Also, it should be noted that in the order of 3,000 SMEs have benefitted directly from training in supplier events organised or participated in by the National Procurement Service.