Written answers
Tuesday, 17 November 2015
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Office of Public Works Projects
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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236. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the date the Office of Public Works attached the minimum requirements document to the recent advertisement of a bicycle hire concession in the Phoenix Park through its eTenders portal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40513/15]
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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237. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason the Office of Public Works did not list, in order of importance, the minimum requirements, as is standard, in its recent advertisement of a bicycle hire concession in the Phoenix Park through its eTenders portal, the scoring system for the points on the minimum requirements document; the reason the points system was not made available at the beginning of the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40514/15]
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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238. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform why the Office of Public Works only raised the requirement for a business plan with one of the applicants following the recent advertisement of a bicycle hire concession in the Phoenix Park through its eTenders portal, after the close of applications, rather than having it listed in the advertisement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40515/15]
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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239. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views that it is appropriate for the Office of Public Works to make the points system on how the application was graded available to an applicant right before the interview meeting on 26 May 2015 following its recent advertisement of a bicycle hire concession in the Phoenix Park through its e-Tenders portal, and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40516/15]
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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240. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the actions of the Office of Public Works in how it awards concessions for commercial operations on its properties; the procedures that are in place to ensure that the tender application process for such concessions is open, transparent and accountable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40517/15]
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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241. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views that the winning tender to operate a bicycle hire in the Phoenix Park increased the price for hiring bicycles by 50%; his further views that this is appropriate, given the impact it might have on price-sensitive tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40518/15]
Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 to 241, inclusive, together.
I am advised by the Commissioners of Public Works that a notice inviting applications to operate a bicycle-hire concession in the Phoenix Park, with a detailed specification of requirements, was placed on the E-Tenders website portal on the 1st April 2015. Two applicants applied.
The listed criteria in the specification were deemed to be of equal importance and a pass/fail marking system was applied. As both applicants were deemed capable of providing the required level of service, they were called for interview to outline their business proposals. The marking system, which was used at the interview, was presented to both applicants in advance of their presentation. Both candidates were deemed suitable to operate the system and the concession was awarded to the applicant who offered the highest facility fee.
The OPW advertises all concessions using the E-Tender portal or by public advertisement. Concessions are awarded on the basis of quality, service delivery to the public in keeping with the overall conservation and protection of the relevant site. Equal opportunity is given to all applicants who wish to submit a proposal.
The OPW does not seek to control concessionaires pricing range.
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