Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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883. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department has guidelines on State advertising and the procurement process; and, if not, whether his Department has plans to draft such guidelines. [24602/16]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Public Procurement is governed by EU and National rules and guidelines. The aim of these rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers best value for money.

EU Directives on public procurement require that public works, supplies and service contracts above certain thresholds must be advertised on the Official Journal of the EU and awarded on the basis of objective and non-restrictive criteria. For works contracts the threshold is €5.225 million; for supplies and service contracts awarded by Government Departments the threshold is €135,000 and for the remainder of public bodies the threshold is €209,000. The threshold for supplies and service contracts of entities operating in utility sectors (water, energy, transport and postal) is €418,000.  For contracts below these thresholds, the general requirement is that they be advertised on the national public procurement website www.etenders.gov.ieor, depending on value, awarded on the basis of a competitive process of direct invitation to an adequate number of suitable suppliers.

In addition the following national rules apply to below EU threshold procurements:

- all public contracts for supplies and services with an estimated value of €25,000 (exclusive of VAT) and upwards should be advertised on the national public procurement website, www.etenders.gov.ie.

- The advertising threshold for works is set at €50,000 (exclusive of VAT).

- Suppliers of goods and services and especially the SME Sector are encouraged to register on the e-Tenders website and avail of its facilities including receiving automatic alerts in relation to future tendering opportunities.

It is the responsibility of each contracting authority to ensure that they comply with EU and national rules in relation to public procurement.