Written answers

Tuesday, 4 December 2018

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

National Broadband Plan Implementation

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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555. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the daily role of a person (details supplied); if the person was based in his Department on a full-time basis; the number of meetings the person held with him, his officials and his predecessor; the schedule of their meetings as outlined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50631/18]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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A contract was awarded for independent process auditor services for the National Broadband Plan procurement in May 2016 to the person referenced in the Question following an open procurement process.

The process auditor’s terms of reference outline the required services, which include direct observation of the decision making process with respect to the procurement and confirming formally and independently that the operation of the procurement processes and decision making associated with the NBP are fair, objective and follow the agreed processes. 

As part of his role, the process auditor, at his discretion, attended meetings of the Procurement Board  and the Evaluation Review Panel.  He also attended tender openings, as did his nominated replacement on two occasions when he was unavailable (As part of his contract, the process auditor was permitted to nominate an alternate process auditor to replace him in his audit role during periods of annual leave).

The individual concerned, operating in his process auditor role, visits the Department's offices to attend relevant meetings where he has had full access to the NBP team and processes as he deemed necessary.

The process auditor’s full terms of reference for his process audit services were published and are a matter of public record, and are available on my Department's website. 

The procurement process to engage a company to build, maintain and operate the NBP State Intervention network is ongoing and  as these meetings are part of the procurement process, it would not be appropriate to publish a schedule of the meetings held at which the process auditor was in attendance.

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