Written answers
Tuesday, 24 November 2020
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Public Procurement Contracts
Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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292. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the details of contracts of €25,000 or more that have been awarded by his Department, or bodies under the aegis of his Department, that were found to be non-compliant with procurement guidelines from 1 January 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37803/20]
Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the procurement processes for all contracts in my Department were carried out in accordance with the Office of Government Procurement’s (OGP) Public Procurement Guidelines for Goods and Services which aim to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers the best value for money.
Five procurement processes valued over €25,000 (excluding VAT) were undertaken in 2019 and 2020 by my Department under the terms of Article 32 of the Public Sector Procurement Directive (2004/18/EC). This Article provides for the awarding of contracts without the use of a competitive procedure in certain circumstances, including, for example: where no suitable tenders have been submitted in response to an open or restricted procedure; where competition is absent for technical reasons; and for reasons of extreme urgency brought about by unforeseeable events.
The Deputy will note that there was an increase in the number of Article 32 procurements valued over €25,000 in my Department in 2020, in comparison with 2019. This was primarily due to the operational impacts of the Covid-19 public health emergency, which has led to major changes in how the Department delivers on its strategic remit.
Details of all contracts/purchases of more than €25,000 (exclusive of VAT) undertaken without a competitive process, and the reasons for doing so, are notified to the Comptroller and Auditor General when preparing the Annual Appropriation Accounts and published in that context.
The relevant information in respect of my Department is set out in the table below.
Year | Body | Company Awarded Contract | Details of the Contract | Value of Contract (€) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Department of Public Expenditure and Reform | Equinix | To support Government Network connectivity between Public Sector Bodies (PSBs) and telecommunication providers and other third party bodies that PSBs engage directly with | €55,000 |
| Department of Public Expenditure and Reform | AwS | Provision of IT Cloud Services to facilitate increased demand for Gov.ie services that have arisen in the context of Covid-19 | €100,000 | |
| Department of Public Expenditure and Reform | Eir (Security Services) | Provision of IT Security Services to enhance malware detection and prevention systems in response to a National Cyber Security Centre alert on heightened threat levels arising from Covid-19 | €123,000 | |
| Department of Public Expenditure and Reform | McCann Fitzgerald Solicitors | Provision of legal advices on advisory notes and legal agreements for use with standard form Capital Works Management Framework contracts in response to Covid-19 measures | €29,520 | |
| 2019 | Department of Public Expenditure and Reform | Equinix | To support Government Network connectivity between Public Sector Bodies (PSBs) and telecommunication providers and other third party bodies that PSBs engage directly with | €54,853 |
Note: Details of transactions with other public sector bodies are not included.I am informed that the position in respect of the Bodies under the aegis of my Department is as set out below.
Year | Body | Company Awarded Contract | Details of the Contract | Value of Contract (€) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Ombudsman’s Office | Accent Solutions | Continuation of contract for cleaning services arising due to relocation of premises in December 2019 | €33,341 |
| 2019 | Public Appointments Service | Emerald Cleaning Services | Continuation of commercial cleaning services pending outcome of decision on long-term status of premises. A tender on foot of competitive process was awarded in February 2020 | €70,000 |
| 2019 | Office of Public Works | Various | There were thirty five contracts for 2019, totalling €2.959 million: - €140,236 related to one contract for urgent specialised work of a security nature - €1,189,526 related to payments to eight suppliers where no contract was in place at the time of supply - €440,207 related to six contracts where the incorrect procurement method was used - €1,189,307 related to 20 contracts which were procured from a single suitable supplier or a contractor with specialised expertise or due to urgency. | €2,959,000 |
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