Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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1052. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps she is taking to protect the not-for-profit local employment services sector, in addition to a related matter raised during the Dáil Éireann debate on the matter on 30 November 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2181/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department is procuring a new Local Area Employment Service over two distinct phases.

Phase one of the process for procuring new employment services involved seven counties in the Midlands and North West currently without a Local Employment Service, contracts were signed last month and services are in the process of being mobilised.

Phase two of the process has now commenced, with the publication on 21 December last of a request for tender for seventeen lots covering 19 counties.  Services for this phase will begin in July 2022.

In a competitive procurement, it is not legally permissible for my Department to protect any potential tenderers.  What I have ensured however, is that, in drafting the requests for tenders, the majority of the evaluation marks will be awarded based on the quality of the service being offered and the community linkages and social value associated with its delivery.

In addition, learnings from Phase 1 of the procurement process have been incorporated into phase 2. Specifically,  enhancing the financial viability of the new contracts for the non-profit sector has been possible by increasing the number of guaranteed minimum referrals and adding detail to the scheme for upfront payments. 

Two specific information sessions, last November and this January, outlined the approach of the Department to this procurement and informed prospective tenderers on how to approach the current procurement process.