asked the Minister for Finance what is the method adopted by the Commissioners of Public Works in placing contracts; and whether tenders are invited through public Press advertisement for all contracts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Commissioners of Public Works: Placing of Contracts.
5.
Save where such a course is not feasible, e.g. the supply of proprietary spare parts for machinery, contracts are placed by the Commissioners of Public Works as a result of competition. The practice is to accept the lowest suitable tender.
Tenders are invited through public Press advertisements for building works estimated to cost £1,500 and over in the Dublin and Cork city areas and £500 and over in the remainder of the country. For works estimated to cost less than those amounts tenders are invited directly from as many known suitable contractors as possible.
Tenders for supplies are invited through public Press advertisements except where the estimated cost of the supplies is less than £1,000 or where the number of suitable supplies is known to be limited. In such cases competitive tenders are invited directly.
In those cases where the Parliamentary Secretary says that there are no Press advertisements but that tenders are invited from known contractors, would he not consider it more desirable that the tenders should be invited through the public Press or at least the local Press?
In the case of big jobs, tenders are invited through the public Press, but in regard to the smaller jobs, there is a practice of issuing a notice, or sometimes sending out the specifications, to a big number of contractors, which was found to be the most expeditious way to deal with the job.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary say which contractors are on the list? There are many who are never notified at all.
We are always glad to add to the list, and if the Deputy knows of anyone whose name is not on the list, we shall be glad to add him to the list.
May I take it that that undertaking applies to every area in Ireland?
Dublin and Cork cities are treated on a somewhat different basis with regard to the smaller contracts.
But in the rural areas any reputable contractor desiring to have his name placed on the list will be accommodated?
Oh, yes.
That has not been the case in the past.
We are always prepared to consider any contractor who is anxious to be notified.