Written Answers. - Tendering for BGE Headquarters.
Mary Harney
Question:
15
Miss Harney
asked the
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications
whether standard public tendering procedures were complied with by BGE in connection with proposed new headquarters buildings in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11376/95]
Bertie Ahern
Question:
29
Mr. B. Ahern
asked the
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications
when attention was drawn to the fact that there was no tendering or short-listing process for the appointment of quantity surveyors to Bord Gáis.
[9872/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 29 together.
I should explain that matters relating to the location and nature of BGE's headquarters are for the Board of BGE. The Gas Acts do not confer any powers on the Minister in that respect.
However, I have made inquiries with BGE and have been informed as follows. In August 1992 BGE invited six architectural firms to submit tenders-proposals for a design team to undertake a redevelopment-extension of the existing headquarters facility at Inchera, Little Island, County Cork. Following this process, a firm of architects, together with their back-up team, including quantity surveyors, were appointed.
Subsequently, land at Little Island which BGE had hoped to purchase was no longer available. In fact, BGE received an offer for its own site. As a result, the Board of BGE decided to sell the existing headquarters at Little Island and locate all of its Cork based activities at its existing Albert Road site in Cork or, alternatively, at another green-field site in Cork City.
On 25 April 1995 the board decided to extend the appointment of the original architects and back-up team to undertake design work relating to the Albert Road site. This was done without competitive tendering in order to meet the timescale of the prospective purchaser of the Little Island complex and having regard to the commercial aspects of the deal.
I first became aware on 22 May 1995 that the architects and back-up team had their appointment extended without recourse to competitive tendering procedures.
The guidelines for state bodies give boards of state bodies a degree of discretion in relation to competitive tendering. However, in the case in question, it is in my opinion that, it would have been preferable for BGE to have used that discretion to ensure tendering for the revised project.
The guidelines are now being reviewed for all state companies reporting to the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications.
