Vol. 555 No. 5
326 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Transport the procedures required in road contracts being undertaken by the National Roads Authority; and if he has satisfied himself that all contracts entered into by the National Roads Authority have complied with those guidelines. [19366/02]
Placing of contracts by the National Roads Authority (NRA) is governed by the Public Procurement Procedures (1994 Edition) published by the Department of Finance and, in the case of contracts exceeding certain threshold values, by relevant EU Directives on public procurement. Tender competitions may involve an initial pre-qualification stage, followed by a restricted or, in exceptional circumstances, negotiated tender. Tenders are generally advertised on an open competitive tender basis. Compliance with these public procurement requirements is a matter for the NRA. It is standard practice for the NRA to require contractors to produce evidence that they can secure a performance bond, the amount of which will vary according to the value of the contract. These requirements are covered by the conditions of contract for each project. It is a matter for the NRA to ensure that bonding procedures are complied with.
