Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2006
397 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the information technology purchasing requirements, for both hardware and software, in his Department for the second half of 2006; the requirements for which tender requests have been issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26038/06]
View answer398 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his Department’s information technology purchasing policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26053/06]
View answer399 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the percentage of information technology spend in his Department that went to Irish SMEs in each year from 2002 to date in 2006; the percentage for European Union and European Economic Area SMEs; if systems are in place in his Department’s procurement procedures to give preference to SMEs, such as the weighting system in place in the Local Government Computer Services Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26068/06]
View answer400 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the average size of information technology procurement contracts in his Department; the median size of such contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26083/06]
View answer401 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps he is taking to support the development of the indigenous software industry through his Department’s public procurement process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26098/06]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 397 to 401, inclusive, together.
My Department's information technology purchasing policy is based on the procedures set out in the public procurement guidelines issued by the Department of Finance. These latter are based on various EU public procurement Directives. In general, the EU Directives encourage a competitive process carried out in an open, objective, transparent and non-discriminatory manner, with the aim of achieving best value for public money while providing equality of opportunity for suppliers. These various guidelines are incorporated in an internal Departmental policy document entitled ‘IT Procurement Guidelines 2006'.
My Department's procurement procedures do not give preference to SMEs. Nor do the procedures seek to give preference to the domestic software industry over EU competitors, which would be contrary to EU rules.
Our assessment of information technology tenders submitted is based on the principle of the most economically advantageous tender — that is we seek to identify the respondent who can do the job at the best price and thereby achieve best value for taxpayers' money. Because of the nature and scale of information technology purchases by my Department, the reality is that the majority of IT contracts entered into by my Department involve Irish SMEs. My Department does not compile specific data on the percentage of information technology spend that goes to Irish, EU or EEA SMEs.
Where appropriate, our tendering procedures allow for the division of contracts into lots and/or make provision for the engagement of sub-contractors, the effect of which is to ensure that SMEs are not precluded by virtue of their size from bidding for large contracts. This is in line with the Lisbon Agenda which recognised the low involvement in tendering by SMEs and recommended that they be encouraged to participate by dividing tenders into lots or by facilitating sub-contracting arrangements.
I am informed that the Local Government Computer Services Board awards marks for widening the social and economic benefits of its contracts. Such social and economic benefits include the use of sub-contractors and SMEs as well as participation in community and charitable re-use schemes, donation schemes and accessibility issues. The effect of this is that a supplier that isn't an SME or doesn't use SMEs can score as highly as one that does if it participates in charitable or community schemes - makes donations of some kind to a worthy cause in Ireland or abroad. My Department will pursue with the Department of Finance the extent to which national guidelines should be amended to take on board issues covered by the Local Government Computer Services Board's procedures.
The technology purchasing requirements, both hardware and software, for which tender requests have been issued by my Department for the second half of 2006 are as follows: support and maintenance contracts for the Department's management information framework and operating systems (Linux/Unix); accessibility audit services for the Companies Registration Office's website; the provision of an electronic press cuttings service for the Department, and hard disk storage and network remote access equipment.
The average size of information technology procurement contract in my Department for the period from 2002 to 2006 (2006 are estimated figures) is €93,983 and the median size of such contracts is €32,125.
