Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 February 2013
314. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total number of complaints submitted about the new eTenders website since it went live on the 12 November 2012; if he will provide a breakdown of these complaints by sector and by issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6741/13]
View answer315. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the representative bodies that his Department briefed ahead of the launch of the eTenders website; the nature of the briefing; the processes that exist for future briefings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6742/13]
View answer316. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total number of public procurement tenders issued by the Government; the number of tenders which have involved more than one element or project, for these tenders to be broken down by sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6743/13]
View answer318. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he expects the data relating to the annual procurement statistics for 2012 to be available; if he intends to make that information available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6745/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 314 to 316, inclusive, and 318 together.
The Government website www.etenders.gov.ie is a fully managed electronic tendering system that meets Ireland’s requirements in relation to the European Union’s requirements to meet the EU target for achievement of 100% capability for electronic tendering.
This website is the official Government website for public tenders for goods, services and works. It serves as a repository for notices above EU thresholds and which must be advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union. In accordance with policy guidelines from my Department contracting authorities are also obliged to publish all tender notices for goods and services with a value greater than €25,000 on the eTender website.
An upgrade to the site was launched on 12th November 2012. The new site, as well as publishing contract notices has a wide range of additional functionality that in effect will allow other aspects of the procurement process to be completed electronically, including assessment, awarding and contract management. This additional functionality is improving and generating efficiencies for both the public and private sectors.
Prior to launching the new site, the supplier representative bodies including Chambers Ireland, IBEC, ISME and the Small Firms Association were briefed on the new system and electronic copies of Supplier User Manuals were supplied to them for distribution to their respective membership. The National Procurement Service meets these bodies on a regular basis.
Prior to the launch, registered Suppliers and Buyers on the system were also informed about the proposed change of system and user manuals were sent to each of them electronically. Suppliers were also informed of the up-coming change of system at various Meet the Buyer events and other such seminars.
Prior to and since the launch of the new site, the NPS has organised a number of demonstrations for Buyers on the new site. Since the system went live on 12th November demonstrations of the new system have been given to suppliers at Meet the Buyer events. The National Procurement Service has also agreed with the Construction Industry Federation to give a seminar on the new system to them on a date to be agreed.
In 2012, there were 6,439 notices published on eTenders. It is not possible to quantify how many of these tenders had more than one element. The National Procurement Service has begun the task of collating procurement statistics for the year 2012, in accordance with our EU obligations. This statistical information should be available later in 2013.
During the week beginning 12th November, the first week the system went live; supplier and buyers received unsolicited marketing emails from the previous operator of the service, marketing a new service. This email contained a username and password for their website, which caused widespread confusion among public sector Buyers and Suppliers as many of them thought these credentials were for the new eTenders system.
Most of the complaints since the launch of the new site relate to the confusion caused by this email and the National Procurement Service communicated with registered Buyers and Suppliers to clarify the issue.
While there were thousands of queries in relation to the new site and its functionality, the Helpdesk statistics for the first three months after its launch record only 22 complaints in relation to the new site, the majority of these in the first two weeks. I received nine representations making complaints in relation to the new site. The complaints relate to alerts to suppliers and the search function on the site, both of which have now been resolved; as well as the site design. Since then the Helpdesk receives on average in the region of 250 routine calls per day.
