I propose to take Questions Nos. 258, 259, 266 and 267 together.
My Department commenced a procurement process for a National Postcode System in 2011. An open and competitive procurement process was conducted in accordance with Department of Finance and EU procurement frameworks.
A pre-qualification questionnaire was issued on www.etenders.gov.ie on January 2011. This invited interested parties to tender for the contract as a postcode management licence holder for a period of 10 years to design, provide, disseminate and maintain a National Postcode System. A number of companies participated in the procurement process. Three parties qualified following Stage 1 of the process. My Department subsequently received two final bids from consortia led by Capita and An Post. In October, 2013, the Government approved the award of a contract to Capita Business Services Ireland Limited.
My Department received correspondence from the EU Commission in August, 2012 regarding certain aspects of the procurement process. The case was fully examined by the Commission which informed the Department in November, 2013 that the matter had been closed on the basis that the Commission could not establish any breach of EU procurement law that would justify the opening of an infringement procedure. The Irish authorities, however, were requested to take measures in relation to the clarity of language to be used in relation to bids by consortia in future procurements.
In reply to a question from the European Parliament on the procurement process for the postcodes project, the then European Commissioner for the Internal Market stated on 14 May 2014 as follows:
The Commission received a complaint regarding the tendering procedure in question, it conducted an investigation into the matter.
After having received the requested clarifications from the Irish authorities, the Commission closed the file. Based on the available information, the Commission departments could not establish any violation of EU public procurement law that would justify the opening of an infringement procedure.
In April, 2015 in further correspondence, the EU Commission asked for additional information on the measures that have been adopted by the Irish authorities to avoid the possible misinterpretation of the language which arose in the pre-qualification questionnaire. My Department have responded to this request having consulted with the Office of Government Procurement.