Departmental Contracts Data

Tuesday, 5 November 2019

Questions (78)

Mattie McGrath

Question:

78. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Taoiseach the details of contracts of €25,000 or more that have been awarded by his Department or bodies under his aegis that were found to be non-compliant with procurement guidelines in 2017, 2018 and to date in 2019. [45071/19]

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Written answers

The Taoiseach

Under Department of Finance Circular 40/02, my Department makes annual returns to the Comptroller and Auditor General in respect of contracts above a €25,000 threshold which are awarded without a competitive process. Contracts awarded without a competitive process are not necessarily non-compliant with procurement guidelines.

Details of contracts/purchases of more than €25,000 undertaken by my Department without a competitive process in 2017 and 2018 are set out in the tables below. The National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO), the only body under my Department's aegis, has no contracts that fall within the scope of the question.

While my Department's Finance Unit actively monitors contracts and procurement throughout the year, it is not possible, at this point in the year, to provide accurate details in respect of 2019.

2018

Nature of Contract	Value	Details
Maintenance, support, license expenditure and upgrade related expenditure for eCabinet for users across all Government Departments	€243,182	This relates to a bespoke system developed following an open tender competition. No other economic operator would be in a position to provide the licenses, product maintenance and upgrade services.
Provision of telephonists to operate the Department's switch	€94,144	A detailed interdepartmental cost benefit analysis was performed to ensure this contract represented good value for money.
Provision of a legal secretary to the Moriarty Tribunal legal team	€47,716	The Tribunal approached the provider directly in relation to this engagement when the Tribunal was set up in 1997. Tribunals of Inquiry are independent in their operation.
Provision of stenography services for the Cooke Commission of Investigation	€40,000	The Commission approached the provider directly in relation to this work. Commissions of Investigation are independent in their operation.
Independent expert review of the National Broadband procurement process	€29,843	The terms agreed for this review were the same as the rates payable under the terms of the contract between the provider and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. The review was an independent review of the National Broadband Procurement Process carried out by the NBP Process Auditor on behalf of the Department of the Taoiseach.

2017

Nature of Contract	Value	Details
Maintenance, support, license expenditure and upgrade related expenditure for eCabinet for users across all Government Departments	€412,206	This relates to a bespoke system developed following an open tender competition. No other economic operator would be in a position to provide the licenses, product maintenance and upgrade services.
Provision of telephonists to operate the Department's switch	€115,157	A detailed interdepartmental cost benefit analysis was performed to ensure this contract represented good value for money.
Provision of newspapers	€56,087	This relates to a rollover of a previous contract. The Department issued a request for tender and a new contract was in place in Q1 2018.
Provision of a legal secretary to the Moriarty Tribunal legal team	€51,906	The Tribunal approached the provider directly in relation to this engagement when the Tribunal was set up in 1997. Tribunals of Inquiry are independent in their operation.
Provision of ICT services to the IBRC Commission	€36,861	The initial contract with this provider was entered following a tender process however additional expenditure was incurred by the commission as a result of an extension of the existing arrangement. Commissions of Investigation are independent in their operation and their expenditure levels depend on the requirements of their investigation.
Provision of a software system to the Moriarty Tribunal	€26,537	The Tribunal approached the provider directly in relation to this engagement. Tribunals of Inquiry are independent in their operation.