Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 June 2020
703. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the tender process for local authorities for the hiring or purchasing of plant machinery; if contracts for plant machinery for local authorities have to be tendered on a yearly basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10138/20]
View answerI have no direct role in the procurement practices of individual local authorities. In accordance with section 149 of the Local Government Act 2001, the Chief Executive of a local authority is responsible for the executive functions of the authority, which includes procurement.
The Office of Government Procurement (OGP), an office within the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, was established for the purpose of centralising procurement arrangements for common goods and services across the public sector, including local authorities. The OGP has established a number of Framework Agreements and Contracts for goods and general services.
The Local Government Operational Procurement Centre (LGOPC) has responsibility for the operation of certain procurement categories. The LGOPC operates the SupplyGov frameworks website, acting as a central procurement authority for those categories.
My Department works closely with the Local Government Strategic Procurement Centre (LGSPC), which acts as a conduit between the Department, the local government sector and the OGP; my Department is represented on the LGSPC Programme Board. The LGSPC provides additional guidance to local authorities to support compliance with the use of all national frameworks and application of all relevant legislation and circulars relating to procurement.
