Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 September 2021
27. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount of the State’s expenditure in 2022 that will be allocated by way of competitive bidding for resources based on the quality or innovation of proposals; the Departments that make least use of such models; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44808/21]
View answerThere is no central allocation of public funds by way of competitive bidding based on quality or innovation of proposals. The accounting officer of each public body is responsible for determining what portion of their allotted budget will be so allocated. All Irish public bodies are obliged to spend or invest public funds with care, and to ensure that optimal value for money is obtained in accordance with the Public Spending Code which sets out the rules and procedures to ensure that these standards are upheld across the Irish public service.
Section 19 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act, 1993, provides that each Accounting Officer is responsible for the safeguarding of public funds and property under his or her control; for the regularity and propriety of all the transactions in each Appropriation Account bearing his or her signature; and for the efficiency and economy of administration in his or her Department.
The Office of Government Procurement (OGP), an office with my Department, publishes the Public Procurement Guidelines For Goods and Services to guide contracting authorities on the use of public procurement procedures. The Guidelines advise that contracts should be awarded on the basis of MEAT (most economically advantageous tender) in accordance with the 2016 Procurement Regulations (S.I. No. 284/2016 - European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulations 2016). This typically means a combination of price and quality where quality might include factors such as delivery date or period of completion, delivery process, running costs, aesthetic and functional characteristics, accessibility, and technical merit. The Guidelines also provide information on the use of innovation procurement for public bodies.
The following table illustrates figures for MEAT and Cost only for awards for 50 OGP central arrangements:
|
OGP Frameworks |
2019 & 2020 |
|
% assessed on MEAT |
98% |
|
% assessed on Cost only |
2% |
|
MEAT – mean quality |
60 |
