The Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) currently being established in all local authority areas will develop, co-ordinate and implement a more coherent and integrated approach to local and community development than heretofore, with the aim of reducing duplication and overlap and optimising the use of available resources for the benefit of citizens and communities. My Department's Local and Community Development Programme is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State.
The current Programme having officially ended at the end of 2013 is being implemented on a transitional basis for 2014 pending the roll out of the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) in January 2015. SICAP is one of my key priorities and in accordance with the Public Spending Code, best practice internationally, legal advice and in order to ensure the optimum delivery of the services to clients, the Programme will be subject to a public procurement process, which is currently underway.
The public procurement process is a competitive process that is open to Local Development Companies, other not-for-profit community groups, commercial firms and national organisations that can provide the services to be tendered for to deliver the new Programme. Joint applications are encouraged and organisations of varying sizes (for example smaller organisations working in consortia with larger organisations) are invited to submit joint applications. Applicants at stage one of the tendering process must demonstrate that they meet the criteria for the delivery of services in the Lot(s) applied for. If a joint expression of interest is submitted, candidates are required to select a Lead Candidate which will act as the principal contact in respect of this competitive process and any subsequent contract.
I am satisfied that the procurement process underway is in line with best practice and that the procurement documentation on e-Tenders contains all the relevant information on the process. I look forward to the outcome of the process and the roll out of SICAP in January 2015.
