My Department considers hiring external consultants in cases where there is not the necessary expertise to deliver the project in-house, in cases where an external assessment is deemed essential, or in cases where a project must be completed within a short time scale, and although the expertise or experience may be available in-house, performing the task would involve a prohibitive opportunity cost.
In each particular case, criteria specific to the project are used in selecting an outside agency or consultancy, including cost and value for money. Contracts are awarded based on the most economically advantageous tender (specifying, in addition to price, various other criteria including running costs, servicing costs, servicing costs, level of after sales service, technical assistance, technical merit, environmental characteristics).
My Department complies with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's guidelines for engagements of consultants by the civil service, having regard to public procurement guidelines.
In 2015, my Department spent €1,009,146 on external consultancy, and 17 companies were engaged: Indecon; Spectrum Logistics; Insight Statistical Consulting; Fitzpatrick Associates; Ernst and Young; Technopolis; CM International; The Economic and Social Research Institute; Byrne O'Clerigh Consulting; Trigraph; Capita Business Services; the University of Limerick; Mason, Hayes and Curran; Circa Group; Planet 21 Communications; Ward Solutions; Version 1 Software.
In 2016 my Department spent €496,871 on external consultancy, and 13 companies were engaged: Alan R Nuzum and Associates; Insight Statistical Consulting; the Economic and Social Research Institute; Indecon; PA Consulting; Technopolis; Trigraph; GPS Ltd; Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors; Capita Business Services; Sabeo; Ward Solutions; Storm Technology Ltd.
In 2017 my Department spent €1,133,297 on external consultancy and 18 companies were engaged: Alan R Nuzum and Associates; Indecon; Insight Statistical Consulting; Z-Punkt; PA Consulting; Technopolis; Research Matters Ltd; Behaviour and Attitudes; ASM Chartered Accountants; the Economic and Social Research Institute; Ward Solutions; Version 1 Software; Copenhagen Economics; Deloitte; IDC UK; KPMG; IFM Education; Prospectus.