COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, November 12, 2012

QUESTION NO.6

QUESTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

To ask the Manager, further to my previous motions and questions, most recently at the March 2012 meeting, to report on the commitment to "collect information on all expenditure on goods and services across the organisation and to review the methodology of procurement in each case, with a view to making recommendations on how best the Council can make expenditure savings through more efficient procurement as well as supporting the local economy while complying with procurement legislation and guidelines"?

REPLY:

As reported in March 2012 South Dublin County Council is very conscious of the needs of SMEs and in particular those SMEs, traders and suppliers operating within its Administrative area.

The Council publishes all tender opportunities on the etenders website as revised by Circular 10/10 - Facilitating SME participation in Public Procurement and follows closely EU Procurement rules.  The Corporate Services Department has also been working closely with all Departments to identify where efficiencies can be made through organisational procurement and a number of training and development courses have been organised for staff involved in procurement.  These courses have dealt with EU Procurement rules, Framework Agreements and Tender Evaluation.

The National Procurement Service (NPS) have tendered for and awarded a number of mandatory National Contracts which the Council is bound to adhere to and these include ICT Consumables, Janitorial Supplies, Stationary and Office Supplies, Advertising and most recently Energy Supplies.

SMEs and traders in general are also notified of Meet the Buyer Events which take place and these events give traders an opportunity to meet with Public Sector Procurement Officers who can advise on the most efficient way to tender for supply of goods to the public sector.