My Department liaises closely with the Office of Government Procurement on all matters related to public procurement and monitors all areas of expenditure on an ongoing basis to ensure that value for money is being achieved. Regulation 32(2)(c) of the European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulations S.I 284/2014 provides for the awarding of contracts by way of negotiated procedure without prior publication in certain circumstances, including, for example: where no suitable tenders have been submitted in response to an open or restricted procedure; where competition is absent for technical reasons; and for reasons of extreme urgency brought about by unforeseeable events.
Under the exemptions provided for in Regulation 32(2)(c) my Department awarded two contracts, totalling €135,944 (ex VAT) in 2020 and to date in 2021. Details of these contracts are provided below.
Year
|
Value €
|
Purpose
|
2020
|
81,178
|
Video collaboration and conference systems and associated licences - urgency due to COVID-19 pandemic
|
2021
|
54,766
|
Telephony services - no tenders submitted
|
Under Department of Finance Circular 40/02, my Department makes annual returns to the Comptroller and Auditor General in respect of contracts above a €25,000 ex VAT threshold which are awarded without a competitive process.