The Corporate Procurement Plan 2024-2027 is currently being prepared for publication
The plan reflects on EU and national procurement structures, outlines local procurement arrangements, identifies the procurement plan priorities, and provides details of the goals and actions associated with the plan’s objectives.
The role of the Procurement Team
The Procurement Team’s role is mainly strategic in nature, delivering procurement advice in a manner which is transparent, objective and clear to management and staff. The role includes overseeing and coordinating to ensure an organisational focus on good practice and procedure in procurement.
This involves embedding transparency, accountability, and compliance in our processes and achieving value for money through using centralised purchasing arrangements. It also requires communication of all procurement related updates to all staff members to maintain compliance with procurement activities.
All staff, or agents of the Authority, who are undertaking procurement activities are required to ensure that their activities are conducted in a manner compliant with EU, National and Local public procurement requirements, the Council’s Corporate Procurement Plan.
Advertising contract opportunities
In line with best practice for procurement, and following the guidance provided in Circular 05/2023: Initiatives to assist SMSs in Public Procurement, Laois County Council advertises their procurement opportunities as follows:
| Thresholds (Ex VAT) | Procedure |
| < €5,000 Supplies and Services | Best practice is to seek 3 written Quotations. |
| €5,000 - €50,000 Supplies & Services | Direct Invitation seeking a minimum of 3 written Quotations from interested and competent suppliers/service providers. |
| < €50,000 Works related Service < €200,000 Works | Direct Invitation seeking a minimum of 5 written Quotations from interested and competent contractors. |
| €50,000 - €221,000 Supplies, Services | Mandatory to publish Call for Tender using the Open Procedure on eTenders where no available Framework is in place. |
| €200,000 - €5,538,000 Works | Mandatory to publish Call for Tender using the Open/Restricted Procedure on eTenders where no available Framework is in place. |
| > €221,000 Supplies, Services & Works related Services | Mandatory to publish Call for Tender in Official Journal of the European Union OJEU via eTenders. |
| > €5,538,000 Works | Mandatory to publish Call for Tender in Official Journal of the European Union OJEU via eTenders. |
| ICT Contracts > €50,000 | Mandatory to publish Tender on eTenders where no available framework is in place. |
Use of national central arrangements
The current operational model of procurement at National Level endorses the greater use of centralised contracts and competitions by all public bodies, where possible.
The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) coordinates these activities with assistance from four key sectors partners: Local Government, Education, Health, and Defence. This procurement model divides the procurement spend into 16 categories of commonly procured goods and services, with ‘One Voice’ to the market.
Areas covered in these categories include:
- Professional Services
- Facilities Management & Maintenance, Utilities
- ICT & Office Equipment
- Marketing Print & Stationery
- Travel & HR
- Fleet & Plant, and Managed Services
The sector partners categories include:
- Minor Building Works
- Plant Hire
- Laboratory/Research Diagnostics Services & Equipment
- Agriculture & Veterinary Goods & Equipment
- Medical Professional Services
- Medical Diagnostic Equipment & Supplies
- Medical
- Surgical & Pharmaceutical Supplies
- Defence & Security Requirements
All employees, involved in any procurement activity must comply with the Local Government Act 2001 and the Code of Conduct for Employees.
It is the responsibility of every procurer in Laois County Council to check what relevant Framework Agreements, Dynamic Purchasing Systems, or Contracts, if any, are available to them when investigating the marketplace and to use these arrangements, when possible.