Procurement Procedures

Public procurement is governed by a comprehensive regulatory and policy framework at both national and EU level and overall responsibility for ensuring that we comply with the rules rests with the Contracting Authority (CA). All public procurement practices are subject to audit by the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993 and to that end Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board must ensure that a culture of best practice procurement is promoted, facilitated and maintained throughout the organisation. There is no authority delegated below the Chief Executive to amend or set aside these procedures.

Core Values

All purchases of goods and services made by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board shall be governed by the following core values:

Complying with all applicable EU directives, national regulations and government guidelines, and OGP national contracts
Supporting a policy of continuous professional development for all staff involved in public procurement on behalf of the ETB
Provision of best practice procurement management systems
Achieving best value for money in terms of overall lifecycle costs
Dealing with quality suppliers, contractors and service providers
Operating in a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory manner in the marketplace
Ensuring all procurement risks are properly assessed and managed
Operating to the highest ethical standards
Where possible to support local enterprise such as start-up businesses in line with circular 10/14
Facilitating a culture of appropriate centralised procurement across the organisation to leverage value for money for contracts below eTenders threshold and not covered by the OGP
Embracing a policy of collaborative procurement across the ETB sector so as to leverage better value and facilitate the often unique requirements of the sector that are currently not covered by the OGP national frameworks
Appropriate adherence to energy efficiency criteria published by the SEAI on the Triple E register
Appropriate adherence to the principles of green procurement in the setting of award criteria
Supporting innovative procurement solutions
Embracing socially responsible public procurement (SRPP)

Main Rules

The following basic requirements must be complied with:

The European Treaty and the principles which derive from the Treaty (i.e. transparency, equal treatment, proportionality and mutual recognition)
Directive 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament and the Council relating to the award of contracts and the corresponding Irish Regulations (S.I. No.329 of 22nd June 2006)
Directive 2004/17/EC was transposed into Irish Law by SI No. 50 of 2007 dated 31st January 2007
Remedies Directive 89/665/EEC as amended by Directive 2007/66/EC relating to review procedures on the award of public contracts, and the corresponding Irish Regulations (S.I. No. 130 of 25th March 2010)
Directive 2014/23/EU of the EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT and the Council of 26 February 2014
Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on public procurement and repealing Directive 2004/18/EC
The Guidelines of the Department of Finance
Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board internal policy and procedures