Procurement
Public Procurement can be defined as the acquisition, whether under formal contract or not, of works, supplies and services by public bodies. It ranges from the purchase of routine supplies or services to formal tendering and placing contracts for large infrastructural projects.
The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) has published the following Procurement guidelines for all public sector bodies to follow:
Public Procurement Guidelines for Goods and Services
The Procurement section, within the Finance Department of Donegal County Council, seeks to ensure that the entire organisation avails of effective, strategic and professional procurement methods, while adhering to all relevant EU directives and Government legislation and recommendations.
The primary purpose of the Procurement Office is to provide support and guidance to the organisation as a whole and specifically to individual sections/staff involved in procuring goods, works or services. In doing so, the aims are to:
1. Achieve best value for money, while attaining the required standards to deliver quality services to the citizens of Co Donegal
2. Meet our legal obligations in terms of national and European statutory requirements and
3. Ensure the main principles of procurement apply (Openness, Transparency, Accountability and Mutual Recognition)
In line with Government policy outlined in Circular 09/2024, it is Council policy to use national contracts/frameworks for goods and services, where available, unless there are clearly demonstrable reasons for doing otherwise.
Donegal County Council utilises the existing frameworks for goods & services which are available at www.buyerzone.gov.ie
We also advertise competitions on www.eTenders.gov.ie for bespoke requirements and larger Works contracts.
For Minor Building & Civil Works and Plant Hire, we utilise the Framework Agreements and Dynamic Purchasing Systems available on www.supplygov.ie
Suppliers wishing to do business with Donegal County Council should register on these websites and regularly check any upcoming opportunities which are advertised. It is also recommended that prospective suppliers utilise Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV) codes to receive automatic notifications. Guidance documents for using eTenders and SupplyGov are provided below:
Economic Operator (EO) User First Login Guide
Ecomonic Operator (EO) User Manual
Guidance on Registering on SupplyGov
In line with council policy, all contracts and frameworks with a values in excess of €25,000 (Goods & Services) and €50,000 (Works) are advertised on eTenders. Those which fall below these thresholds are generally procured by way of quotations, to ensure best value for money is achieved.
Quotations:
For Goods and Services with a value of up to €25,000 and Works up to €50,000, Donegal County Council may seek up to 5 written quotations.
For Goods and Services between €25,000 and €50,000 and Works between €50,000 and €200,000, Donegal County Council may seek quotations through utilising the Simplified Procedure on www.eTenders.gov.ie
NB – Donegal County Council may, at its discretion, opt to carry out a full tendering process for contract values within the above ranges.
Invitations to Tender:
For Goods and Services over €50,000 and Works over €200,000, Donegal County Council will conduct a formal tendering process through www.eTenders.gov.ie
For Goods and Services over €221,000 and Works over €5,382,000, Donegal County Council will also advertise the competition in the Official Journal of the European Union at http://ted.europa.eu
Centralised National Frameworks:
Advertised by the Office of Government Procurement through www.eTenders.gov.ie and accessed via various drawdown methods by Local Authorities. Full details at OGP Central Arrangements
Advertised by the Local Government Operational Procurement Centre (LGOPC) in Kerry County Council on behalf of all Local Authorities, and thereafter by way of mini-competition on www.supplygov.ie
“The Public Spending Code: Expenditure Planning, Appraisal and Evaluation in the Irish Public Service-Standard Rules and Procedures”, came into effect in September 2013.
Procurements by Donegal County Council in excess of €10 million will be published here, in accordance with the requirements of the Public Spending Code.
Procurement in Excess of €10m - Public Spending Code (QA) 2020
Procurement in excess of €10m- Public Spending Code (QA) 2022
Procurement in excess of €10m - Public Spending Code 2023
Procurement Section
Finance Department
Donegal County Council
County House
Lifford
Co Donegal
F93 Y622
For general enquiries concerning procurement, please contact us at
For enquiries concerning advertised tenders or request for quotation, use the messaging system provided on www.eTenders.gov.ie or www.SupplyGov.ie, as appropriate.
The Office of Government Procurement
Phone Number: 1890 213 414
E-mail: support@ogp.gov.ie
Website: www.procurement.ie
Construction Procurement (Capital Works)
Website www.constructionprocurement.gov.ie
eTenders
Website: www.etenders.gov.ie
Email: irish-eproc-helpdesk@eurodyn.com
Telephone: 0818 001459 (Ireland) or +353 818001459 (International)
SupplyGov (LGOPC)
Website: www.supplygov.ie