PAI’s Annual Procurement ConferencePractical Challenges in Public Procurement

The new Regulations implementing the EC procurement directives were implemented by Ireland in April 2016. They cover public procurement both in the public service and in the utilities sector. They will allow authorities to conduct procurement more efficiently. They also provide a platform to advance economy-wide strategic goals in the areas of environmental protection and social policy objectives.

The Regulations also reinforce the policy initiative taken in 2014 to improve SME access to procurement opportunities, including the division of contracts into lots and supporting consortia bids for larger contracts.

Greater use of electronic means of communication is a feature of the new regime. Electronic notification of procurement opportunities and access to tender documents will now become mandatory and, from October 2018, electronic submission of tenders will be mandatory. E-invoicing is also being rolled out.

This conference will look at our implementation of the EC Directives along with an assessment of some of the novel features of the new regime.

4 CPD

points

Sponsored by

Wednesday 23 November9.00am–1pm

The Davenport Hotel8-10 Merrion Street Lower,

Dublin 2

Agenda

9.05–9.30

9.30–9.50

9.50–10.20

11.30–12.00

12.00–12.30

12.30–12.50

Efficient procurement and e-invoicing, a case study in the Department of

Education and Science

Keynote address – Government priorities in public procurement

Workshops

Reports of workshop leaders and discussion

Q&A and Panel Discussion

BREAK

Michael Morgan, Department of

Education and Skills

Paul Quinn, CEO, Office of Government

Procurement and Government Chief

Procurement Officer

Gary Clifford, Bangor University, Wales

Led by Eddie Quigg

Dr Ama Eyo, Lecturer, Bangor University, Wales

Welcome Don Bergin, PAI Director9.00–9.05

Strategic procurement – better outcomes from procurement innovation at a reduced

cost – a case study

10.20–10.45 The practical impact of the new procurement rules

Patrick McGovern, Consultant, Arthur

Cox

Q&A and Panel Discussion10.45–11.00

LUNCH

Common pitfalls in procurement,

exercises

Led by Eddie Quigg

Framework agreements

and Setting Award Criteria

Led by Pauric Marray

Strategic procurement in

practice

Led by Garry Clifford

Possible impact of Brexit on Public Procurement in Ireland

12.50–13.00

Conference Chair’s Opening RemarksEdward Quigg, Partner, Quigg

Golden

Speakers

Paul Quinn joined the Civil Service in January 2013 as the Government’s first CPO. In this role, he is leading a major efficiency drive on a total government spend on supplies and services of nearly €9 billion. Paul was appointed by the former Minister for Health as a member Development Board for the New Children’s Hospital tasked with building the new hospital at St. James’ Hospital. Paul chairs its finance committee.

Edward Quigg gained his initial experience working for a civil and structural engineering consultancy and a major contractor. Edward’s extensive knowledge of both the design and construction processes is added to by his wide experience in all methods of construction dispute resolution. Recently Edward has become known as a leading expert on the legal obligations of procuring work, including the EU requirements. Edward is a guest lecturer at Queens University, Belfast, an observer at UNCITRAL Working Group II on International Commercial Arbitration and the Treasurer of the Adjudication Society.

Pauric Marray is Associate Director at Quigg Golden. Pauric has over 10 years’ experience advising on construction claims and disputes involving mediation, conciliation, adjudication and arbitration. Pauric also regularly provides advice in relation to procurement issues. He has developed a particular specialism in supporting suppliers through tender processes. A qualified trainer, Pauric has worked extensively in the design and implementation of training programmes for both public and private organisations on a range of legal issues affecting the construction industry. Pauric is the lead trainer on the Public Works Contracts courses provided by Quigg Golden for Engineers Ireland.

Patrick McGovern heads both the Telecommunications/Electronic Communications & Broadcasting Group and the Utilities, Energy & Resources Group at Arthur Cox. He advises on Public Procurement issues and has extensive experience in Private Finance Initiative (PFI)/Public Private Partnership (PPP). Prior to joining Arthur Cox, Patrick was Deputy General Counsel to Ireland’s largest public telecommunications operator.

Dr Ama Eyo joined Bangor Law School in January 2011 as Lecturer in Law. A specialist in public sector procurement, Ama has a background leading sustainable and strategic procurement programmes, procurement process transformation, and achieving savings within the emergency services central government. She has also previously worked in procurement research and was actively involved in regulatory and commercial legal practice as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria prior to relocating to the United Kingdom. She currently sits on the editorial board of the Nigerian Monthly Law Report.

Gary Clifford is the ‘Winning in Tendering’ Project Manager and a Procurement Research Lecturer within Bangor Law School. He has substantial expertise and experience in the area of SME Friendly Procurement, having previously run a number of successful SME/Public Sector Procurement research projects. In 2009, Gary co-wrote the ‘Pre Qualification - Barriers to Procurement Opportunity for Welsh SMEs’, from which the the Welsh Assembly Government is currently implementing many of the recommendations made. He has also co-directed a £900,000 Ireland/Wales INTERREG IIIA project entitled ‘Tenderwise’. Tenderwise assembled a wide range of valuable information to enable SMEs to overcome the knowledge barriers which prevented them from winning more Public Sector business.

To book your place at this conference, you can:

visit our website (www.pai.ie/conferences)call us on (01) 819 8500

or email us at conferences@pai.ie

Michael Morgan is the Project Manager for the Education Shared Business Services (ESBS) within the Department of Education and Skills. His responsibilities include the ESBS project to set up finance shared services for the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) sector. Michael is a Chartered Accountant with extensive experience having been a senior manager with a ‘Big 4’ firm. He has a strong track record in ICT project management (PRINCE2), team leadership, IT customer service management, vendor and SLA management.

With Exhibitions by

The Public Service Pay Commission – a new approach or a return to benchmarking?

Keynote speaker: Paschal Donohoe TD, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

As a background to all the current media attention around reopening public service pay negotiations, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe, TD has has announced the establishment of a Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) to “examine pay levels across the public service, including entry levels of pay.” Mr Kevin Duffy has been appointed as Chairman of the Commission.

Minister Donohoe will open our Annual HR Conference, which will focus on issues relating to Public Service pay and will hear from a range of different perspectives on this issue. Minister Donohoe will deliver the keynote address. No doubt other more current issues may arise at the conference as well.

Speakers will address some of the issues around pay and will have contributions from union and employer sides as well as examining some of the IR, economic and legal issues involved in addressing public service pay issues. This practically focused conference will be of keen interest to all public servants, particularly those involved in HR, IR and corporate services functions.

PAI’s Annual HR Conference

Thursday 8 December

9.00am–1pm

The Alexander Hotel, 41-47 Fenian St, Dublin 2

Speakers will include

Paschal Donohoe TD, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

Kieran Mulvey, former Head of the LRC / WRC

Tom Healy, Director of the Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI)

Michelle Ní Longain, partner at ByrneWallace

Patricia Callan, Director of the Small Firms Association (SFA)

Bill Roche, professor of IR and HR at UCD’s School of Business