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What is Procurement

Procurement in Clare County Council

Procurement in Clare County Council is largely a devolved function, where individual departments are responsible for ensuring their sourcing requirements are met, while operating to best procurement practice and compliance with relevant legislative, regulatory and policy requirements.

The Procurement Unit has a co-ordinating role in ensuring that there is an organisational focus on good practice in purchasing, and that procedures are in place to achieve value for money and ensure high standards of openness, transparency and compliance with all relevant public procurement guidelines and legislation.

All staff, or agents on their behalf, who are undertaking procurement activities are required to ensure that their activities are conducted in a manner compliant with Public Procurement requirements, the Council’s Procurement Policy, Corporate Procurement Plan and Procurement Procedures Manual.

Below is some practical advice for suppliers who wish to supply goods, services and contract works to Clare County Council.

What is Procurement?

  1. Public Procurement refers to the acquisition whether under formal contract or not of works , supplies and services by public bodies.
  2. The principal legislation governing Procurement by Ireland’s Public Bodie is the EU Procurement Directive 2014/24/EU and S.I. No. 284/2016 - European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulations 2016.
  3. All Procurement and Contract Award irrespective of value must adhere to the principles of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union:

Transparency: The reason tenders are advertised; there is a standstill notice; and a notice of award.  Tenderers are also entitled to feedback.  This is designed to help both the tax payer understand what the public service is spending their money on, and helps business to understand why they won or lost a tender, helping them improve for the next round.

Mutual Recognition: Equal validity must be given to the qualifications and standards of other EU member states. 

Equal treatment of tenderers: The systems of advertising the contracts, the contract award and procurement processes all help to ensure that the public sector acts with integrity and is accountable for how public money is spent.

Non-discrimination: One example of this is the freedom of movement of people, goods and services across the EU.  While it means that businesses in other European countries can bid for Irish contracts, it also means that Irish businesses can bid for contracts in other EU States.  Enterprise Ireland provides supports to businesses who want to bid for contracts in the rest of the EU.

Proportionality: The requirements of the contract should be suitable for the particular contract (e.g. turnover levels, insurance requirements).

Page last reviewed: 24/03/25

Content managed by: Finance Department

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