Article 3 of 5: How to Tender for Opportunities in Ireland – a Guide for UK Firms Part 2: Where to Find Tender Opportunities in Ireland
Introduction
The estimated public procurement market across the island of Ireland is approximately £9.5bn (Hearty 2014). This article primarily focuses on where to find tender opportunities in Ireland.
This article should be read in conjunction with Article 2 which sets the groundwork required of UK firms seeking to win contracts in Republic of Ireland.
Where to Find Tender Opportunities In Ireland
The main portal for public sector tender opportunities in Republic of Ireland is www.etenders.gov.ie. This provides comprehensive access to tender opportunities across a range of central and local government organisations and what is referred to in Ireland as Semi-State or State Sponsored Bodies. While commonly used, it is not universally applied and it is critical to have conversations with clients and potential clients on where they publish tender opportunities.
You can sign-up, provide some information on your business and receive emails on tender opportunities It is also worth registering with e-hub: http://www.e-hub.com/pages/home.asp. Other notable sources include: supplygov.ie, although many of the opportunities will also be published on www.etenders.gov.ie. Finally, Winning Tenders Academy provide tender opportunities right to you inbox. You can sign-up at www.winningtendersacademy.com.
Tender Processes
The primary portal for public sector tender opportunities in Ireland is exactly that, a portal; meaning that individual buyers are responsible for the tendering processes. This means that there is no single approach to tendering, though the Office of Government Procurement is gradually bringing more uniformity. With this in mind the Winning Tenders Academy provides a range of templates, model tender responses, advice and guidance that help many businesses to win work in Ireland. You can explore these at www.winningtendersacademy.com.
Benefits for UK Business
The value of the market in Ireland from the public sector along is significant; approximately £9bn. Tendering into Republic of Ireland, for many UK firms, is a relatively low risk form of exporting. Tendering also presents opportunities to build partnerships including consortia bids with local Irish firms. Building growth and confidence in this way can also open the door to tendering opportunities in other EU countries and potentially external to the EU.
Next in the Series: Article 4 a guide for Irish firms wishing to tender for opportunities in the UK.
Further Support
The Winning Tender Academy provides a range of products and services that supports UK firms in winning contracts in Republic of Ireland including consultancy support via our consultancy arm: www.navigatechangeconsulting.com.
References Hearty, M. (2014) Lucrative Public Procurement. Business Month, 1 December 2014, p 10.
