Category: News

11 December 2020 – Participants required for Office of Government Procurement’s Review of the operation of the roles of Standing Conciliator and the Project Board

The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) is undertaking a Review of the dispute resolution procedures in the public works contracts (the Review). As part of the Review we are seeking expressions of interest to participate in the Review of the operation of the roles of Standing Conciliator and the Project Board. If you have past and/or current experience and working knowledge of the roles of the Standing Conciliator and the Project Board, the OGP would like to hear from you.

Initially, we are seeking expressions of interest to participate in a survey and interview as part of the primary research stage (Stage 1) of the Review.  The survey and interviews will be carried out by Indecon International Consultants on behalf of the OGP and all contributions will remain anonymous.  Those submitting an expression of interest should ideally be or have been*:

– Appointed to the role of Standing Conciliator
– An Employer/Employer’s Personnel
– A Contractor/Contractor’s Personnel
– An Employer’s Representative (ER)
– A Contractor’s Representative/Contract Manager/Project Manager
– A Design Team Consultant
– Appointee to a Project Board

*On projects where the works stage has been ongoing for at least 12 months

If you are interested in participating in this survey and interview and possess the relevant experience as outlined above, please notify us of your expression of interest via the link here.

The closing date for expressions of interest is Friday 15 January 2021.

Background of the Review

The Standing Conciliator role and the Project Board were introduced in 2016 in response to the OGP’s ‘Report on the Performance Review of the Public Works Contract’ in 2014.  The report sets out a series of interim recommendations for the procurement of public works projects under the Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF) including:

– The introduction of an informal dispute resolution process at senior management level within the respective organisations that are parties to the Contract – the Project Board – for the purpose of reviewing disputes with the intent of reaching a resolution.

– The introduction of a Standing Conciliator for pre-dispute management purposes, in order to encourage proper engagement between the Parties and assist in the avoidance of disputes.

More detailed information is available in the OGP’s CWMF Guidance Note 3.1.1 on dispute resolution.

Engagement of Consultants

Indecon International Consultants have been appointed by the OGP to undertake an investigation of the current operation of the Project Board and the Standing Conciliator role.  The investigation will involve gathering empirical data from industry practitioners involved in public works projects where Standing Conciliators and Project Boards have been appointed.  This research constitutes Stage 1 of the Review.  The data gathered will be collated and analysed by Indecon Consultants who will then, at the end of Stage 1, prepare a report for the OGP setting out conclusions and recommendations.  It is the intention of the OGP to publish a summary of all findings and recommendations along with a position paper on dispute resolution under the public works contracts during Stage 2 of the Review.

Methodology

– Stage 1

The research is programmed to take place over a 12-month period commencing in December 2020.

Phase 1 – Structuring:
During this phase a database of possible survey and interview participants will be compiled in order to aid in the design of the sampling methodology.  It should be noted that not all who express an interest in participating in the research may be contacted.

Phase 2 – Gathering the Empirical Data:
During this phase an international practice review will take place.  The survey design will be finalised prior to the initiation of research fieldwork, concluding with interviews with participants selected from the expressions of interest.  Phases 1 and 2 are scheduled to be completed within the first 6 months of the programme.

Phase 3 – Analysing Empirical Data:
The empirical data collected from the research, surveys and interviews will be analysed and reported to the OGP during Phase 3.

Phase 4 – Reporting:
In this last phase of Stage 1, all detailed conclusions and recommendations will be formulated and reviewed prior to Indecon Consultants issuing their final report to the OGP.  This will conclude the involvement of Indecon Consultants in the Review.

– Stage 2

Stage 2 will be carried out by the OGP in conjunction with the Government Construction Contracts Committee (GCCC). It will involve the evaluation of the data and recommendations reported from Stage 1 and conducting further analysis, if necessary, before publishing a position paper and thereafter considering policy amendments to the dispute resolution provisions in the suite of public works contracts.

Please be advised that participants can withdraw from the Review at any point.

If you have any queries please contact publicworkscontractsreview@per.gov.ie.

10 December 2020 – Publication of OGP Brexit Information Note December 2020

Please note that the fourth in a series of information notes prepared by the OGP’s Policy Unit aimed to provide guidance for public bodies charged with dealing with public procurement and the management of public contracts in the context of changes which will arise due to Brexit has been published.

This update note is intended to provide public bodies with advice on actions they may wish to take in the context of Brexit and its implications for public procurement in Ireland.

The OGP Brexit Information Note December 2020 is available to download here.

23 July 2020 – Note: Guidance on Protocol Measures in Live and Future Tenders published

In consideration of the impact the measures required by the Return to Work Safely Protocol (the ‘Protocol’) may have on works programmes, the OGP has today published a Note providing guidance for Contracting Authorities regarding both ongoing and future works and works-related services tenders. This Note provides guidance for three scenarios:

  1. Where the tender process was initiated before publication of the Protocol, the deadline for receipt of Tenders has passed, and the Contract has not yet been awarded.
  2. Where the tender process was initiated before publication of the Protocol and the deadline for receipt of Tenders has not yet passed.
  3. Where the tender process has not yet commenced.

The note is available to download here.

09 July 2020 – Template: Covid Co-operation Framework published

The OGP has today published the template ‘Covid Co-operation Framework’ outlined in its Note published on 24 June 2020. This template framework may be used by Employers party to the standard forms of Public Works Contract listed below to engage with Contractors on a ‘without prejudice’ basis in respect of the implementation of measures on construction sites required under the Return to Work Safely Protocol.

The Covid Co-operation Framework consists of two documents: (1) Letter Agreement, and (2) Covid Notice.

Letter Agreement

• The Letter Agreement for use with PW-CF1-5 is available to download here.

• The Letter Agreement for use with PW-CF6 is available to download here.

• The Letter Agreement for use with PW-CF7 is available to download here.

Covid Notice

• The Covid Notice appended to the Letter Agreement is available to download in an  editable format here.  Note that this Covid Notice is compatible with all three Letter Agreements provided above.

Further guidance on the use of the Covid Co-operation Framework can be found in the Note published on 24 June 2020, available to download here.

The OGP has also published today an addendum to the Note of 24 June 2020 providing guidance on the use of the Covid Co-operation Framework in conjunction with PW-CF6 and PW-CF7, available to download here.

24 June 2020 – Note: Covid Co-operation Framework published

Since 18 May 2020 construction activity has been returning on all construction sites that were previously deemed non-essential in the context of the public health measures introduced to curb the spread of Covid-19. This includes the vast majority of public works projects.

In consideration of the challenges that the Return to Work Safely Protocol introduces to certain construction operations, the Office of Government Procurement is today publishing guidance for those Employers that are currently party to a standard form Public Works Contract (PWC) in relation to the implementation, by contractors, of the measures associated with meeting the requirements of the Protocol on construction sites. A template document formalising the agreement described in this note will be published next week.

This is the latest in a series of notes aimed at mitigating the impact of the necessary public health measures on the delivery of projects under the National Development Plan.

The note is available to download here.

14 May 2020 – Note and template Pre-start Checklist for use by Employer’s Representatives published

In preparation for the re-commencement of construction activity on public works projects, subject to Government’s confirmation of the measures outlined in the Roadmap for the Reopening of Society and Business, the OGP has today published a short note and template pre-start checklist for use by Employer’s Representatives (ER) operating under the standard conditions of various forms of public works contract.

The Note and template Pre-Start Checklist is available to download here.

The template Pre-start checklist is available to download in Word format here.

8 May 2020 – Update 2 to Note on procurement and contractual matters associated with the Covid-19 Response Measures published

On 1 May 2020, the Government further extended the Public Health Measures (and the Regulations) from 5 May 2020 until midnight of 17 May 2020.

The OGP has today published two documents:

• Update 2 to Note on procurement and contractual matters associated with the Covid-19 Response Measures

This is a further update to the Covid-19 procurement note originally published on 19 March and subsequently updated on 14 April (“Update 1”). The latest update to this note, “Update 2”, replaces the note of 14 April 2020 and is available for download here.

• Form of Letter Agreement for Applicable Period 2

This is the form of letter agreement referenced in the updated note, above. This form of letter agreement is available for download here.