4 July 2023
Following the announcement by Ministers Donohoe and Smyth of a package of contract reforms to build confidence in NDP delivery, this information note provides further details about the role of BIM and sustainability in these reforms, and a timeline for Public Sector BIM Adoption
Two of the measures announced have the potential to transform the design, construction and operation of public works projects over the coming years.
4 July 2023
On 3 July 2023, the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and his colleague the Minister of State for Public Procurement and eGovernment announced forthcoming amendments to the suite of Public Works Contracts, including the introduction, for the first time, of Liability Caps, further amendments to the price variation clauses and amendments to the template tender documentation. The amendments will be published in line with the publishing schedule outlined at Appendix 1 of this note, commencing on 17 July 2023.
Update 19/07/23: Tranche 1 and 2 are now published Continue reading
3 July 2023
The Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD, and Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement and eGovernment, Ossian Smyth T.D., have announced significant amendments to the Public Works Contract to provide greater certainty with respect to risk in response to continuing challenges in the construction market.
We will publish further detailed information about the amendments on the CWMF website.
2 June 2023
The OGP’s Commercial Skills Academy has developed a comprehensive practitioner training programme for public servants involved in the delivery of public capital projects.
This Demand Analysis Survey is related to the Commercial Skills Academy’s Tier 1: Practitioner Training, Commercial Skills for Public Capital Works Projects, training course.
6 April 2023
The CSO Table 3 updated on 23 March 2023, notes that the subcategories Precast Concrete and Other Concrete Products (excluding precast concrete) will no longer be maintained from February 2023. The higher-level category Other Concrete Products Including Precast includes products from both these categories and this index can be used as an approximation to obsolete categories. For more information on categories of products in Table 3, see Description of Products for Buildings and Construction.
31 March 2023
Further to the announcement on 21 March 2023 of the introduction of liability caps for those engaged in public works contracts by the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) has today issued amendments to Pillar 2 (Conditions of Engagement) of the Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF). The amendments incorporate Liability Caps into the Standard Conditions of Engagement, Consultancy for technical and archaeology services. The introduction of Liability Caps follows commitments made in Circular 05/2022: Construction Procurement Reform- Revised Guidelines for Professional Indemnity Insurance Levels in Public Works Projects published on 9 February 2022.
The amendments are summarised below.
28 March 2023
The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) has today published Circular 05/2023 : Initiatives to assist SMEs in Public Procurement. Circular 05/2023 has been developed by the OGP following an extensive consultation process involving both public bodies and SME representatives. The circular is designed to further enable SMEs to compete for public contracts and replaces Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 10/2014.
26 August 2022
The OGP has today published an updated version of GN 1.5.2 Public Works Contracts: Price Variation Clauses, which deals with the contractual entitlements associated with the price variation clauses in the public works contracts forms PW-CF1 – PW-CF5.
The updated guidance reflects the amendments made to these forms of public works contracts on 7 January 2022 and is available here.
8 June 2022
Further to the publication of details on 20 May 2022 of the Inflation/Supply Chain Delay Co-operation Framework Agreement for PW-CF1 – PW-CF5, the OGP published on Friday 3 June 2022 the suite of documents associated with the Short Public Works Contract (PW-CF6). These include the Letter of Agreement, guidance and associated workbooks to assist contracting authorities in calculating the Ex Gratia Payment for PW-CF6.
The OGP has also published a series of video tutorials to assist contracting authorities in the use of the template workbooks, a worked example and FAQs.
All of the above are available on a new dedicated page Details of Inflation/ Supply Chain Delay Co-operation Framework.
23 May 2022
Link to Press Release on gov.ie