Recapturing the lost GDP – Targeting the £1.6bn of public procurement contracts going to overseas firms

Tughans were pleased to be involved in this recent event held at the Carrickdale Hotel where public procurement policies in Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland along with legal issues for buyers and bidders were discussed.

The high profile list of speakers included Keith Scott, Chair of Public Sector Group, Chartered Accountants Ireland Ulster Society, Margaret Hearty, Director of Programmes and Business Services, Intertrade Ireland, Des Armstrong, Central Procurement Directorate, Vincent Campbell, Director of National Procurement Service, Patrick Brown, Partner, Tughans solicitors, Jane Mellor, Head of Operational Procurement, Northern Ireland Water and Paul Quinn, Chief Procurement Officer, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Background

The public procurement market in Northern Ireland is worth over £2.5bn and rises to £200bn a year on a UK wide basis. The market for public procurement on the island of Ireland is some £16bn with an estimated £1.6bn going to overseas firms – this is ‘lost GDP’. The rewards for capturing some of this lost GDP are lucrative and could help hundreds of companies to weather the current downturn. This event explored the developments in public procurement from a number of perspectives – policy maker, legal advisor and buyer. A better understanding of these perspectives may assist in identifying opportunities to recapture the lost GDP.

Pictured L-R are Keith Scott (Chair of Public Sector Group, CAI Ulster Society), Des Armstrong (Director Central Procurement Directorate), Jane Mellor (Head of Operational Procurement, Northern Ireland Water), Margaret Hearty (Director of Programmes and Business Services, InterTradeIreland), Paul Quinn (Chief Procurement Officer, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform) and Patrick Brown (Partner, Tughans solicitors).