Dear colleagues,

As we approach the end of the year, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for public procurement in the education sector in Ireland.

Over the past year, the Education Procurement Service has made significant progress in promoting competition and efficiency in public sector procurement. We have continued to expand the use of procurement frameworks, which have proven to be an effective way of streamlining the procurement process and ensuring that schools, colleges, and universities have access to high-quality suppliers.

At the same time, we have also faced a number of challenges. The increasing use of technology in the education sector has brought with it new risks, including the threat of cyber attacks. As a result, we have had to prioritize the implementation of robust security measures to protect the sensitive data of students and staff.

Looking ahead, we see a number of opportunities for further improving public sector procurement in the education sector. One of these is the potential for greater collaboration and sharing of best practices between schools, colleges, and universities. By working together, we can achieve economies of scale, reduce duplication, and improve the quality of the goods and services that we purchase.

Another opportunity is the potential for increased engagement with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs are an important source of innovation and can play a vital role in supporting the growth of the Irish economy. By working with SMEs, we can help to foster a more diverse and competitive marketplace, which will ultimately benefit the education sector.