Ann Melia, Head of Procurement & Contracts, NUI Galway

We have found the HEA Annual MAPP exercise to be worthwhile as it assists with identifying trends in categories of expenditures while identifying the VFM options already available in terms of contracting. EPS support during the exercise is excellent and we are grateful to have Maria, Denise & Philip supporting our team.

Aidan Newman, ERAD Division, Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM)

ERAD Division has worked closely with EPS for over two years and our experience can only be described as extremely positive and engaging.  The service provided by Gerry, Colette and Bridget is excellent, shaped by their friendly and respectful approach to their clients and their wealth of knowledge around procurement issues.  They are more than helpful and happy to provide advice and guidance as procurement processes move through the various stages from our initial request for service to the development of requests for tender and ultimately to the final stage of putting contracts in place.  In our experience, EPS can be relied upon to deliver effective procurement processes efficiently and to the highest standards which provides assurance to us in our endeavours to meet our obligations to protect the interests of the Irish citizen, not just in procurement terms but also in terms of public health and international trade.

Dr. Denis Collins, NICB, Dublin City University

In October 2019, I engaged with the Procurement Office in Dublin City University. I had three pieces of equipment to put out to tender, with no prior experience of the tendering process. The process was facilitated by the Procurement Office in DCU and EPS.

Ann Murray in EPS was assigned to my project. Every step of the process was expertly explained by Ann, who provided detailed background overviews and documentation when required. Ann was available by email and over the phone to patiently answer the many questions I had as they arose. Ann’s knowledge instilled confidence in the process and provided me with an essential resource when preparing specifications and scoring applications. This expert guidance allowed a novice like me to navigate the procurement process with more confidence than I had expected.

Although there were two competitions running simultaneously, one with two lots, the process was handled with clarity and without confusion at any stage. Cover on the project was provided by Marissa Staunton in the event that Ann was not available. The cover provided was seamless, allowing the process to progress without delay or interruption. The tender process was time sensitive and the EPS team did all in their power to facilitate the final outcome as speedily as was possible within the tender process guidelines.

My sincerest of thanks to the EPS team for running a professional and streamlined tender process. In the advent that our group are in a position to purchase equipment again, I look forward to dealing with EPS in the future.

Dr. Kevin Ryan, Portfolio Manager Procurement, Trinity College Dublin

I have accessed the services of the EPS over the past 18 months and wish to acknowledge the excellent procurement support they provide to Trinity College. Their experience of competitive competitions and delivery of sectoral agreements has proved essential, not only for our research laboratory requirements but for complex high value requirements in other categories. It has been a pleasure to engage with the EPS who offer improved specifications, add focus to evaluations and deliver exemplary communication between Contracting Authorities and Vendors. Consequently, contract awards proceed quickly and C&AG audits can be addressed with comprehensive audit files. The EPS have proven their ability to deliver time management and financial savings. At all times the EPS staff are approachable and responsive. They maintain extremely high professional standards and demonstrate leadership for the education sector with their depth of procurement knowledge. I look forward to collaborating with the EPS on future competitions.

Chris Fogarty, Energy Manager/ Quality Team Leader, University of Limerick

I had the pleasure of working with the EPS to deliver a high-impact project focussed on dramatically reducing single-use plastics at UL. Working with the EPS to ensure the appropriate specifications were included as part of the procurement has facilitated the ongoing effectiveness of the project to be quantified. EPS’s approach to the procurement process was collaborative throughout and underpinned by an easy to follow roadmap. The EPS were professional, courteous and efficient and I look forward to working with them in the future.

Francis Morrin, Chief Analyst Dept. Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I wanted to send you a short note to commend the EPS for the extremely valuable service they have provided to us over the past few years. I thought it timely to send you the mail as we complete a tender with your team for media which we have tried and failed to do successfully on our own in the past.

Like many in the public sector we had been sinking under the load of achieving compliance with public procurement rules – which as you know pose particular problems in the laboratory space. Your team has provided invaluable help to us over the past few years, and in the last year in particular. I cannot praise the work being done by your team enough. The professionalism, communication, depth of knowledge and problem solving stand out to me as real examples of the kind of excellence we should all be striving for in the public sector. This goes beyond just my opinion – there is objective evidence to hand. Examples include successful C&AG audits of tenders carried out, group tenders that allow for greater efficiency and savings due to aggregation, networking of PSBs involved in the area and completion of tenders within target times. I might also add that these comments don’t just reflect my experience alone – they accurately reflect the experience of others on the various evaluation teams we have had.

Dr. Noreen Layden, DIT, Grangegorman

I am writing to let you know that today is my last day with DIT/ESHI.  There is a new person being appointed as the Academic Leader so I expect he will be in contact with you early in the New Year because ESHI needs at least one more Tender (approx. total of €120k) for lab equipment.

I want to convey my sincere thanks to you and your team in EPS; you were always so professional, efficient and patient.  I really appreciate your help with our Tenders, it seems almost easy now because you have such a great team, protocols in place, etc.

It was a pleasure work with you, Neil McCarthy, David Keane and Gerry Kennedy

Prof. Martin J. Leahy, NUIG

It was great to work with you. The service was swift, practical, supportive, efficient and got the job done with a good result. I would be happy to recommend it for future purchases.

Caroline Burke, IT Sligo

IT Sligo have in the past engaged the services of the EPS regarding procurement.

They have given us prompt, efficient and excellent advice on different aspects of tendering. To be able to ring them and get this advice has many times proved invaluable to us.

Their knowledge in all areas of procurement is so extensive, both in dealing with national tenders and the OJEU. They also have a bank of experience and are so willing to share their knowledge and expertise with our staff.

Their professional approach combined with common sense and willingness to assist has proved a clear winner to us.

To know we can contact them instantly and get a reply almost instantly is a huge plus.

I would recommend their services to any of my counterparts in other IT’s or Universities.

We are aware it is a team effort with the EPS, but would like to on an individual basis, particularly thank Neil McCarthy and John Redfern for their support over the past year.

Michael Keane, VP Administration & Finance, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick

Mary Immaculate College recently availed of the services of Education Procurement Service (EPS) for a tender for Insurance Services at the College.

We found the services of the EPS to be of huge benefit to the College in arranging a timely, well specified and well organised public procurement process. EPS staff were at all times very professional and attentive in their support of this process and kept the College well informed at all stages.

I have no hesitation in recommending the services of EPS and plan to work with them again in the future.