This week on the Keystone Column we would like to talk about a project of ours that we’re very excited about. We believe that SMEs can expand and compete through cooperative engagements like business consortiums and networks. It makes sense for businesses, particularly micro-businesses and small businesses in so many ways. That is why we developed the online platform sluamor, […]
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Proposed changes to procurement system in Ireland There are two bills currently before the lower house in Ireland at present. One of these bills has been developed by Fianna Fáil Deputy Frank O’Rourke. The second bill is one developed by the party now known as Solidarity. We will look at each in turn, their aims […]
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This week we look at Supplier Relationship Management and why it is used by buyers. It is useful for buyers and suppliers to acquaint themselves with the core principles from time to time. We frequently find ourselves talking with suppliers new to the process who find it difficult to cope with. The bigger the contract, […]
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Keystone Procurement had the opportunity to attend Green Public Procurement for Growth (GPP4) this week. It is an inter-reg programme being run by the Department of Communications, Climate Change and the Environment to increase the prominence of green procurement in Ireland. It was a very worthwhile event and was extremely well organised and run by […]
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Last week open-access broadband provider SIRO announced its withdrawal from the Government’s National Broadband Plan tender process. SIRO, which is a joint venture between the ESB and Vodafone, said it “cannot develop a competitive business case to justify continued participation” in the tender process. With just two bidders remaining, this raises concerns about whether tax payers will […]
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This week, we focus on the legal services sector and how some small legal firms are competing effectively and successfully against the large law firms to win legal tenders. There is no single path to doing so. One route involves differentiation but this can present risks and be a pro-cyclical strategy for firms that over […]
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The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into force across the EU on the 25th May 2018, replacing the existing data protection framework. It emphasises transparency, security and accountability by data controllers and processors, while at the same time standardising and strengthening the right of European citizens to data privacy. With it will come […]
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This week we focus on an Irish technology company called Tenderscout. Tenderscout has developed technology that enables businesses focused on public sector work and growth through public contracts to maximise their chances of winning the work. They contest that their platform is a way to scale through significant but manageable organic growth. A growth hack […]
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Welcome to this week’s column. This week, disruption from natural disasters – managing the risks to supply chains. We’re witnessing the massive damage caused to communities and businesses in Texas and Louisiana by Hurricane Harvey and the deluge of wind and water it brought, while here in Ireland the Innisowen peninsula continues its clean-up after a freak rain […]
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Welcome to this week’s column. This week, we focus on a report issued by KPMG on the future of procurement. We conclude with links to the key sources of contract notices for Ireland and international markets. New paper on the future of procurement” Global Advisory Firm KPMG has published interesting research in relation to the future of […]
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