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Invest NI Funded Research Grants - Procurement Procedures Monday 8 December 2014.

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Presentation on theme: "Invest NI Funded Research Grants - Procurement Procedures Monday 8 December 2014."— Presentation transcript:

1 Invest NI Funded Research Grants - Procurement Procedures Monday 8 December 2014

2 Participants Heather Hamilton, Deputy Director of Finance David Robinson, Head of Research Finance Jackie Glackin, Head of Procurement (Acting)

3 Content Welcome and introduction -Heather Hamilton Context and background-David Robinson Changes to procurement-Jackie Glackin Summary of requirements-Jackie Glackin Undertaking a Invest NI Tender-Jackie Glackin Sole Source Supplies-Jackie Glackin Summary-Heather Hamilton Questions

4 Welcome and Introduction Communications in November 2014 to:Heads of School School Managers Principal Investigators Nominated Buyers Changes in Procurement Procedures – Invest NI Funded Research Grants Series of Information Sessions for staff with ‘live’ Invest NI projects Immediate effect

5 Research Funding From Invest NI Context: 2013-14: 38 new grants awarded; value £4.9m 2013-14: research income of £4.7m Total portfolio of live 70+ grants; value £20.8m Programmes included: Grants for R&D Proof of Concept Programme Competence Centre START Programme Invest NI is an important source of funding for research at Queen’s

6 Reasons for the Changes in Procurement Procedures Invest NI Funding - EU ERDF Programme for Northern Ireland known as the EU’s Sustainable Competitiveness Programme (EUSCP). ERDF expenditure must comply with CPD’s procurement policy and procedures. For NI, ERDF compliance is overseen by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Industry (DETI). DETI undertook a review of Invest NI’s vouching process to ensure compliance and identified that Invest NI were not checking that University spend on grants was complying with CPD. Invest NI informed both NI Universities in Autumn 2013 that compliance with CPD procedures would in future be included in vouching of expenditure on grants.

7 Reasons for the Changes in Procurement Procedures We compared University purchasing procedures to CPD requirements. Identified number of differences. Prolonged discussion with Invest NI – to convince them that existing University’s procurement procedures were robust. Conclusion – Invest NI not prepared to move on this. Formal notification was issued to UU and Queen’s in the Summer 2014 If we accept Invest NI funding then we must play by the CPD rules.

8 Impact University must demonstrate that all relevant expenditure on grants complies with CPD regulations – checks made in vouching. Where we cannot demonstrate compliance with CPD – ‘financial penalties’ will be applied (i.e. costs disallowed). Result – bespoke procedures for procurement on Invest NI grants. Attempted to minimise the differences in approach – aimed to keep requirements as simple as possible but still compliant with CPD. Very conscious of the impact of these changes on all involved.

9 What has Changed? Procurement Threshold Current ProcedureNew Procedure (INI Funding Only) <£2,500 (ex VAT)Use existing contracts or direct purchase Use existing contracts or obtain at least 2 price checks £2,500 to £30,000 Use existing contracts or obtain 3 quotations Use existing contracts or obtain at least 2 competitive tenders > £30,000A public tender must be undertaken by the Procurement Team As current procedure

10 What has Changed? <£2,500 Use existing contracts where feasible which comply with INI procurement regulations Obtain 2 price checks from 2 different suppliers (via internet search, email or verbal price check) Records must be retained for inspection via INI £2,500 to £30,000 Use existing contracts where feasible which comply with INI procurement regulations Obtain 2 tenders from 2 different suppliers Records must be retained for inspection via INI

11 Undertaking a Tender Exercise Specifying the Goods/Services Specification – input or output based Use of brand names not permitted Select evaluation criteria (Price Only or Price/Quality) Tenders issued at the same time with closing date and time stipulated Receipt and Evaluation Tenders opened at same time and replies recorded Evaluated and scored against the criteria outlined

12 Undertaking a Tender Exercise Award Award decision communicated to all tenders within 15 days of outcome Feedback provided to unsuccessful bidder if requested (NB must not include commercially sensitive information) Raise purchase order and provide tender documentation to Procurement To access INI tender templates or obtain further advice or guidance, please refer to the Procurement Office website or speak to the Procurement Team: http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/FinanceDirectorate/Procurement/Procur ementforResearch/InvestNIFundingSpecificProcurementProcedure/

13 Sole Source Supplies Strongly discouraged If unavoidable, a Sole Source Supplier Declaration must be completed and include justification for use Completed Declarations must be approved by the relevant signatories prior to order being raised. Template Sole Source Supplier Declarations are available from the Procurement Office website http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/FinanceDirectorate/Procurement/ProcurementforResearch/InvestNIFunding SpecificProcurementProcedure/

14 Sole Source Supplies A template for Sole Source Supplier Declarations is available from the Procurement Office website: http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/FinanceDirectorate/Procurement/Proc urementforResearch/InvestNIFundingSpecificProcurementProcedure/

15 Summary Revised procurement procedures for Invest NI funded research grants Immediate effect Weblink included for further information

16 Questions? Finance Directorate staff in Procurement and Research Finance Offices can provide further guidance if required.


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