Red tape hampering Skillnets programme – Healy Eames

The tendering process for the Skillnets programme should be reformed, according to Fine Gael Senator Fidelma Healy Eames.

The Senator said the current process is unnecessarily long-winded and is deterring some training companies from competing for contracts. The Skillnets programme, which is supported by the Department of Education, facilitates subsidised training for companies, employees and jobseekers.

“I am very concerned that some small training companies in Galway are being put off tendering for work in the Skillnets programme by overly elaborate tendering procedures.

“Tender documents can often run to more than 30 pages and can take days to complete. Many training providers are now spending more time completing these documents than actually delivering training,” she said.

Senator Healy Eames said she had met one small company recently that had spent the first ten weeks of 2012 completing tender documents without any guarantee of success and had earned no income in the same period.

“No training company or sole trader could survive in this excessively bureaucratic environment,” she said.

“There are approximately 55 Skillnets organisations in the country offering subsidised training, and the programme has become the main source of business for many training providers in the country. Larger training providers are now employing staff full time to handle procurement, but small companies can’t afford such a luxury.

“It would be far more practical to establish a national panel of trainers organised by Skillnets - so the first stage tender only has to be completed once. Only new and updated information should need to be submitted each year.”

She added that a standard, concise format should be used for the second stage or mini tender process. “A monitoring system should be put in place so that Skillnets is obliged to acknowledge receipt of tenders and provide feedback to help providers improve their submissions,” she said, adding that she has contacted the Department proposing these changes.