Ireland showcases "SME-friendly" procurement drive
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The procurement division of Ireland's health service executive (HSE) hosts tomorrow the first of a new series of four "business opportunities seminars" targeted at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Tomorrow's event takes place in Sligo; it is followed by Athlone, on September 16; and Dublin and Kilkenny on September 22. The sessions, which have been organised following the success of a single seminar held in Cork last June, offer an overview of the HSE procurement model, which operates throughout the organisation and affects a total spend of €4.5bn ($65.5bn). "The HSE is seeking to move towards an SME-friendly public procurement policy, [as] mooted by government in recent months," said HSE assistant national director of procurement Julie Ryan.