Office of Government Procurement Secures €350 Million Framework for Business, Management and ICT Consultancy Services

A multi-supplier framework agreement for business, management and ICT consultancy services worth up to €350 million has been awarded by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). The contract, spanning 13 lots with over 200 winners including major consultancies such as Accenture, Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, and Ernst & Young, demonstrates how the Irish government is ensuring access to high-quality professional consultancy services across the public sector.

Introduction

Every government department, agency, and public body in Ireland requires access to expert consultancy services to support decision-making, drive transformation, and deliver public services efficiently. From business strategy and organisational change to ICT consultancy and policy analysis, professional services are essential for effective public administration. The Office of Government Procurement has taken a significant step to ensure these services are available by awarding a new multi-supplier framework agreement for business, management and ICT consultancy services.

While not a headline-grabbing consumer deal, this framework is fundamental to ensuring that the Irish public sector has access to high-quality, cost-effective consultancy services. It reveals a great deal about how the Irish government structures procurement for professional services and the scale of consultancy engagement across the public sector.

Why This Contract Matters

The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) is the central procurement body for the Irish public sector, responsible for delivering value for money in public procurement. This framework covers a broad and diverse range of business, management and ICT consultancy service requirements of sectoral or national importance.

The framework is structured across 13 lots, with separate lots for services valued up to €200,000 and over €200,000 across six service categories. This structure ensures that public bodies can access consultancy services proportionate to their needs, from smaller engagements to major strategic projects.

Contract Timeline

• Previous notice referenced: 3b311174-ec7d-4396-886f-52e25351e7fc-03
• Contract award notice published: 31 July 2026 (OJ S 146/2026)
• Contracts concluded: 30 April 2026
• Contract duration: 48 Months

Contract Overview

The OGP conducted an open procedure for a multi-supplier framework agreement for the provision of business, management and ICT consultancy services. The framework covers 13 lots:

• Lot 1: Business Strategy and Operations (up to €200k)
• Lot 2: Organisational Change Management and Transformation (up to €200k)
• Lot 3: Project, Programme and Portfolio Management (P3M) (up to €200k)
• Lot 4: Business Process, Process Improvement and Process Reengineering (up to €200k)
• Lot 5: ICT Consultancy (up to €200k)
• Lot 6: Policy and Economics (up to €200k)
• Lot 7: Business Strategy and Operations (over €200k)
• Lot 8: Organisational Change Management and Transformation (over €200k)
• Lot 9: Project, Programme and Portfolio Management (P3M) (over €200k)
• Lot 10: Business Process, Process Improvement and Process Reengineering (over €200k)
• Lot 11: ICT Consultancy (over €200k)
• Lot 12: Policy and Economics (over €200k)
• Lot 13: Multi-Disciplinary Services (over €200k)

The maximum value of the framework is €350,000,000. The contract duration is 48 months. The framework is a multi-supplier framework with varying reopening of competition provisions. The procurement received between 91 and 94 tenders per lot, with hundreds of suppliers ultimately appointed to the framework.

Key Contract Details

Detail	Information
Contracting Authority	The Office of Government Procurement (OGP)
Contract Subject	Business and management consultancy and related services (CPV 79400000)
Procedure Type	Open procedure
Legal Basis	Directive 2014/24/EU
Maximum Framework Value	€350,000,000.00
Number of Lots	13
Contract Duration	48 Months
Award Criteria	Most Economically Advantageous Tender – Cost 60%, Quality 40%
EU Funding	None disclosed
Covered by GPA	Yes
Review Organisation	The High Court of Ireland

Lots and Winners Summary

Lot	Description	Value Cap (€)	Framework Value (€)	Number of Winners	Bids Received
LOT-0001	Business Strategy and Operations (up to €200k)	200,000	5,250,000	34	94
LOT-0002	Organisational Change Management and Transformation (up to €200k)	200,000	5,250,000	35	91
LOT-0003	Project, Programme and Portfolio Management (P3M) (up to €200k)	200,000	3,500,000	35	91
LOT-0004	Business Process, Process Improvement and Process Reengineering (up to €200k)	200,000	3,500,000	31	91
LOT-0005	ICT Consultancy (up to €200k)	200,000	5,250,000	34	91
LOT-0006	Policy and Economics (up to €200k)	200,000	7,000,000	27	91
LOT-0007	Business Strategy and Operations (over €200k)	Unlimited	28,000,000	31	91
LOT-0008	Organisational Change Management and Transformation (over €200k)	Unlimited	147,000,000	35	91
LOT-0009	Project, Programme and Portfolio Management (P3M) (over €200k)	Unlimited	14,000,000	35	91
LOT-0010	Business Process, Process Improvement and Process Reengineering (over €200k)	Unlimited	10,500,000	30	91
LOT-0011	ICT Consultancy (over €200k)	Unlimited	28,000,000	35	91
LOT-0012	Policy and Economics (over €200k)	Unlimited	8,750,000	21	91
LOT-0013	Multi-Disciplinary Services (over €200k)	Unlimited	84,000,000	35	91

Major Winning Consortia and Firms

The framework attracted a wide range of consultancies, from global professional services firms to specialist Irish consultancies. The most successful firms across the 13 lots included:

Firm	Lots Won	Type
Accenture Limited (Primary Account)	All 13 lots	Global
Deloitte Ireland LLP	All 13 lots	Global
PwC Ireland	All 13 lots	Global
KPMG Ireland	All 13 lots	Global
Ernst & Young Ireland	All 13 lots	Global
BearingPoint Ireland	All 13 lots	Global
Crowe	All 13 lots	Global
Jacobs Engineering Ireland	All 13 lots	Global
Fexco Limited	All 13 lots	Irish
The4OC Ltd	All 13 lots	UK
Grant Thornton Ireland	All 13 lots	Global
Indecon International	All 13 lots	Irish

About the Contracting Authority

The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) is the central procurement body for the Irish public sector, responsible for delivering value for money in public procurement. The OGP develops and manages framework agreements and contracts for goods and services used across government departments, agencies, and public bodies. The OGP is committed to ensuring that public procurement is efficient, transparent, and delivers the best possible outcomes for the Irish taxpayer.

About the Winning Companies

The framework includes a diverse range of consultancies:

• Accenture, Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, Ernst & Young: Global professional services firms with extensive experience in public sector consultancy across Ireland and internationally.
• BearingPoint: Global management and technology consultancy with a strong presence in the Irish public sector.
• Crowe: Global professional services firm with significant public sector expertise in Ireland.
• Jacobs Engineering: Global engineering and consultancy firm with extensive public sector infrastructure experience.
• Fexco Limited: Major Irish financial and technology services company with a strong public sector presence.
• Grant Thornton: Global professional services firm with a well-established Irish practice.
• Indecon International: Irish economic and strategic consultancy specialising in public sector policy and evaluation.

Procurement Analysis

Procedure: An open procedure was used, which is the most transparent and inclusive method under EU law, allowing any interested supplier to submit a bid. Between 91 and 94 tenders were received per lot, all submitted electronically, indicating exceptionally strong competition.

Competition: The level of competition was exceptionally high, with 91-94 bids per lot. This reflects the attractiveness of public sector consultancy work in Ireland and the broad range of firms capable of providing these services.

Award Criteria:

• Cost (60%): The cost of the services.
• Quality (40%): The quality of the proposed service delivery.

Framework Structure: The agreement is a multi-supplier framework with varying reopening of competition provisions. This structure provides flexibility for public bodies to access consultancy services proportionate to their needs, with individual call-offs awarded through mini-competitions or direct awards.

Lot Structure: The 13-lot structure allows for specialisation by service category and project value, enabling both large consultancies and smaller specialist firms to participate effectively.

GPA Status: The procurement is covered by the World Trade Organization's Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), meaning it was, in principle, open to qualifying international bidders.

Additional Procurement Facts

• Over 200 suppliers were appointed across the 13 lots.
• The framework has a maximum value of €350 million over 4 years.
• Between 91 and 94 bids were received per lot.
• Winners include a mix of global consultancies, Irish firms, and UK-based companies.
• The framework covers services across business strategy, change management, project management, business process, ICT consultancy, and policy/economics.
• Separate lots are provided for services valued up to €200k and over €200k.
• No EU funding was used for this procurement.
• Disputes or review requests fall to The High Court of Ireland.

Market & Industry Perspective

The Irish public sector consultancy market is highly competitive, with a wide range of firms offering services across business, management, and ICT domains. The 91-94 bids received per lot reflect the strong interest in public sector work and the broad market capacity.

The 60/40 cost/quality weighting reflects the importance of both value for money and service quality in consultancy procurement. Public sector bodies seek to balance cost efficiency with the delivery of high-quality professional services.

The 13-lot structure with separate value thresholds (up to €200k and over €200k) enables both large consultancies and smaller specialist firms to participate effectively, promoting a diverse supplier base.

Economic Significance

At up to €350 million over 4 years, this framework represents one of the largest public sector consultancy procurements in Ireland. The contract ensures that government departments, agencies, and public bodies have access to high-quality professional services to support decision-making, drive transformation, and deliver public services efficiently.

For the winning consultancies, the framework provides a stable, multi-year revenue stream and the opportunity to serve a broad range of public sector clients.

Future Procurement Opportunities

This framework agreement covers consultancy services through approximately 2030. Related procurement opportunities may include:

• Specialist consultancy services not covered by this framework
• Individual call-offs under the framework
• Other public sector procurement frameworks
• Direct contracts for specific consultancy projects

Opportunities for Suppliers

Consultancy firms active in the Irish public sector should note the scale and structure of this framework. The 60/40 cost/quality weighting requires suppliers to demonstrate both competitive pricing and strong service quality.

Key success factors include: proven experience in public sector consultancy, strong quality management systems, competitive pricing, and the ability to deliver across multiple service categories.

What Businesses Should Watch

• Individual call-offs under this framework from government departments and agencies.
• Similar consultancy frameworks from other public sector bodies.
• The evolution of public sector consultancy requirements and service categories.
• Opportunities for subcontracting with framework winners.

IrelandTender Procurement Intelligence

This contract is a landmark procurement in the Irish public sector, representing a €350 million framework for business, management and ICT consultancy services. The OGP has secured access to a comprehensive pool of pre-qualified consultancies across 13 lots, with over 200 suppliers appointed.

The most notable feature of this tender is the scale and comprehensiveness of the framework. With 13 lots covering six service categories at two value thresholds, the framework provides public bodies with flexible access to consultancy services proportionate to their needs. The 91-94 bids received per lot reflect the exceptional level of competition in the Irish consultancy market.

The 60/40 cost/quality weighting reflects the balanced approach to public sector consultancy procurement. While cost efficiency is important, the 40% quality weighting ensures that service quality, expertise, and delivery capability are critical factors in supplier selection.

The framework includes a wide range of suppliers, from global professional services firms (Accenture, Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, EY) to Irish consultancies (Fexco, Indecon) and UK-based firms (BAE Systems, The4OC). This diversity ensures that public bodies have access to a broad range of expertise and perspectives.

For suppliers, the lesson is that the Irish public sector consultancy market is highly competitive but offers significant opportunities for firms with strong capabilities and competitive pricing. The multi-supplier framework structure means that being appointed to the framework provides ongoing opportunities for call-offs, but firms must continue to compete on individual assignments.

Supplier Takeaways

• Cost (60%) and quality (40%) are both critical success factors.
• Multi-supplier frameworks offer ongoing opportunities for call-offs.
• 13-lot structure allows specialisation by service category and value.
• Over 200 suppliers appointed – strong competition for individual assignments.
• Framework duration is 48 months with significant potential revenue.
• Both global and Irish consultancies are well-represented.

Key Takeaways

• OGP awarded a €350 million framework for business, management and ICT consultancy services.
• The framework covers 13 lots with over 200 winners across six service categories.
• Award criteria: Cost (60%), Quality (40%).
• Between 91 and 94 bids were received per lot.
• Major winners include Accenture, Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, EY, BearingPoint, Crowe, Jacobs, Fexco, and Grant Thornton.
• Contract duration: 48 Months.

Conclusion

This is not a contract that will make national headlines, but it reflects something structurally important about how the Irish government accesses professional consultancy services. By awarding a €350 million framework for business, management and ICT consultancy services across 13 lots, the OGP ensures that government departments, agencies, and public bodies have access to high-quality, cost-effective professional services. The contract demonstrates the importance of structured framework procurement, the value of competition in consultancy services, and the critical role of professional expertise in public administration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the Office of Government Procurement (OGP)?

It is the central procurement body for the Irish public sector, responsible for delivering value for money in public procurement.

Q: What does this framework cover?

It covers business and management consultancy services across 13 lots, including business strategy, change management, project management, business process improvement, ICT consultancy, and policy/economics.

Q: How many suppliers were appointed?

Over 200 suppliers were appointed across the 13 lots.

Q: What is the value of this framework?

The maximum value is €350 million over 4 years.

Q: Is this contract funded by the EU?

No. The notice confirms the project is not financed with EU funds, though it is governed by EU Directive 2014/24/EU.

Source: EU Official Journal, Contract Award Notice 531128-2026, OJ S 146/2026, published 31 July 2026.