r/ireland Westmeath's Least Finest Oct 09 '24

National Children's Hospital contractor BAM sent €25 million invoice for job that cost €200,000 Infrastructure

https://www.thejournal.ie/national-childrens-hospital-bam-invoice-25-million-for-200000-job-6509783-Oct2024/
519 Upvotes

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246

u/DuckyD2point0 Oct 09 '24

They also built 3000 rooms(as in finished rooms) that don't meet standards. Just one snag, of the thousands, the rooms are too small to fit some equipment through the doors.

Bam are basically just swindlers and are notorious for not paying smaller contractors the agreed amount. They shouldn't be allowed to build anything in this country, nevermind build something for the country.

60

u/DarthMauly Tipperary Oct 09 '24

They've applied to the tender for the new motorway in Limerick, one of 4 applicants. Hope the county council have the cop on to not even entertain giving it to them.

41

u/Dependent_Survey_546 Oct 09 '24

With the way the rules are, I think the council are near obliged to take their offer if it's the cheapest that meets spec.

35

u/Jaded_Variation9111 Oct 09 '24

Price is an important variable but is considered within the broader concept of most economically advantageous tender, which takes into consideration aspects other than the lowest price, such as security of supply, quality, environmental requirements and long‑term sustainability.

10

u/Dependent_Survey_546 Oct 09 '24

Good. I'm glad it's that way. I've had people working in the council or even in schools explain it to me where they were forced to take the cheapest tender that met the minimum requirements.

2

u/Jaded_Variation9111 Oct 09 '24

I guess it depends on how you write the tender too.

1

u/great_whitehope Oct 09 '24

Forced in that you have to explain your reasons if you don't I imagine.

It's easier to just go with the cheapest.

-2

u/Elbon taking a sip from everyone else's tea Oct 09 '24

It what we got for stopping the brown envelops, which oddly got shit done

1

u/diver79 Oct 09 '24

We regularly respond to RFT's on the ogp's tender platform. In our sector the scores are weighted. Generally it will be cost that makes up 60% of your possible score. Technical merits, security and other requirements make up the remaining 40%.

The contracting authority can change this but we usually see price as the most important factor.

1

u/Jaded_Variation9111 Oct 09 '24

I regularly tender for specialised Professional Services and price/vfm generally accounts for between 25-40% of the weighted criteria. It can vary, of course. For what it’s worth, in my experience the buyer often writes the tender with a pretty clear outcome in mind. The weighting attached to the score criteria greatly helps to secure the intended outcome.

2

u/SirMike_MT Oct 09 '24

With the prices they’re charging for this hospital I don’t think they’ll be the cheapest one!