About ESB
Our history, our people and our principles
How we procure
How does the tender process work?
Contracts above the EU threshold
We adopt 2 main approaches for contracts above the EU threshold.
1. Call for competition
This is our system for project-based procurement, such as construction of a power station or major IT systems.
Projects are advertised through the Official Journal of the European Union.
The Official Journal's public procurement website, TED (Tenders Electronic Daily), should be reviewed to keep abreast of upcoming opportunities.
2. Supply-Line
Our qualification system is Supply-Line - a dedicated vendor registration system operated by Achilles Procurement Services for ESB and other commercial bodies.
ESB Energy International , ESB Networks ,ESB Services and Electric Ireland use Supply-Line:
- To register suppliers
- As a source for tender lists when awarding major procurement contracts above the EU thresholds
You can consult the Annual Qualification System Notice to see if your product area requires registration with Supply-Line.
Find out more about public procurement on the European Commission website.
Contracts below the EU threshold
For all other contracts (excluding low value purchases), we seek competitive tenders from a minimum of 3 potential suppliers, unless otherwise covered by our procurement procedures.
Low value purchases
Our preferred method for acquiring and paying for low value items is the Corporate Procurement Card (CPC). Our CPC services are provided by
Ulster Bank.
Vendors are encouraged to adopt the latest credit card technology (Level 2 terminals) to increase business opportunities.