Supplier Information
ESB’s standard procurement practice is competitive tendering or other forms of open competition. Our procurement procedures are in place to ensure openness to all compliant offers, non-discriminatory award procedures, transparency and fairness in dealing with suppliers. Where technical considerations allow, we favour the use of functional and performance-based specifications, supported by international/European standards. All ESB contracts adhere to applicable procurement law and the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies.
eTenders is Changing
eTenders, the Irish Government’s national tendering service, moved to a new platform on 15 May 2023, and new competitions are being published on this platform (with effect from May 2022). As a user of the eTenders system, ESB is requesting all suppliers who are currently registered on the old system to activate their account on the new eTenders platform, to continue to receive system alerts and participate in new tenders.
Suppliers can access the new platform via the etenders.gov.ie website and suppliers who are already registered will have had some of their details transferred to the new platform but will need to activate their registration on your first logon by re-inputting and adding in some additional data.
Start-up guides are available for suppliers by accessing the following link via here. Once you have updated your details, you will be able to fully access the new platform. Given that this is a new system, the user experience will be different, and we suggest that you allow time to become familiar with the new site.
The current eTenders platform will continue to be available for all users until May 2024 to enable all in progress competitions to be completed on the current platform.
Become a member of our Supply Chain Sustainability School
To support our supply chain partners on our collective sustainability journey, ESB is pleased to announce that we are one of the founding partners of the Supply Chain Sustainability School. The school when launched will be a free eLearning environment helping to upskill and provide practical guidance to those working within, or aspiring to work within, the built environment sector.
The school is a collaboration between clients, contractors and suppliers who have a mutual interest in building the skills of their supply chain and will focus on sustainability and environmental issues, including carbon and climate change, community and social impact, workforce issues, and sustainable procurement.
We are encouraging all our suppliers to register for this free resource when it is launched in January 2024.
Further information can be accessed here.
Conditions of Contract
ESB continues to be fully committed to paying suppliers in line with the agreed terms during the ongoing uncertainty arising from Covid19. ESB has robust contingency plans in place to support our purchasing and invoice payment processes during this time.
To help us maintain this business as usual service it is important that you continue to send us your PDF Invoices to the following mailbox: Supplier.pdfinvoices@esb.ie
If up to now, you have sent invoices by post, we ask that you change to sending PDF invoices to the above mailbox. This will reduce the risk of a delay in the payment of your invoice when ESB offices are inaccessible to staff and/or remote working is required due to Government restrictions.
Purchase Orders, Requests for a Quick Quote (up to €50k) and Requests for Tender will continue to issue through normal channels/contacts.
Your invoice will process most efficiently when the Purchase Order, Goods Receipt and Invoice are aligned. Please continue to liaise with the ‘acknowledgement/queries to’ contact stated on your PO, or the relevant ESB person you normally deal with to resolve any delays in the process.
You should also continue to contact supplierSupport@esb.ie for any queries relating to your invoices.
Given the new trading arrangements between the UK and the European Union that came into effect on 1st January 2021, we would ask all ESB’s GB based suppliers to ensure that each invoice relating to materials or equipment shipped from GB to ESB contains the following information:-
- The name of the Exporter/Importer of the product, including their respective Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) Numbers. For information ESB’s EORI no. is IE8F52100V (and EORI no’s for ESB’s subsidiary companies are available on request from your usual Procurement contacts).
- The VAT number of the Exporter/Importer
- The Country Of Origin of the product being shipped – see required declaration below: “The exporter of the products covered by this document [Insert your GB EORI NO] declares that, except where otherwise clearly indicated, these products are of UK preferential origin”.
- The Taric Commodity Code of the product concerned. (Tariff Code)
- The agreed Incoterm 2020 that forms part of the sale, and
- A description of the goods, values, weights, number and type of packages being shipped.
Adherence to these requirements will greatly facilitate the customs clearance process both at the point of export/point of import and avoid any unnecessary delays.
Further advice if required can be obtained by making contact with your nominated shipping carrier or ESB’s nominated carrier (see details below) if the goods are supplied on an Ex-Works or FCA basis.
Diamond Shipping
37 Rosemount Business Park,
Ballycoolin,
Dublin 11, D11 Y299
Phone: (01) 640 5000
Email: customs@diamondship.ie
Email: operations@diamondship.ie
ESB Supplier Charter and Requirements for Third Parties
ESB expects all suppliers/contractors providing goods, services or works to ESB and/or on behalf of ESB to conduct their business in an honest and ethical manner, in accordance with all applicable laws, and to respect internationally recognised human rights.
The Supplier Charter sets out the basic principles that ESB expects of suppliers/contractors. Suppliers/contractors doing or wishing to do business with an ESB company should familiarise themselves with the related terms of their contract(s) with ESB and the Requirements for Third Parties which impose specific obligations in relation to these matters.
Tendering for ESB Contracts: How does it work?
ESB uses eTenders, the Irish Government’s procurement portal when issuing contract notices and requests for tenders. We would encourage potential suppliers to register their interest with eTenders so you will be alerted when contract notices are published.
The current limits (Jan 2022 to Dec 2023) for contracts above the monetary thresholds as specified by the Utilities Directive are:
- Supply and Services Contracts: €431,000
- Works and Concession Contracts: €5,382,000
The following approaches for Contracts above the EU Threshold are adopted:
Call for Competition
This is our general approach for ESB project-based procurement, such as the construction of a power station or major IT system. Projects are advertised through the Irish Government’s eTenders platform and also published on the Official Journal of the European Union. The Irish Government’s eTenders Portal and/or the Official Journal's public procurement website, Tenders Electronic Daily (TED), should be reviewed to keep abreast of all upcoming opportunities.
Supply Line
ESB’s qualification system is Supply-Line - a dedicated vendor registration system operated by Achilles Procurement Services for ESB. ESB Generation & Trading, ESB Networks, ESB Enterprise Services, Electric Ireland and other contracting entities use Supply-Line. We use ESB’s Supply-Line to:
- Register suppliers
- As a source for tender lists when awarding major procurement contracts above the EU thresholds
You can contact the relevant ESB procurement personnel to see if your product area requires registration with Supply-Line. Find out more about public procurement on the European Commission’s website here.
For contracts less than EU threshold, our standard procedure is competitive tending, unless otherwise covered by our procurement procedures.
Our preferred method for acquiring and paying for low value items is the Corporate Procurement Card (CPC). Vendors are encouraged to adopt the latest credit card technology (Level 2 terminals) to increase business opportunities.
ESB Policy on Modern Slavery
As an organisation that operates in the United Kingdom, ESB fully supports the aims of the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 and has a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery. In order to prevent acts of slavery and human trafficking from occurring within its business and supply chains ESB has taken a number of steps, including the adoption of a Policy on Modern Slavery (available below).
Contractor Safety Regulations
Payment
ESB’s policy is to pay undisputed supplier invoices within the agreed terms of payment. ESB’s standard payment terms are Nett Monthly Account. We are committed to complying with the terms of applicable late payments legislation.
ESB is a signatory to the Prompt Payment Code of Conduct. Please click here for further information on our system.
ESB’s preferred method for receiving supplier invoices is via a pdf sent by email to supplier.pdfinvoices@esb.ie
This free of charge service offers many benefits to suppliers, including the elimination of paper invoices and ensures that invoices sent to supplier.pdfinvoices@esb.ie are processed immediately and are visible on ESB’s payment system.
Requirements for emailed invoices
- Invoices can only be accepted in PDF format.
- One invoice per PDF (May contain multiple pages if relating to a single invoice)
- A maximum of 10 PDF’s per e-mail.
- Only original invoices from suppliers can be emailed.
- You must ensure you quote a valid purchase order number.