Conference Chairperson & Opening Remarks

Ross McCarthy, MD, Keystone Procurement

Data And Reporting That Improves Tendering and Delivery Decisions

Speaker: Seán Bresnan, Managing Director, APSC Consultancy Services Ltd

• What information matters from tender stage through award, delivery, variations and final account
• Practical ways to pull usable data from procurement, project, finance and site records
• Early indicators that flag trouble such as lead time creep, cost drift and repeat change patterns
• Using what the data shows to tighten templates, pricing assumptions and risk checks next time

Supplier Performance Measurement That Reflects Real Delivery

Speaker: Monika Bis, Senior Procurement Consultant, ARVO Procurement

• Performance measures that reflect delivery on site rather than paperwork completion
• KPIs that work in practice for quality, programme, safety, defects, responsiveness and cost control
• Early intervention approaches for underperformance using clear triggers and escalation routes
• Using performance evidence to support future award decisions in a fair and defensible way

Contract Negotiation and Change Control That Prevents Disputes

Speaker: Younes Guessous, Associate Director, KPMG in Ireland

• Clarifications before award and the line between cleaning up risk and changing the deal
• The contract terms that most often decide outcomes such as payments, retention, damages, caps and insurance
• Risk allocation that stays workable when issues arise on design, access, utilities and ground conditions
  
  • Negotiating clear change control rules on instructions, pricing, evidence requirements and timelines

Technical Specifications – Contractual Considerations

Speaker: Paul Tohill, Legal Director, Browne Jacobson LLP

• Technical specifications are contractually binding, treat them with caution
• Understanding the type of specification and its allocation of risk
• Coordinating technical documents carefully to avoid conflicts and disputes
• Fitness for purpose is a high bar, be explicit about whether and to what extent it applies
• Variations must be properly instructed, changes to specifications have time and cost consequences
• Defects liability and dependence on what the specification requires
• Record keeping and specification compliance

Safety Requirements That Can Be Measured and Enforced

Speaker: Eoghan Kenny, Founder and CEO of The Compliance Team

• Safety requirements written into tenders and contracts in a measurable and auditable way
• Contractor competence evidence that reflects real capability on site
• Monitoring safety performance during delivery and responding when standards begin to slip
• Aligning procurement decisions with the project safety plan and day to day site controls

Supplier Engagement That Improves Competition and Outcomes

Speaker: Donnacha Phelan, Director, Keystone Procurement

• Market engagement that improves competition and tender quality while staying fair and transparent
• Mobilisation expectations that set suppliers up for delivery including reporting, communication routes and approvals
• Relationship management with clear boundaries, governance and consistent documentation
• Spotting dispute signals early and dealing with them before they become formal claims

Beyond the Traditional Sourcing: Empowering Procurement Through Automated Sourcing and Strategic Optimization

Speaker: Paul Dreano, Global Head of Professional Services at Keelvar

• Replacing manual sourcing and tender administration with automated workflows
• Using bid automation to improve consistency, speed and supplier participation
• Applying scenario optimisation to compare different award options and procurement outcomes
• Using real-time supplier feedback to encourage stronger and more competitive bids
• Improving transparency and evidence in supplier evaluation and award decisions
• Freeing procurement teams to focus on strategic analysis, supplier relationships and long-term value