Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education to list the unit cost of the ten most required items of school furniture provided under (i) the Education Authority tender until March 2021; and (ii) the frameworks acquisition method in place since the expiration of the previous contract(s).
Minister of Education: The unit cost of individual items under the previous Framework Agreement for the supply of Classroom Furniture to the Education Authority is commercially sensitive.
The Education Authority can, however, provide the ten most required items of school furniture with estimated spend over the period of the Framework Agreement to March 2021 as follows:
Item Description – Estimated spend per item £
Chair (seat height 460mm) – £176,625
Chair (postura, seat height 460mm) – £115,112
Dual, grouping, cantilever with under compartment – £90,599
Chair (seat height 430mm) – £69,219
Chair (seat height 380mm) – £45,979
Dual, grouping, cantilever without under compartment – £45,965
Chair (postura & seat height 430mm) – £38,332
Chair (seat height 350mm) – £30,723
Chair (postura, seat height 380mm) – £25,798
Chair (seat height 310mm) – £21,669
The interim arrangement utilised by the EA to ensure the compliant procurement of classroom furniture is to avail of a Framework Agreement for School and Academies Furniture & Associated Services. This Framework is managed by a Third Party Educational Procurement Organisation Body and is to be used on a call off basis only for an interim period until the new procurement contract is awarded.
ENDS
Your MLA 