Complaints Procedure

If you wish to discuss the CPD complaints procedure then please call: 028 9081 6236

Informal Complaints Procedure

If you are unhappy with our treatment of you then please get in touch, as soon as possible, with the person you have been dealing with. They are best placed to sort out most problems. If you are still not satisfied, or feel unable to raise the matter with that person, then please ask to speak to the person's immediate manager. We are confident that we will be able to resolve most problems through this informal channel.

Formal Complaints Procedure

Formal complaints E-mail: co-ordinationteam.cpd@dfpni.gov.uk

Stage One

Your complaint will be referred to the Divisional Director responsible for the area of work in which the complaint has arisen who will arrange for it to be investigated. The Divisional Director is required to send you a full written response within 10 working days of receiving your complaint. If our investigation is going to take longer than this, then we will let you know when you can expect a full reply.

Stage Two

If you remain dissatisfied following the Divisional Director’s response at stage one, you should then write to the Director of Central Procurement Directorate (see Contact CPD for address details, or use the email address above ).

The Director will arrange to have the matter investigated and may seek the views of the Supplier Feedback Service (SFS) within the Office of Government Commerce (OGC). OGC is an independent office of HM Treasury, established to help Government deliver best value from its spending. The SFS provides a route for suppliers to raise concerns about public procurement practice when attempts at resolving issues with a contracting authority have failed.

The NI Ombudsman

If on receipt of the Director’s response you continue to be dissatisfied you may ask a Member of the Assembly (MLA) to refer your complaint to the Office of the Northern Ireland Ombudsman for investigation.

You will be expected to have already referred your complaint to CPD, and been through our formal complaints process, before requesting your MLA to take the matter up with the Ombudsman.

It is important to note that CPD’s formal complaints procedure is not an appeal mechanism for tenderers who are dissatisfied with the outcome of a procurement competition. The relevant procedure in such cases is set out in the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (SI 2006 No 5) as amended.

Contacting the NI Ombudsman

Tel: 028 9023 3821 or Freephone: 0800 343424

e-mail: ombudsman@ni-ombudsman.org.uk

You may also write to The Ombudsman at: -

See Also:

• CPD Supplier Charter