Small and medium-sized businesses across the Midlands are being given a direct route into Ireland’s public-sector supply market through a free procurement briefing in Mullingar. Organised by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP), the event will connect local suppliers with public buyers, procurement professionals and enterprise support organisations, helping businesses understand how to compete for Government contracts.

The SME Breakfast Briefing takes place at the Mullingar Park Hotel on 18 November 2026, from 8.30am to 10.30am. As Westmeath Examiner reports, attendees will receive practical guidance on the tendering process, upcoming contract opportunities and support available to smaller businesses. Registration is free, although places are limited and must be booked in advance.

The initiative reflects the OGP’s wider role in developing Ireland’s public procurement system. Operating within the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, the office leads procurement policy and coordinates sourcing arrangements across much of the public service. Its work includes making public contracts more accessible to smaller suppliers, helping broaden competition and strengthen the range of businesses able to serve government buyers.

For regional businesses, the value of the briefing lies in direct engagement with organisations that purchase goods and services across the public sector. Representatives from the OGP, Education and Training Boards, InterTradeIreland, the National Enterprise Hub, county councils and Local Enterprise Offices are expected to attend. This gives SMEs an opportunity to ask questions, understand buyer requirements and identify where their products or services could meet public-sector demand. The OGP's supplier guidance also provides a starting point for businesses looking to understand the procurement system and prepare for tendering.

The Mullingar event forms part of a broader effort to increase SME participation in public contracts, following procurement engagement initiatives in Sligo, Ireland’s first Government Supply Expo and a series of webinars. It also supports the Government’s National Public Procurement Strategy, which sets out a five-year direction for making procurement more accessible, transparent and effective. For smaller suppliers, understanding how to identify opportunities and prepare competitive submissions can be an important first step towards developing a sustainable public-sector customer base.

For the sector, the lesson is direct: widening access to public procurement can strengthen the supplier market while creating new growth opportunities for regional businesses. By bringing buyers and SMEs together, the OGP is helping turn procurement guidance into practical connections that could support more competitive tenders and a broader base of public-sector suppliers.

Source: Westmeath Examiner / Office of Government Procurement / Department of Public Expenditure