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• Request for Tender to Establish a Whole of Government Panel for the Provision of Stationery and Office Supplies
  The Request for Tender (RFT) to establish a whole of government panel for the provision of stationery and office supplies (Ref: FIN11/FMG010) closed at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, 20 July 2011.

  For further information please e-mail sosimplementation@finance.gov.au.

• Transitioning to New Guidance Material on Procurement Policy Website
  To assist agencies transitioning to the structure of the new Procurement Policy Website, Finance has prepared a list of guidance material that has been replaced (i.e. FMG and Good Procurement Practice Series) together with a corresponding list that shows where those topics are now discussed within the Procurement Policy Website. If you have any further questions relating to the guidance or the Procurement Policy Website please contact Procurement Agency Advice.

• Major Office Machines (MOMs) Whole of Government Panel for Managed Print Services
  The Department of Finance and Deregulation has established a Major Office Machines (MOMs) Whole of Government Panel for Managed Print Services. This is the second Major Office Machines Panel. The Equipment and Support Panel was established on 19 April 2011.

  It is mandatory for agencies subject to the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 to use either the previously established Equipment and Support Panel, or the Managed Print Services Panel to meet their MOMs requirements. Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 agencies will be able to opt in to use either Panel.
  An updated factsheet [ - 384Kb] with further details on both panels is now available.

• Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines Exemption for Indigenous Businesses
  All departments, agencies and relevant CAC Act bodies, subject to the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines (CPGs) now are able to procure using an exemption to the Mandatory Procurement Procedures of the CPGs for Indigenous small and medium enterprise (SMEs).

  Under the exemption Australian Government agencies will be able to contract directly with Indigenous SMEs without the need to conduct a full procurement process, on the condition the procurement represents value for money, the key principle of the procurement policy framework.

  The exemption for Indigenous SMEs reads as follows:

  “Procurement of property or services from a Small or Medium Enterprise with at least 50% Indigenous ownership.”

  The exemption applies to the procurement of any goods, services and/or property that is valued over the relevant procurement thresholds listed in the CPGs. Commonwealth Government agencies will still be required to adhere to all the procurement principles outlined in Division One of the CPGs. As stated in the CPGs, A small and medium enterprise is defined as an Australian or New Zealand business with fewer than 200 full time equivalent employees.

  The exemption was announced on 19 May 2011 and was effective immediately. Additional information on the exemption is detailed in Finance Circular 2011/02.

• New Procurement Policy and Guidance Website launched 18 May 2011
  Finance has revised, simplified and modernised the way in which guidance material on the Australian Government Procurement Policy Framework is presented by using the internet as the primary method of publication. As well as reviewing and rewriting procurement related guidance to have a more practical focus, the Framework itself will be easier to access via the internet, simpler to apply, and be more relevant to the procurement community generally.

  The new website (http://www.finance.gov.au/procurement/procurement-policy-and-guidance) was officially launched by the Secretary, Mr David Tune, at the Procurement Discussion Forum on Wednesday 18 May 2011. If you have any further queries please contact ProcurementAgencyAdvice@finance.gov.au.

• Lowest Practical Fare Policy Review
  Officials are required under the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines - December 2008 to achieve value for money when purchasing goods and services. This includes procuring official air travel. Officials achieve value for money in relation to domestic air travel by applying the Lowest Practical Fare (LPF) policy.

  As announced with implementation of the LPF policy earlier this year, Finance is conducting a review of the LPF policy to assess whether it is effective when procuring official air travel and achieving value for money.

  The review seeks feedback on various topics including:

  • The LPF policy - Is the policy easy to understand? Is there a need to simplify or clarify language within the policy? Do the examples clearly interpret the policy? Are more examples needed?
  • Implementation of the LPF - What problems are agencies facing when applying the LPF policy? Are online booking tools streamlining the process for booking travel? How could implementation of the policy be improved?
  • Reason codes for the LPF - Are the current reason codes appropriate? Do more reason codes need to be added or any reason codes withdrawn? How should officials be encouraged to select appropriate reason codes?

  If you have any feedback on the above topics or wish to provide other information in relation to the LPF policy please send an email to Procurement Agency Advice. It would be appreciated if all feedback could be received by no later than Monday 28 February 2011.

• FMA Act Regulations - Amendments effective 1 July 2010
  The Amendments to the FMA Act Regulations are effective from 1 July 2010. The amendments:

  • Provide a more logical and sequential flow for FMA regulations 8-12 and streamline definitions, to improve readability
  • “Carve out” from regulation 10 “remote” and “non-material” contingent liabilities in the new regulation 10A
  • De-couple timing of approval processes under regulations 9 and 10
  • Provide Chief Executives with the power to allow for their delegates to make sub-delegations.

  Importantly, savings/transitional arrangements are provided until 1 July 2011, to give Agencies time to update internal systems and associated procedures.

• Revised Transitional Arrangements for Coordinated Procurement
  
• Revised Guidelines on Non-Campaign Recruitment Advertising - effective 1 July 2010:
  The revised Guidelines on Non-Campaign Recruitment Advertising came into effect on 1 July 2010 and apply to all agencies subject to the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 [] (FMA Act). The guidelines govern a range of aspects of agencies’ and departments' recruitment advertising in print media.

  For more information on the Guidelines on Non-Campaign Recruitment Advertising or if you have any questions, please contact the Government Advertising Contract Management section via advertising@finance.gov.au.

• Whole-of-Government Travel Arrangements - effective 1 July 2010:
  The new Whole-of-Government (WoG) Travel arrangements came into effect on 1 July 2010 to provide domestic and international air services and travel management services to all Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 [] (FMA Act) agencies and relevant participating Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 [] (CAC Act) bodies. Parliamentarians and their staff can also access the WoG air travel arrangements. It is mandatory for FMA Act agencies and participating CACs to purchase air travel through their WoG travel management company.

  The benefits from the new arrangements include highly discounted domestic and international air fares, competitive route deals, assistance with travel policy compliance, consistency of travel arrangements for all participating agencies and transparency of costs. Frequent Flyer Points and Loyalty Reward Points are turned off from 1 July 2010 for airlines appointed to WoG Travel arrangements.

  A WoG Travel Fact Sheet and Resources is available to provide information about WoG Travel for agency Chief Financial Officers, agency Travel Managers and Officers booking travel.

• Government and Industry Principles of Engagement on ICT:
  On 25 May 2010, the Hon. Lindsay Tanner MP, Minister for Finance and Deregulation endorsed and signed The Government and Industry Principles of Engagement on ICT on behalf of the Government. The Principles were developed and agreed with industry.
  

• Assessing the Financial Viability of Tenderers:
  The Department of Finance and Deregulation has released a guide to assist agencies in conducting financial viability assessments. This guide Assessing the Financial Viability of Tenderers , Good Procurement Practice 8 is now available in the Good Procurement Practice section of the Procurement Policy and Guidance Internet site.
  The guide provides information that will assist agencies to decide the need for, and the type of, assessment to be undertaken in determining a potential supplier’s financial viability.
• Defence Desktop Panel
  The Department of Defence has established a desktop panel which will also provide restricted access for agencies with urgent requirements, prior to the establishment of the whole-of-government arrangement (expected May-June 2010). The scope of the panel includes desktops, notebooks, monitors and thin client equipment. Agencies access to the Defence panel is coordinated through the Australian Government Information Management Office. Agencies with urgent desktop requirements can email ictprocurement@finance.gov.au for advice on the approval process to use the Defence panel.
  
• Fair Work Guidelines
  The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, has released a guide for agencies that will also be useful as a general reference for suppliers. The Fair Work Principles User Guide, and the Fair Work Principles Frequently Asked Questions are both available through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations website [].
  
• Release of updated Statistics on Australian Government Procurement Contracts
  
• Release of Finance Circulars 2009/11 Best Fare of the Day for International Official Air Travel and Finance Circular 2009/10 Use of the Lowest Practical Fare for Domestic Air Travel. These Finance Circulars have replaced Finance Circulars 2008/01 (Official air travel on the Canberra-Sydney route: 25 per cent minimum usage target for smaller airlines) and 2008/02 (Use of Best Fare of the Day (BFOD) for official air travel).
  
• Improving Value for Money in Media Monitoring Services
  The Good Procurement Practice Guide 07 - Improving Value for Money in Media Monitoring is now available online to all agencies.