8 September 2016
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LGP News September 2016
" Keeping you connected in local government procurement "
LGP - A Hive of Activity
by Michael Robinson, Acting General Manager
The new financial year has seen the LGP team hit the ground running with a huge amount going on and planned in coming months. I thought it worthwhile to highlight some of the great work and initiatives that the LGP team is involved with.
Network Meetings: Last month the first LGP Regional Network meeting was conducted in Dubbo and well supported by regional council staff. We received overwhelming feedback and support to facilitate more regional meetings in future. The LGP team is currently scheduling dates for our next events so if you would like us to conduct a meeting in your region, speak to your LGP Business Manager.
We also conducted our last Sydney LGP Network meeting for the year (before our annual conference 17-18 November 2016) and was fortunate to have Marta Andrecka present “Local Government Framework, Challenges and Opportunities – European perspective” it was fantastic to have an international procurement expert speak and hear about how procurement is conducted in local government in other parts of the world.
LGP Training: All LGP training has undergone a substantial review in recent months with some very exciting results. All face to face training modules have been refreshed and refined to ensure they are meeting the needs of all of local government. Whilst the focus has been on procurement professionals, it is important to understand that anyone that is involved with the purchase of goods and services or contracts can benefit from LGP training. Whilst face to face sessions are a critical component, they are now complimented by LGP’s ProcureLearn, an eLearning solution that has been very well received, particularly from regional councils. It is important to know that the eLearning modules can be tailor made to suit your council’s needs. If you would like to know more about how LGP can assist your training needs, please contact LGP Training.
We are very excited to announce that we have entered into a new contract with Bayleys and Associates for the facilitation of Certificate IV, Diploma and now Advanced Diploma of Government (Procurement & Contracting). All courses are currently being enhanced to ensure a focus on local government to meet your needs. Places are filling fast so please see the LGP website for more information.
LGP Annual Conference: 2016 marks the tenth Local Government Procurement Annual Conference and this year’s event will be a cracker! With a theme of 'Effective Governance: An Essential Part of Procurement' the conference will address governance in procurement including appropriate levels of control and probity. As always, a lot of work has gone in to the development of the program and the 'hypothetical session' should be a highlight. This event will again include a conference dinner with entertainment and presentation of our annual procurement awards. Nominations are now being sought and can be provided simply via the LGP website. I encourage you to attend and nominate a colleague or organisation for the great work they are doing.
Customer Satisfaction Survey: Everything LGP does is to answer the question – “What is best for council” so we recently asked you to provide feedback about our service and what we could do to better meet your needs. We were grateful to receive such positive feedback about the service we currently provide but also great suggests about how we can improve what we do. This feedback has NOT been filed away, in fact we recently had a team day where every LGP team member worked through your suggestions to see how we can incorporate them into our service offering. You will start to see those ideas woven into our services very soon.
As always, LGP is a hive of activity and these are just a few of the things we are currently doing to raise awareness and help procurement within local government however we are never too busy to assist you to keep your procurement department humming along!
2016 LGP Annual Conference -
Local Government Procurement Awards
The Local Government Procurement Awards celebrate those procurement professionals or groups who are making a difference in local government and their community. The Awards recognise excellence and best practice in the field of procurement within the local government sector.
The awarded recipients will receive a personalised plaque and professional development training of the winner's choice to the value of $2,500. The Awards will be presented at the annual Local Government Procurement Conference dinner on 17 November 2016.
There are three categories open for nominations, and
you can nominate yourself, another person or organisation. The closing date for nominations is 28 October 2016.
To view a copy of the criteria questions click here.
Procurement Professional
To be eligible the nominee must have a minimum 2 years experience in procurement within NSW local government.
Nominate here
New Procurement Professional
To be eligible the nominee must have less than 2 years experience in procurement within NSW local government.
Nominate here
Sustainable Procurement Initiative
This award is for either an individual or organisation that has demonstrated exceptional sustainable procurement work.
Nominate here
For further information contact Emma Murray, Marketing and Administration Manager by email or on 02 8270 8710.
Council staff in hot water over dodgy footpath – a mock trial
Allegations are rife on how a group of council staff went about awarding a contract to build a new footpath on High Street. The controversial court hearing will be enacted, at the 2016 Local Government Procurement Annual Conference. The prosecutor will call defendants (played by conference delegates) to the stand and the verdict will be decided by a jury of procurement and probity experts.
The mock trial is a new twist on the traditional procurement hypothetical question and answer session. The mock trial, which involves delegates throughout the trial, will be a fun and interactive session. This is one aspect of a well rounded conference program which focuses on procurement and governance.
Dates and location
Dates: Thursday 17 and Friday 18 November 2016
Location: Sydney Masonic Centre, 66 Goulburn Street Sydney
Who should attend
The conference, Effective Governance: An Essential Part of Procurement, will bring together procurement and governance practitioners and local government managers to hear and learn about a range of governance and procurement challenges within the sector. The conference is an ideal event for those involved in governance and procurement.
Registration is now open
Register now to take advantage of the early bird offer, as well as the special registration options listed below:
- Early bird: $825 inc GST (prior to and including 21 October 2016)
- Full fee: $990 inc GST
- First timer: $660 inc GST (a person who has not attended the conference previously)
- Special offer for general managers and directors - attend the conference free of charge, when attending with a registered council officer.
For further information about the LGP conference please visit the LGP website which is updated regularly or contact the Events Team by email or on 02 8270 8710.
Probity Perspectives -
Your Questions Answered
LGP is pleased to announce a new section in LGP News, answering probity questions from readers. To submit a question please follow the link below. You may submit your question anonymously.
What is Probity?
Probity is defined as “Integrity; Uprightness; Honesty” (Macquarie Dictionary, 4th Edition).
In the context of procurement this means that in seeking value for money, correct process is followed and decisions are transparent and made with integrity and honesty.
Probity is not an extra “add on” but should be considered from the outset in the procurement planning stage, before any documents are released to the market.
At a minimum, enough time should be set aside to allow for a probity review of tender documentation. It is often at this stage that probity risks and issues can be identified and managed. It is far more difficult to close the barn door if the horse has already bolted!
LGP Probity Services
LGP is able to assist you with your probity needs. With over 90 years’ combined experience all LGP Probity advisers have completed training for the development of Probity Service Providers through the Resolution Institute (formerly LEADR and IAMA). To arrange a discussion please call LGP on 8270 8700.
Council Good News Stories
Do you have a good news story to tell about the great procurement related work being done by you, your team or council? If so we encourage you to tell everyone! Click on the Share Your Story button and follow the instructions to share your experience. Your good news story contribution will be shared in upcoming editions of LGP News.
LGP Energy Update - What's New
Over recent times, councils have benefited from the gas and electricity tenders that LGP have successfully carried out on your behalf. In fact you would have received the Registration of Interest for the next round where existing supply arrangements expire on or before December 2018.
What you may not know is that over recent months LGP have been working with the Office of the Environment and Heritage (OEH) with the aim to develop a panel for solar panels – or to be more accurate Power Purchase Agreements (PPA’s) based upon the use of solar panels.
Back in 2014, the NSW Government announced the Government Resource Efficiency Program (GREP) which aimed to cover all general government sector agencies, including councils. One of the measures within the GREP calls on agencies to “identify and enable solar leasing opportunities”, and this is the aim of our collaboration with OEH.
We are in the process of developing a standard PPA and then aim to establish a panel of preferred suppliers of solar PPA’s.
Please stay tuned for more developments in the near future and for other initiatives that LGP are considering in the energy sector, or contact Peter Flood, LGP Business Manager Utilities by email or on 02 8270 8727.
LGP Learning Centre Training Calendar - September
LGP will be conducting procurement training in Sydney in September 2016.
Council staff involved in any form of purchasing are encouraged to attend.
What are the benefits to councils?
- A range of interactive and best practice modules covering seven critical areas of procurement and contract management
- Specifically developed for NSW local government
- Experienced trainers with hands on experience in local government
- The content, case studies and activities are tailored with practical examples to maximise knowledge transfer.
Training Courses in September
Social Procurement and Economic Development
This one day course is designed as an interactive workshop, this course provides council staff with insights into how procurement can be designed to support the achievement of social outcomes and local economic development. Frameworks for social procurement are explored as well as practical tools and methods to assist your council to become social procurement ready along with models to enable greater collaboration for regional social procurement outcomes.
Register here.
Spend Analysis for Savings, Efficiencies, Compliance & Collaboration
This one day course will provide you with the ability to look for efficiencies, savings and increase compliance. It will cover internal analysis, external factors such as economic development and how to drive fact based procurement and contract management decisions. Register here.
Procurement for Local Government
This one day course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the purchasing function within the NSW Local Government sector. The Procurement for Local Government course is a great way to learn the end to end procurement life-cycle and practical ways to apply principals within council. Register here.
View the entire LGP Training calendar here.
Training is also available in your council or for your ROC or JO. For more information please contact Rebecca North, Training Coordinator by email or on 02 8270 8709.
Diploma in Government Procurement and Contracting – September 2016
LGP in association with Bayley and Associates, a registered training organisation, is offering council staff a Diploma in Government Procurement and Contracting commencing September 2016.
This is a great opportunity for local government staff that have completed Certificate IV to progress to a higher qualification
The Diploma is 11 days long, made up of two and three-day blocks of training with the last three days focusing exclusively on assessment.
2016 dates are below:
Block 1: 22-23 September
Block 2: 12-14 October
Block 3: 26-28 October
Block 4: 2-4 November
Click here to view more information on the LGP website.
If you would like more information regarding the course, please contact Rebecca North, Training Coordinator by email or on 02 82708709.
ProcureLearn is Now Available
Do you work in procurement or have any involvement within this space? Look no further, ProcureLearn, LGP's eLearning program is now available.
ProcureLearn offers ‘bite-sized’ online learning ranging from 10-30 minutes providing optimum flexibility within council, and allowing training to be delivered in a time-efficient and cost-effective way. Most importantly, you learn at your pace and around your work schedule. The ProcureLearn program offers the following training modules:
LGP online modules consist of the following tailored courses;
- Procurement Essentials
- Contract Management Essentials
- Probity in Purchasing and Procurement
For more information about ProcureLearn please click here or contact Rebecca North, Training Coordinator by email.
Are you ready for the amendments to the Competition and Consumer Act (Cth) 2010?
Last year the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 was amended in relation to contracting with small businesses and the amendments are due to commence in November this year. Is your council ready for these changes?
Some points to consider:
- Consider all new contracts your Council is planning to enter into with entities that are ‘small businesses’
- Look for unilateral clauses that may be considered ‘unfair’ and ask yourself if they are necessary
- Consider whether small businesses should be invited to negotiate their contracts with you.
Monica Kelly from Prevention Partners explains more here.
Supplier Panel Contract Arrangements
LGP have a team of experienced procurement professionals who are able to provide individual support to councils for all procurement related projects. The LGP Projects Team are a specialised unit established by LGP to provide individual support to councils in relation to specific procurement projects.
There may be opportunities for your council to create supplier panel contracts utilising the VendorPanel licence subscription that your council may have in place.
Supplier panel contracts provide the following benefits:
- Selection of suitable pre-qualified contractors
- Improved management of the suppliers within each category panel
- Streamline the quotation process
- Minimise individual procurement sourcing and market research
- Centralise quotation process and opportunity for data collation and analysis
- Adherence to legislative, regulative and council’s internal procurement policy and procedures.
The process in establishing supplier panel contracts can be a very time consuming process for council staff and may take several months before the contract is implemented.
The LGP Projects Team are able to alleviate the strain on council resources in this process by undertaking, for an agreed fee, the following activities:
- Request for Tender documentation development
- Evaluation and probity plan document development
- Criteria (weighted and non-weighted) and scoring methodology development
- Develop relevant returnable schedules
- Tender release (pre-tender meeting) and tender close
- Compliance and reference checking with shortlisted tenderers
- Chairing the evaluation committee to determine the most suitably qualified contractors
- Develop the recommendation report for approval by council.
The LGP Projects Team are also able to provide contract management services by offering the following services for the panel arrangements:
- Contract execution (Including pre-commencement meeting)
- Contract implementation (including VendorPanel registration)
- Develop a contract management plan and/or provide ongoing contract management support.
The LGP Projects Team also has experience in the following areas:
- RFX facilitation - end to end facilitation of the procurement process
- Probity advice and audit service
- Contract management support
- Project management
- Outsourcing placement services - provide an “in house” resource.
To find out more about the LGP Projects Team visit the LGP website.
For further information please do not hesitate to contact the LGP Projects Team by email or on 8270 8700.
Want to Know who Your
Business Manager is at LGP?
Local Government Procurement has dedicated business managers to look after the needs of councils, approved contractors, not for profit organisations and other government bodies.
Click here to see who can help you.
As part of our commitment to more sustainable procurement, Local Government Procurement is proud to be a member of Social Procurement Australasia (SPA).
Find out more about who SPA are here.
Procurement
Tip of The Month
By LGP Projects Team
Tender Debriefs
The tender debrief process is often a part of the tender process that is overlooked or where not enough attention is applied. All tender submissions received play an important part in the tender process and consideration should be given to the tenderers involvement and costs associated in submitting a tender.
Tenderers should be invited to request a debrief on their tender submission and the evaluation process. A formal tender debrief (if requested) should provide the unsuccessful tenderers an outline of the process and the results. Constructive comments/recommendations should be provided to allow tenderers the opportunity to improve future tender submissions. A debrief will also demonstrate that the tender process was conducted with good governance and transparency.
LGP Fleet Category Cost and Spend Review
Every council in local government manages a fleet of some size or shape. Typically, councils have fleet managers that are adept in understanding fleet movement and the costs associated with managing their fleet. With more emphasis on being “fit”, it has become crucial that councils understand their savings opportunities. Immediately, we look to our fleet to identify if there are some easy wins and improved ways to manage our fleet, in turn this may deliver quantifiable savings.
By engaging LGP and Procurement Advisory Services (PAS) to undertake a Fleet Category Cost and Spend Review you will be utilising an independent body to expertly review the effectiveness and efficiency of your existing systems.
As a result council will be able to determine where the change effort should be focused to enhance council’s fleet management system.
To fully appreciate the potential return on investment for your council from participating in this program click here, or contact your LGP Business Manager.
For more information about the LGP Fleet Category Cost and Spend Review visit the LGP website here.
IPWEA NSW State Conference 2016 - Infrastructure, Innovation and Resilience
The Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (NSW) (IPWEA NSW) would like to invite you to participate in the IPWEA NSW State Conference 2016, to be held at the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley from Wednesday 26 to 28 October 2016.
Again this year, the conference will bring together technical partners who are engaged in infrastructure, asset management, road and rail safety, transport, water and waste water, risk management, the environment and sustainability, technical innovation and technology. The conference encourages representatives from across our profession and the local government sector to join together and exchange ideas and create discussion on how to enhance infrastructure, innovation and resilience throughout our communities.
Drawing delegates from all over NSW, metropolitan and regional areas are always represented. The conference is of particular relevance to people who provides support within local government. The conference usually attracts an audience of engineers, public works managers, group managers, supervisors, technical staff, councilors, directors, general managers, other public works’ disciplines including management utilities and state government departments.
The IPWEA NSW State Conference offers an extensive business program including:
- The largest exhibition space to date
- Welcome Reception with peers Wednesday evening
- The NSW Police Force's RDT (random drug testing) bus
- The revered Engineering Excellence Awards Gala Dinner
- Concurrent streams of technical papers and peer presentations
- Optional Executive Master Class Wednesday afternoon on Media Skills
- Keynote presentations from Infrastructure NSW, Office of Local Government and Professor David Cropley
- Optional half day workshop for Young IPWEA Members Saturday on how to 'Influence Your Audience'
- The newly introduced award category 'The Minister for Local Government's Award for Innovation in Local Government Engineering'.
To view the full program and workshops click here.
To register for the State Conference click here.
If you would like to see registration fees and inclusions click here.
Using ISO20400 to successfully implement Sustainable and Social Procurement
One Day Training on ISO20400 for Procurement Professional -
The Ethics Center, Sydney CBD, Thursday 3 November 2016
Join other like-minded procurement professionals from the public and private sectors for a highly interactive one-day workshop (15 participants maximum) about how to use ISO20400, the first international standard on Sustainable Procurement publishing in early 2017, to manage sustainability and social risks and opportunities in your supply chain.
The workshop program
Use ISO20400 to:
- Discuss the framework provided by ISO20400 for each level of the Procurement / Supply Chain Management activity: Policy, Strategy, Organisation and Process
- Test how your organisation is currently complying with ISO20400 and benchmark leaders in Australia and abroad.
Set priorities
- Understand how to identify major sustainability and social risks for your whole spend as well as at the category level: good, service, asset
- Workshop priority setting on your own spend and share your ideas with other participants
- Understand how sustainability impacts total cost of ownership
Implement a strategy
- Discover in detail how to integrate sustainability and social issues in your sourcing strategy and key procurement documents e.g. specs, evaluation plan, draft contract
- Workshop how to practically do it on a specific procurement project, benchmark your strategy with other organisations through our database of 600 case studies and share your ideas with other participants.
If you would like more information about the workshop please contact
Planet Procurement by email or on 0423 328 603.
2016 Annual LGP Conference - Sponsorship and Exhibitor Opportunities
Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities are now available for the 2016 Annual Local Government Procurement Conference.
The conference provides a unique opportunity for suppliers to showcase their goods and services to a cross section of procurement professionals from across the state over two days, and is an excellent opportunity to attract potential customers and build on existing relationships already established.
The event provides excellent value for money with an anticipated 80 delegates who are key procurement professionals within NSW local government councils.
For further information view the Sponsorship and Exhibitor Prospectus or register online. The sponsorship and exhibition space is limited, suppliers will be treated on a ‘first in, first served’ basis.
If you have any questions about the conference please contact the LGP Events team via email or 02 8270 8710.
What's happening with
LGP approved contractors?
LGP1208-3 Professional Consulting Services -
Michael Davies Architecture Pty Ltd
Manly Andrew “Boy” Charlton Aquatic Centre
The new Northern Beaches Council have just “inherited” a brand new indoor swimming facility from the former Manly Council. The Centre is now called the Manly Andrew “Boy” Charlton Aquatic Centre and is located on the corner of Balgowlah Road and Kenneth Road in Manly.
The new indoor centre was designed by Michael Davies Architecture Pty Ltd, a member of the LGP contract LGP 1208-3 Professional Consulting Services.
Michael Davies is a veteran of many local government projects and has been the author of no less than six aquatic and leisure centres in NSW.
For more information about the project please
click here. If you would like further information about
Michael Davies Architecture Pty Ltd please contact Michael by email or on 1300 884 336.
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