Administration
4.1 Compliance with this policy | 4.2 Roles and Responsibilities | 4.3 Commencement date and application | 4.4 Definitions
4.1 Compliance with this Policy
Agencies are required to comply with this Policy by a decision of Cabinet. The Financial Management Standard 1997 also refers to this Policy.
Compliance with the Policy by agencies is subject to audit by the Queensland Audit Office.
4.2 Roles and responsibilities
4.2.1 Ministerial responsibility
The Minister for Public Works, Housing and Information and Communication Technology is the Minister responsible for the State Procurement Policy.
The Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry has responsibility for business, industry and regional development issues relevant to this Policy.
4.2.2 State Procurement Advisory Council
The State Procurement Advisory Council advises the Minister for Public Works, Housing and Information and Communication Technology on strategic matters relating to government procurement.
4.2.3 Director-General, Department of Public Works
The Director-General, Department of Public Works sets whole-of-government strategic directions and implementation strategies for procurement. This includes:
- acting on recommendations made by the Procurement Board of Management to:
- require budget sector agencies to undertake procurement capacity and capability improvement initiatives
- mandate common use supply strategies for application to budget sector agencies at the whole-of-government level, or across two or more agencies
- in consultation with the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, require agencies to suspend or terminate procurements which are non-compliant with international trade obligations.
4.2.4 Procurement Board of Management
The Procurement Board of Management:
- provides leadership in respect of the management of strategic procurement and logistics functions across the Queensland Government
- assists the Director-General, Department of Public Works by making recommendations on significant decisions relating to procurement.
4.2.5 Queensland Government Chief Procurement Office
The Queensland Government Chief Procurement Office, led by the Queensland Government Chief Procurement Officer, is responsible for managing the Queensland Government’s procurement framework. This includes facilitating more efficient, effective and accountable Queensland Government procurement, which contributes to the Government’s Priorities.
The Office’s role includes:
- providing support and advice to the Procurement Board of Management and providing leadership to the Procurement Council
- developing procurement policy and guidance, monitoring its application and evaluating the impact of the Policy
- leading procurement planning, measurement, capability and performance improvement initiatives across government
- developing and implementing a recognised system of assessment and accreditation for budget sector agencies
- business leadership for e-procurement and procurement business systems
- developing and implementing common use supply strategies
- managing arrangements for disposal of government assets
- preparing an annual report on Queensland Government procurement, including the sector’s capability and performance, for endorsement by the Procurement Board of Management to Cabinet through the Minister for Public Works, Housing and Information and Communication Technology
- managing a procurement training and certification regime
- providing advice on the application of the Policy.
4.2.6 Procurement Council
The Procurement Council provides advice and support to the Queensland Government Chief Procurement Office in the development and implementation of whole-of-government procurement and logistics strategies and initiatives.
4.2.7 Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry is responsible for business, industry and regional development issues. The Department may, as it deems necessary:
- comment on draft agency Corporate Procurement Plans
- consult with agencies during the development of certain Significant Procurement Plans.
4.2.8 Agency roles and responsibilities
Accountable officers are responsible for ensuring that procurement activities are managed in accordance with this Policy. For procurement, this means that accountable officers must ensure:
- compliance by their agencies with the State Procurement Policy, and other relevant legislation, policies, and agreements
- the good governance of the procurement function, as demonstrated by an established procurement planning regime which supports agency strategic and operational goals; an appropriately structured procurement function; clear management standards embodied in procurement delegations, policies and processes; and appropriate control, monitoring and reporting frameworks
- that the agency’s procurement capability is commensurate with the value and risk of the agency’s procurement
- that the agency's procurement function is managed at an appropriate senior management level
- that agency staff have proper access to procurement training and development activities
- that agency procedures and documentation result in procurement which is transparent and accountable, and able to withstand external scrutiny
- a commitment to continuous improvement, as demonstrated for example by innovative practices, and the regular measurement and review of procurement.
Accountable officers must address issues raised by the Queensland Government Chief Procurement Officer concerning procurement plans, procurement measurement and reporting requirements, procurement capability and performance assessments, and common use supply arrangements.
To assist the Queensland Government Chief Procurement Office in discharging its role, accountable officers must provide information and assistance in relation to agency procurement, as requested by the Queensland Government Chief Procurement Officer.
Schedule D provides a summary of key obligations conferred on agencies by this Policy.
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4.2.9 Shared service arrangements
This section applies to those agencies which participate in the Queensland Government Shared Service Initiative.
The accountable officers of client agencies are accountable for procurement outcomes delivered on their behalf by Shared Service Providers. This includes decision making and control responsibility in relation to agreed outcomes. Client agencies must retain a strategic and tactical capability with regard to procurement.
Shared service arrangements must be taken into account in the preparation of Corporate Procurement Plans. This process should inform client agency negotiations with Shared Service Providers, to ensure that Operating Level Agreements clearly articulate the expectations, roles and responsibilities of both parties to the agreement.
Client agencies and Shared Service Providers must cooperate to facilitate optimum procurement outcomes.
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4.3 Commencement date and application
This Policy shall take effect from 1 January 2008.
This Policy, upon coming into effect, replaces the Queensland Government State Purchasing Policy released in 2000.
4.4 Definitions
In this Policy:
“Agency Procurement Procedures” are agency specific procedures which set out how procurement activities are to be conducted in compliance with the Policy.
“accountable officer” has the meaning conferred by the Financial Administration and Audit Act 1977. For the purposes of this Policy, this term also includes Chief Executive Officers of Government Owned Corporations and statutory bodies.
“agency” means, for the purposes of this Policy:
- a department or a statutory body as those expressions are defined in the Financial Administration and Audit Act 1977
- any Government Owned Corporation and its subsidiaries where the shareholding ministers have given notification pursuant to s.123 of the Government Owned Corporations Act 1993 as listed in Schedule E as published from time to time by the Queensland Government Chief Procurement Office.
“budget sector agency” includes departments, and those agencies nominated as departments for the purpose of the annual Parliamentary appropriation process.
“goods and services” include all property except for real property and all types of services including building and construction services.
“Government Priorities” mean the priorities of the Government of the day contained in Schedule A and includes any changes as published in Schedule A from time to time by the Queensland Government Chief Procurement Office.
“other policies relevant to Government procurement” means Government policies relating to procurement as may be determined by Cabinet from time to time and includes any changes as published in Schedule C from time to time by the Queensland Government Chief Procurement Office.
“procurement” is the entire process by which all classes of resources (human, material, facilities and services) are obtained. This can include the functions of planning, design, standards determination, specification writing, selection of suppliers, financing, contract administration, disposals and other related functions.
“purchasing” is the acquisition process for goods, services and capital projects through purchasing, leasing and licensing and this expression extends to standing offer or similar arrangements by which terms and conditions of purchase are determined.
“small and medium enterprise” means:
- in relation to non-ICT procurement, an Australian or New Zealand firm with less than 200 full time equivalent employees.
- in relation to ICT procurement, firms with less than 500 full time equivalent employees worldwide.