Appendix A: - specialised expertise is not available in-house; or
- an independent assessment or evaluation is required.
Before engaging external consultants, the Department determines whether:
- the proposed assignment is feasible and essential to the efficient and effective operation of the Department; and
- use of the consultant will be cost-effective.
Once a need for external consultants is established, the Department ensures that the selection process:
- observes government and departmental procurement policies;
- is publicly defensible, promoting fair competition and effective service;
- is based on pre-determined selection criteria; and
- satisfies best value for money.
Market testing occurs through public invitation or approaching a sufficiently representative number of potential consultants.
Consultancies with values of $10 000 or more let by DVA during 2004-05 are listed below together with their agreed contract price. During 2004-05, DVA spent $6 466 516 on 135 consultancies. The total amount spent includes those listed as well as expenditure on consultancies let in previous years and continuing during 2004-05. Details of these consultancies were published in previous annual reports.
| Consultant name | Description | Contract price | Selection process (1) | Justification (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access Economics Pty Ltd | Review of Managing Health Care Information Program | $62 527 | Select tender | C |
| Access Economics Pty Ltd | Research Cause of Death and Associated Health Care Usage and Costs | $44 000 | Direct sourcing | A |
| Access Economics Pty Ltd | Research of Card Costs | $58 520 | Select tender | B |
| Access Economics Pty Ltd | Economic modelling for Veterans’ Home Care program | $149 958 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Acumen Alliance (ACT) Pty Ltd | Provision of OH&S Advice | $18 700 | Select tender | B |
| Acumen Alliance (ACT) Pty Ltd | Provision of OH&S Advice | $28 050 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Adaptive Systems Pty Ltd | Health Research and Development of Ageing Research Online Portal | $98 821 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Air Marshal David Evans | Chairman of VP Committee | $51 254 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Antony Sweetapple | Operations support services for the 60th anniversary of VP Day | $10 000 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Australian Government Solicitor | Legal advice | $25 000 | Panel | B & C |
| Australian Institute of Health and Welfare | Development of DVA’s online research register | $45 239 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Australian Institute of Health and Welfare | Research - Community Aged Care Package Census Data | $66 305 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Australian Institute of Health and Welfare | Research - Veterans in Residential Aged Care Services (phase 1) | $107 828 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Australian Institute of Health and Welfare | Research - Residential Aged Care Projections | $158 587 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Australian Institute of Health and Welfare | Research - Veterans in Residential Aged Care Services (Phase 2) | $164 162 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (Schedule 14) | Mortality & Cancer Incidence analysis F111 Deseal / reseal | $24 618 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Australian National University | Research - Factors influencing changes in health expenditure of veterans | $66 000 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Avail Information Management | IT Services | $25 680 | Direct sourcing | A |
| Bligh Voller Nield | Architectural design for Townsville VVCS - Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service | $38 962 | Select tender | B |
| Cardno Willing (PNG) Limited | Design & works at Bomana War Cemetery PNG | $16 100 | Select tender | B |
| Castelain Pty Ltd | Consultancy Services to assess the IT Security capabilities of the University of South Australia (UNISA) | $23 320 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Courage Partners Pty Ltd | Joint Agency Records Review | $22 000 | Direct sourcing | B |
| DE & NG Arter | Broadcast Production Services for the 60th anniversary of VP Day | $59 758 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Deacons | Probity Advice | $30 000 | Panel | B & C |
| DeakinKM | Management Information System online Training Modules | $88 649 | Panel | A |
| Enterprise Outsourcing (ACT) Pty Ltd | Probity Advice | $12 101 | Panel | B |
| Fujitsu Australia Ltd | Consultancy Services for IT software development | $165 000 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Garry Suprain | Creative support services for the 60th anniversary of VP Day | $55 000 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Hardes & Associates P/L | Research - Veteran population demand projection modelling | $157 500 | Direct sourcing | A & B & C |
| Hardes & Associates Pty Ltd as trustee for the Hardes Family Trust | Research - Veteran population demand projection modelling | $157 000 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Hardes & Associates Pty Ltd as trustee for the Hardes Family Trust | Research - Veteran population demand projection modelling | $157 500 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Herron Todd White (Canberra) Pty Ltd | Market evaluation and commercial property advocacy | $11 111 | Open tender | B |
| Hewitt Pender Associates Pty Ltd | Design & project management services for upgrade of Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum | $440 000 | Direct sourcing | B |
| IBM Australia Pty Ltd | IT advice for CURAM | $55 000 | Direct sourcing | B |
| IBM Australia Pty Ltd | IT advice for CURAM | $77 000 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Itsatruck Pty Ltd as trustee for The Cooper Family Trust | Support Services for the 60th anniversary of VP Day | $76 483 | Direct sourcing | B |
| KPMG Australia | Internal Audit Services | $5 500 000 | Open tender | C |
| Nutrition Australia | Updating 'Adding Life to Your Years’ book | $54 897 | Direct sourcing | B |
| Orima Research Pty Ltd | Market testing research for community service announcements | $27 690 | Direct sourcing | C |
| Orima Research Pty Ltd | Research the Eat Well for Good Health Communication Strategy | $24 674 | Direct sourcing | B |
| PriceWaterhouseCooper | Accounting services assistance with 2004-05 Financial Statements Preparation | $14 000 | Open tender | C |
| PriceWaterhouseCooper | Accounting services in relation to preparation of the 2004-05 DSHIS Financial Statements | $30 000 | Open tender | B |
| Siller Systems Administration | Records management advice and training | $100 000 | Open tender | A |
| Susan Belsham | Professional services as an independent member of the Tender Steering Committee for the purchase of private hospitals services in Queensland | $15 000 | Direct sourcing | B & C |
| Taylor Fry | Actuarial Services | $39 600 | Direct sourcing | B |
| The University of Melbourne | Evaluation of health outcomes achieved in chronic disease self-management courses. | $99 942 | Direct sourcing | C |
| The University of New South Wales | Research - Use of minor analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | $55 000 | Direct sourcing | B |
| The University of Newcastle | Investigation of health outcomes from the Cooking for One or Two courses | $40 835 | Direct sourcing | B & C |
| The University of Queensland | Research - Veteran Quality of Life, Health Care Utilisation and Personal Attributes | $83 583 | Select tender | B |
| The University of Sydney | Research - Toxicology study | $38 500 | Direct sourcing | B |
| The Verner-Mackay Group | Quality management and client service consulting services for Corporate Support | $18 172 | Select tender | B |
| TOTAL | $8 989 626 |
(1) Explanation of selection process terms (drawn from the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines January 2005):
Open tender: A procurement procedure in which a request for tender is published inviting all businesses that satisfy the conditions for participation to submit tenders.
Select tender: A procurement procedure in which the procuring agency selects which potential suppliers are invited to submit tenders in accordance with the mandatory procurement procedures.
Direct sourcing: A procurement process, available only under certain defined circumstances, in which an agency may contact a single potential supplier or suppliers of its choice and for which conditions for direct sourcing apply under the mandatory procurement procedures.
Panel: An arrangement under which a number of suppliers, usually selected through a single procurement process, may each supply property or services to an agency as specified in the panel arrangements.
(2) Justification for decision to use consultancy:
A – skills currently unavailable within agency
B – need for specialised or professional skills
C – need for independent research or assessment