NSW Treasury is responsible for establishing whole of government policy for Information & Communication Technology (ICT) procurement and for monitoring the realisation of benefits from ICT investment.
In November 2006, NSW Treasury announced reforms to the NSW Government Information and Communication Technology capital investment process to bring ICT investment into the same governance framework as the rest of the government’s capital investment program.
In support of the reforms, the NSW Department of Commerce established a consultant prequalification scheme with panels of prequalified experts to assist agencies meet government’s objectives. This scheme provides NSW Government agencies with a system to select and engage expert advisors with the right capability and experience to assist agencies in developing sound ICT strategies and business cases and provide independent assessment of whether the project will deliver the intended benefits of the business case.
Prequalification Scheme information for Consultants and Agencies:
The Scheme document provides consultants and agencies with an overview of the Scheme, Application conditions and Scheme conditions. An application form for consultants is appended to the Scheme document. The Scheme is open for new applicants.
Click the link below to download the Scheme document:
ICT Project Assurance Advisors Prequalification Scheme 2006-2009.
Arrangements to engage prequalified ICT Project Assurance Advisers are explained below:
Engagement of Prequalified ICT Project Assurance Advisers:
NSW Government agencies are eligible to engage ICT Project Assurance Advisers that have been prequalified by the Department of Commerce on behalf of NSW Treasury.
Work (prequalification) Categories:
ICT Project Assurance Advisers have been prequalified for the following work categories:
|
Work Type Code |
Category |
Description |
|
338 |
Project Assurance Advisers - ICT Strategic plans and business cases |
Provide assistance to agencies developing ICT Strategic plans and/or business cases for major ICT projects. Advisers will be engaged by the agency. |
|
339 |
Project Assurance Advisors – Project Quality Assurance Reporting services |
Provide independent assessment to agencies and Treasury on whether major ICT projects will each deliver the benefits of their business case. This is a project health check rather than a project management role. Advisers will be engaged by and report to the agency, with a copy of the report to be sent to Treasury. |
Arrangements for selection of an ICT Project Assurance Adviser:
Agencies seeking to engage an ICT Project Assurance Adviser may request a list of prequalified consultants from the Department of Commerce by completing and submitting a request form:
Request for list of ICT Assurance Adviser Consultants and RFT number
Submit the request by e-mail to: NSWP_Support@commerce.nsw.gov.au or by fax to: 02 9372 8077
The list will be returned by e-mail to the applicant. Commerce will only send a list to ‘nsw.gov.au’ email addresses.
Agencies may then make their own selection from the list of prequalified consultants or may seek assistance from the Department of Commerce. For large value, high risk engagements, the Department of Commerce may be asked to convene its Consultant Selection Committee to assist an agency select a tenderer panel. The selection process for prequalified ICT Project Assurance Advisors may follow the procedures for selection of technical consultants prequalified under the Department of Commerce's Consultant Prequalification Scheme for construction related technical services.
NSW Government agencies are required to engage consultants in accordance with Department of Premier and Cabinet Circular C2004-17: Guidelines for the Engagement and Use of Consultants. This prequalification scheme varies and complements these guidelines by providing for engagement of consultants on the following basis:
· Where the estimated cost of the consultancy is less than $50,000 an engagement can be made directly from the panel by inviting one written proposal from a pre-qualified consultant.
· Where the estimated cost of the consultancy is $50,000 or more (to no limit) an engagement can be made from the panel by inviting a minimum of three written proposals from pre-qualified consultants. Open invitations are not required.
ICT Project Assurance Adviser services (Work Type 338 & 339) Standard form documents:
1. To engage an ICT Project Assurance Adviser when the engagement is valued less than $50,000 use the following standard form to invite a fee proposal:
Standard for engagement of an ICT Project Assurance Adviser for fees less than $50,000
2. To engage an ICT Project Assurance Adviser when the engagement is valued at $50,000 or more, use the following standard forms to invite fee proposals:
• 0 Cover Sheet and master Table of Contents
• 1 Conditions of Tendering
• 2 Tender Schedules
• 3 Conditions of Agreement
• 4 Agreement Information
• 5 The Services
• 6 Appendices
ICT Consultant - Performance Monitoring and Reporting
Quality assurance, value for money and performance improvement are key objectives in the overall goal of the scheme to improve agency procurement and use of ICT Project Assurance Adviser services. To assist in meeting these objectives Commerce will need to collect basic information on consultant engagements from agencies monitoring the performance of consultants they engage.
Project Assurance Advisor Performance Reports are required to be prepared by the agency as part of the monitoring process. Reports should be prepared:
· in the first week of February, May, August and November for engagements valued at $50k or more;
· at the completion of an engagement;
· whenever it becomes apparent that the standard of services delivered by the Project Assurance Advisor are found to be unsatisfactory; and
· at termination of the engagement [if occurring].
Templates for the Project Assurance Advisor Performance Reports are available at:
Work category 338:
www.managingprocurement.commerce.nsw.gov.au/ict_performance_management/pms_ict_paa_cat338.doc
Work category 339:
www.managingprocurement.commerce.nsw.gov.au/ict_performance_management/pms_ict_paa_cat339.doc
Guidelines for preparation and submission of the performance reports are provided in the report template.
The results of performance monitoring are linked to the selection for future tendering opportunities. Poor or inconsistent performance results in limiting opportunities and good or consistent performance may result in extending opportunities. The better the performance, the more opportunities that may be offered, providing an incentive for service providers to continue improving their performance.
Obligations and responsibilities of agencies accessing the scheme:
Procuring agencies are responsible for making their own assessment of a consultant’s suitability for a particular engagement and to undertake appropriate due diligence checks according to the size of the engagement and the risks involved.
Pre-qualification under this scheme is not a guarantee of work and no agency of NSW Government is obliged to provide any work opportunities to any pre-qualified consultant.
What does the scheme not cover?
This pre-qualification scheme will not cover areas of consultancy procurement already addressed by other pre-qualification schemes or panel contracts, which include:
· State Contracts Control Board (period) contracts
· Construction Related Consultant Prequalification Schemes
· Provision of ICT Services for Whole of Government – Accreditation Scheme (SCCB)
· Expert Panel – Performance Review & Management Consultants - prequalification Scheme (DPC/Commerce)
