The policies and procedures
for selecting consultants, and approving expenditure for them,
are set out in the department’s CEIs.
The procurement method is determined having regard to the nature
of the work involved and the broad cost thresholds set out
in the CEIs.
During 2002-03, 80 consultants were engaged to carry out
research projects or to provide professional and technical advice
that could not be provided by staff of the department.
Table 8 on consultancy trends below shows total expenditure
on all consultancy services, covering both payments made on new
contracts let in 2002-03 and payments made on contracts let
in previous years. The larger consultancy contracts - those
to the value of $10,000 or more - are detailed in Appendix
4 to this report, along with brief notes on the procurement methods
used.
Table 8 Consultancy trends
|
Distribution of
expenditure on
consultancy
services |
2002-03
|
2001-02
|
2000-01
|
| |
Number let |
Total expenditure
($) |
Number let |
Total expenditure
($) |
Number let |
Total expenditure
($) |
| Policy advice and government support services |
28 |
4,475,337 |
20 |
353,436 |
16 |
446,242 |
| Women’s policy |
40 |
4,744,300 |
76 |
5,289,037 |
19 |
1,743,589 |
| Corporate services |
12 |
371,767 |
5 |
66,181 |
3 |
73,168 |
| Total |
80 |
9,591,404 |
101 |
5,708,654 |
38 |
2,262,999 |
In 2002-03 the department let three contracts within the
definition of ‘competitive tendering and contracting’.
Under Output 4.3, two contracts for master media agency services
for the placement of campaign and non-campaign Australian Government
advertising were awarded by public tender. The contracts were awarded
to Universal McCann at an estimated $13 million and to hma Blaze
at an estimated $10 million. Under Output 4.6 a contract for the
provision of government gifts for official presentation was awarded
by public tender to Jaymac Promotional Advertising Proprietary
Limited and the Beaver Galleries at a contract price of $104,000.
The department negotiated a 12-month extension of the arrangements
for domestic and international travel with Synergi, the department’s
travel provider, pending an anticipated market test of travel management
during 2003-04.
The department also exercised extension options on two of its
other service contracts this year each of which exceeded $100,000.
The first was a three-year extension of a contract with Rel Corp
Management Services, for the provision of salary and leave processing,
accounts processing and related services. The second was a one-year
extension of a contract with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu for the provision
of internal audit services.
None of these contract extensions constituted ‘competitive
tendering and contracting’ as defined by the Requirements
for Annual Reports approved by the Joint Committee of Public
Accounts and Audit.
|
