APPENDIX 11

CONSULTANCY SERVICES

Consistent with the Government’s policy to focus available resources on core functions, and recognising the value of the different perspectives that consultants can bring to policy and operational issues, the department engages consultants where it lacks specialist expertise, or where independent assessments or input are considered desirable.

Selection processes

The process used for selecting consultants, both in Australia and at overseas posts, is consistent with the department’s broader procurement policies and the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines, and is based on the principle of ‘best value for money’. Selection methods are as follows:

Public tender: Consultancies are advertised in the daily press. In Australia they are also advertised on the department’s Internet site, and through the services of the Government’s electronic publishing service (www.ads.gov.au).

Restricted tender: A limited number of organisations or individuals are invited to submit quotations for particular consultancies. These firms are identified:

through their expertise in a particular field;
through their involvement in related work with the department or government; and
as representing a particular cultural or interest group.

Direct engagement: Consultants are selected from those identified on whole-of-government endorsed supplier arrangements or competitive tendering and contracting panels. Alternatively a recognised pre-eminent expert or authority in a particular field may be engaged directly. (Note: in these instances, the consultants’ fees are compared to those in the market, to ensure that value for money is being obtained.)

All business opportunities that are available through a full tender process, and all contracts (including consultancies) with values over $2 000 entered into in Australia, are published in the Government’s electronic gazettal system (www.contracts.gov.au).

Table 39. Consultancies undertaken during 1999–2000

Location/work group	Name of consultant	Description of project	Contract price ($)	*Reason(s) for engagement	** Procurement	*** Advertising method
Trade Negotiations Division	Centre for International Economics	WTO–Vietnam APEC Support Project	94 206	3	b	iv
Market Development Division	International Food Policy Research Institute	Addition of Categories to Economic Model	65 000	6	b	iv
Trade Negotiations Division	Cheryl McCaffery	Design and Develop Biotechnology Training Program	16 223	3	b	iv
Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office	P.R.H. Quality Consulting Pty Ltd	Develop Biological Weapons Declaration Triggers	10 800	6	c	iv
Market Development Division	Centre for International Economics	Study the Economic Benefits and Costs of the AFTA CER Free Trade Agreement	95 500	3	c	iv
Market Development Division	Australian National University	Model Demand Trends for Agrifood Products	71 595	6	b	iv
Market Development Division	Monash University	Research—Computation of the Benefits of Export Expansion for Australian Regions	15 000	3	c	iv
Market Development Division	Monash University	Research—Input–Output Computation of the Employment Dependence of Regions on International Exports	10 000	3	c	iv
Diplomatic Security and Property Branch	DeMorgan Pty Ltd	Advice on Information Technology Security	23 000	3	c	iv
Diplomatic Security and Property Branch	ComTech Integration Services Pty Ltd	Development of Document Security Software	15 000	6	c	iv
Information Management Branch Gateway	Admiral IT Services Pty Ltd	Develop Secure Information Technology	90 000	1, 3, 6	c	iv
Market Development Division	SAEB Pty Ltd	Develop DFAT Website, Tradewatch, Delivering Market Access Information to Business	58 800	3	b	iv
Passports Branch	Synercon Management Consulting Pty Ltd	Change Management—Project Delta	120 000	1, 3	c	iv
Passports Branch	KLA Australia Pty Ltd	Tender Evaluation—Interviewing Agency Service	70 720	1, 3	b	iv
Passports Branch	KLA Australia Pty Ltd	Tender Evaluation—Telephone Information Service	67 900	1, 3	b	iv
Passports Branch	KLA Australia Pty Ltd	Develop Business Continuity Plan	39 337	3	c	iv
Passports Branch	Reengineering Australia Pty Ltd	Benchmarking Project	91 907	1, 3	c	iv
Passports Branch	Ernst & Young	Probity Auditing for Tender Processes	11 307	1	b	iv
Rome	Australia–Italy Cultural Promotions Pty Ltd	Advice on Promotion of Positive Image of Australia	65 406	3	c	v
Public Diplomacy Division	Dr S Smith	Historical Documents Research	13 658	3	c	iv
Executive, Planning and Evaluation Branch	Acumen Alliance	Review of Security and Controls on Human Resource Management System	11 500	3	a	iv
Executive, Planning and Evaluation Branch	PricewaterhouseCoopers	Review of Security and Controls on Financial Management Information System	10 000	3	a	iv
Corporate Management Division	Fulton Technology Pty Ltd	Develop Workflow System for Procurement and Travel Processing	81 989	1	b	iv
Corporate Management Division	Ernst & Young	Develop Fraud Control Plan	39 585	3	b	iv
Corporate Management Division	PricewaterhouseCoopers	Advice on Output Pricing Review	27 245	1	c	iv
Diplomatic Security and Property Branch	KFPW Pty Ltd	Advice on Property Management Issues—Year 2000 and Continuity Planning	56 857	3	a	iv
Diplomatic Security and Property Branch	Gutteridge Haskins and Davey Pty Ltd	Advice on Sale/Lease of Security Equipment	16 500	3	a	iv
Diplomatic Security and Property Branch	Asset Services Pty Ltd	Advice on Sale/Lease of Plant and Equipment	10 200	3	a	iv
Information Management Branch	Lotus Development Pty Ltd	Develop Policy, Standards and Guidelines for Upgraded Information Technology Network	68 000	1, 2, 3, 6	b	iv
Information Management Branch System	Codarra Advanced Systems	Development and Training for Project Management	55 000	3	b	iv
Information Management Branch	Spectra Financial Services	Advice on Leasing of Information Technology Equipment	60 000	1, 2, 3	c	iv
Information Management Branch	AnswerZ Pty Ltd	Scoping Study for Network Management Platform	30 000	1, 3	c	iv
Athens	Lambert Smith Hampton Hellas AE	Advice on Property Leases	12 620	1, 5	c	nr
Budapest	Kimaly Real Estate BT	Real Estate Service	15 595	3	c	nr
Dublin	Scott Tallon Walker	Architectural Design	16 449	3	c	nr
Geneva	ATAG Ernst & Young	Audit Locally Engaged Staff Pension Fund	10 000	3	b	nr
Ho Chi Minh City	Chesterton Petty	Renegotiation of Office Lease	84 580	5	c	nr
Hong Kong	William M Mercer Ltd	Advice on Mandatory Provident Fund for Locally Engaged Staff	25 000	3	c	v
Manila	FPD Savills	Renegotiation of Office Lease	37 725	3	a	ii
Nairobi	Deloitte and Touche	Review Locally Engaged Staff Establishment	10 500	3	b	nr
Tokyo	PricewaterhouseCoopers	Advice on Retirement Benefit Plan for Locally Engaged Staff	103 025	3	b	nr
Warsaw	Wardynski	Legal Advice on New Chancery Lease and Planning Permissions	82 338	3	c	nr
Washington	Triad Management Systems Inc.	Advice on Employee Health Benefits	12 500	3	c	nr
Total			1 922 567

* Reasons for engagement

1. need for independent study;

2. need for rapid access to latest technology & experience in its application;

3. Lack of in-house resources; (incl. Specialist knowledge/skills not available in dept/office/post)

4. Limitations on executive time;

5. Need for a change agent or facilitator; and/or

6. Recognised Australian/world expert uniquely able to contribute to program.

** Procurement method

a) open tender

b) restricted tender

c) direct engagement

*** Advertising

i opportunity—Australian press/journals

ii opportunity—local press/journals

iii opportunity—government gazette

iv contract—government gazette

v contract—elsewhere

nr contract—not required (overseas post)

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APPENDIX 11

CONSULTANCY SERVICES

Selection processes

Table 39. Consultancies undertaken during 1999–2000