MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
AusAID Media Backgrounder
The AusAID website
(www.ausaid.gov.au) is being launched on Friday 14 April by the Minister for
Foreign Affairs, the Hon Alexander Downer MP as part of the Australian Government's
commitment to communicating with the public about how Australian tax dollars
are spent on overseas aid to improve people's lives.
AusAID's website
features aid information by country and also by sector (health, education, infrastructure,
rural development and governance). The website also features curriculum material
for school teachers for classrooms through AusAID's 'Global Education Program.'
The Australian Government
delivers overseas aid through a) United Nations agencies such as the World Food
Programme or UNICEF b) non-government organisations such as the Red Cross, CARE
and World Vision and c) Australian businesses and consultants.
More than half of
the Australian Government's aid program is delivered through Australian businesses
and consultants. In 1998/99 AusAID issued more than 800 contracts worth around
$ 615 million to Australian businesses, and managed contracts worth almost $2
billion.
The AusAID website
is an essential tool for business to learn about tendering opportunities. AusAID
advertises both current and future tender opportunities for business and was
one of the first Commonwealth Government agencies to do so. There is user-friendly
information on advice how to win contracts under the aid program. Consultants
can also register on-line by electronically submitting their CVs and contact
information.
The website launch
will be followed by an Access AusAID seminar. AusAID frequently hosts
these seminars to explain to businesses and consultants how they can seek contracts
with AusAID. AusAID has a gender equity policy underpinning the aid program
and this extends to encouraging women in business and women consultants to participate
in all elements of the aid program: project identification, design, implementation
and evaluation.
You too could be
a contractor with AusAID. Successful South Australian companies that do business
with AusAID include: SAGRIC, TAFE, SA Global Education Centre, Australian
Cranio-Maxill Facial, Dames and Moore, Luminis, CSIRO, the Australian Association
for Environmental Education, World-wide Project Management Services and
more.
For more information:
AusAID (SA Office) 08 82376911
Media contacts:
Innes
Willox (Ministerial)
02 6277 7500 / 0419 206 890
Fionna Douglas
(AusAID)
02 6206 4960 / 0412 804 489