Recent enhancements to the Buy Queensland Policy have created unnecessary uncertainty and a lack of clarity across industry according to QMCA, the peak body for Queensland’s major contractors.
Announced on 27 May 2018 and effective from 1st July 2018, the policy enhancements mean that suppliers to government, for projects valued at over $100 million, must meet clear best practice principles including:
- workplace health and safety systems and standards
- a commitment to apprentices and trainees
- best practice industrial relations
- a history of compliance with procurement tendering and other government policy.
As a result, suppliers with a high level of performance will receive preferential treatment when it comes to winning work as adherence to the principles will carry up to a 20% weighting in tender evaluations.
QMCA CEO, Jon Davies, outlined the concerns of industry “QMCA is disappointed in the way in which Queensland Government has gone about introducing changes to procurement processes as part of the Buy Queensland Policy.”
“The changes appear to be rushed and carry very little detail or substance to enable us and our members to understand the impacts that they will have on the tender process.”
“The unintended consequence therefore is uncertainty in the market, as we do not have clarity or terms of reference for the new criteria and requests for clarity are not being answered at this time.”
“Given the new policy came into place earlier this week, it is no surprise that our members are concerned about how to measure best practice without any clear metrics being available.”
“As an association we would have welcomed dialogue with Queensland Government while the policy was being developed. Policy development is far more effective when key stakeholders are involved, can have input and gain an understanding of the purpose behind the changes.”
“On behalf of the major contracting firms within Queensland it is essential that we have clarity from Queensland Government as soon as possible, as deciding commercial outcomes through a process that is not transparent is neither fair nor equitable,” said Mr Davies.
