About Victorian Government procurement

An overview of which Agencies set policy for aspects of government procurement.

Construction procurement

What is public construction

Public construction consists of any matter relating to the construction, maintenance, rehabilitation, alteration, extension or demolition of any improvements on land by, or on behalf of, departments and public bodies.

This includes:

  • design and construction practices
  • tendering processes
  • project delivery
  • contract administration.

What are the rules for construction

The rules are set out in the Ministerial Directions and Instructions for Public Construction Procurement.

Policy owner

The Assistant Treasurer is responsible for prescribing principles and procedures relating to:

  • construction procurement, including tendering
  • procedures.

The Construction Policy Unit in the Department of Treasury and Finance support the Assistant Treasurer.

Contact the Construction Policy Unit.

Goods and services procurement

What are goods and services

Goods and services include:

  • general goods and consumables, such as stationery
  • general services, such as cleaning and security
  • professional services, such as financial advisors and legal advisors
  • health related goods and services
  • uniforms and personal protective equipment
  • utilities, such as gas and electricity
  • information communication and technology goods, such as computers
  • information communication and technology professional services, such as web designers
  • information communication and technology services, such as telephony
  • motor vehicles.

What are the rules for goods and services

The rules are set out in the policies for goods and services procurement.

Policy owner

The Victorian Government Purchasing Board sets the policies for the procurement of goods and services across:

The Victorian Government Purchasing Board is an independent board that reports directly to the Assistant Treasurer.

The Policy and Analytics Team in the Department of Government Services support the Victorian Government Purchasing Board.

Contact the Procurement Policy and Analytics Team.

Fair Jobs Code

What is the Fair Jobs Code

The Fair Jobs Code allows the Victorian Government to use its purchasing power to put workers first. It does this by working with suppliers and businesses that treat their employees fairly.

What is the policy

The policy is set out at Fair Jobs Code.

Policy owner

The Minister for Industry and Innovation is responsible for oversight and delivery of the Fair Jobs Code:

The Fair Jobs Code Unit in the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions support the Minister for Industry and Innovation.

Contact the Fair Jobs Code Unit.

HealthShare Victoria

HealthShare Victoria partners with Victoria’s public health sector to procure best-value goods and services, including equipment, for hospitals.

It works with the health sector to deliver better value through strategic procurement.

HealthShare Victoria’s vision is to provide healthcare that is:

  • safe
  • affordable
  • sustainable.

HealthShare Victoria has functions under the Health Services Act 1988 to:

  • supply or help supply of goods and services
  • give advice and support
  • track compliance
  • foster improvements in use of systems and e-commerce
  • maintain useful data and share that with health services
  • ensure probity is maintained in the purchasing, tendering and contracting of public hospitals.

Policy owner

HealthShare Victoria is responsible to the Minister for Health and works with the Department of Health.

Contact HealthShare Victoria.

Local Jobs First

What is Local Jobs First

The Local Jobs First Policy ensures government supports Victorian businesses and workers by mandating that small and medium-sized enterprises are given fair opportunity to compete for government contracts.

It also mandates that a portion of total hours worked on government construction projects must provide opportunities for apprentices, trainees and cadets.

What is the policy

The policy is set out at Local Jobs First.

Policy owner

The Minister for Jobs, Innovation and Trade is responsible for the Local Jobs First Act 2003 and for issuing the Local Jobs First Policy.

The Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions support supports the Minister for Jobs, Innovation and Trade.

Contact the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions.

Motor Vehicles

VicFleet is responsible for policies and contracts that apply to the Victorian Government motor vehicle fleet. VicFleet manages:

  • standard motor vehicle policy
  • finance lease facility
  • motor vehicle state purchase contract
  • fleet disposals state purchase contract.

Policy owner

VicFleet, within the Department of Government Services, gives advice to the Assistant Treasurer about fleet issues and policy.

Contact VicFleet.

Social procurement

What is social procurement

Social procurement is when organisations use their buying power to generate social value above and beyond the value of the goods, services or construction being procured.

What is the Social Procurement Framework

The Social Procurement Framework sets out social and sustainable objectives and outcomes for procurements.

In January 2022, the Government launched the Building Equality Policy to create training and employment opportunities for women in the construction industry.

Policy owner

The Assistant Treasurer is responsible for the framework.

The Policy and Assurance Team in the Department of Government Services support the Social Procurment Framework.

Contact Social procurement

Building Equality Policy

What is the Building Equality Policy

The Building Equality Policy sets out three actions that seek to address the structural and cultural barriers to attracting and retaining women in meaningful employment in the building and construction industry.

Policy owner

Industrial Relations Victoria is responsible to the Minister for Industrial Relations.

The Policy and Assurance Team in the Department of Government Services support the implementation by preparing information for buyers and suppliers in line with the Women’s Equality and Safety objective in the Social Procurement Framework.

Contact Social procurement

Assurance function

The assurance function drives greater equality and social impact in major projects. It supports cohorts that have been largely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The function supports buyers to include the Building Equality Policy in their procurements and is responsible for monitoring and reporting of the policy.

The Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Regulatory Reform, Government Services and Creative Industries is responsible for the function.

Contact the Social procurement assurance team

State purchase contracts and registers for goods and services

State purchase contracts and registers for goods and services follow the supply policies for goods and services procurement.

Policy owners

State purchase contracts and registers are established under the goods and services Market analysis and review policy.

State purchase contracts and registers require approval from:

  • Victorian Government Purchasing Board
  • relevant agency Minister
  • Assistant Treasurer.

Lead Departments are responsible for state purchase contracts and registers.

Department of Government Services

Technology Procurement

The Technology Procurement Team in the Department of Government Services is responsible for most state purchase contracts information and communication technology (ICT) procurement for whole of Victorian Government.

The team sets up, manages and gives advice on information and communication technology state purchase contracts and categories.

This includes the ongoing management of contracts for:

  • hardware
  • IT infrastructure
  • telecommunications
  • software contracts.

Contact the Technology Procurement Team.

Government Procurement

The Government Procurement Team in the Department of Government Services is responsible for non-ICT state purchase contracts, including:

  • goods such as stationery
  • services such as security and staffing
  • professional services such as financial advisors
  • utilities such as gas and electricity.

The team sets up, manages and gives advice on state purchase contracts and categories.

Contact the Government Procurement Team.

Department of Justice and Community Safety

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is responsible for the Legal services panel.

Contact Legal services panel administration.

Department of Transport and Planning

Department of Transport and Planning is responsible for the Geospatial data and analytics panel.

Contact Geospatial data and analytics panel category manager.

Victorian Public Sector Commission

Victorian Public Sector Commission is responsible for the Neurodiverse confident services.

Contact Neurodiverse confident services category manager.

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