About the Framework in 2021-22

Victorian Government procurement is one of the largest drivers in the Victorian economy. Value for money is a key consideration underpinning all Victorian Government procurement decisions.

The Social Procurement Framework (the Framework) ensures value-for-money considerations are not solely focused on price but encompass opportunities to deliver social and sustainable outcomes that benefit the entire Victorian community. In this way, the Framework also helps government create jobs for all Victorians.

Objectives and outcomes

The Framework has 10 objectives, each with specific and measurable outcomes.

Opportunities for Victorian Aboriginal people

Outcomes sought:

• Purchasing from Victorian Aboriginal businesses.
• Employment of Victorian Aboriginal people by suppliers to the Victorian Government.

Opportunities for Victorians with disability

Outcomes sought:

• Purchasing from Victorian social enterprises and Australian disability enterprises.
• Employment of Victorians with disability by suppliers to the Victorian Government.

Women’s equality and safety²

Outcomes sought:

• Adoption of family violence leave by Victorian Government suppliers.
• Gender equality within Victorian Government suppliers.
• Improved gender equality within the construction sector.

Opportunities for disadvantaged Victorians

Outcomes sought:

• Purchasing from Victorian social enterprises.
• Job readiness and employment for:
  • long-term unemployed
  • disengaged youth
  • single parents
  • migrants and refugees
  • workers in transition.

Supporting safe and fair workplaces

Outcomes sought:

• Purchasing from suppliers that comply with industrial relations laws and promote secure employment.

Sustainable Victorian social enterprise and Aboriginal business sectors

Outcomes sought:

• Purchasing from Victorian social enterprises and Aboriginal businesses.

Sustainable Victorian regions

Outcomes sought:

• Job readiness and employment for people in regions with entrenched disadvantage.

Environmentally sustainable outputs

Outcomes sought:

• Project-specific requirements to use sustainable resources and to manage waste and pollution.
• Use of recycled content in construction works.

Environmentally sustainable business practices

Outcomes sought:

• Adoption of sustainable business practices by suppliers to the Victorian Government.

Implementation of Victoria’s Climate Change Policy objectives

Outcomes sought:

• Project-specific requirements to minimise greenhouse gas emissions.
• Procurement of goods and services that are resilient against the impacts of climate change.

Social procurement objectives and summary priorities

The Framework is used by 285 government departments and agencies³ to identify their social and sustainable procurement goals.

These goals are detailed in their Social Procurement Strategy and will often align with other government strategies, priorities and initiatives. Departments and agencies report on progress towards their social and sustainable procurement goals in their respective annual reports and contribute to the whole-of-government report. Social Procurement Strategies can provide suppliers with useful information about priorities for the coming year. Social Procurement objectives and summary of priorities. 

The following table shows the objectives prioritised by each of the departments and core agencies in 2021-22.

_{Footnote 2: From 1 January 2022, construction procurements valued at $20 million or more are subject to the Building Equality Policy, which is implemented via the Framework. Outcomes sought include gender equality within on-site employment in the construction sector and greater hours worked by women apprentices and trainees.}

_{Footnote 3: This refers to government departments and agencies subject to the Standing Directions 2018 under the Financial Management Act 1994 as at May 2021.}