Buying uniforms and personal protective equipment for government employees
All Victorian Government departments and agencies must buy uniforms and personal protective equipment manufactured locally and ethically, whenever possible, for Victorian Government employees.
The Guide to procuring uniforms and personal protective equipment sets out the rules that apply when procuring uniforms and personal protective equipment.
Read the Guide to procuring uniforms and personal protective equipment.
Check whether your department or agency has introduced its own processes for procuring uniforms and personal protective equipment to expand on the use of the Guide.
Contact the Uniform and Personal Protective Equipment Monitor to discuss your procurement before issuing an invitation to supply.
If buying locally manufactured goods increases prices, address budget impacts through the normal budgetary processes.
When the Guide to procuring uniforms and personal protective equipment applies
The Guide to procuring uniforms and personal protective equipment applies to all Victorian government departments and agencies.
The Guide applies to the procurement of uniforms and personal protective equipment for use by Victorian Government employees.
The Guide applies from 1 August 2018.
The Guide applies to new, amended and replacement contracts. Minimum value thresholds are not used in the Guide.
The Guide to procuring uniforms and personal protective equipment complements the Local Jobs First Victorian Industry Participation Policy. Apply both when the Local Jobs First policy applies. Special rules may apply to projects classed as Local Jobs First Strategic Projects. Suppliers to government may be required to maximise the use of uniforms of personal protective equipment made locally.
Local content in the supply chain
The Guide to procuring uniforms and personal protective equipment applies to local manufacture. While it is desirable to maximise local content throughout the supply chain, most goods will have at least some elements imported.
Consider local content across all supply chain functions. This may offer further opportunities to create and sustain local jobs. Examples of further supply chain opportunities include:
- research and development
- design
- samples
- testing
- specialist sourcing
- quality assurance
- embroidery and badging
- made-to-measure and made-to-fit
- warehousing and distribution
- online ordering
- disposal including recycling and destruction
- laundering and decontamination
- repairs
Procurement of these services can also have a significant benefit for local jobs.
How to buy uniforms and personal protective equipment - market approach
State Purchase Contracts
No State Purchase Contract supports procuring uniforms and personal protective equipment.
Procurement Activity Plans
Include uniforms and personal protective equipment in your organisation’s Procurement Activity Plan. See the Guide to developing a procurement activity plan – Goods and services procurement guide.
Establish whether goods are or can be manufactured locally
Conduct category and/or market analysis for all procurements. Establish whether goods are or can be locally manufactured, for example:
- search the internet
- attend trade shows/supplier exhibitions
- contact/visit suppliers
- contact industry representative bodies, including the Industry Capability Network and the Australian Fashion Council
- issue a Request for Information
- conduct an Expression of Interest before an invitation to supply
- consult with other Government organisations with similar requirements
- engage an industry expert (consultant/contractor)
- contact the Uniforms and personal protective equipment monitor
If it has been established that it is not possible to buy locally manufactured goods to meet the requirements of a procurement, then the wider market can be approached without requiring local manufacturing. This may be established by market research and analysis or as a result of an invitation to supply process.
Bundle requirements for uniforms and personal protective equipment
When a bundle of uniform and personal protective equipment items are needed, the invitation should clearly state that imported goods will be considered only where buying locally made goods is not possible. Evaluate the offers accordingly.
Use the Ethical Supplier Register
Locally manufactured uniforms and personal protective equipment must be bought from suppliers registered on the Ethical Supplier Register.
When buying locally made uniforms and personal protective equipment, buyers may conduct:
- a selective invitation on the Ethical Supplier Register
- an open invitation process
When buying a small number of goods at a low value and an invitation to supply/request for quote process is not necessary, look for goods:
- labelled as made in Australia with Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation or
- made in New Zealand with relevant ethical accreditation/standards labelling
A buyer must award a contract only to suppliers that are registered on the Ethical Supplier Register. Buyers must check the status of suppliers for each invitation they conduct.
A supplier may respond to an invitation without being registered, or when they are in the process of seeking registration. A supplier in the process of obtaining registration may be considered, but must obtain registration before the contract is awarded.
The Ethical Supplier Register includes instructions on how to use the register.
Buyers need to conduct due diligence checks to confirm that the goods supplied are manufactured locally.
Use contract clauses for uniforms and personal protective equipment
The Victorian Government Purchasing Board standard templates do not address uniforms and personal protective equipment.
Insert model clauses into the invitation to supply and contract when buying uniforms and personal protective equipment.
Use contract clauses for monitoring and reporting
Your organisation will be required to report on all procurement of uniforms and personal protective equipment.
You may need to include monitoring and reporting requirements in your contract.
Evaluate supplier capability to supply uniforms and personal protective equipment
A contract can be awarded on the basis that the supplier will undertake the necessary investment after contract award. Evaluate the risk associated with offers when assessing value for money. Project requirements may necessitate selection of offers based on current capability and capacity, for example when a procurement is urgent.
Manage contracts to support local uniforms and personal protective equipment
Manage contracts to use the greatest amount of locally manufactured uniforms and personal protective equipment.
The market for locally manufactured uniforms and personal protective equipment will change over the life of a contract. Periodically check what local goods are available and work with your supplier to include new locally made goods. Include reviews in the contract.
In this way new local goods and related supply chain can be used as they become available.
Monitoring and reporting
Your organisation will be required to report on all procurement of uniforms and personal protective equipment.
Tools and support
Contact the Uniform and Personal Protective Equipment Monitor to discuss your procurement.
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