Victorian Aboriginal people: social procurement guide

Overview

Opportunities for Victorian Aboriginal People is one of 7 social procurement objectives in the Social Procurement Framework.

Through the Yuma Yirramboi Strategy, the Victorian Government is seeking to harness the strength of the broader economy to enable meaningful economic outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians. The Strategy also signals to private sector players the significant role they have in achieving economic parity and prosperity for Aboriginal Victorians.

This objective has two outcomes:

purchasing from Victorian Aboriginal businesses
employment of Aboriginal people by suppliers to the Victorian Government

Aboriginal businesses are more likely to hire Aboriginal people. Buying directly from Aboriginal businesses is a simple way to deliver this outcome.

Purchasing from Victorian Aboriginal businesses

This outcome is relevant for all value thresholds.

Note: The Sustainable Victorian social enterprise and Aboriginal business sectors objective also promotes this outcome of purchasing from Aboriginal businesses.

There are two ways to deliver this outcome:

Direct approach

Procure goods, services, or construction directly from a Victorian Aboriginal business. See, Kinaway Business Directory and Supply Nation.

Indirect approach

Include a Victorian Aboriginal business in the supply chain. Seek commitments from potential suppliers to procure from Victorian Aboriginal businesses. For example, ask potential suppliers to:

evidence their commitment to supporting Victorian Aboriginal businesses
identify which businesses they intend to subcontract or include in their broader supply chain
set targets for expenditure with Victorian Aboriginal businesses.

The Victorian Government has a membership with Kinaway. Buyers are encouraged to search for suppliers on this platform.

Purchasing from Victorian Aboriginal businesses also contributes to other procurement-related policies. For example, see local content under the Local Jobs First policy.

Find Aboriginal businesses

See, Find social benefit supplier for a Victorian Aboriginal business definition.

Government buyers undertaking procurement activity can log in to Digital Marketplace and access the Supplier Hub to search for Victorian social benefit suppliers, including Victorian Aboriginal Businesses and social enterprises. See also, Kinaway Business Directory and Supply Nation.

Employment of Aboriginal people

Buyers need to support suppliers to achieve and maintain employment outcomes. See Jobs Victoria information below.

Procurement activities by threshold

Buyers must always follow local Agency procurement processes.

Consider:
- buy directly from a Victorian Aboriginal business
- buy from a supplier with a Victorian Aboriginal business in their supply chain
Consider:
- unbundling the procurement to provide greater opportunities for Victorian Aboriginal businesses
- buy from suppliers that have Victorian Aboriginal businesses in their supply chain
- including one social benefit supplier spend target
- including one employment target. Depending on the value of the procurement, this could be for a certain number of training or employment hours. It could also be for one or more full time equivalent positions
Consider:
- supplier targets for expenditure with Victorian Aboriginal businesses.
  - ask suppliers to demonstrate how they will meet targets
  - use fixed targets
  - look at growth targets for a multi-year contract
- set supplier targets for employment and training of Victorian Aboriginal people
  - ask suppliers to demonstrate how they will meet targets
The social procurement model clauses provide guidance on how to seek social procurement commitments.
For goods and services, the model clauses need to be embedded in the market approach documents. See, Social procurement toolkit .
For construction, clauses related to social procurement (including building equality policy) have been embedded in approved standard form construction contracts.

Also, see Social procurement requirements and expectations for ideas about recommended actions based on value thresholds. Value thresholds are exclusive of GST.

Opportunities to maximise outcomes

The Victorian government has a number of initiatives that can be used to maximise outcomes for Victorian Aboriginal people. Buyers can reference these initiatives in Invitation to Supply documentation, where appropriate.

Jobs Victoria

Jobs Victoria provides targeted support to people who face challenges finding employment. Jobs Victoria services are focussed on the locations most in need and include:

Jobs Victoria Mentors in the five priority local government areas of Brimbank, Hume, Dandenong, Shepparton and Latrobe. The service supports jobseekers who are long-term unemployed (at least 12 months) or at risk of long term unemployment.
Work and Learning centres to support people looking for work, especially those living in public or social housing.
Jobs Victoria can assist suppliers to create culturally safe work environments

Tools and support

For more information about social procurement, please contact Buying for Vic.

Updated 19 November 2024