DPS classifies consultants as individuals, partnerships or corporations engaged to provide professional, independent and expert advisory services to the department. DPS engages consultants where there is a need for independent research or assessment, or where specialised or professional skills not available in-house are required.

During 2018–19, 13 new consultancy contracts were entered into, involving total actual expenditure of $1,846,532 (inc GST). In addition, seven ongoing consultancy contracts were active during the period, involving total actual expenditure in 2018–19 of $390,637 (inc GST).The method of procurement for consultancy arrangements is determined by the complexity, nature and value of each individual requirement to achieve a value-for-money outcome that supports DPS’ business requirements.

Consultants were engaged by DPS via approaches to the market and through DPS’ access to consultancy panels and multi-use lists established by other departments for:

• engineering services
• reviews of resources and processes
• design integrity advice, and
• specialist business advice and planning.

Annual reports contain information about actual expenditure on contracts for consultancies. Information on the value of contracts including consultancies is available on the AusTender website www.tenders.gov.au.

Table 37: Number and expenditure on Consultants Current Report Period 2018–19

	Total
No. of New contracts entered into during the period	13
Total actual expenditure during the period on new contracts (inc GST)	$1,846,532
No. of Ongoing contracts engaging consultants that were entered into during a previous period	7
Total actual expenditure during the period on ongoing contracts (inc GST)	$390,637