On 4 May 2016, the following matter was referred to the Finance and Public Administration References Committee for inquiry and report by the last sitting date in October 2016:
The access of small and medium business (particularly those in rural and regional Australia) to Federal Government contracts, and how this access could be improved, with particular reference to:
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any inherent unfairness in tender processes arising from the terms of the Commonwealth’s Procurement Rules 2014 (the rules);
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how the rules could effectively and appropriately (without discouraging competition) include improved consideration of tender proposals made by small and medium businesses for Federal Government contracts;
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the basis of any assessment of ‘value for money’ that is undertaken in awarding procurement contracts, particularly those for small and medium businesses, including how secondary and social benefits to communities, especially rural, regional and remote communities, can be included in that assessment;
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how the rules could effectively and appropriately (without discouraging competition) include improved access to Federal Government contracts by small and medium businesses, and where possible include involvement of multiple contract providers in contracts to enable greater opportunity for participation by rural, regional and remotely located small and medium businesses where providers are only able to service limited regions or locations; and
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any other related matter.
The reporting date is last sitting date in October 2016.