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 2017–18, 11 new consultancy contracts were entered into, involving total
actual expenditure of $255,052 (GST inclusive). In addition, 13 ongoing
consultancy contracts were active during the period, involving total actual
expenditure of $583,764 (GST inclusive).
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
- strategic business 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.