Closed ATM View - FIN/PP01/Notice1
Industry Consultation – People Panel - Recruitment and Search Services for the Australian Government
Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart
The Department of Finance is establishing a Whole of Australian Government (WoAG) mandatory coordinated procurement involving Recruitment and Search Services, Labour Hire Services and Contractor Services (the People Panel).
It is intended that the procurement process to establish the People Panel will be undertaken in phases, with each phase conducted through separate open approaches to the market published on AusTender as a separate Requests for Tender (RFTs).
The Service Areas covered by the Panel are:
Phase 1 - Recruitment and Search Services
Recruitment of Australian Public Service (APS) personnel required by an agency for ongoing or non-ongoing positions, and search activities relating to board positions.
Service Categories include:
- General Recruitment (APS1 – EL2 and equivalent);
- Executive Recruitment Services (SES Band 1 to Band 3 and equivalent);
- Specialist Recruitment Services (for specialist positions e.g. medical, scientific, allied health);
- Candidate Sourcing Services (identifying and sourcing highly skilled candidates to fill advertised vacancies at any level); and
- Board Search Services (undertaking searches to fill vacancies on boards or other statutory appointments).
Note: it is intended that providers who are successful in any approach to market for Phase 1 – Recruitment and Search Services can be approved to provide one or more Service Categories under the Phase 1 Head Agreement, however there will be no approval to provide only Candidate Sourcing Services.
- It is intended that subsequent phases of the People Panel will include:
- Labour Hire Services; and
- Contractor Services.
Interested parties are invited to provide feedback on the following documents relevant to
Phase 1 – Recruitment and Search Services:
- Draft Head Agreement (Attachment A)
- Draft Scope of Services (Attachment B)
Similar to other WoAG panel arrangements, it is Finance’s intention to make compliance with the Recruitment and Search Services Head Agreement a Condition for Participation in any approach to market. It is intended that the Draft Head Agreement at Attachment A will be used as a basis for any eventual Recruitment and Search Services Head Agreement, however this remains subject to change at the discretion of Finance.
Note: unlike the recent Management Advisory Services WoAG panel, the head agreement for Recruitment and Search Services panel will be different to the head agreement for subsequent phases. At this stage, feedback is only being sought on the draft head agreement for Recruitment and Search Services.
Industry information session
Industry information sessions will be held on Wednesday 24 November 2021. This will be an opportunity to ask Finance and its advisers questions on the proposed Recruitment and Search panel.
Interested parties are invited to register by 5pm AEDT Tuesday 23 November 2021 for one of two virtual sessions:
Note: participation in industry information sessions may be subject to compliance with conditions, which if applicable will be communicated to participants by Finance.
Feedback Response
Feedback must be provided in the form provided at Attachment C – ‘Industry Feedback Form’ by no later than 11am AEDT on Monday 29 November 2021
Note: Industry Feedback Form response must be returned in Excel format.
Proposed Timeline
Indicative timeframes for the People Panel Phase 1 – Recruitment and Search Services are:
- Friday 3 December 2021 – RFT released on AusTender
- 10-14 December 2021 – Industry briefings, virtual and in-person in Canberra
- Mid-February 2022 – RFT closes.
Note: all timeframes remain subject to change by Finance in its discretion.
By participating in this industry consultation process and/or submitting feedback, participants acknowledge and agree to the following conditions:
(a) all information contained in the Draft Head Agreement, Draft Scope of Services, or otherwise provided by Finance may not be accurate and may change;
(b) the Draft Head Agreement and Draft Scope of Services are designed to reflect and summarise information concerning Finance’s requirements only and are not comprehensive descriptions;
(c) participants should seek their own professional advice as appropriate;
(d) all intellectual property rights in respect of the Draft Head Agreement, Draft Scope of Services and any other information provided by Finance are vested in the Commonwealth of Australia (unless Finance indicates otherwise to participants);
(e) all feedback and other information submitted by a participant to Finance becomes the property of the Commonwealth of Australia, and Finance may use, copy, disclose and publish such information for the purposes of the Commonwealth, including for developing or informing the development of the People Panel. However, intellectual property rights in respect of the information contained in any information submitted to Finance will not pass to the Commonwealth simply by virtue of submission of that information;
(f) the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act) gives members of the public rights of access to certain documents in the possession of the Commonwealth, its agencies and entities. Participants should obtain, and will be deemed to have obtained, their own advice on the impact of the FOI Act and all other relevant legislation on their participation in this industry consultation process. Participants should take into account the operation of the FOI Act and other legislation before providing confidential or sensitive information to Finance as part of this industry consultation process.
(g) in no circumstances will Finance be responsible for any cost or expense incurred by participants providing feedback on the Draft Head Agreement or Draft Scope of Services, or participating in industry consultation, and any such participation is at participants’ sole cost and expense.
(h) this industry consultation process:
(i) is solely for the purposes obtaining feedback on the Draft Head Agreement and Draft Scope of Services, with the aim of informing any eventual approach to market by Finance; and
(ii) is not a request for tender, and must not be construed, interpreted, or relied upon, whether by expression or implication, as an offer capable of acceptance by any person, or as creating any form of contractual (including a process contract), quasi contractual, restitutionary or promissory estoppel rights, or rights based upon similar legal or equitable grounds;
(i) Finance and the Commonwealth (in its other capacities) is not liable to any participant as a consequence of any matter relating or incidental to this industry consultation process or a participant’s participation in this industry consultation process;
(j) Finance reserves the right, in its absolute discretion, to:
(i) amend or delete the Draft Head Agreement and/or Draft Scope of Services, or the structure, requirements or processes referred to in these documents;
(ii) vary the timing referred to in this industry consultation process;
(iii) cease, suspend or vary this industry consultation process, or any approach to market for the People Panel;
(iv) provide additional information at any time;
(v) undertake additional consultation, or seek additional information or clarification, from participants or other persons.
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