The Department of Finance (Finance) is establishing a new Whole of Australian Government (WoAG) mandatory coordinated procurement involving Recruitment and Search Services, Labour Hire Services and Contractor Services (the People Panel).
As a coordinated procurement, use of the People Panel is:
- mandatory for non-corporate Commonwealth entities (NCEs) that are subject to the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act); and
- optional for corporate Commonwealth entities (CCEs) and Commonwealth companies (CCs), including Government Business Enterprises (GBEs), authorised by the Finance to use the Panel.
The new People Panel will consolidate service categories from more than 20 panels across the Australian Government and will lead to improved consistency of terms and standardised rates. This consolidated panel will reduce tendering efforts for industry, cutting red tape, lowering administrative overheads and providing cost savings and efficiencies. Further, it will also allow for better transparency through improved data and reporting, providing visibility of entity expenditure on relevant services.
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 separate Requests for Tender (RFTs).
Phase 1 – Recruitment and Search Services covers recruitment of APS personnel required by a Commonwealth entity for ongoing and non-going positions, and search activities relating to board positions.
Phase 2 – Labour Hire Services covers the provision of labour hire workers (APS1 – SES equivalent) for a defined period in a triangular employment arrangement between the worker, an entity and a labour hire provider.
Phase 3 of the People Panel will cover Professional Contractor Services.
