With experience helping a range of clients operating in the public arena and an understanding of the unique operating environments in which government bodies and entities operate, we offer sound, cost-effective advice across a range of areas including risk, governance, audit and compliance. 

The SW team members have provided services to a significant number of Government and Local Government agencies, including, Victorian water authorities, higher education institutions, health, regulatory and infrastructure.

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Agencies will need to align with the VGPB policies by 30 June 2022. It’s imperative that agencies review their compliance immediately to address any discrepancies between their current procurement policies and the VGPB policies and procedures prior to the deadline.

Who do the VGPB policies now apply to?

The VGPB’s goods and services policies apply to:

• departments and specified entities including VGPB expansion agencies from 1 July 2021
• Victoria Public Sector Commission
• offices or bodies specified in section 16(1) of the Public Administration Act 2004, and
• Administrative Offices established in relation to a department under section 11(a) of the Public Administration Act 2004.

A full list of the departments, agencies and VGPB expansion agencies who these changes will impact is available on the Buying For Victoria website.

Key next step: Gap analysis

A gap analysis and action plan is necessary to understand and develop key processes for adoption of the VGPB requirements. The VGPB requirements are  seen as best practice procurement, not just for government agencies, but across all sectors.

Common gaps in procurement frameworks

SW has extensive experience in undertaking procurement reviews as internal auditors, probity auditors and advisors to assist clients to comply and ensure best practice. Through this work, common gaps that have been identified include:

• inadequate policies and associated procedures to support consistency and hence demonstrate compliance
• lack of checklists to facilitate compliance and monitoring
• a lack of training and awareness on the what and why of the compliance requirements, and
• tendering processes lacking adequate evidence gathering and recordkeeping to support a probity audit and/or compliance.

How SW can assist

Contact one of our experts below to discuss how the changes to the VGPB may affect your procurement requirements.

We can:

• conduct a gap analysis
• assist you to design/amend policies, procedures and templates to address the gaps
• develop and deliver the required training and awareness programs
• assist to embed the policies and procedures, and
• develop monitoring procedures (including data analytics and software based checklists).

Don’t get caught out last minute!

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