The ‘Design, Production and Distribution Tender’ program – a Department of Finance and Deregulation initiative led by Centrelink – included 12 agencies when it was announced on 2 December. The number now stands at 17, with more anticipated to sign up.
The five new additions are the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, Department of Climate Change, Fairwork Ombudsman, Australian Public Service Commission and the Department of Finance and Deregulation.
They join the original line-up that includes Centrelink, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Medicare (see below for full list).
The plan has faced flak on the ProPrint forums. IndustryWatcher called the plan “one of the most damaging contracts ever put in place”.
Chippa1968 said: “This tender is geared solely for the big players leaving the rest out in the cold.” Inky McFee said: “Congratulations to Canberra for once again screwing small business.”
Centrelink general manager Hank Jongen, who is leading the initiative, responded to criticism by telling ProPrint it was important to note that there is no upper limit on the number of print suppliers that can be approved.
“The fact there are 86 now just means that these 86 suppliers were successful in bidding for the tender when it was thrown open in 2009,” said Jongen.
“Future lists could easily contain more, and different, suppliers should these prove successful tenderers when the next opportunity arises – every year for the life of the plan.”
Jongen said the print procurement plan afforded “excellent participation” for SMEs. “Almost 90% of the approved suppliers are SMEs.”
“There are 86 suppliers on the Printing and Production multi-user List. This entire list is refreshed every year for the life of the plan so any emerging and competitive players will get a fair chance to win government work,” he added.
“It’s also important to note that there is no upper limit on the number of suppliers that can be included in the Printing and Production Multi-User List,” said Jongen.
He told ProPrint that while the plan does not include guarantees that any approved supplier will get work, “there will be significant opportunities for each of [them]”.
The program breaks suppliers down into four groups: Printing and Production Services; Print Management Services; Creative and Design Services; and Warehousing and Distribution Services.
It is thought that agencies will have the choice of either using a print manager for all their print or sourcing production direct from approved printers – though it is believed agencies that buy direct will be able to enlist the services of print managers for larger or more complex campaigns.
Jongen said: “Print production will be sourced through the Print and Production multi-use list but management of print production will be sourced through the Print Management panel.
“A supplier cannot be listed under both Print Management and Print Production, and, therefore, cannot bid for tenders on both production and management aspects of a single job – a feature that is designed to avoid conflicts of interest and allow a more level playing field for small to medium enterprises to win work,” he added.
Each list will be refreshed periodically over the five years of the initiative. Print and Production comes up for renewal on 30 October this year, and will be refreshed each year for four years.
Creative and Design will be refreshed on 30 October 2011, while Print Management and Warehousing and Distribution both come up for renewal on 30 October 2012.
List of government agencies signed up:
– Australian Bureau of Statistics
– Australian Hearing
– Australian Public Service Commission
– Centrelink
– ComSuper
– Department of Climate Change
– Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
– Department of Finance and Deregulation
– Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
– Department of Health and Ageing
– Department of Human Services including CRS Australia
– Department of Immigration and Citizenship
– Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
– Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
– Fairwork Ombudsman
– Medicare Australia
– Murray-Darling Basin Authority
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