About goods and services contracts

Purpose

The user reference group is an invitational only forum chaired by the Lead Agency to ensure stakeholder feedback is captured and appropriately represented during the end-to-end contract lifecycle of whole of Victorian Government procurement activities.

Consisting of individuals appointed by the responsible officers (for example chief procurement officer, chief information officer or equivalent as is appropriate), charged with representing the specific requirements and interests of their respective entities (member), such as ensuring:

• the views of their constituency are known and considered.
• alignment with government policies and user needs.
• collaborative development and review of tender documentation, including specifications.
• provision of supplier and contract performance feedback including identifying opportunities and risks to be managed.

The Lead Agency will assign an individual/s to manage the user reference group (Chair).

Roles and Responsibilities

Each member will:

• Complete, sign and return a conflict of interest and confidentiality declaration/s, to the Chair and immediately advise the Chair in the event of any change to their conflict of interest circumstances, or should they become aware of any breach of confidentiality.
• Represent the interests of their respective entities by:
  • identifying local/specific issues related to the contract
  • articulating the business needs
  • articulating the level of future demand
  • actively participate in supplier performance management activities and reporting
  • identifying opportunities and processes to raise standards
  • reporting back to the entity on all relevant matters
• Assist with the development of tender documentation including the specifications that:
  • are compliant with procurement policy
  • meet the Government's policy requirements in procurement
  • provide optimum value for money and minimise administrative burden
  • support the development of quality assurance and continuous improvement procedures
• Review and endorse the final technical and operational documentation including the specifications on behalf of their respective entities
• Undertake any other pre-Request for Tender release activities as necessary
• Maintain probity requirements
• Support the whole of Victorian Government's procurement implementation activities
• Be a channel for communications to decision makers, the wider contract user base, and liaise with relevant functional groups to onboard and offboard suppliers

Administrative arrangements

The user reference group will meet periodically during the contract lifecycle and at each milestone throughout the sourcing project, or as otherwise deemed necessary by the Chair.

During a sourcing project documentation can be endorsed and decisions registered out of session via email confirmation.

Secretariat support will be provided by the Lead Agency, and a documented record of the meeting including recorded actions and decisions taken (minutes) will be distributed by email within five working days. Minutes will also be stored in the electronic document and records management system – content manager.

The Chair will support the right of all members to engage in free discussion, and ensure that privacy, security, and confidentiality standards are met.

Representation

Members may delegate responsibility to another individual (delegate) to act on behalf of the member, including attending a meeting of the user reference group, by forward notification to the Chair, including the relevant period. The delegate must have completed the necessary conflict of interest and confidentiality declarations and have the authority to make informed decisions on the members behalf, including respond to out-of-session decision requests as required.

Delegation should be infrequent and should be avoided to the extent possible.

The responsible officer, as determined to be appropriate based on the greatest spend and risk estimates by the Lead Agency for the relevant category, has the right to nominate one member.

If the Lead Agency believes that it is necessary for additional representation from a specific entity or group of similar entities with specific needs or interest in the relevant goods and services, it may make a request in writing for such support, to the relevant entity relevant officer to action. Such representation will be considered a member for the duration such support is required, as determined by the Lead Agency.

Meetings can proceed with three or more members present, with decisions and/or endorsement actions carried as subject to a two third majority, calculated as follows:

• where each member has an equal vote; with
• absentees and abstaining members to be noted in the minutes, but not included in the result calculation
• all individuals present, including their title and entity, must be documented in the minutes

Other

The user reference group may seek additional input in the form of stakeholder surveys, ‘town hall’ meetings, focus groups, targeted interviews or by whatever form or means it determines necessary to achieve an optimal representation of user’s requirements and subsequent view of supplier performance and contractual effectiveness.

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User Reference Group - Terms of Reference

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Purpose

The project control board is an invitational only forum chaired by the Lead Agency to ensure that for whole of Victorian Government procurement activities:

• Stakeholder feedback is captured and appropriately represented during the project planning stage.
• Appropriate advice, support and endorsements are provided to the project team in a timely and orderly manner.

Consisting of individuals appointed by the responsible officers (for example chief procurement officer or chief information officer or equivalent as is appropriate), charged with representing the specific requirements and interests of their respective entities (member), such as ensuring:

• the views of their constituency are known and considered.
• alignment with government policies and user needs.
• with consideration to the relevant user reference group feedback and recommendations.
• opportunities and risks are identified and appropriately managed.

The Lead Agency will assign an individual/s to manage the project control board (Chair).

Roles and responsibilities

Each member will:

• Complete, sign and return a conflict of interest and confidentiality declaration/s, to the Chair and immediately advise the Chair in the event of any change to their conflict of interest circumstances, or should they become aware of any breach of confidentiality.
• Represent the interests of their respective entities by:
  • understanding the project objectives
  • provide strategic advice during the project plan development including the market approach
• Actively contribute to the collective oversight and governance of the project, including but not limited to:
  • endorse the project plan
  • endorse tender documentation
  • provide guidance to the project team throughout the sourcing project
  • endorse milestone completions and project recommendations
• Review and endorse the contract award recommendations
• Undertake any other relevant project activities as necessary
• Maintain probity requirements
• Support whole of Victorian Government procurement implementation activities

Administrative arrangements

The project control board will meet periodically during the strategy development phase and at each milestone throughout the sourcing project, or as otherwise deemed necessary by the Chair.

During the sourcing project documentation can be endorsed and decisions registered out of session via email confirmation.

Secretariat support will be provided by the Lead Agency, and a documented record of the meeting including recorded actions and decisions taken (minutes) will be distributed by email within three working days. Minutes will also be stored in the electronic document and records management system – content manager.

The Chair will support the right of all members to engage in free discussion, and ensure that privacy, security, and confidentiality standards are met.

Representation

Members may delegate responsibility to another individual (delegate) to act on behalf of the member, including attending a meeting of the project control board, by forward notification to the Chair, including the relevant period. The Delegate must have completed the necessary conflict of interest and confidentiality declarations and have the authority to make informed decisions on the members behalf, including respond to out-of-session decision requests as required.

Delegation should be infrequent and should be avoided to the extent possible.

The responsible officer, as determined to be appropriate based on the greatest spend and risk estimates by the Lead Agency for the relevant category, has the right to nominate one member.

If the Lead Agency believes that it is necessary for additional representation from a specific entity or group of similar entities with specific needs or interest in the relevant goods and services, it may make a request in writing for such support, to the relevant entity responsible officer to action. Such representation will be considered a member for the duration such support is required, as determined by the Lead Agency.

Meetings can proceed with three or more members present, with decisions and/or endorsement actions carried as subject to a two third majority, calculated as follows:

• where each Member has an equal vote, with:
• absentees and abstaining Members to be noted in the Minutes, but not included in the result calculation.
• all individuals present, including their title and entity, must be documented in the Minutes.

Other

The project control board may seek additional input in the form of stakeholder surveys, ‘town hall’ meetings, engagement of subject matter expertise, or by whatever form or means it determines necessary to achieve an optimal outcome.

Any involvement of a current Victoria Government Purchasing Board Member must be strictly limited to activities that do not compromise the project control board ability to execute its governance obligations, and such involvement does not constitute that individual being recognised as a project control board member at any time.

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Project Control Board - Terms of Reference

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