The Victorian Government has established Victoria’s Social Procurement Framework. The Framework applies to all goods, services and construction procurement by the Victorian Government. Many of the Framework’s objectives relate to fair and inclusive employment.
Fair and inclusive employment
Fair and inclusive employment is when suppliers:
- provide jobs for priority jobseekers
- follow workplace laws
- provide a safe workplace
Suppliers can access support to put in place:
- recruitment processes
- pre-employment support and training
- on the job support
Paid work builds confidence and self-esteem. It also:
- improves stability
- helps independent living
- provides a sense of belonging
Suppliers who offer fair and inclusive job opportunities create diverse workplaces. Diverse workforces bring valuable experience and viewpoints to a business.
The role of the private sector
The private sector plays an important role. It provides most of Victoria’s jobs, including for Victorian priority jobseekers. The private sector is key to efforts to advance fair and inclusive employment.
The Social Procurement Framework looks to suppliers to advance fair and inclusive employment by:
- providing training and employment opportunities for priority Victorian jobseekers
- advancing gender equality
- supporting regional economies and communities which experience entrenched disadvantage
Gender equality includes:
- more opportunities for women in non-traditional or leadership roles
- more support for at-risk women
Under the Social Procurement Framework, priority jobseekers include:
- Under the Social Procurement Framework, ‘priority jobseekers’ refers to long-term unemployed or those at risk of long-term unemployment due to employment barriers. See, Detailed guidance for priority jobseekers for more information.
For more details on these target groups, refer to About social procurement.
Bidding for government work
In their bids, suppliers must show an ability to perform the works or services under tender. Their offer must meet the evaluation criteria.
Bid responses must address the evaluation criteria. The criteria might include an extra weighted percentage for social and sustainable outcomes. An example of this would be fair and inclusive employment.
If the evaluation criteria have a focus on fair and inclusive employment outcomes, suppliers should provide information about:
- policies, strategies and business practices that support workplace diversity
- achievements that show a supplier’s fair and inclusive employment commitments
- results from a completed fair and inclusive employment self-assessment
- planned or established partnerships that support fair and inclusive employment
Partnerships can be with social benefit suppliers or training and job services.
Suppliers can also show how they will support partners or subcontractors that contribute to fair and inclusive employment targets. For example, helping them with reporting. This is especially important for larger projects.
More information is available at Support for Suppliers page.
Fair and inclusive employment as part of contracts
Suppliers who have successfully bid for government work must meet the conditions of their contract with an Agency. Where they need to deliver fair and inclusive employment, the contract might include:
- clauses and performance targets, such as job quotas for Victorian priority jobseekers
- the need to develop and report on a fair and inclusive employment plan, and
- reporting requirements to track performance against fair and inclusive employment targets
Suppliers need to have systems and processes to collect, measure and report data.
Fair and inclusive employment ready
When preparing their fair and inclusive employment plan, suppliers should consider if they:
- understand the Social Procurement Framework and its inclusive jobs aims
- have fair and inclusive employment policies and practices in place
- have partnerships with job-readiness and job support services
- provide chances for priority Victorian jobseekers to get and keep a job
- have trained staff to support new staff in the workplace
Fair and inclusive employment support for suppliers
Support services are available to help suppliers. Services include recruitment, pre-employment support and training, and on-the-job support. Services are listed below:
Jobs Victoria
Jobs Victoria gives suppliers tailored support to connect them to job seekers.
It helps job seekers with mentoring, training and development to find work. It helps suppliers with the skills to access, choose and support candidates.
jobactive
jobactive connects job seekers with employers. It works with suppliers to tailor recruitment services to their needs.
Aboriginal recruitment companies
Several Aboriginal recruitment companies operate in Victoria. These companies can help suppliers create job opportunities for Victorian Aboriginal people.
They include:
Goal Indigenous Services
Phone: (03) 8842 1666
Email: info@goalis.com.au
Indigenous Employment Partners
Phone: 0400 587 348
Career Steer
Phone: 1300 313 333
Nerdu Badji Education
Phone: 0497 078 475
Wamarra
Phone: (03) 9391 8800
Wan-Yaari Aboriginal Consultancy Services
Phone: 0431 117 088
Girraway Ganyi Consultancy
Phone: 0409 926 689
WanPlace
Phone: 0422 422 203
Zancott Recruitment
1300 ZANCOTT
First People Recruitment Solutions
Phone: (02) 6230 7666
Victorian Registration Qualifications Authority
The Victorian Registration Qualifications Authority website provides details of recognised group training organisations. It lists organisations that can help place and train Aboriginal apprentices and trainees.
Vocational Training and Employment Centres
These Centres deliver jobs for Aboriginal job seekers and school leavers across Australia. This includes Victoria.
The Centres work with suppliers to find job opportunities. They also help them work out their training needs.
JobAccess
JobAccess is the national hub for workplace and job information for:
- people with disability
- employers
- service providers
It brings together the information and resources that can drive disability employment.
The JobAccess website includes support for employers to employ people with disability.
National Disability Recruitment Coordinator
The Australian Government funds the National Disability Recruitment Coordinator. It helps larger employers access the skills and talents of people with disability.
It also helps with workplace policies and practices that include people with disability.
It provides:
- a comprehensive online job vacancy service
- workplace training and employer seminars on disability awareness
It also connects employers to the national network of Disability Employment Services.
Disability Employment Services
Disability Employment Services provide job help to people with disability, injury or health conditions. It helps them find work in the open labour market.
It can help employers to employ and retain workers with disability. It also provides access to financial incentives and support.
Australian Network on Disability
The Australian Network on Disability promotes including people with disability in business. It is not-for-profit. Its members are Australian businesses, Victorian Government Agencies and community-based organisations.
Joining Australian Network on Disability can help connect organisations with like-minded colleagues. It can also support them to develop inclusive business practices.
Apprenticeships, traineeships and cadetships
Local Jobs First–Major Projects Skills Guarantee — provides information and resources for arranging:
- apprenticeships
- traineeships
- cadetships
GROW
GROW helps suppliers plan long-term for social procurement and inclusive jobs. GROW has offices in these 5 regional areas:
Workplace Gender Equality Agency
Workplace Gender Equality Agency — helps businesses with gender equitable employment.
Support
For more information about social procurement, contact the Social Procurement team.
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