Professional advisory services contract

Panel summary

This panel offers professional advisory services including commercial, finance, tax and probity advice.

Lead agency: Department of Treasury and Finance

Conditions of use: Mandatory

Contract reference number: SS-03-2015

Arrangement type: Panel

Start date: 1 September 2015

End date: 31 August 2020

Buyers: Access to the panel

Log in as a buyer to use the panel and access templates, guides and categories (Government users only)

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News

The Request for Tender RFT SS-04-2019. has closed.

All enquiries related to RFT SS-04-2019 should be directed to pas.tender@dtf.vic.gov.au

Vendor Panel Launch for Buyer

DTF has launched the VendorPanel platform on Monday 5 August to improve the management and governance of the PAS SPC. The new platform will streamline and automate the procurement process. For more information on the provider, visit vendorpanel.com.au

Buyers will need to register to access VendorPanel to access the PAS panel via the Register as a buyer link above.

New Administrative Guidelines

Note the following administrative guidelines applicable from 1 July 2019:

• Administrative Guidelines on engaging Professional Services in the VPS

These guidelines contain updated decision-making and approval requirements for labour hire and professional services use.

Key benefits of the panel

• a consistent approach to project development
• access to qualified advice across a huge range of services
• variety of suppliers including SMEs, sole operators and small partnerships

What’s covered?

This contract covers these main areas of professional advisory services:

Commercial and Financial Advisory Services (CAFAS)

• CAFAS CA-1: strategic policy review, reform and project development (including service need analysis, service planning, feasibility studies and strategic assessments)
• CAFAS CA-2: business case preparation and deployment
• CAFAS CA-3: market engagement and implementation
• CAFAS CA-4: commercial contract management
• CAFAS CA-5: project, program and business review (including business reorganisation reviews)
• CAFAS CA-6: general commercial advice including commercial negotiations

Tax Advisory Services (TAS)

• TAS TA-1: GST and luxury car tax
• TAS TA-2: employment taxes including fringe benefits tax (FBT) and pay as you go (PAYG)
• TAS TA-3: state taxes including payroll tax, stamp duty, land tax and congestion levy
• TAS TA-4: superannuation guarantee
• TAS TA-5: national tax equivalents regime (NTER), income and corporate tax
• TAS TA-6: excise including fuel tax credits scheme (FTCS) and customs duty
• TAS TA-7: international taxes
• TAS TA-8: other advice including petroleum resources rental tax and film concessions

Financial Assessment Services (FAS)

• FAS FA-1: pre-qualification assessment
• FAS FA-2: tender assessment
• FAS FA-3: monitoring specific contracts in progress
• FAS FA-4: ad hoc - specialised assessment

Probity Services

• Probity PR-1: probity advisory services
• Probity PR-2: probity auditing services

This contract doesn’t offer advice for services including IT, engineering, architectural or anything else not in this list.

Supplier details

The list of approved suppliers is available on the VendorPanel platform.

Join this contract

To join this contract and access more information:

Step 1: Register for VendorPanel

The platform allows government buyers to engage with suppliers.

Existing users:

Buyers already registered on VendorPanel can access or login to VendorPanel

New users:

Register to VendorPanel to access confidential contract information and pricing.

Any VendorPanel technical issue, please contact VendorPanel Support Team at support@vendorpanel.com.au or 03 9095 6181.

Access for government entities

All government entities (mandated agencies, government-owned entities, local government councils and government-supported organisations) can request access to the panel via the buyer registration link to VendorPanel. By registering to the VendorPanel, you have agreed to the panel’s terms of use.

Terms of use for Professional Advisory Services

pdf 89.52 KB

Use this contract

Anyone using this contract must follow the rules of use.

Step 1: Read the user guides and understand your role

Read the user guide for important information about this contract. 

Professional Advisory Services State Purchase Contract User Guide

pdf 421.16 KB

Step 2: Work out the services you need

You can only choose a supplier for the service category they’ve been qualified for. In general, the more complex services you need, the more quotes you should ask for.

Organisations should also make sure they understand the complexity and capability policy.

Step 3: Get internal approval to send a request for proposal

Get approval from your department or agency procurement contact before organising a request for proposal (RFP).

Find your department procurement contact below.

Step 4: Create an RFP

Once registered log in to VendorPanel to create and issue your RFP

You should define the scope of work, then create criteria to evaluate each engagement. The criteria should specify how each service provider will be evaluated and how those criteria are ranked in order of relevance. The evaluations should have both qualitative and quantitative criteria to better evaluate value for money.

Download and fill out the RFP/RFQ template available in VendorPanel.

When you issue an RFP, you need a unique reference number. Use this method:

PAS - <CATEGORY> - <DEPARTMENT> - <YEAR> - <NUMBER>.

For example: PAS-CAFAS – DTF – 2015 – 0000

Please contact your Departmental procurement contact for a unique reference number.

Step 5: Send the RFP and choose a supplier

You will need to create and issue your RFP on VendorPanel. Evaluate each proposal based on the criteria you sent in the RFP. Please note: you can conduct your evaluation via the VendorPanel or offline.

Remember, the supplier’s prices should be in line with the price list. The fees and charges on that list are ceiling rates and should be discounted based on the nature of the proposal.

If the supplier offers a fixed fee, you should ask for a per-hour breakdown to see if the proposal is cost efficient.

Step 6: Get internal approval

Make sure you get internal approval from your organisation before sending a purchase order.

This includes financial and procurement approval. Please make sure confidentiality deeds and conflict of interest forms are completed before any work begins. Get these forms from your internal procurement unit.

Step 7: Send a purchase order

Select a supplier based on value for money, (including a per-hour breakdown).

Send the supplier a purchase order using PAS purchase order template available in VendorPanel.

You should inform unsuccessful suppliers, and if relevant, tell them how they can improve their RFPs.

Professional Advisory Services purchase order template

docx 22.96 KB

Step 8:  Manage the engagement

Make sure you follow the rules of use when engaging the supplier.

Payment

You must pay invoices within 30 days (or within any other payment period as agreed with the supplier). If the invoice isn’t paid in that period, the supplier might make a claim for penalty interest.

Disputes

You are responsible for managing any disputes. (Resolution processes are outlined in Clause 23 of the contract.)

You must tell the Department of Treasury and Finance of any possible disputes.

Evaluate performance after the contract

To assist us with improvement, complete the survey link below. You should feel free to provide open and honest feedback about your supplier experience. It will take around 5 minutes to complete.

Take the evaluation survey

Exemptions

Exemptions from using this contract may be permitted. See the PAS SPC user guide (Section 2.10 Exemption Process) for more information.

Find your department procurement contact