While the COVID-19 pandemic has created an uncertain and challenging environment for the business community, a new initiative led by Ipswich City Council is opening up an 18-month pipeline of procurement opportunities for local businesses.
Launched on Council’s innovative Transparency and Integrity Hub, local businesses can now access an 18-month Forward Procurement Schedule which aims to provide suppliers with advance notice of potential procurement opportunities.
The Schedule will provide a powerful opportunity for the Ipswich business community to connect with Council and have an insight into selling their goods and services to the organisation.
Mayor Teresa Harding said this was a significant step forward for both Council and local businesses.
“The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are unpredictable and create immense challenges for industry. By publishing our Forward Procurement Schedule, which is essentially Council’s order book for the next 18 months, it allows Council to provide some certainty and additional opportunities to our local businesses,” Mayor Harding said.
“Council has had significant success with the introduction of its Buy Ipswich approach which has already seen $54 million spent with local suppliers with a head or branch office in the Ipswich area in the past financial year.
“The launch of the Forward Procurement Schedule will help local businesses better prepare to respond to Council procurement opportunities and make it easier for Council to connect with local suppliers.”
One of the challenges facing local businesses is that while they produce and provide certain goods and services, they might not be aware of Council’s requirements and miss a golden opportunity.
Deputy Mayor and Chair of the Economic and Industry Development Committee Nicole Jonic said publishing the schedule opens the door to “selling to Council”.
“Council procures $160 million in goods and services each year to deliver services to the community. It makes good economic sense to provide local businesses with advance notice of major opportunities in the pipeline,” Cr Jonic said.
“The Forward Procurement Schedule articulates these potential procurement opportunities.
“The scope, scale, schedule and complexity of individual planned procurements is listed across various procurement categories such as Goods and Services, Information and Communication Technologies, Building, Construction and Maintenance and Fleet.”
Local businesses that are interested in supplying goods and services to Council can register at VendorPanel MarketPlace, Council’s current online platform for its tendering and quotation requirements.
Registering provides an opportunity to do business with Council but does not automatically make you a supplier to Council.
Council is also offering a range of workshops for local businesses to learn more about the procurement process and how to be notified about upcoming opportunities.
17 August, Springfield Central Library – Making Sense of Council Procurement
19 August, Rosewood Library- Making Sense of Council Procurement
26 August, Rosewood Library- Get Your Business in Front of Council Procurement
1 September, Firestation101- Making Sense of Council Procurement
Information about upcoming procurements is provided for planning purposes only and it does not represent a solicitation or constitute a request for a proposal, nor is it a commitment by Council to purchase the described goods or services.
All planned procurements are subject to revision, withdrawal, or cancellation in response to changing circumstances.
Council’s Foreword Procurement Schedule can be found here.
Council’s Procurement Policy can be found here.
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