Increase participation supply chains - video transcript

Watch our Increase participation in supply chains video.

Hi, I'm Sandra Mitchell.

I'm with the Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts and I'm happy to be sharing information on Queensland Government's commitment to diversifying supply chains and also information to help businesses incorporate diverse suppliers in their own supply chains, as we journey to Queensland 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Thank you very much.

Yes, so my name is Sandra Mitchell, and I'm with the Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts.

And thank you to the person who put all those portfolios together.

I'd like to start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging.

So this session is designed to outline the value of including diverse suppliers in your supply chains and how to make that happen.

Whether you're a supplier that meets the objectives of Queensland Government in those objectives, or whether you're a major supplier who's looking to strengthen your value proposition to Queensland Government.

So if you remember 1 thing from today, please remember that Queensland Government is keen to do business with diverse and social benefits suppliers.

And when I mean that there are quite a range of them, that means small and medium sized enterprises, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses, local businesses and social enterprises, women owned or women led businesses, businesses from people with a disability, or people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

So there is quite a range of social benefits suppliers being targeted. So if you put those sorts of businesses into your own supply chains, you make it much easier for government buyers.

The focus on these sorts of businesses isn't new for government, but the opportunity exists now for you to get your business ready in the lead up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

You've seen the strategy and it's been talked about today, and it's important for you to read to know what government is focusing on.

So we're talking about a 20-year pipeline of opportunities that will be a catalyst for businesses to develop and grow.

You'll see messages in that Q32 Procurement Strategy about the fact that there will be small business action plans and how it's going to create the environment and the opportunity for all of those businesses to take advantage.

It'll tell you how to get Games ready. So if you want to compete for those procurement opportunities, please make sure that you've reviewed that strategy.

And that strategy is only one part of the environment when we're talking about Queensland Government procurement and how government is using its spend to achieve social, economic and environmental objectives.

So you've heard about Buy Queensland 2023, the Procurement Strategy and the policy that our agency leads is the Queensland Indigenous Procurement Policy, and that's the authorising environment that exists to improve the outcomes for that broad range of diverse suppliers.

So the QPP 2023 sets procurement specific targets that must be pursued wherever possible. And that includes increasing government procurement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses to 3% of addressable spend and sourcing at least 30% of procurement by value from Queensland small and medium enterprises, which you heard about before.

One of the principles of that policy also is about applying a responsible public procurement approach, and that is where the inclusion of social outcomes comes in.

So common use supply arrangements, which you may be familiar with, standing offer arrangements, preferred supplier panels, they all need to be reviewed for diversity of suppliers by the 30th of June 2025.

And as part of that, if you are a supplier that would be considered diverse, please make sure that you are familiar with what panels or arrangements exist so that you can make sure that you can get represented on those.

The opportunity.

The Minister spoke to some of the opportunity and it really is mind blowing to look at the future spend commitment by Queensland Government, and I think it's significant to recognise that, as they say, a rising tide floats all boats.

So there is the amount of spend will require inclusion and activity at every sector of every part of the business sector of Queensland if we're going to be able to realise all the opportunities.

So in the 2023-2024 budget alone, the Queensland Government announced a 4-year $89 billion capital program.

There's around $19 billion over 4 years to support the Queensland Energy and Jobs plan and $6.9 billion in 23-24 towards transport infrastructure.

Then you add another $1.9 billion over 4 years to commence delivery of venues and infrastructure for Q2032.

It's mind blowing to think about the opportunity that's coming at us very quickly.

You've heard mentioned the Future Procurement Pipeline.

There's also a QR code there that will take you to it.

Currently, there's about $5 billion worth of planned spend on that across 224 opportunities, and that's right across the state.

And you can look at those opportunities by category, by region, by value.

It really is a great tool. So if you've if you've not utilised it yet, please make sure that you do.

We know that there's around 2,200 Queensland-based Indigenous suppliers that we're aware of.

There's 110 certified social enterprises with a Queensland head office, and another 152 social enterprises with an office in Queensland.

You heard the Minister talk about almost half a million small businesses and Queensland Government did business with around 34,000 SMEs in 2021-2022.

So that's great, but it's a competitive marketplace and it's vital that you understand your value proposition and know where you're pitching your business.

If you're a larger company you can use unbundling. So breaking new, larger procurements into smaller packages, and that will allow some of those social or diverse suppliers into your own supply chains.

How do you find indigenous suppliers or social enterprises?

So we recommend using Supply Nation or Black Business Finder. If you want to know what Indigenous businesses exist in certain industries, in certain geographic locations, use those 2 tools.

And you can also use social traders to identify social enterprises that you might be able to fit into your supply chain.

If you are a diverse supplier as well, we'd recommend that you do register your business with those directories and services so that you can be visible to other businesses and buyers.

I'm not going to talk too much to this because it is certainly something that was mentioned previously in the talk from our State Development colleagues.

But I will say that first and foremost you need to make sure that in your offer you are meeting what government is asking for specifically, and then look at what your value add may be.

If your business operations align with government's objectives from its procurement, then that could be the difference for you in being successful in your procurement to government. And we know that the social procurement objectives of government does make a difference.

So I had a couple of examples that I wanted to supply for you.

One of them is Bridgeman. Bridgeman is an Indigenous business.

It's an SME that operates out of North Brisbane and they were selected to deliver a $2.7 million Roma State College construction project for agriculture and animal husbandry infrastructure.

Now, over that 20-week project, 90% of the suppliers and subcontractors that Bridgeman used were local, and a third of the scope of the project was completed by local Indigenous suppliers and subcontractors.

Now that included an SME that Bridgeman supported to develop their suite of safety processes and compliance documentation, which was required for them to be able to work on that project.

Additionally, 8 members of the workforce were Indigenous employees, and Bridgeman also designed and built a yarning circle and Indigenous garden for students and staff as a legacy of the project.

Now, Bridgeman also has a true commitment to giving back to community, and this includes working with pre-release prisoners, providing work experience and post-release employment opportunities.

Through the doubling of their workforce in a few short years, Bridgeman is definitely providing opportunities for good jobs, and it's evident the exponential impact that procurement from Bridgeman has had in that time.

Another example that I'd like to supply is one of Australian Spatial Analytics. Now they're social enterprise and they were recently engaged by the Department of Resources.

ASA I'll call them just for abbreviation.

They're a work-integrated social enterprise and they employ over 120 people, 75% of their staff are under 30 years and 80% of their staff identify as neurodivergent.

Now the scope of work on that project required the supply of pertinent information for road access points just to ensure that emergency services and essential services could get access.

The work that was undertaken included analysing over 21,000 road features, 43,000 addresses and over 100,000 property access points across the local government area to inform and update the Queensland road and track database.

Now the analysts who worked on that project were based in Cairns. So that provided regional employment opportunities for underemployed or unemployed neurodiverse young people, and it also addressed a regional skill shortage.

With the unemployment rate for neurodiverse people in Australia being roughly ten times the national average, considering the capability and capacity of a social benefit supplier can make a huge impact in the life of these young people through their employment.

Now there's some videos as well outside that will give you some further examples of, or some great examples of engaging with diverse suppliers.

So this slide will provide you with a range of pertinent links for your businesses, whether you're wanting to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses, SMEs or other diverse suppliers.

So please take a photo and use these links for your information, but also please come and see us at the stand outside.

There are a range of us from a range of agencies there who can help you in your journey to adding diversity in your supply chain.

Thank you.

Watch our Increase participation in supply chains video.