To save regular readers all the nonsense of registering to access what clearly should be public information we provide the key section of the tender.
Number: RFT 277/0910
Link: Provision of media liaison and issues management services.
Closing Date: 27/04/2010
Here is the guts of what DoHA is asking for.
Part B – Statement of Requirement
1. INTRODUCTION
The Department of Health and Ageing (“the Department”) is seeking to test the market, in accordance with Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines, for the services of an organisation to provide media management including critical issues (Services) across a range of matters for the Department.
Tendering organisations will need to provide evidence of:
(a) previous experience in journalism and management of sensitive media issues; and
(b) an understanding and appreciation of, and experience with, health, ageing, and sport (in the context of sport and health) media issues.
The successful tenderer will be required to establish a team to be located in the Department’s premises in Canberra, to be the first point of contact for all media enquiries and issues for the Department.
This tender seeks to cover the provision of Services to the Department for an initial period of 3 (three) years with an option to extend for a period of up to a further 2 (two) years on the basis of satisfactory performance and regular review of services, and this will be reflected in a Contract for Services (refer Part D of this RFT). There is currently a separate contract with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) which is part of the Department. The TGA contract with the current service provider will remain in place until June 2011, at which time there is the potential to expand the Departmental contract to include the TGA services. This may require additional resources being provided by the successful tenderer which will be negotiated at the time.
2. CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION (Part A section 5.4)
In compliance with the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines (CPGs), the Commonwealth will exclude a Tender from further consideration if the Commonwealth considers that the tenderer does not comply with the following condition(s):
(a) Capacity to comply with the draft contract conditions from a commercial, financial or technical perspective (Part A Section 4.7).
(b) Include a signed declaration with their submission that they have not engaged in collusive tendering or received improper assistance in compiling their Tender.
(c) Include a signed declaration with their submission that they do not have any adverse Court or Tribunal decision for a breach of workplace law, occupational health and safety law, or workers’ compensation law in the past two years preceding the date of this RFT.
(d) Tenderers must have or be willing to obtain if engaged the following levels of insurance and indemnity coverage in place for this project assignment (refer attached contract clauses referring to insurance and indemnity):
• Workers Compensation to an amount required by law,
• $20,000,000 Public Liability, and
• $2,000,000 Professional Indemnity.
(e) Tenderers must have or be willing to obtain and maintain for the life of the contract a Commonwealth Government security clearance to the level of Secret.
(f) Tenderers must advise of any perceived or actual conflicts of interest that would exist if the tenderer was successful in being awarded a contract.
3. MINIMUM CONTENT AND FORMAT REQUIREMENTS (Part A section 5.3)
In compliance with the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines (CPGs), the Commonwealth will exclude a Tender from further consideration where the minimum content and format requirements have not been met. Subject to Part A section 3.4, tenderers are required to satisfy the format and content requirement including provision of the information listed in Part A section 5.3.
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
As stated above and as per Clause 5.5.1 Part A, Tenderers must:
(a) demonstrate previous experience in journalism and management of sensitive media issues; and
(b) demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of, and experience with, health, ageing and sport (in the context of sport and health) media issues.
4. BACKGROUND
The Department of Health and Ageing is a dynamic, politically sensitive Department with major initiatives being introduced to assist the Australian public and health providers.
These Services are being undertaken within the Communications Branch of the Business Group of the Department.
The principal purpose of the Services is to ensure that the public is adequately and appropriately informed through the Australian media about Australian Government policies and programs in the health and ageing portfolio and, particularly, on important emerging health issues and threats.
5. CONTEXT
The Services will need to be undertaken in close collaboration with the staff of the Communications Branch in their management of day-to-day public affairs tasks, campaigns and other communications activities.
6. OBJECTIVES
The Services are an integral component of the overall health promotion strategy mix, working to complement other strategies, policy measures and legislative compliance. The Services will assist in informing public attitudes, knowledge and behaviour to aid in meeting the goals and objectives of the Department.
7. REQUIREMENT
The successful Tenderer will be required to:
• Be the first point of contact for all media enquiries and issues for the Department and prepare responses as per the nature and urgency of the issue.
• Provide media liaison and issues management of critical and emerging health, ageing and sport (in the context of sport and health) issues.
• Handle media inquiries referred by the Ministers’/Parliamentary Secretary’s offices.
• Support the specific media liaison needs of the Secretary and the Departmental Executive.
• Serve as the Chief Medical Officer’s (CMO) primary media adviser and primary point of contact for related media issues.
• Provide media support to meetings of bodies and councils established under the Health and Ageing portfolio as required.
• Establish and cultivate relationships with news outlets and other media channels to ensure the Australian Government can effectively and promptly manage critical issues related to improving the health of all Australians.
• Provide media support as required to the Portfolio Ministers at various Minister’s meetings and/or conferences including but not limited to: Australian Health Ministers Conference; Australian Health Ministers Advisory Council; Medical Services Advisory Committee etc.
Note: there is an average of 90 media enquiries to the Department per week. Depending on the nature of the enquiry, these enquiries can take varying time to resolve and require different levels of liaison within the Department and the Ministers’/Parliamentary Secretary’s offices.
It is expected that the successful tenderer will be available to deal with urgent media enquiries and issues outside of normal office hours.
In respect of matters relating to meetings of bodies and councils associated with the Health and Ageing portfolio and as requested by relevant Division Heads and with the advance approval of the Contract Manager, the successful tenderer must:
a. undertake media liaison surrounding the regular meetings of relevant bodies, including federal/state bodies;
b. represent the Department in handling media liaison and support for selected Interdepartmental Committees (IDCs), councils or committees handling issues that may have significant media implications relating to their spheres of responsibility, including media liaison;
c. act as media adviser to designated Commonwealth/State and Territory Health Ministers including, but not limited to, the Australian Health Ministers’ Conference, the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy, the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, and the Ministerial Advisory Committee on AIDS, Sexual Health and Hepatitis;
d. act as media adviser to Commonwealth/State and Territory emergency management committees such as, but not restricted to, the Australian Health Disaster Policy Planning Committee, Communicable Diseases Network of Australia and the National Influenza Pandemic Committee.
e. provide secretariat support for the National Health Emergency Media Response Network.
Note that on average it is anticipated the tenderer would spend two person days per week on media liaison associated with committee membership and two person days per week on involvement with, and preparation for, emergency management and national security.
Critical or emerging health issues
As well as being the first point of contact for all media enquiries, the successful tenderer will undertake media liaison and issues management in respect of designated critical or emerging health issues that call for a health and ageing response.
To provide greater understanding of these issues, the following are examples of critical or emerging issues:
a. Communicable diseases, pandemic influenza and immunisation;
b. Disease outbreaks or emerging diseases;
c. Indigenous health;
d. Bio-security, bio-terrorism, bio-surveillance and health-related national security issues, including chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive incidents and safety of or threats to the food supply;
e. Illicit and licit drugs;
f. Emerging health issues; and
g. Day-to-day issues that could impact the reputation of the Department (e.g. fraud and audit matters arising in relation to the Department’s business).
The successful tenderer will be responsible for advising the Department Executive on media liaison, and handling any related issues that can arise in national health emergency situations.
The successful tenderer may also be required to, either as a result of a request from the Ministers’/Parliamentary Secretary’s Offices, Department Executive, or a request from the Contract Manager:
a. Develop draft media releases and media briefing materials (eg information sheets) for clearance by relevant line managers in any Divisions of the Department, and by the Ministers’/Parliamentary Offices on specific issues.
b. Cultivate relationships with reporters specialising in the fields of activity aligned to Divisional activity to encourage balanced and responsible reporting, by facilitating through a Division, and with the prior approval of the relevant First Assistant Secretary, the provision of current information, background briefings on specific issues, and interviews with the Minister and key representatives of the programs of each Division.
c. On invitation, actively participate in line management meetings of a Division, and in meetings with Divisional executives in relation to designated media liaison and associated plans and activities.
d. Actively participate as requested on committees of a Division.
It should be noted that the Department has a Communications Branch that handles proactive media activities and this is generally not required by this tenderer
Best Practice, Standards and Procedures
The successful tenderer will be required to observe the following best practice, standards and procedures in the delivery of Services under this Contract.
· The successful tenderer must, as an obligation of this arrangement, perform and deliver Services on a priority basis, meaning the requirements specified in this arrangement will take priority over other contracts performed by the Contractor for other parties. Where a conflict arises in the delivery of priority service by the successful tenderer under this arrangement, the successful tenderer will discuss that conflict with the Contract Manager in order to resolve that conflict.
· The successful tenderer will perform and deliver Services relating to the drafting, preparation and dissemination of media releases using the systems and procedures of the Communications Branch, in accordance with practices agreed by the Department and with the Ministers’ and Parliamentary Secretary’s Offices.
· The successful tenderer will be required to, and must acknowledge, that the Department will undertake a six-monthly review of the contractor’s performance against best practice, standards and procedures and the Contractor’s performance against the requirements of this Contract will generally be consistent with the Department’s quality of service and value for money obligations.
Fees
Tenderers are to provide a fixed annual fee for the Services to be invoiced monthly.
Tenderers are to detail how the annual fee was calculated including number of staff proposed and their costs, including associated business costs.
Tenderers are to advise if the proposed fees will be subject to annual variation and the proposed method for arriving at any variation.
Proposed staff
Tenderers are to advise what staff resources they propose to provide for the Services and describe their experience and qualifications and associated roles and responsibility, and any current security clearances held.
Allowances and Costs
Travel
The services are to be provided from the Department’s Canberra offices.
The Commonwealth will not be liable for the costs of air fares, taxi fares and related travel allowances and other costs for accommodation, meals and incidental expenses for attendance by the Contractor’s personnel at the Department’s premises in Canberra for the performance of Services, or for the return of those personnel to locations away from Canberra.
Where there is a requirement to travel interstate on behalf of the Department, airfares, associated costs and travel rates will be negotiated at that time with the successful tenderer and covered by the Department.
Taxi Fares
The Contractor will be entitled to obtain Cabcharge taxi vouchers for use where deemed appropriate in relation to the performance of Services.
Tenderers are to detail any other costs that may be incurred as a result of undertaking this contract.
Assets, Facilities and Assistance
The Commonwealth currently provides the following assets, facilities and assistance free of charge to the Contractor for up to four (4) personnel in the Department’s Woden Precinct, Canberra, for the Commonwealth’s convenience in interacting with the Contractor, to permit effective performance only of the Services, and to protect the security of Contract Material, Commonwealth Material and Confidential Information:
a. Location: Level 11, Scarborough House, Woden Precinct, Canberra.
b. Suitable office accommodation at the above location is standard Departmental offices and workstations as appropriate.
c. Standard construction and fitout for the above accommodation (including standard furniture and storage items).
d. Suitable telephone (land lines) services.
e. Standard desktop computer facilities, including access to printers and standard Internet access.
f. Access to the Department’s daily online media monitoring service with assistance from the Media Monitoring team in Communications Branch; separate subscription to the main daily newspapers; and any other media monitoring as agreed with the Contract Manager.
g. Access to meeting rooms and meeting facilities of the Department.
h. Access to standard office stationery and consumables items regarded as reasonable by the Contract Manager.
i. Access to messenger and courier services as required for the purposes of the Services.
The successful tenderer will be expected to provide its own mobile phones. The mobile phone use can potentially be as high as $1,000 per month and it is expected that the successful tenderer will arrange a suitable business plan with a vendor (refer clause 7 – paragraph on Fees.)
These assets and facilities may only be used for the purposes of performing the Services for the Commonwealth.
Any additional assets, facilities or assistance will be supplied by the Commonwealth at its sole discretion, and within the limits of available budgets and resources at any time.
Optional requirement
Note that currently there also is a separate contract with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) which is part of the Department. The TGA contract with the current service provider will remain in place until June 2011, at which time there is the potential to expand the Departmental contract to include the TGA services. This may require additional resources being provided by the successful tenderer which will be negotiated at the time if required.
8. ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS (Part A section 5.5)
In compliance with the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines, the Commonwealth will exclude a Tender from further consideration if the Commonwealth considers that the Tender does not comply with an essential requirement identified in the Statement of Requirement indicated by the use of the word “must”.
a. In the event of a national health emergency, the successful tenderer must work as required in the Department’s National Incident Room in Canberra.
b. Work each month must be completed before an invoice can be submitted, ie, the monthly invoice must be submitted no earlier than on the last working day of the month for which the invoice covers.
c. The monthly report as outlined in item 11 must be provided within five working days of the lodgement of the monthly invoice.
d. The successful tenderer must file all Departmental documents electronically according to the Department’s security guidelines and maintain appropriate files (see 15).
e. Tenderers must indicate any element of their Tender which may become part of any subsequent contract, which they regard as confidential and provide reasons for requiring confidentiality. Further information regarding confidentiality in this context can be sought from the Department of Finance and Deregulation’s publication “Guidance on Confidentiality in Procurement” available from: http://www.finance.gov.au/publications/fmg-series/03-guidance-on-confidentiality-in-procurement.html.
9. OPTIONS
In the event of a national health emergency, there is a potential requirement for 24-hour staffing either in or within the area of the National Incident Room in Canberra.
---- End Extract.
Among the little points I noticed were:
The tenderer had to maintain a security level of Secret. (I am surprised it was not Top Secret). I wonder what that is all about?
The mobile phone use – apparently not reimbursed - can be up to $1000 per month. Sounds like a fair bit of chatting!
The Department is expecting the work to occupy 4 people pretty much full time and these people are to be based within the Department.
It really is intended that the provider of the services be totally embedded within and work as public servants – except the hourly rates would seem to be likely to be a good deal higher.
The services are additional to the work undertaken by the Communications Branch. One wonders what they do given the scope requested here.
Frankly I think the public interest and transparency would be better served by appropriate people just being hired as standard public servants with the same levels of accountability and openness to audit etc that comes with that territory.
David.
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