APPENDIX 10 – Expenditure on consultants

(at 30 June 2007)

The Court’s policy on the selection and engagement of all contractors is based on the Australian Government’s procurement policy framework as expressed in the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines (January 2005) and including associated Finance Circulars and guidance documentation published by the Department of Finance and Administration.

The main function for which consultants were engaged related to the delivery of specialist and expert services, primarily in connection with the Court’s information technology (IT) infrastructure, finance and business elements of the Court’s corporate services delivery. Table 10.1 below lists all consultancy contracts let during 2006–07 to the value of $10,000 or more, including GST, and provides details for each individual consultancy including the total value over the life of the contract.

Table 10.1 – Consultancy services let during 2006–07

Consultant
Name

Description

Contract Price
(incl GST)

$’000

Selection Process
(1)

Justification
(2)

Azure Innovations

eLodgment System Development Services.

$158.4

Direct Source

(A)

Azure Innovations

eCourtroom System Development Services.

$115.5

Direct Source

(A)

Ernst and Young

IT Operational Management and Incident Response Process.

$34.1

Direct Source

(A)

Ernst and Young

Internal Audit services.

$61.2

Direct Source

(B)

Margaret O’Donnell

Analysis of Strategy and Process for managing Indigenous Conflict.

$41.2

Select Tender

(C)

Enterprising IT

eLodgment/eCourtroom Assessment of System Application Architecture.

$35.2

Direct Source

(C)

Ernst and Young

Probity Advice on Tender Processes.

$29.7

Direct Source

(B)

Facilitech

eMail Training Program Design.

$27.7

Select Tender

(B)

Azure Innovations

eTrial Strategy and Software Application Analysis.

$16.9

Direct Source

(C)

Stratsec

eLodgment/eCourtroom Assessment of System Security Architecture.

$12.6

Direct Source

(C)

TOTAL

$532.5

    

(1) Explanation of selection process terms referred to above is drawn from the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines (January 2005):

      Select Tender – A procurement procedure in which the procuring agency selects which potential suppliers are invited to submit tenders. Tenders are invited from a short list of competent suppliers.

      Direct Sourcing – A form of restricted tendering available only under certain defined circumstances, with a single potential supplier or suppliers being invited to bid because of their unique expertise and/or their special ability to supply goods and/or services sought.

(2) Justification for decision to use consultancy:

      (A) Skills currently unavailable within the agency.

      (B) Need for specialised or professional skills.

      (C) Need for independent research or assessment.