School Focused Youth Services: Tender Specifications: April 1998

Introduction

Tendering Kit
Department of Human Services

1.1 Purpose of the Document

This document provides guidance for organisations who intend to lodge a tender to enter into an Agreement to provide a model of service coordination. Management of the associated brokerage funding is also required. A School Focused Youth Service is to be provided across 41 geographic areas throughout the nine Department of Human Services (DHS)/ Department of Education (DOE) regions in Victoria.

The management of the tender process is the responsibility of regions.

The Tender Kit contains:

• School Focused Youth Service- Information Pack for Schools and Agencies
• Focused Youth Service- Tender Specifications

The purpose of this document is to provide the necessary instructions to those wishing to submit a tender proposal.

1.2 General Instructions

Suitably qualified organisations are invited to lodge a tender to provide a model of service co-ordination as specified in this documentation.

Organisations seeking to lodge a tender should respond to each of Sections 4 to 21 in this document.

Organisations submitting a tender proposal must respond to all the numbered paragraphs in this document and indicate compliance or non-compliance in each case. The absence of comment in regard to any of these items will be taken as non-compliance. Paragraphs may require a detailed response or simple noting.

Tender submissions should include:

• A description of how the service will be implemented, in accordance with the guidelines in this document.
• Identification of the expertise already available in the organisation and/or how it is to be obtained.
• Costings for the service.
• A timetable for the development and implementation of the service.

Additional information regarding the School Focused Youth Service will be provided at a regional Briefing Session.

1.3. Assessment of Proposals

Tender applications should provide sufficient detail to enable assessment of an organisation's:

• Capacity to deliver the service according to the requirements specified in this brief.
• Relevant experience in program management, including financial, human resource, administrative, technological and data management.

Proposals will be primarily considered on the basis of:

• Ability to meet the Selection Criteria outlined in Section 5.
• Agreement to the Mandatory Conditions outlined in Section 4.

1.4. Conditions Of Tender

• All tenders must be signed and dated.
• Enquires by prospective tenderers about the tender process can be made by telephone. Requests for clarification or tender specification documentation should be made in writing. Contact details are specified in the Regional Supplement
• DHS takes no responsibility for any oral statements, explanations or instructions given by any of its representatives or officers prior to the acceptance of a tender. Tenderers shall be responsible for requesting that any such oral advice be confirmed in writing.
• All written questions asked and answers given shall be recorded and provided to all parties who have requested this tender documentation.
• Any information provided by the tenderer or DHS is provided in confidence.

1.5. Lodgement Conditions

• Three (3) copies of the tender proposal must be submitted.
• The envelopes must be deposited in the Tender Box at the address specified in the Regional Supplement.
• The envelopes must both be endorsed with the:
• Tender number
• Title of the tender
• Closing date and time of the tender:
• Late or facsimile tenders will not be accepted.
• Tenders received after the closing time will be recorded as such, with the date and time of receipt and the documentation returned to the tenderer.
• Tenders delivered by the tenderer or the tenderer's representative (including couriers) must be lodged in the Tender Box before the specified closing time.

DHS officers cannot accept responsibility for lodging tenders on behalf of tenderers.

Tenders forwarded through Australia Post should be posted to ensure receipt no later than closing time.

1.6. Funding Agreements

• Post-tender negotiations may be required to finalise specifications prior to the finalisation of a Service Agreement.
• The successful tenderer will be required to enter into a formal Service Agreement with DHS such as that contained in Appendix I.
• This tender covers a three year period, with annual renegotiation of a Service Agreement. If a Service Agreement has not been completed and signed by both parties within 30 working days of the start of any financial year, DHS reserves the right to re-tender the service.

1.7. Caveat

The DHS reserves the right to withdraw from the tender process described in this Brief for whatever reason, prior to the signing of a Contract with any part for the delivery of the services described in this document.

1.8 Lobbying Of Tenders

Any attempt by any Tenderer (after the issue of the Tender documentation and prior to the issuing of an acceptance by the DHS) to exert influence on the outcome of the assessment process by lobbying the DHS staff (or by way of an offer of money or other material means) or Members of Parliament, shall disqualify the tender from further consideration and render the tender invalid.

1.9 Confidentiality

All supporting information provided by both successful and unsuccessful tenderers will be considered as having been submitted in confidence.

1.10 Retention Of Documents

All tender documents received by the DHS will be retained by the DHS as official documentation.

1.11 Key Dates (to be revised for 2002/2003)

• Advertisement- Tender Opens
• Briefing Session
• Tender Closes
• Interviews for Short Listed Tenderers
• Notification to Successful Tenderer
• Commencement