In 2018, NSW Public Works was tasked with designing and implementing an improved whole-of-government construction procurement accreditation program and assurance process in consultation with agencies and the NSW Procurement Board.  The new program launched in October 2020 and is based on:

• annual self-assessments and self-reporting for accredited agencies to ensure they have and maintain the appropriate capability, processes, and systems (NSW Public Works is an accredited agency), and
• for unaccredited agencies, an accredited agency is required to provide assurance oversight on all construction procurement activities over $1.3 million (exclusive of GST) in value.

Why?

It was agreed that the old accreditation process was process-oriented, with little focus on construction procurement practices and outcomes; costly for agencies seeking to become accredited or maintain accreditation, did not provide the NSW Procurement Board with visibility of construction procurement capability development across government, and did not provide transparency over how unaccredited agencies should seek support to undertake high-value construction procurement.

NSW Public Works is responsible for administering the new Program, including:

• working with unaccredited and accredited agencies to ensure they understand how the new accreditation and assurance framework works
• collating agency deliverables for the NSW Procurement Board
• identifying how construction procurement policy can be optimised to support better project delivery outcomes
• proposing construction policy initiatives and solutions to the Board, to drive better procurement and project delivery outcomes.

Further information

You can find extensive information on the Accreditation Program and Assurance Process on buy.nsw or contact Heidi Duckworth.

If you are an Unaccredited Agency and require assurance for a project >$1.3 million, please contact Andrew Cruckshank.