Australian technology SMEs are being asked to provide feedback on their experience with selling, or attempting to sell, products and services to the Australian federal government.
The survey, being conducted by InnovationAus.com, is seeking to establish whether the government’s Buy Australian Plan and the Future Made in Australia Office – two 2022 election commitments – are making a difference.
The Buy Australia Plan is supposed to see the government using “its significant purchasing power to support all businesses to deliver better value for money, grow the local economy and strengthen our domestic industry and manufacturing capability,” such as through:
- Maximising opportunities for Australian businesses in major infrastructure projects.
- Opening the door to more government work for more SMEs by simplifying procurement processes.
- Establishing a Secure Australian Jobs Code to prioritise secure work in government contracts and ensure that government purchasing power is being used to support businesses that engage in fair, equitable, ethical and sustainable practices.
- Supporting industry sectors through the government’s purchasing power.
The Future Made in Australia Office has been set up within the Department of Finance to support delivery of the Buy Australian Plan. It is supposed to:
- Co-ordinate implementation of the Plan across the Australian Public Service.
- Build the procurement and contracting capabilities of the Australian Public Service.
- Engage directly with businesses and industry sectors to help lift their competitive capabilities.
The current InnovationAus.com survey will be the fourth in its selling-to-government series, with the anonymised results to be publicly published in order to “generate discussion and inform debate about industry development, sovereign capability and procurement policy”.
The survey ends at midnight on 4 March, 2024.
