Request for Tender for Employment Services 2015-2020 Information Session

1. Request for Tender for Employment Services 2015-2020 Information Session

2. Overview of Presentation • The new approach to employment services • Changes from the Exposure Draft • Services to be tendered • Purchasing arrangements

3. Disclaimer • Tenderers must: • make independent assessments • seek independent business advice if necessary • This session provides information only: • no statement varies the RFT unless confirmed on AusTender • variations will be posted on the AusTender website

4. Employment Services 2015 • Promote stronger workforce participation by people of working age and help more job seekers move from welfare to work

5. What is being purchased? • Services in non remote parts of Australia: • Employment Provider services • Work for the Dole Coordinators • New Enterprise Incentive Scheme • Harvest Labour Services • National Harvest Labour Information Service

6. What has changed since the Exposure Draft? • Job search requirements • Job seeker compliance • Provider partnerships and group tendering • Services to job seeker cohorts • Regional Loading

7. Employment Provider Services

8. Employment Provider service objectives • Meet needs of employers • Increase job seeker activation and stronger Mutual Obligation • Increase job outcomes • Cut red tape Section 2.2

9. 51 Employment Regions • Access to larger pools of job seekers and employers • Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics areas and labour market features • Eligibility for regional loading • Coverage Section 7.8.1

10. Employment Providers • Employment Providers will: • conduct an initial interview and negotiate a Job Plan • assist job seekers to be work ready • manage job seekers so they fulfil their Mutual Obligation • report non-compliance to the Department of Human Services • refer job seekers to jobs and engage with employers • provide post placement support Chapter 2

11. How job seekers access services • Most job seekers will be referred by the Department of Human Services • Eligibility is generally based on receipt of Income Support • Job seekers will be classified into three Streams • Stream A are the most job competitive • Stream B require assistance to be work ready • Stream C have a combination of serious job and non-job issues • Some job seekers can volunteer • Change providers after 2 or 3 years Sections 2.6 and 2.7

12. Stronger Participation Incentives for Job Seekers Under 30 • Stream A and some Stream B job seekers • Monthly contacts with an Employment Provider to: • refer to jobs • monitor job search and Work for the Dole participation • Wage subsidies and relocation assistance • Related income support changes subject to legislation Section 2.5.1

13. Initial Interview • Comprehensive and face to face • Focus on available jobs for Stream A • Identify job seeker strengths and work ready strategies for Streams B and C Section 2.9.4

14. Job Plan • Individual plan • Includes activities to satisfy Mutual Obligation requirements • Flexible, living document Section 2.9.5

15. Employment Fund • Pool of funds so job seekers meet the needs of employers and get and keep a job • $990 credit for Long Term Unemployed Wage Subsidy Section 2.9.7

16. Additional tools • Wage Subsidies: • Restart (mature age 50 years plus) • Youth • Long term unemployed people • Indigenous • Tasmanian Jobs Programme • Relocation Assistance • Job Commitment Bonus Sections 2.5, 2.9.9, 2.9.10 and 2.9.11

17. Mutual Obligation • Requirements under Social Security law • Attend appointments • Comply with Job Plan • Undertake job search • Annual Activity requirement Section 2.10

18. Annual Activity requirement *Requirements for people aged 55-59 are subject to legislation Section 2.10

19. Managing job seeker compliance • Report non-compliance to the Department of Human Services • The Department of Human Services will be the decision maker on all compliance matters Section 2.15

20. Payments to Providers • Administration fees • Work for the Dole places • Outcome Payments • Mid Deed adjustment • Regional Loading Section 2.16

21. Administration Fees Section 2.16.2

22. Work for the Dole places Section 2.11 and Table 2.6

23. Outcome payments • Full: Payable for cessation of income support at 4, 12 and 26 weeks of employment • Partial: Payable for 60 per cent reduction of income support at 4 and 12 weeks of employment • Verified through earnings declarations to the Department of Human Services where possible • Education outcome for 15-17 year olds Section 2.16

24. Employers • Job seekers with the right skills • Job seekers with the right attributes • Wage subsidies • Post placement support • Collaboration between Employment Providers Section 2.13

25. Performance framework • Indigenous Outcome Targets • Key Performance Indicators: • Efficiency • Effectiveness • Quality and Assurance • Quality Assurance Framework • Compliance Indicator • Service Guarantee and Service Delivery Plan • Business reallocation Section 2.18

26. Transition • Principles: • Continuity of employment services • Job seekers: • stay with their current provider where possible • referred to Employment Provider services taking into account their individual circumstances • Continue to support connections between employers and job seekers where possible • Support future arrangements • IT development Section 2.19

27. Work for the Dole Coordinators

28. Work for the Dole Coordinator Objectives • Finding places that provide job seekers with • work-like experiences • skills that are in demand • relevant training Section 3.2

29. Work for the Dole Coordinators • One per Employment Region • Secure places • Collaborate • Risk Assessment • Undertaken by a Competent Person • Media and Promotion Section 3.3

30. Payments • Establishment Fee • Six monthly Service Fee • Place Fee Section 3.5

31. Performance Framework • Key Performance Indicators: • Efficiency • Effectiveness • Quality and Assurance • Contract reallocation Section 3.8

32. New Enterprise Incentive Scheme

33. NEIS objectives • Help job seekers start-up their own small business • Increase financial viability • Increase off-benefit rates • Cut red tape Section 4.2

34. NEIS Service Requirements • Selecting eligible job seekers to undertake NEIS Training • Assessing and approving business plans • Monitoring the performance of the business • Providing advice and mentor support Chapter 4.4

35. NEIS Payments and contracting • Up to $5580 for each participant • Up to three Providers per Employment Region • Key Performance Indicators: • Efficiency • Effectiveness • Quality and Assurance • Business Reallocation Sections 4.8 , 4.10 and 4.11

36. Harvest Labour

37. Objective of Harvest Labour Services • Supply labour to meet the needs of growers • Mobilise workers from outside a Harvest Area • Connect people on income support Section 5.2.1

38. Harvest Labour Services • Identify, promote and refer job seekers • Payments: • Service Fee of $53 900 per quarter • Placement fee of $49.50 • Harvest Areas decided through the tender process. • Annual performance assessment Chapter 5

39. Objectives of National Harvest Labour Information Service • Develop and disseminate information about harvest related work Section 5.4.1

40. National Harvest Labour Information Service • The Service will: • produce an electronic Harvest Guide • maintain information on the Harvest Trail website • deliver a free-call national telephone service • Single provider • Service Fees by competitive Tender Section 5

41. Employment Services 2015-2020 Purchasing Arrangements

42. Request for Tender Overview • Probity • Purchasing Process • Tender Lodgement • Selection Criteria • Feedback Chapter 6 and 7

43. Probity Principles • Fairness and impartiality • Consistency and transparency • Encouraging competition and participation • Identifying and managing conflicts of interest • Security and confidentiality • Compliance with relevant legislative obligations and the Commonwealth Procurement Rules • Establishing and maintaining a clear audit trail. Section 6.1

44. Purchasing Process • This is a Procurement • Commonwealth Procurement Rules apply • Value for money principles • Consideration of risk to Commonwealth Section 6.2

45. Communication Protocol • Minimise risk • Meetings with Ministers and the Department • Questions about the RFT Appendix E

46. Eligibility to Tender • Australian Government Departments • Group tendering • Competing entities • Collusion and improper influence • Conflict of interest Section 6.4.9

47. Selection Criteria

48. Referees • Current employment services providers • Tenderers that do not provide employment services Section 7.12.3

49. Electronic Tender Lodgement • Electronic tender lodgement conditions • Only with AusTender (www.tenders.gov.au) • Application forms • Corrections and additions • Incomplete tenders or non competitive tenders Section 6.5.2

50. Late and non-conforming tenders • Tenders will be excluded if: • Lodged incorrectly or late • Not written in English Section 6.5