Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
Cox Inall Ridgeway, in partnership with Urbis, undertook the Year One Review of the Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) on behalf of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. The IPP was developed to create opportunities for Indigenous businesses to be awarded Commonwealth contracts and, in doing so, increase employment opportunities within Indigenous businesses. The IPP seeks to leverage the Commonwealth’s $59b annual procurement spend to accelerate the growth and development of Indigenous businesses.
Our methodology for this review comprised seven key research components, and targeted a wide range of participant groups, including Indigenous business owners, Indigenous business sector stakeholders - including Chambers’ of Commerce and peak bodies whose members have a key interest in the success of the policy - and Commonwealth procurement officers.
Research activities we undertook to deliver this research included:
- A data analysis of procurement reporting data provided by the 19 Commonwealth portfolios
- A survey of all Indigenous business registered on Supply Nation’s Indigenous Business Direct
- A series of qualitative interviews with Commonwealth portfolio procurement officers, including Senior Executive Service (SES) staff and commonwealth buyers A focus group with senior leaders across the Indigenous business sector
- Qualitative interviews with Indigenous business, spanning a range of locations, industries and capturing positive and negative procuring experiences
- Progress reports and a final report delivered over the course of the project
Central to the successful delivery of this project was our ability to develop an appropriate consultation framework, which allowed input from a broad range of stakeholders involved in the implementation of the policy.