Trigger event management for accredited agencies
- A trigger event is any situation that could impact an agency's procurement capability and capacity.
- When a trigger event happens, accredited agencies should produce a plan for managing or resolving it, and submit that plan to Procurement Leadership Group (PLG, for goods and services accreditation) or Construction Leadership Group (CLG, for construction accreditation).
- The PLG or CLG will determine if the event should be escalated to the NSW Procurement Board.
- The NSW Procurement Board will determine if further action is needed to manage the trigger event. They will also decide if they need to review, alter or withdraw an agency's accreditation status.
- Templates for trigger event reporting and management are available from NSW Procurement (goods and services accreditation) or Public Works Advisory (construction accreditation).
Trigger events are any circumstances that can potentially impact your agency's procurement capability and capacity.
The NSW Procurement Board can choose to review, alter or even withdraw an agency’s accreditation, depending on how the agency manages a trigger event. They may also redefine trigger events or identify new events, as necessary.
Understand the types of trigger events
Trigger events are relevant for any agency accredited for procurement. This applies whether your agency is accredited for goods and services procurement or construction procurement.
A performance trigger event is any event or circumstance that impacts an accredited agency's performance against the minimum standards required to maintain accreditation.
Performance against standards is measured across 2 or more metrics for 2 consecutive reporting periods.
- Under-performance is where an agency achieves less than 10% of its targets on 2 metrics (for 2 consecutive reporting periods).
- Over-performance is solely a trigger event for agencies accredited for level 1 goods and services procurement. Over-performance means an agency accredited for level 1 goods and services procurement delivers 10% above its target tolerance on 2 metrics (for 2 consecutive reporting periods).
Over-performance for a level 1 accredited agency (goods and services procurement) is an indication that the agency may be ready for level 2 accreditation, or more suited to it.
A machinery of government trigger event is any change in government that materially impacts your procurement function and its structure, capability, processes or systems.
Machinery of government events must be reported to your leadership group.
- For construction accreditation, report to the Construction Leadership Group (CLG).
- For goods and services accreditation, report to the Procurement Leadership Group (PLG).
A significant organisational change that materially impacts the structure, capacity, or processes of a procurement function is a trigger event.
For example, moving the procurement team into a different division or agency is a trigger event.
A significant change in capability stemming from either uplift or loss in the procurement function may be a trigger event for your agency.
A capability change could include, for example, recruiting new procurement specialists or losing procurement specialists to other roles or retirement.
An accredited agency that conducts procurement activities outside the mandatory requirements of policies and relevant government legislation may face review or remediation for non-compliance, or may have their accreditation revoked by the NSW Procurement Board.
This includes requirements for assurance (or concurrence) on behalf of other agencies.
An accredited agency that fails to submit its annual outcomes report by the due date may have its accreditation reviewed or revoked.
This includes any reports outlined in the accreditation program for either goods and services or construction procurement. For example, the agency's annual procurement plan and annual self-assessment attestation.
Respond to a trigger event
As soon as you become aware of a trigger event, your agency must:
- evaluate the trigger event
- notify your leadership group of the findings
- develop a management or action plan for endorsement by the leadership group, if needed.
Report a trigger event to the appropriate leadership group
There are 2 leadership groups, depending on the type of accreditation your agency holds:
- goods and services trigger events are reported to the Procurement Leadership Group (PLG).
- construction trigger events are reported to the Construction Leadership Group (CLG).
The leadership group needs to know that you’ve identified a trigger event. They will manage all trigger events and escalate them to the NSW Procurement Board when needed.
Templates for reporting trigger events and managing your event response are available from NSW Procurement (goods and services accreditation) or Public Works Advisory (construction accreditation).
You must be able to demonstrate what actions you intend to take or are taking. Your agency head (if applicable) and Secretary must approve this plan and send it to the PLG or CLG for endorsement.
Escalate a trigger event to the NSW Procurement Board
If needed, the PLG or CLG will then escalate your report or plan to the NSW Procurement Board.
The board will consider whether to:
- conduct a targeted review and root cause analysis of the trigger event
- vary or withdraw an agency’s accreditation status.
Based on the nature of the trigger event and your ability to enact your trigger event action plan, the board may choose to:
- conduct a targeted review
- vary your accreditation level, or
- cancel your accreditation.
Conduct business as usual during trigger event management
While you’re managing a trigger event, you can still rely on your existing accreditation, so long as you comply with all relevant government legislation and policies.
For a machinery-of-government trigger event, you must notify NSW Procurement as soon as possible.
Read about trigger events for goods and services procurement.