Buying from the P&MS Scheme guide

1. For help in determining the need for professional services, view professional services.
2. Review the P&MS Scheme guide, including the guidelines for agencies DOCX, 2338.23 KB.
3. Identify the type of professional service you need using the list of engagement types.
4. Use your agency’s project brief template to define the need and scope, including:
   • identifying the problem to solve
   • when you need the solution by
   • how long the project will take
   • why you need a specialist or independent view
   • how much it will cost
   • the kind of engagement you need.
5. If you need professional services under engagement types 1 to 12, you must apply the standard commercial framework.

1. Identify P&MS Scheme suppliers matching the engagement type. There are 2 types of prequalification under the P&MS Scheme:
   • full prequalification: a detailed evaluation of the supplier’s capabilities and experience is done as part of their application to the scheme. These suppliers have no value limit.
   • base level prequalification: a streamlined prequalification for newly established businesses, allowing suppliers to be approved for low-risk engagements valued up to $50,000 (including GST).
2. For engagement types 1 to 12, check if the suppliers have accepted the standard commercial framework.

You must first get approval from your department secretary, executive agency head or cluster chief finance officer before engaging with suppliers that have not accepted the standard commercial framework.

1. Develop a statement of works using your agency’s statement of works template.
2. Check your agency’s procurement policies, procedures and thresholds relating to consultancy services (if applicable) and seek advice from your agency’s procurement team.
3. Check the P&MS Scheme guidelines for agencies DOCX, 2338.23 KB for rules relating to the engagement value threshold, to identify the approach to market you should take. Base suppliers are only permitted for low-risk engagements under $50,000 (including GST).  If your engagement is over $50,000 (including GST) you must use fully prequalified suppliers.
4. Develop a procurement strategy using your agency’s procurement strategy template.
5. Obtain approvals as per your agency’s procurement policies and procedures.

1. Prepare your request for quote specification and response document using your agency’s templates or the part A – specification DOCX, 270.42 KB and part B – response XLSM, 389.87 KB templates.
2. Develop an evaluation plan using your agency’s templates or in consultation with your agency’s procurement team.  You can also use the commercial comparison tool XLSM, 867.19 KB.
3. Issue the RFx.

Your RFx should include:

• statement of works
• specification
• response document
• the supplier engagement compliance checklist SCF XLSM, 92.85 KB (or the Word version DOCX, 68.85 KB) for the supplier to submit with their proposal.

For engagement types 1 to 12 where suppliers are compliant to the standard commercial framework:

• if the engagement is less than $250,000 (excluding GST), seek a minimum of one written quotation
• if the engagement is greater than $250,000 (excluding GST), seek a minimum of 3 written quotations.

Note, Base suppliers are only permitted for low risk engagements under $50,000 (including GST) as per the guidelines for agencies DOCX, 2338.23 KB.

For engagement types 1 to 12 where suppliers have not accepted the standard commercial framework, you must first get approval from your department secretary, executive agency head or cluster chief finance officer before going to market.

For engagement types 14 to 15:

• if the engagement is less than $150,000 (including GST), seek a minimum of one written quotation
• if the engagement is greater than $150,000 (including GST), seek a minimum of 3 written quotations.

Some suppliers for engagement types 14 and 15 have rate cards. Contact NSW Procurement Service Centre to check.

1. Evaluate the proposals as per your evaluation plan. Your agency’s templates or the commercial comparison tool XLSM, 867.19 KB can be used to evaluate proposals.
2. For engagement types 1 to 12, check the proposals comply with the standard commercial framework using the supplier engagement compliance checklist SCF XLSM, 92.85 KB

Your department secretary, executive agency head or cluster chief finance officer must approve all engagements with suppliers who have not accepted the standard commercial framework and any proposals that do not comply with the standard commercial framework.

1. Get approval before accepting a quote by following your agency’s processes. Your department secretary, executive agency head or cluster chief finance officer must approve:
   • engagements with suppliers that have not accepted the standard commercial framework
   • proposals that do not comply with the standard commercial framework
   • engagements relating to high-end strategy advice.
2. Accept the preferred quote.
3. The negotiation pack can be used for negotiation. Refer to your agency’s procurement team and guidelines regarding negotiation.
4. Apply your agency’s procurement policies and procedures for awarding the contract and establish the agreement using the appropriate standard form of agreement.
5. Publish a contract award notification for engagements greater than $150,000 (including GST). You should do this within 45 working days from the contract effective date.
6. Complete mandatory reporting requirements.
7. Refer to your agency’s annual reporting procedures for consultancy engagements. Read more  about the definition of a consultant.
8. Debrief unsuccessful suppliers. Provide constructive feedback to help them submit more competitive offers in the future. Use the supplier debriefing template XLSX, 29.5 KB.