Commonwealth Government: Management Advisory Services Panel - Refresh 2

Written By Richard Smith

The Commonwealth Government of Australia has announced that it will accept applications to join its Management Advisory Services Panel (MAS Panel) in February 2025 (Refresh 2). Refresh 2 applies to Corporate and Commercial Service Areas.

What are the Corporate and Commercial Areas?

Corporate and Commercial Areas are set out under the MAS Panel as being ‘Corporate Management Advisory Services’ and ‘Commercial Management Advisory Services’. Essentially they include:

Corporate Management Advisory Services

  • Organisational planning and development - including Business strategy and improvement; Change management; Business performance reviews; Business continuity

  • Human Resources - including Capability and performance; Workforce management

  • Corporate Governance - including Governance structures and performance; Compliance and fraud

  • Internal Audit - including Audit and assurance

Commercial Management Advisory Services

  • Government Policy - including Policy development and analysis; Legislation (non-legal); Privacy advice and assurances (non-legal)

  • Programs and Projects - including Program/Project development and design; Program/Project Management; Program/Project evaluation

  • Procurement and Probity - including Strategic procurement advice; Contract Management; Probity Advisory Services (non-legal); Probity Auditing Services (non-legal)

  • Risk - including Strategic Risk Management

  • Research - including Research and data collection

It is worth noting that while the MAS Panel includes privacy and data breaches as areas, if these relate to IT issues then the Government’s preference will be to utilise the BuyICT Panel to access this expertise. The BuyICT Panel is currently open for submissions and will close in early February 2025. See here for an overview of the Commonwealth Government’s BuyICT Panel.

Out of scope services

The following areas are out of the MAS Panel’s scope:

  • contracted labour hire

  • ICT consultancy service (see above comment re BuyICT Panel)

  • property consultancy services

  • environmental management and assessments

  • legal services that are provided under the Whole of Australian Government Legal Services Panel

  • learning and development, and training services

  • the engagement of an eminent person or prominent individual appointed by an entity to provide particular services

  • specialist consultancy services required by a Commonwealth entity that do not fall under any of the Service Categories.

So what is the purpose of the MAS Panel?

The Commonwealth Government has stated that the purpose of the MAS Panel is to provided “commonly used Management Advisory Services”, which it further defines as being:

“the provision of professional, independent advice, and other strategic services that involve the development of an intellectual output which represents the independent view of the Service Provider and assists with entity decision-making.”

However, as with most Government related panels, a rigorous procurement process sits behind this and the MAS Panel is no different with its goals being set as:

  • improved quality, consistency and efficiency of purchasing commonly used management advisory (consultancy) services with standard terms and conditions, a performance management framework and capped fee structures

  • replacing multiple panel arrangements across the Commonwealth with a single panel arrangement

  • cost savings and efficiencies for industry by reducing administration and tendering efforts

  • efficiencies for Commonwealth entities by reducing the time and effort to contract with industry

  • increased transparency through improved data and reporting.

What happens if we are not on the MAS Panel panel?

If you provide any of the above services and are not on the MAS Panel, then your ability to provide these services to Commonwealth Government agencies and departments will be seriously diminished as this is the primary panel Commonwealth Government sources these types of services. Tenders that are issued under this panel are “invitation only” to those appointed to the relevant area.

How can Bid Wizard help?

The team at Bid Wizard were actively involved supporting a client with their submissions in 2020 and 2021 and we are fully familiar with some of the quirks of this application process - including being able to help navigate the Commonwealth Government’s Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements and the need for referees to submit feedback prior to the closing date.

Anything else?

  • If you are currently on the MAS Panel, you do not need to re-tender

  • Applications are scheduled to open in February 2025.

  • Further information relating to the MAS Panel can be found here.

Get in touch if you need assistance.

BidWizard

Richard Smith
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