Number: 2025/17
Issue Date: 01/07/2025
Review Date: 30/06/2029
Policy
Government departments and agencies, non SES-organisations and other statutory office holders (including but not limited to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administrative Investigations, the Public Sector Commissioner, the Information Commissioner, the Inspector of Custodial Services, and any similar office) are to prepare and submit details of all Consultants engaged on contracts for services valued at $50,000 or above, for each six-month period to 30 June and 31 December each year, to their relevant Minister’s Office within five weeks of the end of each six month period. Statutory office holders are required to comply to the extent that it is consistent with their enabling legislation and the independent performance of their functions.
The information is to be submitted in accordance with the format shown at Appendix 1 and is to be approved by the Chief Executive Officer.
Ministerial Offices are required to collate returns provided in accordance with this circular and submit these to the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (the Department) within eight weeks of the end of each six-month period.
Background
Consistent with this Government’s commitment to openness and accountability, details of contracts valued at $50,000 and above awarded by Government departments and agencies and non SES-organisations that are subject to the Procurement Act 2020, are available on Tenders WA at www.tenders.wa.gov.au.
A six-monthly summary of consultants engaged on contracts for services valued at $50, 000 and above will also be prepared which will include details of both new and ongoing consultancy arrangements. Government may table these summaries in Parliament.
For the purpose of this circular, a consultant is considered to be any person engaged on a fee-for-service basis to provide strategic advice for Government to act on. A definition of strategic advice, along with criteria for the reports to be included and examples, is provided at Appendix 2.
It does not include contractors who are engaged to provide a service that does not involve the provision of strategic advice to Government. Nor does it include functional advice for departments and agencies and non-SES organisations to act on such as reviews of departmental computing needs, management audits or tender assessments.
The Department collates returns from Ministerial Offices to produce a six-monthly summary report to Government that may be tabled in Parliament. The Department may seek further information on the purpose of engagement provided by each department or agency or non SES-organisation, to determine if they meet the definition for inclusion in the summary report and to ensure consistent reporting.
Ministers and agencies and non SES-organisations should submit a nil return if there were no current or new consultant arrangements during the period.
Roger Cook MLA
PREMIER
Other relevant Circulars: n/a
Circular/s replaced by this Circular: 2016/02, 2019/06, 2021/17
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