On this page
- Why we assess sellers
- How it works
- Two-step process
- Value for money
- Corporate capability
- Technical competency
- Seller pricing
- Further help
Why we assess sellers
We want all buyers on the Marketplace to be confident of sourcing the best possible seller for their needs. With this in mind, all sellers on the Marketplace are required to meet a set of minimum standards. Only sellers who successfully pass our value for money assessment can respond to opportunities.
How it works
Sellers submit their application to join the panel through an online process. It's thorough, efficient, simple, and fair. The process ensures:
- the application process is consistent, transparent and fair for all sellers
- all documents and information needed to assess a sellers application is collected
- each application is assessed by an independent assessment team
- financial, commercial, and technical capability criteria are met
Two-step process of assessment
Sellers go through a two-step process of assessment when they first apply to join the Marketplace.
- Step 1 is when we assess a seller's commercial capabilities and they first become a registered seller.
- Step 2 is when we assess a seller’s pricing and technical capabilities. This is when a seller becomes an approved seller on the Marketplace, and can start responding to opportunities.
Value for money
Value for money (VFM) is part of the comprehensive assessment of sellers on the Marketplace. To assess VFM, both the cost and value of the service being offered by you is considered. This is represented by the pricing as represented by your maximum daily rate and technical and commercial capabilities. The Marketplace also asks for a comparable level of pricing across all sellers, to ensure that businesses offer value for money to government buyers.
Corporate capability
An independent assessment team conducts corporate capability checks. This ensures:
- seller businesses are active, with an ABN that matches the business name
- company details and locations are valid (or are part of a larger company group)
- all disclosures are reviewed internally for risk
- financial statements, professional indemnity, public liability insurances and workers compensation certificates are valid (buyers can request these documents at any time)
- a seller's website, LinkedIn and business contact information is current and correct
Where indicated, we also check if the seller:
- is a small to medium enterprise (SME)
- is listed on http://www.supplynation.org.au/search
- has been registered in the last five years
- offers recruitment services, such as payroll services
Technical competency
Sellers can select from several areas of expertise. These relate to the services they wish to provide to buyers. Technical competency is assessed against the relevant criteria for each category selected. Every submission is reviewed by two independent experts.
Only requests for assessment that meet the minimum number of assessment criteria for the area of expertise are approved. Sellers are required to request an assessment online.
Read our guidelines on service categories and rates.
Seller pricing
Sellers list their maximum daily rate (including GST) for each service they offer. We use Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) level 5 as a guide. Panel categories and rates helps buyers and sellers understand the market.
Pricing is assessed against rates that have been provided by other sellers. This helps to determine if the price is competitive compared to other sellers.
If sellers don’t normally offer services on a daily basis, they must still provide a rate for assessment purposes.
Further help
If your procurement teams have any questions, please contact us. Buyers can also request a buyer demo or seek guidance on sourcing your digital capability needs.