Title: AAT Annual Report 2010-11 Appendix 10 [RTF version]
Author: Novello, Mary
Company: Administrative Appeals Tribunal

Administrative Appeals Tribunal Annual Report 2010–11

Appendix 10: consultancies and other reporting requirements
This appendix provides more detailed information on certain consultancies let during the reporting year and information on a range of other matters that must be included in the Tribunal’s annual report.
Consultancies
Table A10.1 sets out information on consultancies that were let during 2010–11 with the value of the services of $10,000 or more. The contract price includes GST.
The selection process for each consultancy, described below, is consistent with the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines.
Open tender: A procurement procedure in which a request for tender is published inviting all businesses that satisfy the conditions for participation to submit tenders. Public tenders are generally sought from the Australian Government AusTender internet site.
Select tender: A procurement procedure in which the procuring agency selects which potential suppliers are invited to submit tenders (this includes tenders submitted through Multi Use Lists). This procurement process may only be used under certain defined circumstances.
Direct sourcing: A form of restricted tendering, available only under certain defined circumstances, with a single potential supplier or suppliers being invited to bid because of their unique expertise and/or their special ability to supply the goods and/or services sought.
Panel: An arrangement under which a number of suppliers, initially selected through an open tender process, may each supply property or services to an agency as specified in the panel arrangements. Quotes are sought from suppliers that have pre-qualified on the agency panels to supply to the government. This category includes standing offers and supplier panels where the supply of goods and services may be provided for a pre-determined length of time, usually at a pre-arranged price.
The table also shows the justification for the decision to use each consultancy, according to the following key:
A — the skills currently unavailable within agency
B — need for specialised or professional skills
C — need for independent research or assessment.
Table A10.1 Consultancy services let during 2010–11
Name of Consultant | Description | Contract price | Selection process | Justification
Azure Pty Ltd | Development of an e-Services Plan | $29,131 | Direct sourcing | A
Australian Valuation Office | Asset Revaluation | $13,000 | Direct Sourcing | B
Total | | | $42,131 | |
Table A10.2 shows the number of consultancies let by the Tribunal in the three most recent reporting years with contract value of $10,000 or more, including GST.
Table A10.2 Trends in consultancy services let
Year | No. of consultancies | Total contract value
2008–09 | 1 | $10,141
2009–10 | 1 | $142,966
2010–11 | 2 | $42,131
Advertising and market research 
The Tribunal did not conduct any market research in 2010–11.
Non-campaign advertising expenditure of $16,425 was paid to Adcorp Australia for advertising employment vacancies.
Discretionary grants
The Tribunal does not administer any grants programs.
Ecologically sustainable development
The Tribunal is a review body and therefore does not administer policy that has a major effect on the environment. The Tribunal gives consideration to the ecologically sustainable principles when arranging new leases and refurbishments. No leases or refurbishments were due in 2010-11.
Environmental performance
The Tribunal is a review body and therefore does not administer policy that has a major effect on the environment. The Tribunal limits its impact on the environment in day-to-day administrative functions by implementing simple staff-based measures such as switching off lights, recycling office waste and encouraging leasing of vehicles with a higher Green rating. The Tribunal also participates in awareness raising activities such as Earth Hour.

Table A10.3 Environmental performance reporting
Theme | Steps taken to reduce effect | Measures to review and improve reducing the effect

Energy efficiency

Perth Registry has installed a movement sensor switch on public lighting that will reduce power use in the future. 
Asking staff to switch off lights when offices and meeting rooms are not in use.
Energy ratings of office machines are a consideration when replacement is necessary.

General energy consumption across all registries fell by a small amount during the reporting year.

Vehicles | Ensuring that the average Green rating of the Tribunal’s leased vehicles is as high as possible. | All of the Tribunal’s 17 leased vehicles have a Green rating greater than 10. Seven are hybrid vehicles with a rating of 17.5. Petrol consumption across the Tribunal rose slightly during the reporting year due to additional kilometres travelled, but average fuel efficiency remained constant at 10l/100km.

Waste

Recycling office waste.

All registries recycle paper. 
Two registries also recycle glass, plastics and metals, and two other registries recycle toner cartridges. Opportunities for extended recycling will be reviewed in 2011–12. 
As the Tribunal uses whole-of-building recycling schemes, separate data on recycling quantities is not currently available.

Water | The Tribunal installs water saving devices such as dual-flush cisterns and waterless urinals in any new updates to premises. | The Tribunal is not able to access data on water consumption in each of its tenancies, as there are no separate water meters.

Appendix 10