Argus Probity + Procurement - Our Services
ARGUS PROBITY is a panel member to the Standing Offer Arrangement for the provision of External Probity Advisors and Auditors for Procurement QGP0050-18 for the Whole of Government in Queensland, and to the NSW Government SCM0005 - Performance and Management Services Panel for Probity Advisory and Audit Services.
ARGUS PROBITY consultants have over 30 years combined experience in the provision of probity advice to government and private industry.
Current and past major clients include the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Coordinator General & Department of State Development and Infrastructure; Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works; Department of Transport and Main Roads and the TransLink Division; Department of Energy and Climate; Queensland Audit Office; Queensland Health; Department of Fire and Emergency Services; Queensland Police Service; Department of Agriculture and Fisheries; Department of Education; Department of Employment, Small Business and Training; Department of Resources; The Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water; Port of Townsville Limited; South Bank Corporation; Queensland Urban Utilities; Unitywater; Urban Land Development Authority; Brisbane City Council; The Western Corridor Recycled Water Project Pty Ltd; Queensland Water Infrastructure Pty Ltd; Queensland Buillding and Construction Commission; The Australian Public Service Commission; The Office of the Public Trustee; NRT Pty Ltd (OpCo) - South West Rail Link in Sydney; The Gold Coast Light Rail System (GoldLinQ Pty Ltd); The University of Queensland; The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC); The Australian Maritime Authority.
These services included preparation of tender documents, probity plans, evaluation plans, advising on procurement/tender practices, divestment of government assets, major ‘alliances; conducting audit review of process, attending government tender assessment panels and final audit. The specifics, as required include:
1. Draft or Review, revise if necessary, and endorse the procurement documents produced to date including the:
- Sourcing Strategy
- Invitation to Offer Documentation
- Evaluation Plan
- Probity Plan; and
- Evaluation Reports
2. Provide ongoing probity advice throughout the process as required including briefings and ad hoc probity issue advice; and
3. Oversee the process such that Argus Probity may confidently issue a final Probity report as to the good conduct of the procurement process. Oversight of the process is key, as the fluid nature of supplier engagement presents a changing environment over which the Probity Advisor should remain vigilant. In this regard, Argus Probity will maintain a rigorous probity protocol over the process from end to end to ensure that the procurement will conclude on a firm footing.
Argus Probity has developed a wealth of probity experience and expertise by undertaking a large number of projects for Government and major private industry from the most basic to highly complex in nature, across the entire spectrum of industries. Attached below is a substantial sample of the breadth of our probity advisory and auditing experience to demonstrate our versatility. It is important to note that probity is a principle-based body of knowledge, and it is a comprehensive grasp of these principles which allow application across the entire spectrum of projects, regardless of size and complexity.
A comprehensive list of probity projects can be provided upon request.
ARGUS PROBITY has provided probity advice, procurement consultancy, compliance, and audit services across a wide range of projects for the Local, State and Federal Governments and Private Industry in the following Industries and Frameworks:
Project Industry
- Construction, Mining & Infrastructure
- Transport Infrastructure – Rail, Roads, Port
- Utilities Infrastructure – Water & Power Generation
- Health Services
- Information Technology
- Financial Services
- Government Administration
Project Framework
- Open Market Competitive Tendering
- Selective Tendering
- Sole Source Procurement
- Joint Venture with Government
- Public Private Partnership
- Market Led Proposal
- Early Contractor Involvement
- Alliancing
Probity Auditing and Advisors
Qualified Probity Auditors and Advisors to draft or settle Tender Evaluation Plans and Strategic Procurement Plans; attend and report on meetings, and overview the scoring and evaluation or selection process. We monitor and/or review to ensure independence and objective scrutiny, and provide final reporting.
Procurement Implementation, Probity Plans and Probity Structure
Argus Probity observes and reviews the probity framework of projects, particularly high-value, sensitive or complex.
From the outset, we design, manage and implement a procurement project, report, and validate the outcome. Probity Plans are tailored to a specific procurement project or series of projects, developed through early involvement in the procurement or selection process.
We provide whole enterprise probity governance structure designed to meet the probity needs of every facet of complex procurement and governance arrangements. This process applies to government at all levels and to the corporate sector.
Specialists in Probity Governance on Complex, High Risk and High Visibility Projects
Our clients receive only the experience and expertise of the ARGUS PROBITY executive team. This assures our clients that advice is based upon a solid foundation of integrity, knowledge and principle, providing a probity framework for projects regardless of scale or complexity.
We offer a comprehensive range of probity services over the entire course of a project, including:
- Advising on probity principles in the areas of tendering and procurement, handling consultant submissions on draft offer documents, correspondence with stakeholders, early review, impartiality, and conflicts of interest briefings and declarations
- Reviewing offer/tender documents and evaluation/assessment/procurement plans prior to release
- Providing Probity Plans in the initial stages of a project to guide the team’s conduct and activities
- Conducting Probity Inductions of members of Assessment Panels, associated staff and consultants privy to the confidential material and attending to Declarations as to confidentiality and disclosure of conflict of interest
- Observing processes including closing of tenders, key steering committee meetings, evaluation panel meetings and tenderers/proponents interviews and presentations
- Compliance Auditing of the process of procurement to the awarding of the tender or project to ensure probity principles and procedures are met, or whether policy and procedure accords with the enabling legislation
- Advice to Private Corporations on probity governance and protocols, to effectively engage with Government on project delivery
- Training staff in probity principles and procedures and educating them about best practice
- Establishing the procurement process from the outset, and providing management to completion and validation
Probity Auditing & Advice
Need help with the complexities of probity governance and the relative legislative framework?