6.2 Purchasing
The NBA adheres to the principles of the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines and Best Practice Guidance when undertaking procurement. The guidelines are applied to the NBA’s activities through the Chief Executive’s and management instructions and key business processes (KBP).
As one of the NBA’s key functions — to procure blood and blood-related products — the NBA has developed KBPs to ensure that all procedures and processes are documented and followed. This year the NBA developed and implemented a non-blood procurement KBP to be used by staff when procuring non-blood product goods and services. The NBA internal auditor has over the last three years, completed a number of audit programs that tested this process within the NBA to ensure that it meets government policy and better practice. The audit findings were consistently favourable in complying with mandatory processes and offered the NBA some improvement opportunities to deliver an optimal process for the future. The findings are being implemented. The KBP will be continually reviewed and refined as part of the NBA’s own requirement for continual improvement in the management of its core business functions.
The NBA completed a number of open source procurements during 2007–08 in line with the annual procurement plan. The key procurements for 2007–08 were arrangements for:
- Standing Offer Arrangement for the Supply of Imported Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg)
- Provision of software and management solution for operation of the Australian Bleeding Disorders Registry (ABDR)
- Standing Offer Arrangements for the supply of diagnostic reagents
- Third Party Review of the Australian Red Cross Blood Service’s governance arrangements
- Third Party Review of the Distribution Arrangements for Blood Products
The NBA has outsourced all air travel bookings. As part of our service delivery requirements with our provider, the NBA requires ’best fare of the day’ when procuring air travel for all NBA employees. As part of the Australian Government requirements, the NBA is also required to set a minimum smaller airlines use of 25% on the Canberra-Sydney route for officers undertaking official air travel.
The NBA administered no discretionary grants during 2007–08.
Exempt contracts
The Chief Executive Officer did not issue any exemptions from the required publication of any contract or standing offer in the Purchasing and Disposal Gazette during 2007–08.
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