A partnership with a difference!
Australian Spatial Analytics and the Department of Resources work collaboratively to create regional jobs for a marginalised workforce while delivering value for money and significant community impact.
Opportunity
The Department of Resources (DoR) is the government agency responsible for managing Queensland's natural and physical resources. Ensuring up-to-date spatial data about Queensland resources provides essential information for a range of purposes, including accessibility to road and access points for emergency services.
DoR required professional road and address validation services to ensure the Sunshine Coast Regional data is current.
In alignment with the Queensland Procurement Policy (QPP) 2023 responsible procurement approach, DoR recognised the opportunity to support regional businesses, including small and medium enterprises. In doing so DoR also delivered social outcomes through the engagement of a social enterprise.
DoR used an existing standing offer arrangement (SOA) for a targeted procurement process. Selected vendors were invited to quote on the project, ensuring value for money and adherence to Queensland Government procurement policies.
Solution
Following a rigorous competitive request for quote (RFQ) procurement process, Australian Spatial Analytics (ASA), a medium-sized regional business was selected to deliver the package of work based on their price, expertise on the delivery of similar projects, and their significant social value contribution as a Social Traders certified social enterprise.
Through the RFQ process, ASA exhibited expertise in geospatial mapping, data cleansing and quality. The neurodiverse team were able to undertake large volumes of work, with demonstrable excellence in accuracy. ASA identified the work as being within their realm of expertise and capability and provided a competitive bid.
Outcome
ASA successfully delivered updated Queensland Roads and Tracks (QRT) and location address datasets. Covering a selected area across 45 Sunshine Coast suburbs, this included processing and validating more than 21,000 road features, 43,000 addresses and more than 100,000 property access points.
With unemployment rates for neurodiverse people in Australia estimated to be more than 10 times the national average1, ASA is providing employment for more than 100 people, with 80% of their analysts identifying as neurodiverse.
Based in Cairns, this project not only provided new employment to a third of the ASA project team, it also provided employment within a Queensland regional centre. These employees are now in the thriving profession of geographic information system (GIS). This project also enabled 10 analysts to undergo specialised training, as well as leading to 2 analysts presenting at the Far North Queensland GIS User Group Conference (FunGIS) and subsequently invited to the join the FunGIS Executive Committee.
ASA focuses on the societal need to digitise for diversity and believes neurodiverse people should be a part of the digital ecosystem. Their distinct cognitive talents (including pattern recognition, concentration, and memory retention) will enable them to excel as digital professionals.
ASA and DoR will continue to build on this collaborative relationship. DoR is currently considering opportunities to use ASA's neurodiverse staff for future projects.
Government buyers can find out more about Australian Spatial Analytics on the Social Traders Portal. For support and assistance on how your next procurement activity can support engagement with a social enterprise, please email socialprocurement@epw.qld.gov.au .