Department of Education and WV Technologies

A partnership between the Department of Education and WV Technologies is supporting the department’s Computers for Teachers program whilst also providing employment opportunities for at risk Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youths.

Opportunity

The Department of Education’s (DoE) Computers for Teachers program provides computers to every teacher, working at least 2 days a week, in Queensland state schools.

With an annual purchasing schedule of up to 18,000 devices per year, and a requirement that every teacher is provided with a new device every 4 years, DoE saw an opportunity to advance the government’s economic, environmental, and social objectives (Queensland Procurement Policy 2021 (QPP)) through the provision of collection and cleansing of the equipment.

Solution

To source a capable supplier for the ‘Collection and Disposal’ category of work, DoE undertook a Request for Quotation (RfQ) process from those suppliers listed in the ‘End User Computing’ standing offer arrangement.

In their response to the RfQ, WV Technologies demonstrated their capability and capacity to provide high quality, value-for-money, services. This included being the first Australian company to be NAID AAA certified for their data sanitisation and destruction services.

In addition to their strong commercial offering, WV Technologies, as a Social Traders certified social enterprise, and registered Supply Nation Indigenous business, also represented an opportunity for DoE to deliver on the QPP commitment to increase procurement spend with Indigenous businesses and social enterprises. With the equipment also being repurposed and resold or recycled, WV Technologies is also supporting a circular economy.

Outcome

WV Technologies was successful with their submission and were awarded a 2-year contract.

DoE have been very happy with the quality of their service offering and importantly this contract has supported WV Technologies to continue to provide employment opportunities for their Indigenous employees.

The contract has also supported their major shareholder, the Worldview Foundation (an Indigenous registered charity) to commence planning the implementation of their holistic life and employment program here in Queensland. They provide coaching, mentoring, health -and nutrition advice, vocational education and training to at-risk Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youths.

WV Technologies reported that “We were thrilled to be approved for this project as it significantly contributes to our mission of supporting young Indigenous members of our community”

This partnership aligned with several of the DoE existing priorities, including closing the gap initiatives and providing opportunities for young Indigenous students. This process has demonstrated the extra value that can be delivered when working with suppliers that positively shape the lives of disadvantaged Queenslanders, whilst providing quality services to Queensland Government.

For support and assistance on how your next procurement activity can support people from marginalised backgrounds, please email socialprocurement@epw.qld.gov.au