Consider social procurement
When buying for the Queensland Government, consider how you can adopt a responsible public procurement approach, by pursuing social procurement.
Social procurement is when buyers use their purchasing power to generate social value in addition to the goods and services they require.
How to find genuine, quality social enterprise
To find Social Traders certified social enterprises, you can access the Social Traders Social Enterprise Finder.
Benefits of social procurement
- Creates job and employment opportunities through smarter procurement processes, targeted clauses and specifications in contracts, and better informed government buyers.
- Addresses complex local challenges.
- Promotes fair and ethical trade.
- Enhances social inclusion, giving vulnerable groups the opportunity to participate in the community and the economy.
- Increases supplier diversity by engaging social benefit suppliers to play a larger role in delivery of government contracts.
What to consider when buying
- Ensure social value is pursued when undertaking your procurement activities.
- Before buying, seek advice from Queensland Government Procurement, your legal team, and organisations established to support social benefit suppliers.
- Make sure social procurement clauses in tenders or contracts are proportional—make it achievable for suppliers to fulfil their social benefit obligations.
How to achieve social procurement
Here are some of the many effective ways to deliver social value when buying for government.
- Buy from Social Benefit Suppliers (this includes social enterprises, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander businesses, and/or enterprises that support people with a disability).
- Include social clauses in tenders and contracts—ask that a portion of work be completed by a Social Benefit Supplier, or require mainstream suppliers to deliver social value such as employment opportunities for disadvantaged Queenslanders.
- Consider the local community you are buying for—how could you make a positive difference through your choice of supplier?
- Purchase fair trade products.
- Seek out organisations that provide employment to disadvantaged Queenslanders; for example, organisations that provide opportunities for people with a disability.
Understanding social procurement
This animated video highlights how there is always an opportunity for government buyers to undertake social procurement.
Social procurement buyer toolkit
Note: These documents will be progressively reviewed as part of Buy Queensland 2023 implementation.
- Social Procurement – Quick Reference Guide (PDF, 201KB) (DOCX, 99KB)
- Frequently asked questions
- Social procurement guide (PDF, 368KB) (DOCX, 406KB)
- Social procurement - example clauses for tenders and contracts (PDF, 720KB)
- Diversity in supply arrangements guide (PDF, 198KB) (DOCX, 367KB)
- Social enterprise certification guide (PDF, 65KB)
- Sustainability guide (PDF, 566KB)
- Ending Domestic and Family Violence (PDF, 267KB)
Social procurement in action
- Supporting First Nations jobs and improving lives one blade at a time!
- Yoga on the Inside and the Queensland Corrective Services – using yoga to help reduce recidivism
- Xceptional - Building a more diverse workforce - social procurement case study
- Department of Education and WV Technologies - social procurement case study
- QBuild and Woodford Correctional Centre
- Digital solution for the Department of Transport and Main Roads delivers social impact for people with disability
- RoadTek - social procurement case study
- TransLink and HELP - social procurement case study
- Building and Asset Services and Yourtown
- Substation33 – Social enterprise helps overcome 'digital divide'
- Ability Enterprises – Employing all abilities wins success
- Social procurement partnership helps prisoners create a better future
- A partnership with a difference!
Resources
- Social Traders Social Enterprise Finder
- SupplyNation
- Black Business Finder
- Buyability - Directory
- Queensland Social Enterprise Council - membership directory
- Queensland Government Building and Construction Training Policy
Associations and organisations
- Queensland Social Enterprise Council (QSEC)
- Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts
- Social Traders
- ArcBlueBuyability