Standing Offer Panel - Vocational Education & Training

Background
Defence is one of the largest vocational education and training (VET) providers in Australia. Forces Comand is one of four Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) in Defence. As the Army RTO, Forces Command is responsible for ensuring that all Army personnel have the competencies which they require to perform their jobs. Training covers from basic life skills through trade and professional courses to post-graduate qualifications. Employment categories include jobs as diverse as musician through to helicopter pilot.

FORCOMD has over 1,100 training and education courses that it delivers in 42 training establishments distributed in every state and territory in Australia.
FORCOMD delivers:
a. Over 400 VET Qualifications;
b. 1.5 million training days per year;
c. up to 5,000 students in training each day; and
d. 40,000 training opportunities per year.

Objectives
The primary objective of SOPVET is to deal with peak workloads and special initiatives related to VET projects.

Key to achieving this objective is the rapid, efficient and cost effective acquisition of goods and/or services, which FORCOMD requires to analyse, design, develop, evaluate and continue to improve education and training of Defence personnel.

SOPVET provides a panel of Service Providers who have been qualified for specific VET Service Categories with agreed conditions of contract, administrative arrangements, and maximum service rates and miscellaneous charges. This will considerably reduce the required duration, resources and costs involved in the administration of procurement of VET services.

SOPVET also facilitates the monitoring and on-going performance reporting of contracted Services Providers through standard assessment templates, key performance indicators (KPIs) and processes, which will be available to all future SOPVET users.

SOPVET improves customer relations between Forces Command and Services Providers through arrangements equitably applied to all Service Providers and formal performance assessment, feedback, continuous improvements to contract administration and project management.

These activities have established strategic relationships between Forces Command and the Australian training community. Improved concepts, principles, techniques and technologies can be imported into Forces Command from the private sector and other training establishments.

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SOPVET - Refresh

REFRESH OF THE STANDING OFFER PANEL for VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Introduction
Headquarters Forces Command (HQFORCOMD) has completed a Refresh of the Standing Offer Panel for Vocational Education and Training (SOPVET). An additional ten Qualified Service Providers (QSPs) have been included within the SOPVET Service Category panels bringing the total to thirty-one SOPVET panellists.
The Refresh has also taken into account feedback from customers and QSPs with enhancements implemented to SOPVET templates and procedures to improve ease of use, efficiency and effectiveness.

Background
The establishment of SOPVET in 2007 has improved turn around times for procuring external professional services for Defence. Since commencement of the 2009 calendar year 67% of requests have been turned around in less than one month and 100% in less than two months. In the 2008 calendar year, there were thirty-three SOPVET projects worth a total of $3,984,124.00 contracted with 30% completed within one month and 85% in less than two months.

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SOPVET - Service Category Scope

Forces Command established SOPVET to enable it to rapidly acquire consultancy and other training support services to enhance its capabilities. The following VET Service Categories are included within SOPVET:

1. Defence Training Model (DTM)

a. DTM Analysis: the need for training is analysed and specified.

b. DTM Design: the assessment and learning strategies for training are selected, along with strategies for evaluating the whole process for preparing for and then conducting training. The objective of these strategies is to ensure that the learning is achieved as efficiently and effectively as possible, and that it meets the original requirement.

c. DTM Development: the material and equipment used to deliver training and assess outcomes are obtained, all resources contributing to training are prepared, and a trial of the whole program and/or course is conducted.

d. DTM Evaluation: a check is performed to assess how well training has prepared trainees for the workplace and, related to this, whether the original workplace performance requirements have been met.

DTM: Defence Training Model as described in Doctrine and Training Series ADFP 7.0.2 - The Defence Training Model (16/03/2005)

2. Specialist Training Research and Consultancy

The services of training research and consultancy Service Providers, that are highly skilled and experienced in one or more aspects and/or areas of training, including preparation of Doctrine, VET business case plans, research into training techniques and technologies, research into vocational - trade - industrial areas, educational and post-secondary VET research, and other areas of specialist training research and consultancy.

3. Management Consulting

The services of management consultancy Service Providers, that have broad skill sets and highly experienced personnel within the consultancy industry, especially in government and/or military type organisations.

4. ICT Consultancy & Services

the services of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) consultancy Service Providers, that have broad skill sets and highly experienced personnel within the consultancy industry, especially in government and/or military type organisations.

5. Training Support Recruitment Agency

The services of Training Recruitment Agencies, in order to contract specifically skilled staff for periods of a few weeks to twelve or more months. These contract personnel will be under the direct management of Defence personnel.

Excluded from scope of SOPVET: provision of services to assist with:
- DTM's Conduct Phase (actual presentation of courses);
- Human Resource Management and Career Counselling;
- musical performance and instruction;
- role playing; and
- doctrine editing and copywriting.

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SOPVET Panellists (QSPs)

1. DTM Analysis, (Design, Development and Evaluation) Services

Aerospace Training Services Pty Ltd
Aurecon Australia Pty Ltd
Australian Aerospace Ltd
BAE Systems Pty Ltd
Booz & Company (Australia) Pty Ltd
CIT Solutions Pty Limited
Fortis Consulting Pty Ltd
Hypatia Consulting Pty Ltd
Jacobs Australia Pty Ltd
Kangan Batman TAFE
Kellogg Brown and Root Pty Ltd
Noetic Solutions Pty Ltd
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
Scientific Management Associates (Operations) Pty Ltd
SMS Consulting Group Ltd
Training System Services Pty Ltd
VIPAC Engineering & Scientists Ltd
Workforce Training Solutions Ltd

2. Specialist Training Research and Consultancy Services

Aurecon Australia Pty Ltd
Australian Aerospace Limited
Booz & Company (Australia) Pty Ltd
Charles Darwin University
CIT Solutions Pty Limited
First Intervention Pty Ltd
JPG Partners Pty Ltd
Monash University
Noetic Solutions Pty Ltd
Queensland University of Technology
Risk Response Rescue
SmithComyn & Associates
TafeSA - Department of Further Education, Employment and Technology
Training System Services Pty Ltd
VIPAC Engineering & Scientists Ltd

3. Management Consultancy Services

Booz & Company (Australia) Pty Ltd
CMD Business Solutions Pty Ltd
Kellogg Brown and Root Pty Ltd
Fortis Consulting Pty Ltd
Noetic Solutions Pty Ltd
Queensland University of Technology
SMS Consulting Group Ltd
VIPAC Engineering & Scientists Ltd

4. ICT Consultancy Services

BAE Systems Pty Ltd
Booz & Company (Australia) Pty Ltd
Calytrix Technology Pty Ltd
CMD Business Solutions Pty Ltd
Kellogg Brown and Root Pty Ltd
Queensland University of Technology
SMS Consulting Group Ltd

5. Training Support Recruitment Agency Services

Aurecon Australia Pty Ltd
Catalyst Recruitment Systems
Defence Directions Recruitment Solutions Pty Ltd
Drake Australia Pty Ltd
SMS Consulting Group Ltd