Good engagement helps create better decisions by bringing the voices of stakeholders into the issues that are relevant to them.
When it comes to procurement, industry engagement is a key step in the process of the government becoming an informed buyer. It also presents an opportunity for businesses to gain exposure, expand their client base, and grow their business.
Why the government engages with industry
When done properly, industry engagement helps the government to:
- foster market participation and collaboration
- refine requirements within a category of goods and services
- get an informed understanding of industries and businesses including insights into their capabilities
- identify and explore new and innovative ideas and solutions
It helps businesses to better understand the government's:
- current and anticipated needs
- interest in encouraging healthy competition, especially between smaller and larger businesses
- commitment to exploring and encouraging innovation
Engaging with the SA Government: Building Industry Connections
The government builds and maintains connections with suppliers, industries and markets in a number of different ways. This video explains what these connections are and how they can benefit you as a supplier.
How the government engages with industry
Industry engagement is broad and no single style of industry engagement works best every time. The government uses different approaches to industry engagement depending on the circumstances such as
SA Government works with the IAG to improve engagement with industry, drive innovation and identify ongoing opportunities to reduce the complexity and costs of tendering for government work.
The IAG comprises representatives from government and various industry sector bodies.
An RFI is a market research tool used to seek information and opinions from a broad range of stakeholders. Typically, an RFI seeks insights from industry that may relate to a range of issues or challenges government is facing in relation to something it wants to buy.
An RFI does not indicate a commitment to any course of action.
Meeting with potential key businesses allows agencies to discuss their needs and requirements and enables suppliers to ask questions and present possible solutions.
Industry events provide an opportunity for businesses to meet with potential buyers.
For example, SA Health’s Annual Supplier Conference and the Industry Advocate's Meet the Buyer events
YourSAY is the South Australian Government's online consultation hub where the general public can have their say and influence government decisions. YourSAy uses a range of online tools including polls, voting, and discussion forums, to enable people to express their views directly to the government.
