An agreement between the State Government and the Aboriginal employment company Supply Nation has been entered to connect more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses with Government Departments.
Minister for Finance and Small Business, Damien Tudehope said the agreement with Supply Nation, which ran the largest directory of verified Aboriginal businesses in Australia, would make sourcing goods, services and construction procurements from Aboriginal businesses easier for Government Departments.
“This is about making it easier for Aboriginal owned businesses to work with Government and in the process we will create jobs and new opportunities for Aboriginal communities looking to make a positive impact in NSW,” Mr Tudehope said.
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Don Harwin said the agreement would provide Government Agencies with access to certified Aboriginal businesses and by doing so would assist Agencies meet their specific new targets under the State’s refreshed Aboriginal Procurement Policy.
“The revised Aboriginal Procurement Policy (APP) came into effect from 1 January 2021 and sets ambitious new targets for the NSW Government, including a target to award three per cent of goods and services contracts to Aboriginal businesses,” Mr Harwin said.
“This new agreement will make it easier for Government clusters to consider an Aboriginal business when procuring goods and services and in the process will see more jobs created and more opportunities for Aboriginal businesses in NSW to thrive,” he said.
Mr Harwin said the APP allowed Government clusters to directly negotiate with Aboriginal businesses on procurements up to $250,000.
