Tender review to give locals better chance
PRESSURE over local companies not being short-listed for major construction projects has prompted Mayor Paul Antonio to launch a review into council’s procurement policy.
FK Gardner and Sons managing director Gary Gardner lashed out at council after the company was refused the right to tender for the design and construction of the new Toowoomba City Library.
A council spokesman said FKG met the criteria required to enter the tendering process but did not score as highly as the five successful companies, only one of which was based in Toowoomba.
Cr Antonio said a policy review to give local companies a better chance to compete for projects would begin immediately.
“The procurement process for the library has highlighted that council’s intention to encourage and support development of our local economy, needs to be reflected in the organisation’s processes,” he said.
“We intend to undertake a review of our processes, seeking feedback from the business community about how we best ensure local business is at the table in tendering for council work.
“Not forgetting that as a council, we have a responsibility to ensure that all civic projects are carried out in a way that ensures the best possible value-for-money outcome for the community.”
Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Andrew Wielandt called for any new policy to be more transparent than its predecessor.
“I understand there are five components in council’s decision, one of which is price.
“But we’re unsure what the other components are and what weighting they are given.
“It’s a bit like when my daughter is doing a school assignment with a marking guide — she can very clearly see what the criteria are.”