3.16 The Committee's Manual does allow for some activity to start on the public work after the public hearing, but before Parliamentary approval has been achieved. The Committee's Manual states:
Concurrent documentation is the preparation of contract documentation before the committee has completed its inquiry and reported to parliament.
Concurrent documentation should only be sought when it can be justified by the necessity for the project to be completed by a particular time and when the deadline cannot be met by other means.
Sponsoring agencies should consult with the Committee before the resources required for concurrent documentation are committed. The Committee requires a letter stating the reasons for requesting approval of concurrent documentation. Application for the concurrent documentation can only be made following the public hearing.33
3.17 A request for concurrent documentation was sought in one case of the 13 projects examined. This was the RAAF Base Amberley Redevelopment Stage 2 project, where the shortened sitting period had meant the Committee report was tabled and Parliamentary approval34 occurred later than Defence had anticipated. The concurrent documentation was sought for three specific contracts relating to this project. This was because the items to be procured had long lead times (either due to the complexity of manufacturing or because an item had to come from the United States of America) or because the work to be undertaken was sequential, and needed to be done before any other work could occur. In this case, in October 2005, Defence wrote to the Committee requesting agreement to enter into contracts before Parliamentary approval. The Committee granted Defence's request, in order that procurement processes might commence prior to the tabling of the Committee's report.
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33 Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works Manual of Procedures for Departments and Agencies, November 2006. p. 10.
34 Parliamentary approval is the expediency motion presented to Parliament.