Appropriate consultation and communication with stakeholders is an important component of good governance. It also assists the government party to ensure the private party conforms with public interest considerations. Some projects may be of such significant interest to the community and other third parties (such as other governments), that the contract management team needs to provide public information. Developing and maintaining a project website detailing project progress and status can be an efficient way to communicate and meet some of the community demand for information on the project. Examples include the Royal Children's Hospital or the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre project websites.
Stakeholder consultation and communications plans should be documented or referred to in the contract administration manual (Chapter 6), and in contingency plans (Chapter 8). Some project deeds may require the private party to prepare its own stakeholder consultation and communications plan, which the contract director may refer to in developing its own plan.
In determining what level and forms of consultation and communication are appropriate, the government party should consider the following questions:
• Who are the stakeholders for the project?
• What are the objectives of each stakeholder?
• Which stakeholders need to be part of the governance framework for the project, and how are they best accommodated within this framework?
• Who are the appropriate contacts within the stakeholder group?
• What matters should each stakeholder be consulted about?
• What is the likely involvement and role of each of the stakeholders?
• What information should be provided to each stakeholder?
• Have the stakeholder arrangements been discussed and agreed with the stakeholders?
• How should the stakeholder arrangements be documented?
• Who within government should be asked for input into the stakeholder communication and consultation plans?
• Is there a need for a public communication process?