For likely PPPs, Responsible Agencies, in consultation with NSW Treasury, are required to prepare a Market Communication Strategy which details the process for communicating with the potential, short-listed and preferred bidders and ideally should include:
• NSW Government's key project messages, objectives and expected outcomes for delivering Government services
• realistic project and procurement timetable; and
• process for communicating changes to key project information, including delays or if project delivery is to be accelerated.
This Market Communication Strategy should take into account the probity framework (refer to Section 3.7) and be updated at each key project phase, including prior to the EOI and RFP release, as shown in Figure 4.1. The Market Communication Strategy should also consider the key principles in the NSW Interactive Tendering Guidelines10 and any other relevant policies and guidelines, such as the EPP Direction11.
The timing of initial market engagement should consider allowing Proponents to have sufficient time to prepare and participate in the market engagement, whilst balancing the need for public clarity around the project definition and key milestones.
Responsible Agencies should contact NSW Treasury to obtain a template Market Communication Strategy.
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10 See http://www.infrastructure.nsw.gov.au/media/2449/insw_interactivetenderingguidelines.pdf.
11 Clause 19 of the PBD 2019-05 EPP Direction requires a Government agency to promptly reply to any reasonable request from a supplier for relevant information about a procurement.