The OTA is a micro agency committed to delivering best practice outcomes in organ and tissue donation and transplantation within the Commonwealth Resource Management Framework.

Our staff have a number of duties outlined by the PGPA Act and have built strong processes and systems to meet these requirements. We are committed to ensuring compliance by preparing an annual Compliance Certificate. This self-assessment mechanism helps us to identify areas of concern and improve work practices. It also ensures the efficient, effective, economical and ethical use of Commonwealth resources in a way that is consistent with the policies of the Australian Government.

There were no significant non-compliance issues in 2018–19 that required reporting to the Minister.

Asset management

Our asset management strategy allows us to strategically plan and maintain the optimal asset mix for the effective delivery of our program. It includes:

• a capital management plan that sets out information about our proposed capital expenditure
• a detailed policy on the management of assets
• an asset register, subject to an annual stocktake of fixed and intangible assets. This stocktake helps to confirm the location and identify the condition of assets, along with reducing surplus and under-performing assets.

During 2018–19 we continued to develop the DonateLife website, purchased a new electronic records management system, and completed an office fit out at the new office premises. We also conducted an independent asset revaluation on property, plant and equipment.

Further information on the value, acquisition and disposal of assets in 2018–19 can be found in Part 6: Financial statements.

Purchasing

In 2018–19 our purchasing policies and practices complied with the Commonwealth Procurement Rules, with the exception of instances reported in the 2018–19 PGPA Act Compliance Report.

Our procurement framework continues to support efficient, effective, economical and ethical procurement outcomes by encouraging competition, value for money, transparency and accountability.

Australian National Audit Office access clauses

Our standard contract templates include provisions which allow for the Australian National Audit Office to access a contractor’s premises.

We did not enter into any contracts in 2018–19 that included a variation to the standard terms and conditions allowing such access.

Exempt contracts

During 2018–19 we did not enter into any contracts with a value of $10,000 or more including goods and services tax (GST), or any standing offers that were exempt from being published on AusTender.

In accordance with the reporting requirements of the Commonwealth Procurement Rules, details of all contracts with a value of $10,000 or more are published on AusTender.

Procurement initiatives to support small business

We support small business participation in the Australian Government procurement market. Small and medium enterprises and small enterprise participation statistics are available on the Department of Finance’s website at www.finance.gov.au/procurement/statistics-on-commonwealthpurchasing-contracts.

We encourage the participation of small business through exclusively using the Department of Finance’s Commonwealth Contracting Suite (except where placing Official Orders under panel arrangements) for low-risk procurements valued under $200,000 (inclusive of GST). These contract templates streamline the procurement processes for small businesses, in particular, by reducing process costs, removing repetition and ambiguity, simplifying liability, insurance and indemnity requirements, and creating consistency.

In recognition and support of on-time payment performance to small businesses, the small but dedicated nature of our finance team ensures the majority of invoices submitted are paid within a week of acceptance. We also facilitate payment by credit card, if and where appropriate. The results of the Survey of Australian Government Payments to Small Business are available on the Treasury’s website at www.treasury.gov.au.

Grant programs

Funding is provided through grant programs across the clinical and community sectors. Funding provided through grants in 2018–19 included:

• funding to state and territory governments and local area health districts for dedicated organ and tissue donation clinical specialists in hospitals and organ and tissue donation agencies
• public and private hospital support funding to remove cost barriers to organ and tissue donation
• funding to support transplantation outcome registries
• funding for the delivery of the Australian organ matching system – OrganMatch
• grants offered through partnerships with health, sporting and community organisations to support delivery of the National Online Donor Registration campaign
• Community Awareness Grants for organisations conducting projects or activities that improve the awareness and engagement of the Australian community, the non-government sector, donor families and others involved in increasing organ and tissue donation
• ad hoc grants to organisations following successful unsolicited and solicited applications for funding outside the Community Awareness Grants program.

Information about 2018–19 awarded grants is available on GrantConnect at www.grants.gov.au.

Ecologically sustainable and environmental performance

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 requires that Australian Government organisations report annually on their environmental performance and contribution to ecologically sustainable development. As a micro agency, our main environmental impact comes from office space energy consumption and our information and communications technology operations.

In 2018–19 we continued our commitment to ecologically sustainable development by ensuring we effectively delivered corporate strategic priorities while minimising environmental impact. This included a considered approach to planning, implementing and monitoring our environmental performance in accordance with current legislation, whole-of-government requirements and environmental best practice.

Disability reporting

The National Disability Strategy 2010–2020 sets out a 10-year national policy framework to improve the lives of people with disability, promote participation, and create a more inclusive society. A high-level, two-yearly report tracks progress against each of the six outcome areas of the strategy and presents a picture of how people with disability are faring. The most recent of these progress reports to the Council of Australian Governments is available at https://www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-carers-supporting-people-with-disability-resources-supporting-people-with-disability/progress-report-to-the-council-of-australian-governments-2016

The Australian Public Service Disability Employment Strategy 2016–2019 builds on the National Disability Strategy 2010–2020. It focuses on improving the employment experience of people with disability and increasing the representation of employees with disability across the APS.

Freedom of information

As an agency subject to Part II of the Freedom of Information Act 1982, we are required to publish information to the public as part of the Information Publication Scheme. All published information in accordance with these requirements is available at www.donatelife.gov.au/about-us/corporateinformation/freedom-information.

Consultants

Our policy for engaging consultants to provide specialist expertise is in line with the value-for-money principles defined in the Commonwealth Procurement Rules. We primarily use the following three justifications for engaging consultants:

• skills currently unavailable within the agency
• need for specialised or professional skills
• need for independent research or assessment.

During 2018–19 one new consultancy contract was entered into involving total actual expenditure of $0.006 million. In addition, two ongoing consultancy contracts were active during the period, involving total actual expenditure of $0.069 million.

Number and expenditure on consultants current report period (2018–19)

Annual reports contain information about actual expenditure on contracts for consultancies. Information on the value of contracts and consultancies is available on the AusTender website.

During 2018–19 we did not conduct any advertising campaigns.