Western Australian Industry Participation Strategy [2019, 2020]

The Western Australia Industry Participation Strategy (WAIPS) represents a new approach to State Government purchasing for both agencies and industry. The WAIPS gives effect to the objectives contained within the Western Australian Jobs Act 2017 (WA Jobs Act), an Act that aims to maximise opportunities for local businesses to supply to the State Government market. The Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade (Minister for Jobs) is responsible for developing and implementing the WAIPS. The objectives of the WAIPS are: Promoting the diversification and growth of the Western Australian economy by targeting supply opportunities for local industry; Providing suppliers of goods or services with increased access to, and raised awareness of, local industry capability; Encouraging Government and local industry to adopt, where appropriate, world's best practice in promoting innovation through the development of new products and processes; Promoting increased apprenticeship, training and job opportunities in Western Australia; Promoting increased opportunities for local industry to develop import replacement capacity by giving local industry, in particular small and medium enterprises (SMEs), a full, fair and reasonable opportunity to compete against foreign suppliers of goods or services.

WAIPS 2019 introduced a streamlined, single participation plan template that meets both core and full participation plan requirements. WAIPS 2020 now includes a requirement that the Government may utilise project specific employment information, either committed or reported for the business of government. 'Commercial in Confidence' considerations remain relevant. The Premier released WAIPS 2020 on 19 November 2020.

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