The Premier has asked me to undertake a review of all expenditure by government agencies on advertising. This review will include advertising activities, which are part of a communication package to the community (campaign) as well as the routine advertising for tenders, recruitment and public notices. The Government Advertising Agency (GAA) of the Department of Public Works and Services is assisting with this review.

The current process of advertising tenders has been identified as an initial area for expenditure savings across government. At the present time tenders are placed as individual display advertisements on Monday and Wednesday in the Sydney Morning Herald. In many instances the same advertisements appear on both days.

This process will be refined in two (2) ways:-

• All government tenders will be advertised on Monday only, and
• Tenders will appear under a single NSW Government masthead.

These changes will be introduced as soon as practicable and the first composite government tender advertisement will appear on Monday 23 September. I have also asked the GAA to arrange for advertisements scheduled to appear on Wednesday 18 September to be placed on Monday 16 or Monday 23 September. There is also concern at the size of tender advertisements and I believe the contents of all advertisements can be edited to reduce the size and therefore the cost.

In this regard all agencies are to consider providing essential information only ie tender title and description, tender number and refer potential tenderers to a website address, phone enquiry number or fax number for all relevant tender details. This limited style of tender advertisement should be the general rule for all tenders by October 2002.

The GAA will coordinate the production of the composite government tender advertisement to meet printing and typesetting requirements for publication on Monday, all tender advertisement material must be received by the Government Advertising Agency by 4pm Wednesday.

I propose to issue further advertising policy changes as soon as these decisions are finalised.

Any enquiries regarding tender advertising should be directed to Bob Gallagher, General Manager, Government Advertising and Information email [email protected] phone (02) 9372 7401 fax (02) 9372 7421.

Col Gellatly
Director-General

Issued/Contact: Bob Gallagher, DPWS
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (02)9372 7401
Date 13 September 2002