Following a review of advertising practices and processes across NSW Government agencies, Cabinet has determined a number of changes to the government advertising policy and procedures. This memorandum outlines the revised requirements relating to all government advertising.

The changes will:

• ensure best value for money in all advertising activities;
• improve community access to public information; and
• promote best practice approaches to advertising to improve the quality and effectiveness of essential government advertising on community safety, health, welfare, education, the environment and the economy as well as recruitment, public notices and tenders.

The advertising requirements outlined in this Memorandum are effective from 1 July 2005. Allowing a short transition period, the revised advertising formats will be fully operational as of 1 August 2005.

All agencies covered by the existing Guidelines for Government Advertising as well as RailCorp and Sydney Water are required to comply with the requirements summarised below. Other State Owned Corporations are not currently subject to the advertising policies but are encouraged to use the advertising processes and services, which deliver significant benefits to government.

I seek the cooperation of all agencies to ensure that staff responsible for preparing or lodging advertisements are informed of the revised provisions.

RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING
All vacant positions are to be carried on the public sector recruitment website jobs.nsw unless exempt under current arrangements.

All advertisements for non-SES positions are to appear in a revised NSW Government composite in either the Sydney Morning Herald or the Daily Telegraph. Agencies need to consider which paper will deliver the best outcome for the type of job being advertised. Each position will have the following limited information displayed:

• Job title – limited to 55 characters (including spaces)
• Agency role statement (preamble) limit of 150 characters (describes the principal role of the agency not Division or Section.
• Job role – limited to 250 characters (including spaces)
• Salary range, vacancy reference number, location, job status, contact details for information and closing date

Job selection criteria will no longer be displayed in the composite but will be displayed in jobs.nsw and Public Sector Notices. The maximum number of selection criteria should now be limited to 8 (excluding common selection criteria) – it is essential that these criteria be written in plain English and the use of jargonistic language avoided. An example of the new format is at Tab A (Add Composite Design Options SMH).

Job selection criteria should contain only the skills, knowledge and experience that are essential to do the job. As a result of these changes, the need for agencies to have developed information packages and or website resources ready to meet potential applicant enquiries is imperative.

No vacant position is to appear as a display advertisement. In very exceptional circumstances vacancies may be placed as display advertisements but these advertisements must be personally approved by the Department Head of the relevant department and a copy of the approval forwarded to the GAA with the request to advertise.

All CES and SES are to be advertised in the single NSW Government Senior Executives composite advertisement in the Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday. The composite appears as a display advertisement in the Early General News section of the paper. If the position is to be advertised in the Australian Financial Review or The Australian newspapers, it is to appear as a single display advertisement with other government executive positions, as per the template at Tab B (SES add Display).

Enquiries regarding recruitment and advertising policy should be directed to Judith Withers, Principal Project Manager, Public Employment Office email [email protected], phone 9228 5514, fax 9228 3102.

GOVERNMENT TENDERS ADVERTISING
All advertisements relating to Expressions of Interest and Requests for Tender in the Metropolitan area will be consolidated into the NSW Government composite advertisement, appearing in the Sydney Morning Herald Tenders Section on Mondays. Separate display advertisements will not be accepted.

Each advertisement shall only display the essential information relating to the tender:

• Tender title and description;
• Tender number or reference;
• Phone enquiry number or fax number; and
• Relevant tender website address. Agencies are strongly encouraged to ensure that potential tenderers are able to access full details of each tender opportunity online.

This approach will ensure tender information is consistent across government and will reduce advertising costs.
 
Agencies may continue to place advertisements in local, rural or specialist publications as appropriate, with advertisements to appear in the classifieds section only. Only information essential to the tender is to appear in the advertisements.
 
STATUTORY AND REGULATORY NOTICES AND IMPORTANT PUBLIC INFORMATION ADVERTISING
I remind agencies of their obligation to closely test the need for, and the cost effectiveness of, this type of advertising. They must also ensure any notices or important items of public information are placed in the most appropriate press.

For all Statutory and Regulatory Notices and Important Public Information advertising, agencies shall be required to ensure the notice conforms to a maximum advertisement size of 12cm by 7cm. Agencies should consider placing full details and/or additional information about the notice online and include the website address in the press advertisement.

Statutory and Regulatory Notices should be placed in the Public Notices / Classifieds section of the press.

Statutory Notices and Important Public Information advertisements may only appear in the press between Monday and Friday, except in exceptional circumstances. Agencies would be required to demonstrate why an advertisement needed to be placed on a weekend.

REVISED CAMPAIGN ADVERTISING POLICIES
The process for campaign advertising is being changed to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of essential government advertising and encourage closer agency coordination in the development of advertising campaigns.

Alignment of Campaign Advertising Planning with Budget Processes
Agencies will be required to submit a campaign advertising plan and budget as part of the preparations for the Budget commencing with the 2006-07 cycle. Guidelines are being developed to assist agencies in preparing their plans. Funding will be allocated to agencies through the Budget process for the approved components of their campaign advertising plans.

Discontinuation of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Advertising
The Cabinet Standing Committee on the Budget – Government Advertising Sub-Committee has been discontinued from 16 June 2005.

Advertising campaign proposals will now be subject to consideration and endorsement through a peer review process detailed below.

Advertising Peer Review Process
A process has been established to independently review the development and implementation of campaign advertising initiatives. The peer review process will be applied to all campaigns with a budget of $50,000 or more.

Key features of the process are:

• Advertising campaigns will be reviewed before and after their implementation;
• Reviewers will be drawn from across the public sector and have experience and capabilities in various aspects of advertising communications; and
• The peer review process does not require agencies to prepare any additional documentation outside of what would be considered good campaign development.
• Review teams will consider the soundness of the campaigns against common assessment criteria.
• Review recommendations will be provided to the Cabinet Standing Committee on the Budget for endorsement.

The peer review should generally be completed within four weeks from the time an agency requests a review to the peer review report. However, agencies are encouraged to notify the Department of Commerce – which is facilitating the process - as early as practicable of the upcoming need for a peer review.

To initiate a pre-implementation peer review, an agency needs to have completed its campaign plan (with agency CEO and relevant Ministerial endorsement) and submit an advertising peer review request form to the Department of Commerce, Procurement Monitoring Branch.

From time to time agencies will be asked to nominate appropriately skilled staff to become reviewers in the peer review process.

Enquiries about the peer review process and procedures for arranging a review should be directed to: David Green, A/General Manager, Procurement Monitoring Branch, Department of Commerce email: [email protected], phone (02) 9372 8025, fax (02) 9372 8033.

Establishment of a Pre-Qualified Panel of Creative Advertising Agencies
A panel of pre-qualified creative advertising service providers is to be established by the Department of Commerce for use by agencies across government, as required, for their campaign advertising activities.

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Further information will be sent to all agencies by the Director-General Department of Commerce to explain the details of the above changes to advertising. The revised Guidelines for Government Advertising will also be issued shortly.

Any enquiries regarding recruitment, tender, statutory and important public information advertising or exemptions should be directed to Bob Gallagher, General Manager, Government Advertising and Information email [email protected], phone 9372 7401, fax 9372 7421.

Any enquiries regarding the revised campaign advertising policies outlined above should be directed to Gerry Brus, Group General Manager Government Procurement Management, email [email protected] phone (02) 9372 8666

Bob Carr
Premier

Issued : Workforce Capability (Public Employment Office)
Contact: Megan Irwin-Moyle, A/Senior Project Officer
Email: [email protected]
Telephone no: 9228 3023 Facsimile: 9228 3102
Date: 28 June 05

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Supersedes M2002-14 and M2002-15