Efficiency through Contestability Programme – Portfolio Stocktakes This fact sheet describes Portfolio The Portfolio Stocktake, and any subsequent Stocktakes and provides an overview of outcomes, is an opportunity for portfolios to their purpose and intended impact. consider options for improving existing processes, consider alternative approaches In the 2014-15 Budget, the Government for providing services and outcomes, and introduced a Commonwealth-wide explore reasonable ways to increase Contestability Framework to be applied efficiencies. through the Efficiency through Contestability At its conclusion, the Portfolio Stocktake will Programme (the Programme) led by the provide a shortlist of functions that may Department of Finance (Finance). benefit from a more in-depth Contestability The Programme aims to simultaneously Review or Functional and Efficiency Review. reduce costs, and meet the Australian Portfolio Stocktakes will also enable Finance community’s increasing demand for better to identify common functions across entities quality government services. To do this, it is that could collectively benefit from a important to ensure that government Contestability Review. functions are undertaken by the organisations most efficiently and effectively While in some circumstances the contestable able to do so. provision of a function may not be feasible, it does not mean the function should simply In 2015-17, Commonwealth entities will continue to operate as it currently does. apply contestability and competition in a Entities are encouraged to take a broad view phased programme of Portfolio Stocktakes, of how functions could be delivered through Contestability Reviews and Functional and alternative means and how the efficiency and Efficiency Reviews. effectiveness of a function could be improved. Portfolio Stocktakes The Portfolio Stocktake process seeks to What is a function? assess high-level government functions According to the , a function is a subgroup across a portfolio and identify those with the of jobs within a Job Family that requires greatest potential to be delivered through similar skills, capabilities, knowledge and alternative means. training. A Portfolio Stocktake can be thought of as a E.g. Job Family = Administration; Job service catalogue of entity functions. Function = Facilities & Property Information derived from the Portfolio Stocktake, can be applied to inform strategic plans, and can provide benchmarking data for future use to help entities to improve their performance over time. Roles and Responsibilities
Efficiency through Contestability Programme – Portfolio Stocktakes This fact sheet describes Portfolio Stocktakes and provides an overview of their purpose and intended impact. In the 2014-15 Budget, the Government introduced a Commonwealth-wide Contestability Framework to be applied through the Efficiency through Contestability Programme (the Programme) led by the Department of Finance (Finance). The Programme aims to simultaneously reduce costs, and meet the Australian community’s increasing demand for better quality government services. To do this, it is important to ensure that government functions are undertaken by the organisations most efficiently and effectively able to do so. In 2015-17, Commonwealth entities will apply contestability and competition in a phased programme of Portfolio Stocktakes, Contestability Reviews and Functional and Efficiency Reviews. Portfolio Stocktakes The Portfolio Stocktake process seeks to assess high-level government functions across a portfolio and identify those with the greatest potential to be delivered through alternative means. A Portfolio Stocktake can be thought of as a service catalogue of entity functions. Information derived from the Portfolio Stocktake, can be applied to inform strategic plans, and can provide benchmarking data for future use to help entities to improve their performance over time. The Portfolio Stocktake, and any subsequent outcomes, is an opportunity for portfolios to consider options for improving existing processes, consider alternative approaches for providing services and outcomes, and explore reasonable ways to increase efficiencies. At its conclusion, the Portfolio Stocktake will provide a shortlist of functions that may benefit from a more in-depth Contestability Review or Functional and Efficiency Review. Portfolio Stocktakes will also enable Finance to identify common functions across entities that could collectively benefit from a Contestability Review. While in some circumstances the contestable provision of a function may not be feasible, it does not mean the function should simply continue to operate as it currently does. Entities are encouraged to take a broad view of how functions could be delivered through alternative means and how the efficiency and effectiveness of a function could be improved. What is a function? According to the , a function is a subgroup of jobs within a Job Family that requires similar skills, capabilities, knowledge and training. E.g. Job Family = Administration; Job Function = Facilities & Property Roles and Responsibilities
fact-sheet-portfolio-stocktakes.docx