SA Housing Trust Procurement Team with award

The SA Housing Trust has won an award at the Procurement Live Conference, held earlier this month. The award was for the team's innovative approach to increasing Aboriginal supplier participation in the procurement of services for Transitional Accommodation Centres.

The Trust's initiative divided services into smaller contracts, making it easier for local Aboriginal businesses to participate and deliver community benefits.

The project aligns with the Aboriginal Housing Strategy and Reconciliation Action Plan, reinforcing the Trust's commitment to community-led solutions.

Award-winning procurement initiative: The Trust won the award in the ‘Innovative Approach to Building a Diverse Supply Base’ category for promoting Aboriginal peoples, minority-owned, disability-inclusive, and regional suppliers through targeted procurement strategies.

Boost in local participation: Local Aboriginal supplier offers increased by 85 per cent, resulting in eight contracts worth about $10 million. These contracts were awarded to businesses in Ceduna and Port Augusta, areas where no local Aboriginal bids had been submitted previously.

Community impact: The initiative supported stable employment for individuals, including long-term unemployed Aboriginal people, helping break cycles of generational unemployment. It also enabled businesses to gain recognition and secure new contracts.