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Social Procurement Law and Policy (LAWS90206)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Not available in 2021
Please refer to the return to campus page for more information on these delivery modes and students who can enrol in each mode based on their location.
Overview
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This subject engages with key and emerging issues and debates in social procurement in Australia and overseas, and explores the policies, legal rules and practices governing government social procurement in Australia and overseas. Social procurement is when an organisation/government entity uses its purchasing power to generate social value above and beyond the value of the goods, services, or construction being procured. Initiatives are often targeted at groups and individuals disadvantaged and/or underrepresented in the labour market, the stimulation of local industry, and the promotion of environmental sustainability. The implementation of social procurement policies involves a complex array of eligibility and performance criteria, implementation processes and evaluation and reporting requirements.
The lecturers in this subject combine many years of academic scholarship in this area, engagement in law reform debates and practical advice to national and international regulators. By also drawing on the insights of expert guests from academia, government, the not-for-profit sector and industry, it connects students with the leading experts in the field.
Principal topics will include:
- history and socio-economic and political drivers of government social procurement;
- the types and kinds of government social procurement;
- operational and legal issues arising from social procurement frameworks in Australia, including: eligibility and evaluation criteria and targets; tender assessment processes; supplier relationship management; contractual terms and reporting requirements;
- law and policy of social procurement in foreign jurisdictions;
- the evaluation and measurement of the benefits of social procurement;
- Indigenous procurement: legal and policy frameworks in Australia and abroad;
- social procurement in the construction industry;
- the role of intermediaries in social procurement.
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject will:
- Advanced theoretical understanding and knowledge of current research, debates, policies and practices in social procurement law and policy
- Be able to critically examine, analyse, interpret and assess the effectiveness of the policies, legal rules and processes governing social procurement
- Evaluate the social, economic, political and historical contexts informing social procurement
- Critique and apply multidisciplinary theories and evidence based research to inform social procurement policy and practice
- Be able to critically examine, analyse, interpret and assess the comparative strengths and weaknesses of legal and policy social procurement frameworks.
Generic skills
A student who has successfully completed this subject will:
- Have the cognitive and technical skills to generate critical and creative ideas relating to social procurement law and policy, and to critically evaluate existing legal and policy theories, principles and concepts with creativity and autonomy;
- Have the cognitive and technical skills to independently examine, research and analyse existing and emerging legal and policy issues relating to social procurement law and policy across multiple jurisdictions and industries;
- Have the communication skills to clearly articulate and convey complex information regarding social procurement law and policy to relevant specialist and non- specialist audiences;
- Be able to demonstrate autonomy, expert judgment and responsibility as a practitioner and learner in the field of government social procurement.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Applicants without legal qualifications should note that subjects are offered in the discipline of law at an advanced graduate level. While every effort will be made to meet the needs of students trained in other fields, concessions will not be made in the general level of instruction or assessment. Most subjects assume the knowledge usually acquired in a degree in law (LLB, JD or equivalent). Applicants should note that admission to some subjects in the Melbourne Law Masters will be dependent upon the individual applicant’s educational background and professional experience.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Class participation | Throughout the teaching period | 10% |
Take-home exam
| TBC | 90% |
Research paper on a topic approved by one of the subject coordinator(s)
| TBC | 90% |
Attendance Hurdle requirement: A minimum of 75% attendance. Note: the attendance hurdle does not apply when the subject is delivered online. | N/A |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
Not available in 2021
Additional delivery details
This subject has a quota of 30 students.
Enrolment is on a first come, first served basis. Waitlists are maintained for subjects that are fully subscribed.
Students should note priority of places in subjects will be given as follows:
- To currently enrolled Graduate Diploma and Masters students with a satisfactory record in their degree
- To other students enrolling on a single subject basis, eg Community Access Program (CAP) students, cross-institutional study and cross-faculty study.
Please refer to the Melbourne Law Masters website for further information about the management of subject quotas and waitlists.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Specialist materials will be made available via the LMS in the pre-teaching period.
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
For more information contact law-admissions@unimelb.edu.au
Last updated: 3 November 2022