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Social Procurement Law and Policy (LAWS90206)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
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About this subject
Contact information
May
Lecturers
Professor John Howe (Coordinator)
Dr Warren Staples
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 6190
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | May |
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Fees | Look up fees |
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: 31 January 2024