Governance Framework

96 nodes

Context Filter

Entity type

Partnerships Victoria

Framework

Partnerships Victoria

Validated Source

Requirements

Follow Partnerships Victoria Requirements 2016 including DTF gateway approvals Expected

Evidence: DTF gateway approval documentation

Contract management plan approved by Treasurer and relevant Minister within 60 days of financial close Expected

Evidence: Signed contract management plan

Publish contract and project summary on Victorian Government tenders website within 60 days of financial close Expected

Evidence: Published contract on tenders website

Contract directors and relevant team members must complete appropriate training within 12 months of appointment Expected

Evidence: Training completion records

Consult DTF on material issues: change of control, refinancing, material modifications, dispute resolution, default/termination/step-in, changes to financial model, material amendments to risk allocation Expected

Evidence: DTF consultation records

Establish governance, probity and compliance framework integrated into contract management Expected

Evidence: Governance framework documentation, contract administration manual

Applies to

Department, Public Body — Construction, Infrastructure

Conditions

Is Pv is Yes

Detail

Partnerships Victoria

Summary

Victoria's PPP framework for delivering infrastructure through public-private partnerships. Managed by DTF as part of the modernised Victorian Infrastructure Procurement Framework.

Three sub-models: - Precinct Partnerships — housing/precinct development with private co-investment - Community Partnerships — social infrastructure (hospitals, schools, justice); private delivers and manages - Economic Partnerships — transport/utilities leveraging revenue/user payments

Legislation and Frameworks Referenced

The Contract Management Guide (Jan 2018) explicitly references the following legislation and frameworks. A PV project commonly activates requirements across this set.

Legislation

Legislation	How it applies to PV contract management
Financial Management Act 1994	Financial conferrals/authorisations under s8 Standing Directions — contract management staff must have authority to authorise service payments and project expenses
Audit Act 1994	VAGO follow-the-dollar powers for performance audits of private contractors (amended by Integrity and Accountability Legislation Amendment Act 2016)
Freedom of Information Act 1982	Overriding disclosure obligation — commercial-in-confidence redactions may be overridden by FOI. Contract directors must not give private parties absolute confidentiality assurances
Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014	Privacy obligations for personal information held by the government party
Public Administration Act 2004	Public sector values, Code of Conduct for Victorian Public Sector Employees — probity requirements
IBAC Act	IBAC jurisdiction — can access and publish commercial-in-confidence information
Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)	Risk of public sector employees being deemed directors during step-in — must be addressed during procurement
Ombudsman Act	Ombudsman jurisdiction over contract management processes

Frameworks and Policies

Framework	How it applies
Victorian Government Risk Management Framework	Minimum risk management requirements for FMA-covered entities — ISO 31000
AMAF	Asset management planning — referenced for whole-of-life asset registers and management
PROV Records Management Standards	Victorian Electronic Records Strategy (VERS); records management standards for government records retention
VGPB Governance Policy	Probity guide referenced as the government's primary probity reference
ISO 19600-2014	Compliance Management Systems — benchmark for developing contract compliance programs
ISO 15489	Records Management — Australian Standard for records management referenced for information management
National PPP Policy and Guidelines	Commonwealth framework — multiple volumes covering commercial principles, practitioners guide, discount rates

Key Accountability Bodies

Body	Role
VAGO	Performance audit, follow-the-dollar powers
IBAC	Anti-corruption jurisdiction
Ombudsman	Administrative complaints
Parliament	Ministerial accountability; parliamentary committees can access commercial-in-confidence information
DTF (Partnerships Victoria group)	Oversight, training, knowledge sharing, refinancing consent

Governance Requirements

Ministerial and Treasurer Approvals

Contract management plan approved by Treasurer and relevant Minister within 60 days of financial close
Contract and project summary published on Victorian Government tenders website within 60 days of financial close
Contract variations impacting budget, liabilities, or affordability → referred to responsible Minister, Treasurer and/or Cabinet subcommittee
Non-financial variations with service delivery/public interest impact → project director briefs the Minister

DTF Consultation Requirements (Table 3.1 of the Guide)

Must consult DTF: - Change in control - Refinancing - Material modifications and augmentations - Dispute resolution - Default, termination and step-in events - Changes requiring updates to the financial model - Material amendments to the project deed impacting risk allocation

Recommended to consult DTF: - Service delivery issues (significant/frequent abatements, KPI changes) - Financial health of private party - Management quality - Relationship quality - Risk outlook - Benchmarking and reviewable services - End of term planning - Extensions/delays during construction - Intervening events during service delivery

Registers Required

The Guide requires government parties to maintain:

Register	Purpose	Template
Delegations register	All functions, rights, powers delegated under the project	Template D
Authorisations register	Persons authorised to exercise delegated functions	With delegations register
Financial delegations register	Financial conferrals/authorisations for payments and expenses	Separate document
IP register	All intellectual property used in relation to the project	—
Issues log	Unresolved issues requiring management	Template F
Risk register	Risk assessment, allocation, and management	—
Asset register	Transparent asset lifecycle management	Per AMAF
Insurance register	Monitoring insurance certificate expiry dates	—

Governance Structures

Senior Responsible Owner — CEO/Deputy Secretary, overall accountability
Project Director → Contract Director transition during construction
Steering Committee — senior multi-agency representation, chaired by SRO
Project Control Group — inter-party (government + private party)
Senior Representatives Group — escalation forum

Training and Succession

Contract directors and relevant team members must complete appropriate training within 12 months of appointment (unless they have existing credentials)
DTF provides formal training program
Succession planning required for all key personnel — limiting concurrent departures, mix of experience levels, integrated with knowledge management systems

Contract Management Guide Structure (Jan 2018)

Part 1: Introduction (Ch 1–2)

PV contract management framework
Risk, service delivery, and government accountability
Retained risks: contractually allocated, unresolved issues, intrinsic government risks
Success factors for effective contract management

Part 2: Key Elements (Ch 3–9)

Ch 3: Resourcing, governance and probity — delegations, financial conferrals, compliance framework (ISO 19600)
Ch 4: Relationship management — mutual benefit, trust, open communication; dispute resolution and issue management
Ch 5: Contract management planning — contract management plan (approved by Treasurer + Minister within 60 days)
Ch 6: Contract administration — contract administration manual (CAM); information collection and analysis
Ch 7: Knowledge and information management — PROV/VERS, FOI, IP management, Auditor-General access, confidential information
Ch 8: Contingency planning — service interruption response, step-in planning, default planning
Ch 9: Ongoing review — lessons learned, formal project performance review

Part 3: Contract Performance (Ch 10–11)

Ch 10: Construction phase — governance, risk management, design development, independent reviewer, variations, modifications, claims, transition
Ch 11: Service delivery phase — performance monitoring, payment mechanism, KPIs, broader performance reporting

Part 4: Specific Contract Management Events (Ch 12–17)

Ch 12: Change management and innovation
Ch 13: State-initiated modifications — specifying, VfM confirmation, funding, documentation
Ch 14: Reviewable services — benchmarking, market testing
Ch 15: Refinancing — risks, timing, strategy, refinancing gain sharing
Ch 16: Change of ownership/control — State consent required
Ch 17: End of term — 5-step process (due diligence → requirements → funding → plan → transition)

Appendices (separate document)

A: Contract documents in a typical PV project (15+ document types mapped)
B: Methodology for preparing the contract administration manual
C: Methodology for preparing service delivery phase reports
D: Delegations — additional information
E: Compliance and government party accountability — FOI, Auditor-General, Ombudsman
F: Key financial ratios
G: Processes and tools

Key Documents

Document	Date	Source
Contract Management Guide	Jan 2018	~/Downloads/Contact-management-guide-final_0.docx
Contract Management Guide Appendices	Jan 2018	~/Downloads/contract-management-guide-appendices_0.docx
Infrastructure Procurement Framework Brochure	Sep 2023	~/Downloads/Victorian-Infrastructure-Procurement-Framework-Overview-Brochure.PDF

Relationships

Mandated By

Framework Infrastructure Procurement Framework PV is the Whole of Life procurement category within the infrastructure procurement framework

Relates To

Standing Direction SD 4.2.4 Public construction procurement governed by SD 4.2.4 and PDCMA Ministerial Directions Legislation FMA FMA governs financial conferrals/authorisations — contract management staff must have authority under s8 Standing Directions Legislation Audit Act Audit Act 1994 — VAGO follow-the-dollar powers for performance audits (amended 2016) Legislation PAA PAA s36A probity requirements, Code of Conduct for VPS employees Legislation FOI Act FOI Act 1982 — overriding disclosure obligation for contract documents Legislation PDP Act Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 — privacy obligations for personal information Legislation IBAC Act IBAC jurisdiction — integrity framework for contract management Framework AMAF AMAF for asset management planning — referenced in appendices Framework VGRMF Victorian Government Risk Management Framework (ISO 31000) — minimum risk management requirements Framework PROV PROV records management standards — VERS for electronic records Policy Governance Policy VGPB Governance Policy probity guide referenced for probity standards Framework Gateway / HVHR PV projects are HVHR by definition — DTF gateway approvals required Framework Infrastructure Procurement Framework Partnerships Victoria is one procurement category within the framework Framework PROV PV Contract Management Guide references PROV for records management and VERS for electronic records Framework PV Requirements PV Requirements is the core procurement policy document within the broader Partnerships Victoria framework Framework VGRMF PV Contract Management Guide references VGRMF as minimum risk management requirements Legislation FOI Act PV Contract Management Guide explicitly addresses FOI — overriding disclosure obligation for contract documents Legislation Ombudsman Act PV Contract Management Guide references Ombudsman jurisdiction over contract management processes Legislation PRA PV Contract Management Guide (Ch 7, Appendix E) references PRA obligations for contract records Legislation PID Act PV Contract Management Guide Appendix E references whistleblower obligations for contract management staff Standing Direction FRD 12 PV contracts subject to FRD 12 disclosure — contract and project summary within 60 days of financial close

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