IPSWICH

CITY

COUNCIL

 

 

AGENDA

 

 

of the

 

 

Environment Committee

 

 

Held in the Council Chambers

2nd floor – Council Administration Building

45 Roderick Street

IPSWICH QLD 4305

 

 

On Tuesday, 22 October 2019

At 11.30 am or within any period of time up to a maximum of 10 minutes after the conclusion of the Communities Committee.


 

MEMBERS OF THE Environment Committee

Interim Administrator

Greg Chemello (Chairperson)

 

 


Environment Committee

Meeting Agenda

22 October

2019

 

Environment Committee AGENDA

11.30 am or within any period of time up to a maximum of
10 minutes after the conclusion of the Communities Committee,
on Tuesday, 22 October 2019

Council Chambers

 

Item No.

Item Title

Page No.

1

Environment and Sustainability Community Grants Round 1
2019-2020

8

2

Digicon Naeus Explore App Update 2019

15

3

Habitat Connections Sponsorship - Stroud Homes

19

4

Nature Conservation Grant - Remaining Applicant

23

5

**Tender 12759 – Waste Management Software Solution

27

** Item includes confidential papers

 


Environment Committee NO. 10

 

22 October 2019

 

AGENDA

 

 

1.             Environment and Sustainability Community Grants Round 1 2019-2020

This is a report concerning applications received under the Environment and Sustainability Community Grant Program, Round 1 of the 2019- 2020 financial year.

 

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) provide funding of $4,025 (incl GST) plus in-kind support of up to $650 through the Environment and Sustainability Community Grant Program to the applicants outlined in the report by the Partnerships Officer for Round 1 of the 2019-2020 financial year.

 

2.             Digicon Naeus Explore App Update 2019

This is a report concerning the Naeus Explore App which was created from the Digicon Hackathon project in 2017 and continued app subscription for community use of the app.

 

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) approve the renewal of the Naeus Explore app subscription for 2019-2020 with Naeus Pty Ltd enabling residents and community to continue having access to the app which encourages and assists in visitation to conservation estates within Ipswich.

 

3.             Habitat Connections Sponsorship - Stroud Homes

This is a report concerning a proposed sponsorship arrangement for Stroud Homes to contribute to Council’s Habitat Connections program which supports riparian tree planting.

 


 

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) enter into a sponsorship agreement to accept Stroud Homes contribution to Council’s Habitat Connections program which will support riparian tree planting.

 

4.             Nature Conservation Grant - Remaining Applicant

This is a report concerning the outcome of the one (1) remaining application for the Nature Conservation Grants Program (NCG) 2019/20.  Seventeen (17) applications were successful in the assessment process and were granted funding at Council meeting dated 17 September 2019.

The remaining application was submitted by a Council employee.  A recommendation from the Internal Audit Recommendation Register highlighted the requirement for further investigation around the approval of funds to Council employees.  As such further investigation regarding the process and approval of funds to Council employees was required to ensure any risk of conflict of interest were managed appropriately.

 

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

That funding for the successful applicant: NCG19/20-013 in the 2019-2020 Nature Conservation Grants round be approved.

 

5.             **Tender 12759 – Waste Management Software Solution

This is a report concerning the replacement of the existing waste management system (RMSwin) which has been placed in an “End-of-Life” support phase by the software provider. An open market tender (12759 Waste Management Software Solution) was released to procure a viable alternative solution whereby tenderers could either submit a tender for a complete solution or tender for one or more of four (4) separable portions. The tender evaluation process concluded that a viable replacement solution could be achieved by utilising two (2) separate tendered solutions to meet three (3) of the separable portions and addressing any remaining gaps with existing corporate systems.

 


 

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A.             That in accordance with s233 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) approve a Preferred Supplier Arrangement for the supply of Transfer Station / Weighbridge software and hardware.

B.             That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) resolve under s233(7) of the Local Government Regulation 2012, it is satisfied that it will obtain better value for money by entering into a Preferred Supplier Arrangement for a term of more than two (2) years.

C.             That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) enter into a contract for the provision of a Waste Management Software Solution for Transfer Station Operations with the recommended tenderer as detailed in the Evaluation Report for a period of three (3) years with the option to extend the contract by two (2) x further, one (1) year periods.

D.             That the Chief Executive Officer be authorised to negotiate and finalise the term of the contract to be executed by Council and to do any other acts necessary to implement Council’s decision in accordance with section 13(3) of the Local Government Act 2009.

E.             That in accordance with s233 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) approve a Preferred Supplier Arrangement for the supply of Waste Collection Operations and Vehicle Routing and Logistics software and hardware.

F.              That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) resolve under s233(7) of the Local Government Regulation 2012, it is satisfied that it will obtain better value for money by entering into a Preferred Supplier Arrangement for a term of more than two (2) years.

G.             That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) enter into a contract for the provision of a Waste Management Software Solution for Waste Collection Operations and Vehicle Routing and Logistics with the recommended tenderer as detailed in the Evaluation Report for a period of three (3) years with the option to extend the contract by two (2) x further, one (1) year periods.

H.             That the Chief Executive Officer be authorised to negotiate and finalise the term of the contract to be executed by Council and to do any other acts necessary to implement Council’s decision in accordance with section 13(3) of the Local Government Act 2009.

  

** Item includes confidential papers

and any other items as considered necessary.


Environment Committee

Meeting Agenda

22 October

2019

 

Doc ID No: A5793910

 

ITEM:              1

SUBJECT:        Environment and Sustainability Community Grants Round 1 2019-2020

AUTHOR:       Partnerships Officer

DATE:              16 September 2019

 

 

Executive Summary

This is a report concerning applications received under the Environment and Sustainability Community Grant Program, Round 1 of the 2019- 2020 financial year.

Recommendation

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) provide funding of $4,025 (incl GST) plus in-kind support of up to $650 through the Environment and Sustainability Community Grant Program to the applicants outlined in the report by the Partnerships Officer for Round 1 of the 2019-2020 financial year.

RELATED PARTIES

 

Applicant Organisation

Related Party

Queensland Trust for Nature

Steve Lacey – CEO

Adrian Volders – Director

Elizabeth O’Brien – Director

James McKnoulty – Director

Felicity Shapland – Grant contact person

Rosewood State School

Georgia O’Shea – Principal

Rebecca Allan – Teacher and grant contact person

Springfield Lakes Nature Care Inc

Luise Manning  – President and grant contact person

Michael Kruk – Treasurer

David Manning – Secretary/Vice President

St Mary’s Primary School

Gerry Gimpel – Teacher and grant contact person

Rachel Bray – Teacher

Larissa Hoban – Teacher

 

Advance Ipswich Theme

Caring for the environment

Purpose of Report/Background

The Environment and Sustainability Community Grant Program provides funding assistance for community led projects that contribute to the protection, enhancement and sustainability of the environment within the Ipswich City Council area.  Overall, environmental and liveability benefits will be achieved.

Community groups, schools and child care centres are able to apply for grant funding up to $2,000 including GST.  Individual wildlife carers are able to apply for grant funding up to $1,000 including GST.  Each successful applicant must contribute at least 50% of the total project cost.

Council received four eligible applications and one application that was withdrawn by the applicant.  Eligible applications are detailed in the table below.   

 

Applicant

Project

Funding Amount Requested

Total Project Cost

Funding Amount Recommended

Queensland Trust for Nature

Riparian restoration koala habitat

$2,000

$6,344

$2,000

Rosewood State School

Science Garden Development

$1,500

$3,000

$495 plus in-kind

Springfield Lakes Nature Care Inc

Clean Up Australia Day 2020 – Springfield Lakes

$1,010

$6,010

$1,010

St Mary’s Primary School

Meditation and Community Garden

$1,940

$3,960

$1,190 plus in-kind

Total

 

$6,450

$19,314

$4,695 plus up to $650 in kind

Legal/Policy Basis

 

This report and its recommendations are consistent with the following legislative provisions:

Local Government Act 2009

Local Government Regulation 2012

RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

There are no risk management implications associated with this report.

Financial/RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

A total of $10,000 in funding is available for the first round of 2019-2020 applications with $20,000 budgeted for the full financial year.  The total recommended funding amount for Round 1 of 2019-2020 is $4,025 plus up to $650 in-kind, which is within the budget allocation.

COMMUNITY and OTHER CONSULTATION

Community consultation was undertaken in the development of the Environment and Sustainability Grant program.  For each round available to the community for funding, information on the grants and Grant Guidelines are provided to the community to assist them in submitting applications.

Feedback from the community gained from the recent EnviroForum and Sustainable Ipswich Week events also included the preference for Council to support local environmental groups and work.  These grants enable this support.

Conclusion

Four applications submitted under Round 1 of the 2019-2020 Environment and Sustainability Community Grant Program were received and assessed.  It is recommended to provide grant funding to these applications in support of environmental and sustainable activities across the city for community benefit.

Attachments and Confidential Background Papers

 

1.

Environment and Sustainability Grant Assessment Overview Round 1 2019-2020

 

Vada Hoger

Partnerships Officer

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Phil Smith

Acting Principal Officer (Natural Resources)

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Kaye Cavanagh

Manager, Environment and Sustainability

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Charlie Dill

General Manager - Infrastructure and Environment

 

“Together, we proudly enhance the quality of life for our community”


Environment Committee

Meeting Agenda

22 October

2019

Item 1 / Attachment 1.

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Environment Committee

Meeting Agenda

22 October

2019

 

Doc ID No: A5806902

 

ITEM:              2

SUBJECT:        Digicon Naeus Explore App Update 2019

AUTHOR:       Partnerships Officer

DATE:              23 September 2019

 

 

Executive Summary

This is a report concerning the Naeus Explore App which was created from the Digicon Hackathon project in 2017 and continued app subscription for community use of the app.

Recommendation/s

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) approve the renewal of the Naeus Explore app subscription for 2019-2020 with Naeus Pty Ltd enabling residents and community to continue having access to the app which encourages and assists in visitation to conservation estates within Ipswich.

RELATED PARTIES

·    Tim Butler – Owner Naeus

·    Jeremy Butler – Owner Naeus

Advance Ipswich Theme

Caring for our environment

Purpose of Report/Background

The Digicon Hackathon was held in March 2017 and was a partnership between Ipswich City Council and Fire Station 101, aiming to connect Ipswich entrepreneurs, developers and environmentalists through a unique opportunity to create a digital solution that connects the community to their local environment.  The Naeus Explore app was the winning idea and has since been developed into production for the public to download.

 

The app is designed to encourage the community to visit and explore Ipswich conservation estates and has maps of the estate tracks as well as information on points of interest, weather updates, suitability of trails, and short descriptions of the areas. 

 

A plant identification feature has also been included within the app to help the community identify native plants when visiting the estates.

 

Over 3,000 downloads of the app have occurred since its creation and this continues to increase each month.  The app developers can provide ongoing support of the app and data capture.  This will enable Council to review visitation to estates, make informed decisions regarding ongoing management of the estates and informed decisions towards future activities within estates. 

 

By providing localised information on Ipswich conservation estates, the community has access to more detailed and current information when visiting the estates.  This enables the community to search what walking tracks are suitable to their needs in regards to fitness levels, family or adventure friendly and duration.

 

Increased communication will also be provided through use of the app to advise the community on estate information such as closures and also for the community to report any incidents to Council for quick rectification.

Legal/Policy Basis

This report and its recommendations are consistent with the following legislative provisions:

Ipswich Enviroplan Program and Levy Policy

Conservation Estates and Reserves Management Policy

Local Government Act 2009

Local Government Regulation 2012

 

The Ipswich Enviroplan Program and Levy Policy and Conservation Estates and Reserves Management Policy relate to this matter in the respect that the app is a tool to encourage education of and visitation to conservation estates and enable visitors to report any on ground management issues within the estates to Council.

 

The procurement of the app support will be undertaken in accordance with the Local Government Act 2009 and Local Government Regulation 2012.

RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

There is limited risk with proceeding with the Naeus Explore app annual subscription as the app is currently operating as anticipated.

If the continuation of the subscription is not undertaken, there is risk in relation to the reduction in services to the community using the app and also potential negative impacts on conservation estate visitation which Council has been working towards increasing.

Financial/RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

A budget of $7,500 has been allocated in the 2019-2020 budget for the annual app subscription.  The quote for the annual subscription cost for 2019-2020 is $7,200 excluding GST which is the same annual subscription fee for the previous year. 

This cost is similar to other app subscription costs.  This being the third year of the app, consistent reports from Naeus would be a requirement as well as continuation of app updates and improvements.

COMMUNITY and OTHER CONSULTATION

The app was developed through a community consultation project, the Digicon Hackathon. Ongoing feedback on the app is provided through the app and the continued increase in downloads and usage shows that the app is still of benefit to users.

Internal stakeholders include:

·    Natural Areas Team – data from the app will provide beneficial information to the team in regards to management of conservation estates

·    Environment and Sustainability Team – data from the app will provide beneficial information to the team in regards to estate usage and visitor behaviours

·    Information and Communications Technology – initial consultation has been done to ensure the app and data captured from the app is in a form that is compatible with Council’s current ICT

Conclusion

The Naeus Explore app is going in to its third year of development and provides maps, points of interest, trail information and plant id capacity to conservation estate visitors within Ipswich.  Ongoing access to the app through the annual subscription is desirable to continue to compliment other Council programs in regards to conservation estate visitation and management.

 

Vada Hoger

Partnerships Officer

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Phil Smith

Acting Principal Officer (Natural Resources)

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Kaye Cavanagh

Manager, Environment and Sustainability

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Charlie Dill

General Manager - Infrastructure and Environment

 

“Together, we proudly enhance the quality of life for our community”


Environment Committee

Meeting Agenda

22 October

2019

 

E cha

Doc ID No: A5809788

 

ITEM:              3

SUBJECT:        Habitat Connections Sponsorship - Stroud Homes

AUTHOR:       Partnerships Officer

DATE:              24 September 2019

 

 

Executive Summary

This is a report concerning a proposed sponsorship arrangement for Stroud Homes to contribute to Council’s Habitat Connections program which supports riparian tree planting.

Recommendation/s

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) enter into a sponsorship agreement to accept Stroud Homes contribution to Council’s Habitat Connections program which will support riparian tree planting.

RELATED PARTIES

·    Jason Till – Franchisee Stroud Homes Brisbane West

·    James Stroud – Founder Stroud Homes

Advance Ipswich Theme

Caring for our environment

Purpose of Report/Background

Under the Advance Ipswich, Caring for our Environment priority, strategy 4.1 is to increase tree planting and create urban forests on land under Council ownership or control. The Habitat Connections program is one program that contributes to this objective.

The Habitat Connections program is a strategic creek rehabilitation program designed to beautify and restore degraded urban waterway corridors throughout Ipswich.  This is achieved through corridor tree planting, coupled with an ongoing maintenance program to ensure long lasting waterway improvements and create habitat for local native fauna.  The tree planting under the program is completed either with the use of contractors or by the community through coordinated community planting activities.

Stroud Homes’ Forest Link initiative is a commitment to plant 15 trees to a local reforestation project for every house they build.  They do this by partnering with professionals to identify environmentally relevant projects and then fund planting of native forests.  Stroud Homes have approached Council to seek a partnership for any projects that could be supported through their initiative and the Habitat Connections program has been identified as a suitable project.

The Brisbane West franchise currently operates in Ipswich and builds homes locally.  The Franchisee is also looking to open another franchise within the Ipswich region.   This would result in approximately 2000 trees per year to be planted by the franchises.  With a sponsorship agreement with Council, these trees would contribute to the Habitat Connections program and enhance corridor tree planting which Council undertakes.  It also enables Stroud Homes to contribute to a local project benefiting the residents of Ipswich.      

Legal/Policy Basis

This report and its recommendations are consistent with the following legislative provisions:

Local Government Act 2009

Local Law 7 (Local Government Controlled Areas and Roads)

The partnership would be in accordance with the financial planning and accountability requirements and the agreement signed in accordance with the delegation of powers under the Local Government Act 2009.

 

Any plantings undertaken as part of the partnership would be in accordance with the requirements under Local Law 7 (Local Government Controlled Areas and Roads).

RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

There are limited risks associated with this partnership.  A sponsorship agreement would be established outlining responsibilities and benefits to both parties and ongoing management of the partnership.    This will reduce any potential conflicts, reputational damage and ensure due process has been undertaken. 

Research has been undertaken in regards to the alignment of the Habitat Connections program and Stroud Homes’ Forest Link initiative to ensure that the partnership would enhance services provided to the community through Council’s Habitat Connections program. 

The partnership is of a smaller value and linked with an existing successful program, therefore financial risk is low.

Financial/RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

Council’s Habitat Connections program has a budget for the 2019-2020 financial year for tree and maintenance costs.  The proposed partnership is for the planting of trees and therefore a sponsorship of $2.75 per tree from Stroud Homes has been negotiated.  This aligns with the cost per tree which Council currently pays.  The planting sites will be in a designated Habitat Connection site and therefore maintenance of the plantings will be covered by existing maintenance schedules. 

The sponsorship will provide a positive contribution to Council’s Habitat Connections program allowing for more trees to be planted.  With the two franchises, an annual sponsorship would be approximately $5,500.00 (based on $2.75 per tree for 2000 trees per year).

COMMUNITY and OTHER CONSULTATION

Consultation has been undertaken internally with the Environment and Sustainability team and Natural Areas team to ensure this partnership would have a positive impact on the Habitat Connections program.

There has been previous and ongoing dialogue across finance, legal and marketing sections in regards to general sponsorships arrangement for Council.

A formal external community consultation process has not been undertaken for this specific partnership: however, previous community consultation and feedback through social media indicates a desire for Council to increase the number of trees planted within Ipswich.  This partnership would assist in achieving this.

Conclusion

Stroud Homes have approached Council to establish a partnership to further support tree planting within Ipswich.  The partnership will have a positive impact on Council’s Habitat Connections program through the additional funding and opportunity to increase the number of trees Council plants as per the Caring for our Environment priority under Advance Ipswich.  It is proposed to formulate a sponsorship agreement for the partnership.

 

Vada Hoger

Partnerships Officer

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Phil Smith

Acting Principal Officer (Natural Resources)

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Kaye Cavanagh

Manager, Environment and Sustainability

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Charlie Dill

General Manager - Infrastructure and Environment

 

“Together, we proudly enhance the quality of life for our community”


Environment Committee

Meeting Agenda

22 October

2019

 

Doc ID No: A5819445

 

ITEM:              4

SUBJECT:        Nature Conservation Grant - Remaining Applicant

AUTHOR:       Program Officer (Natural Environment)

DATE:              30 September 2019

 

 

Executive Summary

This is a report concerning the outcome of the one (1) remaining application for the Nature Conservation Grants Program (NCG) 2019/20.  Seventeen (17) applications were successful in the assessment process and were granted funding at Council meeting dated 17 September 2019.

 

The remaining application was submitted by a Council employee.  A recommendation from the Internal Audit Recommendation Register highlighted the requirement for further investigation around the approval of funds to Council employees.  As such further investigation regarding the process and approval of funds to Council employees was required to ensure any risk of conflict of interest were managed appropriately.

Recommendation/s

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

That funding for the successful applicant: NCG19/20-013 in the 2019-2020 Nature Conservation Grants round be approved.

RELATED PARTIES

Related parties in this matter consisted of;

Private landholder involved in the Landholder Partnerships Program,

W.Parker Trading Pty Ltd - local natural resource management contractor,

Environment and Sustainability Branch, the Chief Audit Executive and Legal Services.

Advance Ipswich Theme

Caring for the environment

Purpose of Report/Background

The Nature Conservation Grants (NCG) are funded by Council’s EnviroPlan Program to assist landowners who have an existing Voluntary Conservation or Historical Agreement registered on their property. It is an extension of the Landholder Partnership Program aiming to provide financial support for projects with direct short and long term environmental benefits on private land. The NCG provides a service above and beyond that of technical advice from Program Officers. On-ground activities that are supported include the rehabilitation of degraded landscapes, protection and improvement of habitat and biodiversity and improvement of climate resilience of Ipswich’s natural environment.

 

Objectives of the NCG are to:

·    Build a resilient natural environment

·    Improve and maintain biodiversity

·    Invest in nature conservation

·    Promote community participation and enhance landholder knowledge

 

The NCG has supported 170 projects and has contributed $554,920 of project funding since 2011. The incremental increase over the years indicates program growth. To ensure transparency and objectivity of the process, it was necessary to address concerns raised with regard to approving grants to Council employees.

 

Outlined in the guidelines are eligibility and assessment criteria which are made available to applicants. To be eligible for funding under the NCG, landholders must have a Voluntary Conservation Agreement (VCA) which includes: Bushland Conservation Agreement (BCA), Nature Conservation Agreement (NCA), Koala Conservation Agreement (KCA) or Waterway Conservation Agreement (WCA) or have a historical conservation agreement including a Partnering Agreement (PA), Vegetation Retention Agreement (VRA), Rural Conservation Agreement (RCA) or Nature Corridors Conservation Agreement (NCC). The guidelines also state that one application per rates assessment number is eligible per year.

 

The internal audit recommendation stated that rules and/or procedures on assessing VCA applications should be well defined when extending/approving financial grants to employees of Council. Measures should be in place to ensure transparency and objectivity of the process.

 

It has been confirmed that the applicant in question is an Ipswich rate payer whose property is eligible for the Landholder Partnerships Program and therefore eligible for the NCG.

 

The Chief Audit Executive was engaged in order to seek a position on the matter. The issues to consider are perceived and real conflicts of interest. In response to this, perceived and real conflicts of interest have been managed by addressing the following:

Perceived conflict of interest

·    The applicant who is an employee of Council has not influenced or been involved with the establishment of the grant or has made any decisions regarding the process or potential outcome

·    The applicant who is an employee of Council  applied for the Grant like other applicants did via the SmartyGrants portal

·    The applicant used personal contact details and made no reference to being a Council employee on the application

·    The application is assessed using standard criteria applied to all applications

·    The assessors remain separate to officers delivering the program


Real Conflict

·    All applications are treated the same, using the same process for assessment, approvals, acquittals and communications

·    All records are archived in Objective

·    Conflict of interest raised from assessors, having worked previously with the applicant on other projects was managed by arranging a replacement assessment panel to assess the application consisting of non-conflicting officers.

 

The following table summarises the eligible application recommended for funding.

 

Table 1. Nature Conservation Grant application recommended for funding

Nature Conservation Grant Application Recommended for Funding

App. No.

Project Name

Project Suburb

In-kind contribution

Expenditure amount

Total Project Cost

Requested funding amount

Recommended funding amount

project size

013

Restricted Invasive Pest plant removal - western section of property

Tallegalla

$5,205.15

$4,400.00

$9,605.15

$4,400.00

$4,400.00

50,000m2

 

Legal/Policy Basis

This report and its recommendations are consistent with the following legislative provisions:

Local Government Act 2009

RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

The risks associated with not approving the recommendation is that it may have implications on the (perceived or real) fairness of the Landholder Partnerships Program. As a land owner and rate payer there is reasonable assumption that everyone has a right to apply and be assessed for NCG objectively and fairly. Associated conflict of interest risks for approving funding to Council employees has been managed, therefore providing a transparent and rigorous assessment process for all Ipswich rate payers eligible for the program.

Financial/RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

The Nature Conservation Grants are funded through the Enviroplan Levy and, similar to previous years, budget has been secured for the NCG for the 2019-2020 financial year. Including this application, the total grant funds recommended for payment for the 2019-2020 financial year are $73,326.83. This amount is within the current budget allocation.

Table 2. Total Nature Conservation Grant project costs for 2019-2020

Total Nature Conservation Grant Project Costs for 2019-2020

Recommended funding amount

$73,326.83

In-kind Amount

$158,588.60

Total Project Costs

$239,180.20

COMMUNITY and OTHER CONSULTATION

The applicant has received communication regarding the delay in their application as a result of further investigation, regarding their eligibility. Three (3) Officers from the Environment and Sustainability Branch assessed the application using standard criteria stipulated in the guidelines. The Environment and Sustainability Principal Officer and Manager have been consulted with as well as Legal Services and the Chief Audit Executive throughout the process.

Conclusion

 

The remaining application for the 2019-2020 NCG Program has been approved by the assessment panel. The objectives of the project aligns with the NCG objectives and is good value for money with important conservation outcomes. The issues of perceived and real conflict regarding approving funds to Council employees have been addressed accordingly.

 

Stephani Macarthur

Program Officer (Natural Environment)

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Phil Smith

Acting Principal Officer (Natural Resources)

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Kaye Cavanagh

Manager, Environment and Sustainability

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Charlie Dill

General Manager - Infrastructure and Environment

 

“Together, we proudly enhance the quality of life for our community”  


Environment Committee

Meeting Agenda

22 October

2019

 

Doc ID No: A5811919

 

ITEM:              5

SUBJECT:        Tender 12759 – Waste Management Software Solution

AUTHOR:       Senior Business Advisor

DATE:              25 September 2019

 

 

Executive Summary

This is a report concerning the replacement of the existing waste management system (RMSwin) which has been placed in an “End-of-Life” support phase by the software provider. An open market tender (12759 Waste Management Software Solution) was released to procure a viable alternative solution whereby tenderers could either submit a tender for a complete solution or tender for one or more of four (4) separable portions. The tender evaluation process concluded that a viable replacement solution could be achieved by utilising two (2) separate tendered solutions to meet three (3) of the separable portions and addressing any remaining gaps with existing corporate systems.

RECOMMENDATION

That the Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council resolve:

A.             That in accordance with s233 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) approve a Preferred Supplier Arrangement for the supply of Transfer Station / Weighbridge software and hardware.

B.             That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) resolve under s233(7) of the Local Government Regulation 2012, it is satisfied that it will obtain better value for money by entering into a Preferred Supplier Arrangement for a term of more than two (2) years.

C.             That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) enter into a contract for the provision of a Waste Management Software Solution for Transfer Station Operations with the recommended tenderer as detailed in the Evaluation Report for a period of three (3) years with the option to extend the contract by two (2) x further, one (1) year periods.

D.             That the Chief Executive Officer be authorised to negotiate and finalise the term of the contract to be executed by Council and to do any other acts necessary to implement Council’s decision in accordance with section 13(3) of the Local Government Act 2009.

E.             That in accordance with s233 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) approve a Preferred Supplier Arrangement for the supply of Waste Collection Operations and Vehicle Routing and Logistics software and hardware.

F.              That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) resolve under s233(7) of the Local Government Regulation 2012, it is satisfied that it will obtain better value for money by entering into a Preferred Supplier Arrangement for a term of more than two (2) years.

G.             That Council (Interim Administrator of Ipswich City Council) enter into a contract for the provision of a Waste Management Software Solution for Waste Collection Operations and Vehicle Routing and Logistics with the recommended tenderer as detailed in the Evaluation Report for a period of three (3) years with the option to extend the contract by two (2) x further, one (1) year periods.

H.             That the Chief Executive Officer be authorised to negotiate and finalise the term of the contract to be executed by Council and to do any other acts necessary to implement Council’s decision in accordance with section 13(3) of the Local Government Act 2009.

 

RELATED PARTIES

All persons involved in the Tender Evaluation Process completed a Terms of Reference declaration in which any real or perceived conflicts of interest were notified to the Evaluation Committee Chairman. Evaluation Committee members were regularly reminded about the need to declare any conflicts of interest that may arise throughout the evaluation process. A Conflict of Interest Register was maintained by the Chairman and each potential conflict was reviewed with the Probity Advisor. All conflicts noted in the register were monitored and no further action was deemed necessary.

There were no Related Party Conflicts of Interest identified in relation to this tender.

Advance Ipswich Theme

Caring for the community

Purpose of Report/Background

Ipswich Waste Services (IWS) currently manages its waste service delivery obligations with:

§ software which is no longer supported by the vendor who has initiated an End-of-Life (EOL) process as IWS is their last customer still utilising this platform; and

§ a basic vehicle tracking and monitoring system.

In order to avoid likely business, operational, financial and reputation impacts from service delivery failures, it is necessary to identify, source and implement a waste management system solution as a feasible replacement alternative for the existing legacy systems. The system solution/(s) must be capable of efficiently and effectively meeting current and future operational, administrative and management outcomes.

As such, IWS determined it was appropriate to test the market to evaluate alternative potential product offerings. Request for Tender (RFT) 12759 sought to procure a “fit for purpose”, “value for money” Waste Management Software Solution which would enable IWS to meet current and future waste business operational, administrative and management requirements. Tenderers could tender for either a separable portion, multiple portions or the complete solution. The separable portions are:

i.     Transfer Station / Weighbridge Operations

ii.    Waste Collection and Disposal

iii.  Vehicle/Asset Routing and Logistics

iv.   Overall Administration/Management

The required outcomes for the RFT process were:

§ Source a solution/(s) that can meet the functional business requirements of IWS as defined by the business;

§ Identify a vendor/partner who is capable of fully implementing and integrating the chosen solution with existing systems and develop appropriate business processes to meet operational requirements;

§ Ensure any solution is able to adapt to and meet future legislative, regulatory and reporting changes in Waste Management;

§ Ensure the procurement process meets the requirements of the Local Government Act and the Regulations by addressing sound contracting principles;

§ Derive efficiencies and enhanced delivery through industry good practice processes and technologies; and

§ Ensure that any chosen solution achieves value for money for IWS in meeting their business requirements.

Based on the evaluation of tender responses, a number of options for replacing the legacy systems were considered and a business case was developed assessing each option. These options were:

§ Option A: Defer a Replacement Solution / Do Nothing – keep running existing legacy systems in the absence of a suitable replacement solution;

§ Option B: Single System Solution – implement a complete single system solution as a replacement for all legacy systems; or

§ Option C: Adjusted Business Focus Solution – implement best solution/(s) for separable portions i to iii and address solution gaps by utilising existing corporate systems.

The Evaluation Committee concluded, based on the business case and tender evaluation process, that Option C was the most appropriate option for replacing legacy waste management systems and, when compared to Options A and B, would deliver:

§ Cost savings and efficiency gains from integration with other relevant ICC systems and improved and simplified business processes;

§ An increased focus on the value delivered by various services types and the quality of services delivered by tailoring replacement systems to meet fundamental operational requirements;

§ The provision of more robust financial, performance and operational productivity and compliance reporting;

§ Enhancements around GPS tracking, route optimisation, and video evidence collection from a Waste Collection Operations administration and management perspective;

§ Improved management of WH&S compliance and safer operating environments;

§ Enhanced and more streamlined processes at Transfer Station;

§ Enhanced access to KPI reporting on fleet; and

§ A broader scope to provide benefits and value across other associated functional areas within Council.

Legal/Policy Basis

This report and its recommendations are consistent with the following legislative provisions:

Environmental Protection Regulation 2008

Local Government Act 2009

Local Government Regulation 2012

RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

As outlined in the Background section above, there were three (3) options considered as part of the tender evaluation process.

Option A considered deferring a replacement solution. The risks associated with this are classified as very high. They include a complete or partial system failure with limited support available from the vendor to rectify the situation resulting in an inability to conduct day to day operations, record and process transactions and invoice customers for services performed. A number of system outages have occurred recently impacting on business operations. A prolonged outage could require a closure of the Riverview Transfer Station until the system is brought back “on-line” or allowing customers to dump for free resulting in a loss of revenue. Additionally, the current system does not provide adequate compliance monitoring of Workplace Health and Safety obligations whilst drivers undertake waste collection activities. Deferring the replacement of legacy systems was not considered to be a viable option.

Option B considered sourcing a Single System solution for the legacy systems. Based on the tender evaluation process which included Single System solution demonstrations, reference site visits and technical assessments of software and hardware capabilities and functionality, it was concluded that this option posed a high to very high risk. Exceeding initial implementation cost estimates and complexities with configuring the system to meet required outcomes were identified as high risks. Additionally, the in-vehicle hardware was identified as being a very high risk in terms of not being fit-for-purpose and operationally effective. Given that in-vehicle hardware is a key component for the effective operation of the system and one of the main interfaces in waste collection operations, this option was not considered to be a viable solution.

Option C proposed an adjusted business focus in managing waste operations. It seeks to find “value for money” and “fit for purpose” system solutions for core waste operations such as Transfer Station and Waste Collection Operations and Vehicle Routing and Logistics. It proposes that any solution gaps can be addressed by existing corporate systems such as Pathways and Oracle. The risks associated with this option largely relate to addressing the solution gaps and range from moderate to very high. The actual implementation of the preferred system solutions recommended in the Evaluation Report are assessed as low whereas providing appropriate resources to modify and re-engineer existing services and business processes to meet solution gaps with existing corporate systems is classified as a moderate risk and not meeting existing commercial customer service levels is rated as a very high risk. IWS believes there is scope to reduce the risk associated with maintaining commercial service levels by undertaking modifications to the scope and extent of commercial services delivered. Option C was therefore considered to be the most viable solution option.

Financial/RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

The cost of awarding contracts to the preferred tenderers is estimated in the Evaluation Report as follows:

Initial Implementation Costs (Capital) include hardware, installation, implementation and project management costs of approximately $768,558 (degree of confidence 90%).

Ongoing Software Subscription Year 1 costs (Operational) of approximately $93,100 pa (degree of confidence 95%). Note: CPI increases are likely to be applied in years 2 to 5.

Additionally, there will be internal Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Branch project management costs associated with implementation and IWS resources will also be committed to assisting with system configuration, data cleansing and user acceptance testing. IWS resources will undertake implementation tasks in conjunction with existing business as usual responsibilities.

The ICT Branch has allocated $1.2m in the 2019-2020 Budget to deliver the preferred solution and fund the implementation costs and required resources as outlined above.

COMMUNITY and OTHER CONSULTATION

Community Consultation was not considered necessary as part the process of identifying solutions to replace legacy waste management systems. As noted in the Risk Management Implications section above, Option A (Deferring a Replacement Solution) could impact on the delivery of waste services to the community however sourcing a replacement solution would largely result in the continuation of services as usual with probable enhancements in service delivery and customer complaint resolution.

Consultation focused on Internal Stakeholders who could be impacted by alternative solution options. These stakeholders included Transfer Station operators, Waste Truck drivers, Waste Services operational staff, ICT system managers and officers, GIS/Spatial officers, Fleet maintenance staff, Finance Branch and Safe City Branch officers. These stakeholders were invited to offer advice and input about the issues that should be considered when selecting a preferred solution/(s). There were no issues raised during the consultation meetings which cannot be resolved as part of a system implementation process and which would preclude Council from proceeding with the recommendations on preferred tenderers contained in this report.

Conclusion

The preferred tenderers recommended in the Evaluation Report will provide IWS and Council with “fit for purpose”, “value for money” waste management systems that address core local government waste service delivery obligations. However, importantly, both these systems have the capacity to significantly enhance waste management capabilities through greater access to relevant data, better reporting and the scope to add broader value to Council service delivery by being focused on meeting operational requirements efficiently and effectively. In conjunction with existing Corporate Systems, the recommended system solutions provide a viable alternative to replace legacy waste management systems.  

Attachments and Confidential Background Papers

 

 

CONFIDENTIAL

1.

Waste Management Solution 12759 Evaluation Report  

1.1

Evaluation Criteria and Methodology Plan  

1.2

Conflict of Interest Register  

1.3

Probity Principles and Log  

1.4

Evaluation Decision Log  

1.5

Consolidated Vendor Scoring Schedules  

1.6

Procurement Plan Operational  

1.7

Business Case - Waste Management Software Solution  

1.8

Decision Briefing - Final Evaluation Findings  

1.9

Evaulation Commitee Terms of Reference  

 

Kay Clarke

Senior Business Advisor

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Kaye Cavanagh

Manager, Environment and Sustainability

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Charlie Dill

General Manager - Infrastructure and Environment

 

“Together, we proudly enhance the quality of life for our community”