The Australian government has been funding overseas volunteering for more than 60 years. The design of the next phase of Australian Government support for overseas volunteering (2018-2028) will be based on lessons learned from previous investment in volunteer programs and will firmly align with Australia's aid policy. The New Australian Volunteers Design: Preliminary Design Draft is provided to allow market feedback regarding the proposed approach to the redevelopment and to maximise value for money. The design team will consider responses provided by industry in the preparation of final design documentation for the request for tender and as such, this document should not be viewed as a fully formed investment design document. Whilst feedback may focus on any aspect of the documentation, DFAT is particularly interested in industry's comments on the following areas:

• Proposed delivery model for the program
• Establishment of an Advisory Panel/Strategic Reference Group
• Governance and management arrangements
• Approaches to engaging the private sector and Australian partner organisations
• Approaches to building stronger linkages between individuals and institutions
• Approaches to designing and managing the volunteer Innovation Fund
• Outcomes, including diplomacy and development outcomes
• Views regarding achievable KPIs (indicators if not targets)
• Ways the resultant contractor performance can be linked to associated payments
• Possible scope and reach for the communications products from the Program

Responses from industry will be kept in strict confidence. Any adjustments to the draft documentation as a result of feedback from industry will be made at DFAT's sole discretion. DFAT may communicate with industry to clarify responses.

It is likely that DFAT will require a Contractor to provide management services for the new volunteer program. If approved, the proposed procurement will be listed on the AusTender website when it is released to market.

• New Australian Volunteers Program: Preliminary Design Draft [PDF 600 KB]
• New Australian Volunteers Program: Preliminary Design Draft [Word 289 KB]

Questions or comments

All comments or questions should be directed to DFATvolunteers@dfat.gov.au. Final date for questions or comments is 8 July 2016.

Based on expressed interest, the design team will also be available to meet with interested stakeholders regarding the new volunteer program design at the following locations:

• Melbourne: 4-5 July
• Canberra: 6 July
• Sydney: 7 July
• Perth: 8 July

To request a meeting regarding the design please send an email indicating the company you represent and the names of people who will be attending to DFATvolunteers@dfat.gov.au by 14 June 2016. Meeting times will be confirmed by DFAT via email and are subject to levels of expressed interest and available time.

Please note that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is not liable for any travel, accommodation or other costs incurred by participants.

This information is provided for planning purposes only and it does not represent solicitation or constitute a request for proposal, nor is it a commitment to purchase or tender for any described services. The scale, scope and focus of any proposed program may change at any time and is subject to formal approval by the Australian Government before any procurement process will commence. Should a procurement commence, we anticipate commencing in September/October 2016. This information is subject to delays, revision or cancellations.

Individuals/organisations submit, and DFAT receives, submissions on the understanding that the individual/organisation, owns the material and any intellectual property (IP) in the material, and grants to DFAT a permanent, irrevocable, royalty free worldwide, non-exclusive licence to use, reproduce, adapt and otherwise exploit such material or IP in conjunction with this notice. The licence granted includes the right for DFAT to sub-licence any material or IP to any of its employees, agents or contractors to use, reproduce, adapt and otherwise exploit the material or IP incorporated in the submission for the purposes of performing functions, responsibilities, activities or services for, or on behalf of, DFAT. DFAT may in its absolute discretion decide whether to use, reproduce, adapt and otherwise exploit such material or IP. The individual/organisation warrants that the submission of the material, for the purposes permitted by the submission conditions, will not infringe the moral rights of any person.