South Burnett Regional Council

Improving transparency & probity

In 2018, South Burnett Regional Council (SBRC), a member of the Wide Bay Burnett Region of councils in Queensland, selected Felix to deliver a single, automated tool to help manage and control the procurement cycle and vendor relationships, with transparency and efficiency. We interviewed Louise Reidy, Strategic Procurement Coordinator at SBRC, to find out the impact that Felix has had on her organisation.

What problems were you trying to solve with Felix?

“The council required a more progressive, online platform that could manage supplier information, compliance information (for example, insurances and qualifications), and provide easy access to pricing schedules for the tendered work under a standing offer agreement.”

What impact has Felix had on the tendering process for prequalified supplier panels?

“Prior to Felix, our prequalification process involved manual distribution of tender documents as well as a manual evaluation process where council officers would meet and review all paper copies of tender applications, and collate the information in the form of reports and excel spreadsheets. Considering how manual and resource-heavy this process was previously, it has definitely improved since the implementation of Felix. The evaluation of prequalified suppliers used to take us up to 90 days, whereas now it takes less than half that time using Felix.”

What has the internal feedback been like with regards to Felix’s RFQ tool?

“Felix’s RFQ tool removes the need for document and resource heavy processes. The tool provides transparency and probity to ensure that the council is meeting its legislative obligations. Feedback from internal users has been positive, and they feel confident that their procurement activities are documented accurately.”

What has the feedback been like from vendors that interact with the council via Felix?

“The feedback we have received from vendors is that the Felix program is easy to use overall, the initial onboarding is straightforward, and they find comfort in the probity that the program provides by ensuring equal opportunity amongst vendors. Vendors who use the program to respond to RFQs have noted that it has made it much easier to submit quotations. Vendors have also said that having their compliance documents located centrally within the platform has been beneficial to them as a business.”

What has your experience been like with the Felix team so far?

“The Felix Project and Support teams have been fantastic to deal with throughout the implementation process, and have offered ongoing, consistent support. They have been extremely flexible and open to suggestions, changes, and customisation to ensure the shoe fits. The Felix Help team has been very responsive in assisting us with the use of the program, answering questions and providing guidance to internal and external users alike."