Accessing the Drupal Services Panel

How to access the Drupal Services Panel

Approach the panel

You’ll need to use our Request for Quote (RFQ) template to help define your statement of requirements. The completed RFQ is then used to approach the panel for quotes.  

If you’re not a GovCMS customer but are planning on hosting your website with us, we recommend you contact us to make sure you understand everything required to get your project launched on the GovCMS platform and include it in your requirements as necessary. 

To narrow down the number of suppliers you approach with your RFQ you can go out to the panel for expressions of interest (EOI) beforehand. This will let you know who is interested, and has the capacity, to take on your project.  

You can approach as many, or as few, suppliers for a quote as you’d like. GovCMS recommend you get at least three quotes, as you are responsible for deciding what’s value for money for your project.  

We recommend emailing the RFQ to suppliers as per their contact information in the Drupal Services Panel (DSP) Product and Services Guide.  

Note: The project scope is the responsibility of the buyer (you), not the supplier, GovCMS or Department of Finance (Finance). This means that while you may receive recommendations from the supplier or GovCMS, you set the scope of the project, the timeline and what the supplier will be asked to deliver. 

Evaluate quotes

You are required to make your own value for money assessment on quotes you receive. 

Suppliers will bid for projects by providing a quote and will include a draft work order or statement of work. 

Suppliers may offer discounts on a contract-by-contract basis and the buyer (you) can also seek to negotiate a cheaper rate. Suppliers cannot charge more than the rates shown in the price book of the Products and Services Guide. 

Prepare a draft contract

Once you have chosen your supplier, you will need to draft a contract. This must be done by using the Contract Order Form template provided under this panel. 

You should make sure that the contract is correct and reflects all activities purchased from the supplier(s), as well as anything that is excluded e.g., work you're going to do yourself. It’s important not to leave out things you expect the supplier to complete. If you expect the supplier to complete things like testing, don’t forget to reflect this in the contract.  

Some suppliers are pre-approved to offer subcontractor work and overseas resources, however it remains your (the buyers) choice whether or not to allow these to be used. This can be specified in the contract. 

Work with the supplier on the draft contract to make sure you’re both happy with the details, the pricing and the scope of work. 

After you have agreed with the supplier that your contract is complete and correct, send it to govcms@finance.gov.au for the team to ensure that it is valid and complies with the provisions of the Panel Head Agreement. This is when you will be provided with your unique tracking number.  

Once the supplier has signed and executed the contract, countersign the contract and send a copy back to the supplier and to govcms@finance.gov.au within seven business days. 

Note: If you don’t have approval from Finance, the contract cannot be executed. Any contract without the unique tracking number provided by the GovCMS team is invalid. 

Project kick off and changes

Once the contract has been executed, the project can kick off. You are responsible for managing the delivery and acceptance of the services defined in the contract. 

During the project, you may need to make changes, for example extending the scope of deliverables or timeframes. Use the Change Order form template to define your new requirements. 

Before you execute a change order with your supplier, it must be sent to govcms@finance.gov.au so that GovCMS can ensure that it is valid and complies under the provisions of the Panel Head Agreement. You’ll then receive an updated, unique tracking number.  

Note: If a change order is not approved by Finance, it cannot be executed. Any change order without the tracking number provided by the GovCMS team is invalid. 

Project finish

If you’re moving your site to GovCMS, or doing a major upgrade of an existing GovCMS site you’ll need to coordinate the launch of your site with the GovCMS team. Site migrations and major upgrades take time to organise. You will need to provide at least 14 days’ notice to GovCMS to ensure we can work within your intended timeframe.  

If you’re already a GovCMS customer and building in a GovCMS sandbox environment or making a change to an existing GovCMS website, you’ll coordinate your launch through your regular contacts and the GovCMS Service Desk. 

If you’re not a GovCMS customer, you’ll need to contact us to make the move and organise everything required to get your project launched on the GovCMS platform.  

Invoicing and billing

Depending on the structure of your contract, the supplier may invoice you for part payment upfront, throughout the term of the project as a progress payment, or as a single invoice once work is completed. 

Invoices are sent to buyers directly, not to GovCMS. All DSP suppliers are required to report to GovCMS monthly on the amount they have invoiced against each contract.  

Panel admin fee

Finance charges all suppliers a 6% administration fee which is calculated on the total value of the contract (excl. GST). Suppliers have the choice to either absorb this fee within their pricing, or pass the fee on to agency buyers. 

If the 6% fee is being passed on, it will be shown in your contract as a separate line item. If the supplier absorbs the fee, they are still required to pay that amount to Finance once the contract is completed.