Any Gateway Review relies substantially on the independent expertise of the review team. Reviewers are required to have high-level skills, through training and extensive or relevant experience of aspects of the projects under review.
Review team members will be chosen from the private sector or other government jurisdictions when necessary to supplement skills and experience within the Victorian public sector and the Gateway Unit. Registration of Interest advertisements and other methods are used to compile a database of experienced private sector people to supplement review teams.
Training is provided on ‘Preparing to carry out Gateway Reviews’ and ‘Leading Gateway Reviews’. The training is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to plan, prepare and undertake Gateway Reviews as team members and team leaders of high, medium and low risk reviews. Training is delivered by a external organisation, utilising modified OGC Gateway Training material from the UK. For details on how to undertake training please see the Gateway Review website.
There are different levels of training for review team members and team leaders. The database of accredited departmental and agency reviewers as well as the private sector reviewers (established by the Gateway Unit) will include details of their skill base and experience. New nominees will be assessed and considered for inclusion on the database of reviewers. The reviewers details in the database are subject to the Privacy Act and are only utilised by the Gateway Review Unit. Nominees for Gateway Review team membership are expected to meet certain minimum requirements.
This outline recognises three levels of skills or expertise:
Level 1: Awareness. The participant is able to understand the key issues and their implications for the client, and ask relevant and constructive questions on the subject.
Level 2: Knowledge. The participant has a detailed knowledge of the subject and is capable of providing guidance and advice to others.
Level 3: Expert. The participant has extensive and substantial practical experience and applied knowledge of the subject.
The Gateway Unit will advise nominees and their departments or agencies of their inclusion on the database.
(i) Team leaders – There are particular requirements for team leaders of reviews of medium and high-risk projects.
(a) For high-risk projects, team leaders are:
typically executive level in the public sector and the equivalent in the private sector; [4]
substantially experienced (minimum of 15 years), with a background in managing business aspects of major procurement projects and/or programs with a typical value of $50 million or more;
familiar with handling major strategic initiatives and managing business change;
excellent communicators; and
experienced in connection with sensitive and complex or unusual projects.
(b) For medium-risk projects, team leaders are:
minimum level – Victorian Public Sector level 5;
substantially experienced (minimum of 10 years), with a varied background, particularly in procurement or project/program management typically valued at $20 million; and
excellent communicators.
(ii) Team members – Team members need a certain level of project management experience and/or experience in business change, business analysis or other operational or procurement areas. They include:
(a) Project managers with the following experience:
professional project managers, who are accredited in Prince 2 (UK Office of Government Commerce project management methodology) or PMBOK (the Project Management Body of Knowledge Guide);
successful managers of significant projects/programs or procurements;
good team players and communicators; and
5+ years relevant experience.
(b) Business analysts with:
in-depth financial assessment evaluation experience; and
experience in preparing business cases, strategic assessments and business requirements.
(c) Specialists in management in the following areas (minimum five years experience):
business change;
electronic documents and records;
facilities; and
construction and property.
(d) procurement professionals (minimum 5 years experience):
professional procurement practitioners;
with experience in managing contractual relationships; and
with responsibilities for best procurement practice.
(e) operations experience (minimum five years) in:
operations support;
property portfolio management; and
service management.
No fees are paid to departmental/agency personnel for participation in review teams.