Queensland Government
CERTIFICATE 3 GUARANTEE
Pre-qualified Supplier (PQS) Policy
2013-2014
Approving Authority
Executive Director, Skills Investment
Department of Education, Training and Employment (DETE)
Approval Date
June 2013
Effective Date
1 July 2013
Related Policies and
Documents
1. Vocational Education and Training (VET) Pre-qualified Supplier (PQS)
Agreement
2. Certificate 3 Guarantee Program Policy 2013-2014
Version Control
Version: 1b
DEFINITIONS
In this PQS Policy the following definitions apply:
‘Act’ means the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011.
‘AQF’ means Australian Qualifications Framework and has the meaning given at section 3 of the Act
i.e. the national policy for regulated qualifications in Australian education and training. The AQF
incorporates the qualifications from each education and training sector into a single comprehensive
national qualifications framework.
‘ASQA’ means the Australian Skills Quality Authority, the national regulator for Australia’s vocational
education and training sector.
‘Department’ or ‘DETE’ means the Queensland Government Department of Education, Training and
Employment.
‘NVR Registered Training Organisation’ or ‘NVR RTO’ means an organisation that is registered by
the national VET regulator (ASQA) as a registered training organisation under the National Vocational
Education and Training Regulator Act 2011.
‘Participant’ or ‘Student’ means an eligible individual who is enrolled with a Pre-qualified Supplier
(PQS) under the Certificate 3 Guarantee Program and who commences training in the qualification on
or after 1 July 2013.
‘Pre-qualified Supplier’ or ‘PQS’ means a registered training organisation approved by the
Department to deliver publicly-funded training and assessment services.
‘Program’ or ‘Certificate 3 Guarantee Program’ or ‘Certificate 3 Guarantee’ means a Departmental
program for funding training and assessment services which delivers an entitlement to a Certificate III
qualification in accordance with the Certificate 3 Guarantee Program Policy (‘Program Policy’).
‘RTO’ means a registered training organisation, defined at section 3 of the Act.
‘Standards for NVR RTOs’ means the Standards for National VET Regulator (NVR) Registered
Training Organisations 2012 overseen by ASQA. It replaces the former Australian Quality Training
Framework (AQTF) standards for RTOs.
‘Training and Assessment’ means the following:
(a) Training is the process used by the PQS to facilitate learning;
(b) Assessment is the process of collecting evidence and making judgements on whether
competency has been achieved, to confirm that an individual can perform to the standard
expected in the workplace, as expressed by the relevant endorsed industry/enterprise
competency standards of a Training Package or by the learning outcomes of an accredited
course.
‘Training Package’ means a nationally endorsed, integrated set of competency standards, assessment
requirements, Australian Qualifications Framework qualifications, and credit arrangements for a specific
industry, industry sector or enterprise.
‘Units of Competency’ means the specification of industry knowledge and skill and the application of
that knowledge and skill to the standard of performance expected in the workplace.
‘VET’ means Vocational Education and Training.
‘VET Quality Framework’ has the meaning given to it by section 3 of the Act. It refers to the set of
standards and conditions that ASQA uses from time to time to assess whether an RTO meets the
requirements for registration and, as at the date of this Policy, comprises the following: (a) Standards
for National VET Regulator Registered Training Organisations; (b) AQF; (c) Fit and Proper Person
requirements; (d) Financial Viability Risk Assessment requirements; and (e) Data Provision
requirements.
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1. POLICY INTENT
Background
Commencing 1 July 2013, the Queensland Government will introduce a new investment and
procurement framework for training delivery that sits outside existing employment-based apprenticeship
and traineeship training arrangements called the Certificate 3 Guarantee.
The Certificate 3 Guarantee is a key initiative under the Queensland Government’s five year reform
action plan for the vocational education and training sector - Great skills. Real opportunities. For
eligible Participants, the Certificate 3 Guarantee will deliver a minimum entitlement to a Government
subsidised Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) certificate level III qualification.
The Certificate 3 Guarantee is for any eligible Queensland resident who does not already hold, and is
not currently enrolled in, a post-school certificate III or higher level qualification from 1 July 2013
(this means any equivalent certificate III or higher level qualification, irrespective of whether the
qualification is through a university degree, apprenticeship or traineeship pathway). The primary intent
of the Certificate 3 Guarantee is the delivery and completion of certificate level III qualifications which
lead to employment or career progression.
The Queensland Government currently provides subsidised training for apprenticeship and traineeship
training under the User Choice program. The User Choice program will continue to be delivered under
existing arrangements, while the Certificate 3 Guarantee will provide an entitlement to a training place
for other Participants who are eligible under the Certificate 3 Guarantee. The Certificate 3 Guarantee
will be implemented in a similar way to User Choice by using a list of Pre-qualified Suppliers.
The Pre-qualified Supplier (PQS) system provides a central register of pre-approved Registered
Training Organisations (RTOs). The PQS system is based on a performance framework for the
assessment, selection and monitoring of registered training organisations for the delivery of training
services subsidised by the Department of Education, Training and Employment (DETE).
Based on national standards and Department specific requirements in quality management, the PQS
system aims to provide Participants with a level of assurance that their chosen RTO is able to deliver
high quality, industry standard training and assessment services. This method provides greater choice
and empowers individuals to source training that best meets their needs.
Pre-qualification applies to all RTOs directly contracted by the Department to deliver training and
assessment services. There are no application fees or annual registration fees directly associated with
the PQS system.
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2. SCOPE
Pre-qualified Supplier (PQS) Policy Framework
The PQS system for the Certificate 3 Guarantee will operate under the following policy framework:
•
RTOs that wish to deliver publicly-funded training and assessment services in Queensland
under the Certificate 3 Guarantee must first be granted PQS status for the Program;
•
PQS status is granted from the start date specified in the Department’s letter of authority to
the RTO advising of its PQS approval;
•
The Department reserves the right to revoke an RTO’s PQS status under the Program
subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of:
1. the VET Pre-qualified Supplier (PQS) Agreement (‘PQS Agreement’);
2. the Certificate 3 Guarantee Program Policy 2013-2014 (‘Program Policy’);
3. this Certificate 3 Guarantee Pre-qualified Supplier (PQS) Policy 2013-2014
(‘PQS Policy’);
•
All Program documents above are available on the Department’s Training website at
www.training.qld.gov.au and must be read by an RTO’s authorised officers prior to
accepting or seeking PQS status;
•
An RTO that is authorised as a PQS may be able to deliver training and assessment
services across other publicly-funded training programs in future, subject to Departmental
requirements and written approval from the Department.
Eligibility Requirements
•
The RTO must satisfy the requirements of the PQS assessment process (as modified from
time to time by the Department at its discretion) and agree to the standard terms and
conditions within the PQS Agreement.
•
The RTO must have registration at the time of its PQS application, and must maintain
registration, for each qualification it wishes to deliver under its PQS Agreement and be
registered to deliver full qualifications.
•
When registering with the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), the RTO must specify
it will be delivering the qualification(s) in Queensland.
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3. PQS APPROVAL
Invitation or Application
Note: for PQS invitation or application enquiries, contact the VET Investment and Stakeholder
Capability team via email at VETInvest@dete.qld.gov.au or telephone (07) 3227 6271 during
business hours.
Pathway 1 - RTOs that are a PQS under User Choice
•
In this case, your organisation will not need to initiate a PQS application as the Department
will instigate this process. This will occur when qualifications you are approved to deliver
under User Choice become contestable under the Certificate 3 Guarantee.
•
Refer to the Contestable Qualifications 2013-2014 list on the Department’s Training website
at www.training.qld.gov.au.
•
The Department will invite RTOs to participate based on satisfactory PQS performance and
in the invitation, outline what is required to finalise PQS status.
•
Before accepting the PQS invitation, RTOs must verify that they have read and understand
all Program policy documents including the PQS Agreement.
•
To accept a PQS invitation, each RTO must print two (2) PQS Agreements, sign and date
both Agreements and supply the Department with the original signed Agreements for
execution.
•
Note: all funded qualifications under the Certificate 3 Guarantee will be contestable from
1 July 2014. This means RTOs that are a PQS under User Choice will be contacted by the
Department, prior to any qualifications they are approved to deliver for User Choice
becoming contestable under the Certificate 3 Guarantee.
PQS obligations - comparison with User Choice
•
The Department has set clear service expectations for PQS under the Certificate 3
Guarantee to ensure high quality training provision and well informed Participants.
•
RTOs should be aware of the different obligations between User Choice and the Certificate
3 Guarantee before considering whether to participate. PQS obligations for the Certificate 3
Guarantee are stated in the Program Policy at section 3.2.3.
Pathway 2 - RTOs that are not a PQS under User Choice
•
To be eligible to apply for PQS status, you must have scope of registration for any of the
contestable qualifications in the Program’s first implementation phase from 1 July 2013.
•
Refer to the Contestable Qualifications 2013-2014 list on the Department’s Training website
at www.training.qld.gov.au.
•
RTOs will be required to complete an online PQS Application through the Department’s
Purchasing Online (POL) system. POL is the Department’s secure web-enabled system for
RTOs to make application to deliver publicly-funded training in Queensland.
To apply to access POL visit https://www.trainandemploy.qld.gov.au/tolaccess/apply.jsp.
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•
Within the PQS application, RTOs will be asked to nominate the qualifications they wish to
deliver from the list of contestable qualifications.
•
The PQS application is based on national VET standards and Department specific
requirements. It comprises a range of questions and performance criteria that must be met
by each RTO relating to appropriate registration as an RTO, financial viability, legal history
and capacity to deliver high quality training and assessment services.
•
The Department will assess RTOs against variables which may include (but is not limited
to):
− endorsement from the relevant Queensland Industry Skills Body regarding the RTO’s
capacity to deliver high quality training and assessment services;
− the status of any audit non-compliance issues for the RTO;
− the financial viability of the RTO’s business to meet its obligations for the PQS
Agreement term.
•
As part of the PQS application, RTOs must print two (2) PQS Agreements, sign and date
both Agreements and supply the Department with the original signed Agreements for
execution. RTOs need to ensure PQS Agreements are executed fully and correctly,
because if not, they will be returned to the RTO and this may delay PQS approval.
•
Note: all funded qualifications under the Certificate 3 Guarantee will be contestable from
1 July 2014. Status updates will be provided on the Department’s Training website so that
RTOs will know when qualifications, they have scope of registration for, become contestable
under the Certificate 3 Guarantee.
Approval
•
PQS status will only be granted on (1) approval of an RTO as meeting all PQS assessment
requirements and (2) submission of two correctly executed PQS Agreements.
•
Note: clauses or content in the PQS Agreement must be agreed to by the RTO if they wish
to participate in the Program and cannot be amended. This is because the PQS Agreement
is to remain a standard consistent document for all participating RTOs.
•
Each approved RTO under the Program will be notified in writing by the Department of its
PQS status and will be issued with the following:
− a letter of authority advising the start date for PQS status;
− a unique PQS Agreement number referred to as the QS (Queensland Subsidy) Number
and the Delivery Schedule;
− a fully executed PQS Agreement for its records.
•
RTOs must wait until they receive the Department’s letter of authority before representing
themselves to the marketplace as a PQS with access to funding under the Program.
•
Training can only be delivered against those qualifications listed on the RTO’s PQS Delivery
Schedule for the Program.
•
Any training or assessment services delivered by a PQS which commence prior to the start
date specified in the Department’s letter of authority cannot be claimed for, or receive
payment, under the Program.
•
The Department will publish contact details and a list of approved qualifications for each
PQS on the Department’s Training website for prospective Participants to access.
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4. PQS RESPONSIBILITIES
•
In its own marketing and promotion of the Program, the PQS must use the correct Government
title for the Program which is the Certificate 3 Guarantee. However, the PQS must not use the
State or Department logo or other intellectual property for its own marketing and promotional
material (unless expressly authorised in writing by a letter or notice from the Department to the
PQS).
•
The PQS must agree that the Department will take no responsibility, and will not accept liability,
for publishing any incorrect business contact or qualification information.
•
The PQS must make all reasonable efforts to support qualification completion by Participants.
•
Any PQS that makes application to delete its PQS status will be subject to Departmental approval
and any other standard or regulation relating to the transition of any existing Participants.
Maintenance of Records
•
Information can only be corrected or modified by contacting the Department in writing and
requesting the changes required. Correction and variation requests may be subject to written
approval by the Department.
•
The PQS can request a correction and/or variation to information contained within its initial PQS
advice or application submitted to the Department.
−
To modify RTO details or for Purchasing Online (POL) enquiries such as password resets or
accessing the POL system, contact:
Email: purchasingonline@dete.qld.gov.au
Telephone: (07) 3227 6271 (during business hours).
•
Variations to PQS information, once PQS status has been awarded, can be applied for by
emailing the Contract Management and Performance team at
supplier.management@dete.qld.gov.au. PQS may be required to supply industry support letters
to support some variation requests and must refer to the Guideline for Providing Industry Support
prior to applying for a variation.
Audit Information
•
The PQS must publish a summary of its latest Audit information in a prominent position on its
website (linked directly from its homepage). If a PQS has not been audited under the VET Quality
Framework, then the PQS must publish its latest Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF)
audit information in accordance with the requirements below.
•
The minimum VET Quality Framework Audit information to be published by the PQS is as follows:
1. Audit date;
2. Qualifications audited (list all qualifications audited on the above audit date);
3. Audit outcomes:

Audit non-compliance identified:

A summary of significant and/or critical non-compliances and actions taken to rectify;

Non-compliances rectified:
Yes / No;
Yes / No / Not Applicable.
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•
Explanatory notes:
Non-compliances are categorised as minor, significant or critical:
Minor:
The evidence reviewed indicates that the requirements of the VET Quality
Framework have not been met but there is minimal or no serious adverse impact on
learners and/or persons affected by the outcomes of the training and assessment
service provided;
Significant: The evidence reviewed indicates that the requirements of the VET Quality
Framework have not been met and there are indications of a serious or potentially
serious adverse impact on learners and/or persons affected by the outcomes of the
training and assessment service provided;
Critical:
The evidence reviewed indicates that the requirements of the VET Quality
Framework have not been met and there is an actual or potential critical adverse
impact on learners and/or persons affected by the outcomes of the training and
assessment service provided.
5. PQS PERFORMANCE
•
The PQS will be subject to this PQS Policy, the requirements, standards and key performance
indicators (KPIs) specified in the Program Policy and the terms of the PQS Agreement (refer
section 2).
•
The Department will undertake monitoring and evaluation activities to ensure the PQS is adhering
to the required standards and acting in accordance with the intent of the Program.
•
Failure by a PQS to meet the PQS obligations and requirements under the Program may result in
termination of its PQS Agreement and cancellation of its PQS status for the Program.
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