VETiS Standard Contracts,
Agreements and
Purchasing Guidelines
Webinar
Leela Darvall
Manager
Careers and Pathways Unit
Secondary Reform, Transitions and Priority Cohorts Division
Early Childhood and School Education Group
3:30pm – 4:00pm Tuesday 26 August 2014
Purpose of today’s Webinar
• Inform you of the updated and new VETiS Standard
Contracts, Agreements and Purchasing Guidelines
and when to use each resource
• Outline how the new resources operate and relate to
each other, and
• Answer questions at the end of the presentation.
• Purpose of the Standard Contracts and Agreements
is to support government schools to improve their
capacity to negotiate the purchasing and auspicing of
quality VETiS programs.
Questions
• If you have any questions please type them into the
chat box and we will be answering questions at the
end of the presentation.
• For those questions not answered today we will be
preparing responses which will be posted on the
DEECD website at:
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/finance/pa
ges/purchasing.aspx
• You are encouraged to visit the website regularly as
we will be posting further updates on this site.
DEECD Policy - VETiS Reference 56
(Student Resource Package Guide)
• All Victorian government schools entering into
arrangements with RTOs must have a valid, signed
Contract or Agreement (Agreements are only valid
when government schools purchase from other
government schools) with the RTO for the delivery of
VETiS programs. Schools purchasing VETiS from
external suppliers must use the Standard Contracts
or Agreements.
VETiS Standard Contracts, Agreements
and Purchasing Guidelines
•
•
•
•
•
Standard VETiS Purchasing Contract
Standard VETiS Auspicing Contract
School to School VETiS Purchasing Agreement
School to School VETiS Access Agreement
Purchasing Guidelines for the delivery of VETiS
• Available on the DEECD website:
‘Purchasing Senior Secondary Courses and Vocational
Education and Training from External Providers’
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/finance/
pages/purchasing.aspx
Objectives of the Standard Contracts,
Agreements and Purchasing Guidelines
• Provide user friendly tools to negotiate and support the
purchase of quality VETiS
• Provide a clear and consistent outline of school and RTO
responsibilities
• Provide a mechanism for schools and RTOs to provide each
other with the right information at the right time (e.g. attendance,
progress reports, results, certification and attainment, etc.)
• Support schools and RTOs to meet legal and regulatory
requirements
• Provide materials that meet the business needs of schools and
RTOs
Standard VETiS Purchasing Contract
• The Standard VETiS Purchasing Contract is required
where a school is not an RTO, or the school is an
RTO but does not have the VET qualification and/or
units of competency on their scope of registration,
and seeks to offer a particular VET qualification
and/or units of competency to their students directly
through an external RTO.
• In these instances schools can seek to identify and
engage RTOs who have specified VET qualifications
and/or units of competency on their scope of
registration which the RTO is authorised to deliver.
Standard VETiS Auspicing Contract
• The Standard VETiS Auspicing Contract is required where the
school is in a position to deliver some or all of the VET
qualification and/or units of competency to their students using
their own staff and facilities, however, the school is not an RTO,
or the school is an RTO but does not have the VET qualification
and/or units of competency listed on their scope of registration.
• In these arrangements an RTO is engaged to provide oversight
and monitoring of the schools’ teaching of the program to ensure
that registration requirements are met.
• This will include authorisation from the RTO for the school to
deliver on its behalf and may include professional development,
supervision and certification provided by the RTO. The RTO
support will ensure all compliance and administrative functions
are addressed by the school in accordance with the
requirements under VRQA or AQSA.
School to School VETiS Purchasing Agreement
• The School to School VETiS Purchase
Agreement is required where a government
school (Purchasing School) enters into an
arrangement to purchase a VET qualification
and/or units of competency from another
government school (Host School), where the
Host School is also an RTO.
• This agreement is only valid when a
government school purchases from another
government school.
School to School VETiS Access Agreement
• The School to School VETiS Access Agreement is required
where a government school (Accessing School) enters into an
arrangement to purchase a VET qualification and/or units of
competency from another government school (Host School) and
in these arrangements the Host School is auspicing delivery
from an RTO.
• This agreement is only valid when a government school
purchases from another government school.
• The Host School is required to have in place a Standard VETiS
Auspicing Contract with an RTO.
• In these arrangements the Accessing School is required to read
and understand the Standard VETiS Auspicing Contract.
Summary of Standard Contracts and
Agreements
• Cover page with parties, fees, reference to schedules and
signatures
• Outline of Provision of Services
• Warranties around requirements for Personnel
• Fees, Invoicing and Payment
• Student Suitability
• Duty of Care, Supervision of Students, Travel
• Records and Provision of Information
• Notice of changes (registration status, results)
• Student Complaints and Appeals, Dispute resolution procedures
• Schedules, including Program Details, Personnel, Student
Details, Reporting Details
Purchasing Guidelines for the delivery of VETiS
•
•
•
This document is a comprehensive guide on
the Standard Contracts and Agreements
that schools are required to use when
entering into arrangements with RTOs for
the delivery of VETiS.
Schools should use these Guidelines to
understand their accountabilities and
obligations when seeking to engage RTOs.
The Guidelines also provide helpful
suggestions on how schools should address
issues of quality and value for money, duty
of care arrangements for students, and the
key planning issues that need to be
considered when negotiating contractual
agreements.
Purchasing Guidelines – Step by Step Guide for Schools when
setting up Standard Contracts and Agreements (Section 4)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Step 1: Consider your needs for a VET
qualification and/or units of competency with a
focus on the following:
Step 2: Identify the most appropriate RTO for
each VET qualification and/or units of
competency:
Step 3: Decide on the delivery mode – auspicing
(delivery by school under supervision of RTO) or
purchasing (external delivery by RTO)
Step 4: Consider duty of care requirements
Step 5: Negotiate with the RTO and complete the
relevant standard Contract or Agreement
Step 6: Establish and document contact,
accountability and compliance arrangements
Step 7: Maintain the partnership agreement with a
continuous improvement strategy for the service
Purchasing Guidelines- Permission to
Teach and VET (Section 3)
•
•
•
•
•
Permission to Teach is intended for individuals who are not qualified teachers
but who have been offered employment to undertake the duties of a teacher in a
school.
Permission to Teach is required where a person is being engaged to deliver
and/or assess student participation in an educational program. This includes
educational programs authorised by the Victorian Curriculum Assessment
Authority (e.g. VELS, VCE, VCAL).
The person is engaged because of their specific skills and experience in a
particular subject or discipline.
Permission to teach may be granted by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT)
for a fixed period not longer than 3 years and is specific to a particular subject
and school.
Schools and applicants for Permission to Teach should refer to the VIT website
http://www.vit.vic.edu.au for the latest information on Permission to Teach or
contact the VIT directly on 1300 888 067.
Purchasing Guidelines – Roles and Responsibilities
(Section 5)
• Student
• Parent/Guardian
• School
– Before contracting the VET qualification
and/or units of competency
– During delivery of the VET qualification
and/or units of competency
• RTO
– Before contracting the VET qualification
and/or units of competency
– During delivery of the VET qualification
and/or units of competency
Purchasing Guidelines – Checklists
• These checklists have been developed to remind
(Section 7)
•
•
•
•
and prompt schools and RTOs of the relevant
issues that need to be considered in the
provision of a VET qualification and/or units of
competency through purchasing and auspicing
arrangements
7A. Factors for Schools to consider when
establishing a Purchasing Contract with an RTO
7B. Factors for RTOs to consider when entering
into a Purchasing Contract with a School
7C. Factors for the School and RTO to consider
when establishing an Auspicing Agreement
Checklists include items on student learning and
education needs, scope of registration, quality
assurance, workplace learning, student health,
safety and welfare, delivery, assessment,
reporting costs and value
Purchasing Guidelines – Accountabilities of
Schools and RTOs (Section 10)
• Duty of Care – Schools
• RTO Responsibilities
• Anaphylaxis Management
in Schools
• CRICOS Registration for
International Students
• Parent/Guardian Consent
• Student Health and
Engagement
Purchasing Guidelines - Students with Disabilities
(Section 11)
• Under section 32 of the Disability
Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
education providers must comply with
the Disability Standards for Education
2005
• To comply with the Standards
education providers must make
‘reasonable adjustments’ to
accommodate a student with a
disability
• RTOs must comply with the Disability
Standards for Education 2005
Purchasing Guidelines- Managing Issues
(Section 12)
•
Disputes - Standard Contracts
–
–
–
•
Disputes – School to School Agreements
–
–
–
•
Parties obligations continue while disputes are being resolved
Access to information
–
•
Resolve within 14 days (or as agreed)
Nominated senior executive officer from School and RTO to meet and discuss in good
faith
Parties may refer the dispute for resolution by the Secretary of DEECD
Disputes – Continuing obligations
–
•
Resolve within 14 days
Nominated senior executive officer from School and RTO to meet and discuss in good
faith
Mediation, prior to arbitration and litigation
The RTO/Host School is required under the Standard Contracts and Agreements to
provide timely information on the items listed in the Reporting Details Schedule
Complaints and Appeals
–
–
School processes
RTO processes
Resources, FAQs, Sample Templates
(Section 13, 14 & 15)
• Resources – There is a list of resources available for
schools entering into VETiS purchasing and auspicing
arrangements with RTOs, and resources referenced
across the Purchasing Guidelines are consolidated in
this section
• FAQs – There are a number of Frequently Asked
Questions for schools entering into VETiS purchasing
and auspicing arrangements with RTOs
• There are two Sample Templates:
o Sample Template A - Parent/Guardian Consent Form for
Student Participation in VETiS
o Sample Template B – RTO Report
DEECD website
• I will now navigate away from this presentation to give
you a brief tour of the relevant section of the DEECD
website:
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/finance/Page
s/purchasing.aspx
Conclusion
• Thank you for participating in today’s webinar.
• We will be preparing further responses to those
questions that have been raised today but have not
been answered as part of the session.
• Responses will be posted on the DEECD website:
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/finan
ce/pages/purchasing.aspx
• We will also be participating in the VCAA Roadshow in
November 2014.
Further Queries
• Victorian Government Schools:
Further queries should be directed to:
youth.transitions@edumail.vic.gov.au
• Catholic Schools:
Peter Devery
Team Leader, Education and Training Curriculum and Secondary
Services
Catholic Education Commission of Victoria
T: 03 9267 0228 | E: pathways@ceomelb.catholic.edu.au
• Independent Schools
Pam Hargreaves
Education Consultant, Pathways
Independent Schools Victoria
T: 03 9825 7246 | E: pam.hargreaves@is.vic.edu.au