When planning a project, it is important to take your Local Jobs First obligations into account as early as possible.

This will help for incorporating Local Jobs First in tender and contract documentation and related processes, as well as engaging with DJSIR's Industry Participation team and the ICN Victoria to ensure that local businesses are given full and fair opportunity to compete for all government goods, services and construction projects that fall within thresholds set by government.

Local Jobs First applies to all Victorian Government departments and agencies.

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  • Your first step is to confirm the estimated project budget. Although the project may comprise a number of separate procurements, you will need to estimate the total value of the whole project, including all separate procurements.
  • If the total project value is $1 million or more (regional) or $3 million or more (metropolitan or statewide) and less than $50 million then you will need to get the project registered with ICN Victorian Management Centre (VMC).
  • ICN will review your project specifications and assess contestability.
  • If your project is contestable, you will need to ensure that your tender documentation requires all bidders to submit a Local Industry Development Plan (LIDP). The LIDP can also be found as an online form at the VMC. The LIDP outlines bidders’ commitments to local industry participation, including jobs and will reflect the size and complexity of the project or contract at hand.
  • Where ICN considers that there is no contestability, it will advise DJSIR's Industry Participation team, who will make a determination on this matter and inform the agency.
  • You are still required to request data, monitor and report on Local Jobs First outcomes, including local content and jobs to be delivered on the project and actual achievements, irrespective of the contestability assessment.
  • When preparing tender and contract documents, refer to the Local Jobs First Model Clauses which provide you with Request for Tender and contract clauses for applying Local Jobs First.
  • All projects that meet Local Jobs First thresholds are required to have a mandatory 10 per cent weighting for industry development in the evaluation of tenders, as well as a 10 per cent weighting for jobs outcomes. The tender panel’s evaluation is also informed by an ICN assessment of each bidder’s LIDP, including the likely risk associated with each bidder meeting the local content commitments.
  • Further information on how to apply these weightings is provided in the Agency Guidelines.
  • Delivery of the awarded contractor’s LIDP becomes a contract condition.
  • Once the contract has been awarded you must register the selected contractor with ICN Victoria.
  • If your project has a total project value of $20 million or more, then you must ensure that the awarded contractor has registered the project to monitor local content and job commitments over the life of the project.

The above is an overview of the Local Jobs First process for Standard Projects. You must ensure that you have read, understand and comply with your full obligations as provided in the Local Jobs First Agency Guidelines.

If you have questions about any aspect of this process, you should speak with your Local Jobs First Administrator. DJSIR is also able to provide further assistance.

  • If your project has a total value of $50 million or more, or the government has otherwise declared your project to be Strategic, your first step is to contact DJSIR’s Industry Participation team.
  • DJSIR's Industry Participation Team will liaise with you on the recommended local content and other requirements to help inform the government’s decision on the setting of local content requirements for the project.
  • Ministerial agreement of the local content requirements is required prior to the release of any tender documents.
  • You will need to register the project with the ICN Victorian Local Jobs First Management Centre (VMC)
  • ICN will review your project specifications and assess contestability and local industry capability.
  • When preparing tender and contract documents, refer to the Local Jobs First Model Clauses.
  • All bidders are required to submit a compliant Local Industry Development Plan (LIDP), detailing commitments to local industry development, local content and jobs, and agreeing to reporting and other conditions. LIDPs will reflect the size and complexity of the project or contract at hand.
  • You will need to apply at least a mandatory 10 per cent weighting for industry development in the evaluation of tenders and a 10 per cent weighting for jobs outcomes. The tender panel’s evaluation is also informed by an ICN assessment of each bidder’s LIDP, including the likely risk associated with each bidder meeting the local content commitments.
  • The awarded contractor’s Local Industry Development Plan (LIDP) outlining its local content commitments becomes a contract condition.
  • Once the contract has been awarded you must register the selected contractor with ICN Victoria.
  • Don’t forget! All Strategic Projects that are construction projects must also apply the Major Skills Project Guarantee (MPSG).
  • For all Strategic Projects, the awarded contractor must register the project to use the Local Jobs First reporting tool so that you can monitor local content and job commitments over the life of the project.

The above is a summary of the Local Jobs First process for Strategic Projects. You must ensure that you have read, understand and comply your full obligations as provided in the Local Jobs First Agency Guidelines.

If you have questions about any aspect of this process, you should speak with a member of DJSIR's Industry Participation team.