Lean Manufacturing Pilot Program Guidelines
The Lean Manufacturing Pilot Program is offering eligible applicants the opportunity to receive a lean manufacturing audit. View details below.
Program purpose and objectives
The purpose of the Lean Manufacturing Pilot Program (the program) is to support the upskilling of regional NSW manufacturers in lean manufacturing.
As companies face rising supply chain, energy and labour costs, it is imperative that they focus on continuous improvement practices designed to increase productivity, improve product quality, reduce operational costs, and improve global competitiveness and longevity.
Objectives and outcomes
The objective of the program is to help small-to-medium-sized manufacturers in regional NSW identify and implement lean manufacturing principles in their business operations to drive efficiency and productivity improvements.
The program is offering:
- an audit of select small-to-medium-sized manufacturers to identify the requirements and expected costs to implement lean manufacturing principles in their business operations to drive efficiency and productivity improvements. The audit will investigate the potential efficiency improvement of each business through lean principles adoption.
The target outcomes of the program are to:
- demonstrate the pilot model and quantify the potential for lean manufacturing principles adoption across regional NSW manufacturing sectors
- assess the capability and potential for a sample of businesses to estimate benefits to NSW if a decision is made to continue the pilot and/or roll out a broader program, including training or upskilling of select businesses.
Intended recipients
The intended recipients of the program are small-to-medium-sized manufacturers (between 20-200 full-time equivalent employees) with an operating manufacturing facility in regional NSW.
Source agency
The source agency for the program is The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development as listed in the Key information.
Delivery of program
The department is administering this Expression of Interest process to select suitable businesses to participate in the program.
The department will appoint an external service provider to deliver the lean manufacturing audits for the successful applicants.
Type of opportunity
The opportunity type is listed in the Key information.
The department is seeking applications on a first-come, first-served basis up until the available program funding is fully allocated.
Funding will be committed to applications assessed as suitable in order of applications received.
Value for money
The program is designed to deliver value for money by improving the adoption of lean manufacturing in regional NSW which aims to enhance business productivity, efficiency and global competitiveness. The pilot outcome will enable the NSW Government to estimate the potential benefits and consider options to promote broader lean manufacturing adoption across regional NSW.
Program delivery timeframe
Each audit must be completed within the program delivery timeframe listed in the Key information.
Program value
Total program funding of $800,000 is available to fund the cost of lean manufacturing audits, as listed in the Key information.
Program scope of activities
The program will offer each successful applicant the following:
- an audit to identify the requirements and expected cost to implement lean manufacturing principles in their business operations. The audit will further estimate the potential efficiency improvement of the business through lean principles adoption
- an audit report which outlines business needs and opportunities to implement lean manufacturing principles in business operations to realise benefits, as well as quantifiable metrics that demonstrate the potential return on investment to the business, and efficiencies gained (as a result of implementation of the audit’s findings).
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development will arrange for a suitably qualified provider to deliver the lean manufacturing audits.
Note: The scope of activities of the program is limited to delivering the above and does not include financial assistance to businesses to implement audit findings.
Eligibility criteria
All applications will be assessed against the eligibility criteria.
Only applications that meet the eligibility criteria will be considered.
The eligibility criteria covers:
- eligible applicants
- eligible locations.
To be eligible, an applicant must meet ALL of the following requirements:
- have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
- be able to demonstrate the project facility operates in a manufacturing industry through a relevant Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) code or Business Industry Code (BIC)
- have an operating manufacturing facility in an Eligible location (see below)
- be a small-to-medium enterprise (SME) business (between 20-200 full-time equivalent employees)
- hold or commit to obtaining public liability insurance of not less than $10 million per occurrence or hold equivalent or better self-insurance to the satisfaction of the department
- be a fit and proper person/legal entity
- not be insolvent, bankrupt or subject to ongoing legal proceedings
- declare in the application form that the applicant is not aware of any issues which could cause reputational or other risks to the NSW Government
- be able to provide timely access on reasonable request to the service provider appointed by the NSW Government to complete business audits
- be able to allocate necessary resources during the lean manufacturing audit period.
If an applicant’s circumstances in relation to the above eligibility criteria change, the applicant should provide updated information by contacting the department using the Enquiries/Getting support details in the Key information.
Businesses must be located in one of the 95 regional NSW Local Government Areas (LGAs), the Unincorporated Far West region or on Lord Howe Island. Projects located in the Sydney metropolitan area are ineligible.
| Eligible Local Government Areas | ||
|---|---|---|
| Albury | Forbes | Narromine |
| Armidale Regional | Gilgandra | Newcastle |
| Ballina | Glen Innes Severn | Oberon |
| Balranald | Goulburn Mulwaree | Orange |
| Bathurst Regional | Greater Hume Shire | Parkes |
| Bega Valley | Griffith | Port Macquarie-Hastings |
| Bellingen | Gunnedah | Port Stephens |
| Berrigan | Gwydir | Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional |
| Bland | Hay | Richmond Valley |
| Blayney | Hilltops | Shellharbour |
| Bogan | Inverell | Shoalhaven |
| Bourke | Junee | Singleton |
| Brewarrina | Kempsey | Snowy Monaro Regional |
| Broken Hill | Kiama | Snowy Valleys |
| Byron | Kyogle | Tamworth Regional |
| Cabonne | Lachlan | Temora |
| Carrathool | Lake Macquarie | Tenterfield |
| Central Coast (NSW) | Leeton | Tweed |
| Central Darling | Lismore | Unincorporated Far West NSW |
| Cessnock | Lithgow | Upper Hunter Shire |
| Clarence Valley | Liverpool Plains | Upper Lachlan Shire |
| Cobar | Lockhart | Uralla |
| Coffs Harbour | Lord Howe Island | Wagga Wagga |
| Coolamon | Maitland | Walcha |
| Coonamble | Mid-Coast | Walgett |
| Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional | Mid-Western Regional | Warren |
| Cowra | Moree Plains | Warrumbungle Shire |
| Dubbo Regional | Murray River | Weddin |
| Dungog | Murrumbidgee | Wentworth |
| Edward River | Muswellbrook | Wingecarribee |
| Eurobodalla | Nambucca Valley | Wollongong |
| Federation | Narrabri | Yass Valley |
Narrandera
| ||
The application, assessment and approval process
Parameters
Applicants can submit only one application.
Each application must cover only one audit of an eligible applicant’s business operations.
Each application must cover only one operating manufacturing facility in an eligible location.
Applicants must apply via SmartyGrants.
Applicants must submit their applications by the closing date and time listed in the Key information.
Applicants are encouraged to submit applications as early as possible, as funding will be committed to applications assessed as suitable in order of applications received.
The department retains discretion to extend the closing date and time and to accept late applications in extenuating circumstances.
Each application must include the following documents listed in the Application form:
- evidence of valid public liability insurance or a commitment to obtaining
- evidence of Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) or Business Industry Code (BIC) verifying the business operates in a manufacturing industry
- evidence of being a small-to-medium-sized business (SME) (between 20-200 full-time equivalent employees).
Applicants must not include false or misleading information in their applications. If an application contains false or misleading information, the department may deem the application ineligible.
Applicants will receive a notification of receipt upon submitting an application.
The department may contact applicants to verify information or seek further information.
Applicants can obtain support in preparing their applications, for example, technical support with online forms and practical guidance on how to complete an application. Contact the department using the resources listed at Enquiries/Getting support in the Key information.
Determining which applications are successful involves these stages:
- eligibility assessment.
- assessment panel.
- decision.
Please note: the department typically receives far more applications than it can support.
Applicants are not guaranteed to be successful even if the application is eligible and funding will be committed to applications assessed as suitable in order of applications received up until program funding is exhausted.
The program team comprises departmental staff who are responsible for the delivery of the program. The program team will coordinate all aspects of the assessment process.
The program team may seek advice from subject matter experts within the department, other NSW Government agencies and other sources, such as probity advisors, to ensure recommendations are made with consistency, integrity, fairness and accountability, while delivering value for money for NSW.
The program team may contact applicants seeking clarification of information in their applications or further supporting material and will be responsible for responding to applicant queries and feedback.
The program team will assess applications received against the eligibility criteria.
Eligible applications will be recommended to the assessment panel in the order they were received, on a first-come, first-served basis, up until the program funding is exhausted.
An assessment panel will assess each application based on the eligibility criteria in the guidelines.
As part of the assessment, the panel may take other factors into consideration when recommending the suitability of an application, including but not limited to:
- geographical distribution of businesses across the eligible LGAs
- diversity of manufacturing sectors represented/participating
- probity advice and issues that could cause reputational or other risks to the NSW Government
- other factors deemed relevant and important in a whole of NSW context, such as alignment with existing NSW Government policies and strategies.
The decision-maker is listed in the Key information.
The decision-maker will review the availability of funds and the recommendations of the assessment panel.
In limited circumstances, the decision-maker may waive eligibility requirements, for example, where not doing so would lead to perverse or unfair outcomes; be contrary to the policy intent; or damage the reputation and integrity of the program.
If the decision-maker departs from the assessment panel’s recommendations, the decision maker will arrange for the departures to be published with reasons.
Final decision
The decision maker’s decision is final in all matters, including:
- the eligibility of applications
- the selection of successful applications.
The department will send successful applicants a letter of conditional offer. Successful applicants may be required to sign confidentiality undertakings, agreeing to keep the outcome of the application process confidential until the NSW Government makes a public announcement.
The department will notify unsuccessful applicants in writing of the outcome of their applications.
There is no appeal mechanism from the decision-maker’s decisions.
The NSW Government may announce the outcome of audit applications at its discretion.
Key information about the applicants selected to take part in this opportunity will be published on the NSW Government Grants and Funding Finder, in accordance with the requirements of the Grants Administration Guide.
This information, plus information submitted in applications and related correspondence, may be open access information under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) which must be made publicly available unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure of the information. Information that is commercially sensitive may be withheld.
The NSW Government may request to use information submitted in applications for promotional material and to develop case studies.
The department will monitor the projects against the purpose and objectives of the program.
Successful applicants will be required to participate in evaluation, such as surveys and reporting.
Additional information and resources
If applicants have any concerns about the program or individual applications, please contact the department in writing using the contact information at Enquiries/Getting support in the Key information.
If applicants do not agree with the way the department has handled an issue, applicants may contact the NSW Ombudsman via ombo.nsw.gov.au.
The GIPA Act provides for the proactive release of government information by agencies and gives members of the public an enforceable right to access government information held by an agency (which includes Ministerial offices). Access to government information is only to be restricted if there is an overriding public interest against disclosure.
The NSW Legislative Council has the power to order the production of State papers by the Executive Government. Standing Order 52 provides that the House may order documents to be tabled by the Government in the House. The Cabinet Office coordinates the preparation of the papers – that is, the return to order. The return to order may contain privileged and public documents. Privileged documents are available only to members of the Legislative Council.
Note that documents submitted as part of a grant application may be subject to an application under the GIPA Act or an order for papers under Standing Order 52.
If applicants require further information about the GIPA Act and/or Standing Order 52, please contact the department using the contact information at Enquiries/Getting Support in the Key information.
Applicants (and their officers and staff) must declare any perceived, potential or real conflicts of interest in respect of the audit opportunity. They must declare such conflicts on the application form.
Where there is a conflict of interest detrimental to the audit opportunity, applicants must put mitigation measures in place. The department may require individuals not to participate in the application or delivery stage.
All applicants (successful and unsuccessful) must keep the outcome of the application confidential until the NSW Government makes a public announcement.
Applicants must not offer any gifts, benefits or hospitality to any NSW Government employee at any time. Any inducement in contravention of this condition may result in an applicant’s application not being considered.
The NSW Government may, in its absolute discretion, and without limiting any other rights which it may have, do all or any of the following at any time without giving notice or reasons:
- require additional information from an applicant
- change any of the requirements of these guidelines
- alter or vary any process, procedure or timing related to the opportunity
- suspend or terminate the opportunity
- terminate any negotiations being conducted with any applicant
- readvertise for new applicants
- consider any non-conforming application
- terminate an applicant’s further participation in the opportunity for any reason (including if the department considers that an application contains false or misleading statements or may damage the reputation of the department or the program)
- not proceed to execute an offer.
Where significant changes are made in relation to the opportunity, the department will revise these guidelines and make them available on this page.
The department may issue an addendum to these guidelines. The addendum becomes part of these guidelines.
The department will publish these guidelines and any revised versions and addenda on the NSW Government Grants and Funding Finder website.
These guidelines are not an offer, recommendation or invitation by the department. There is no commitment until both a successful applicant and the department execute an agreement.