Customer Service / Subsidence Advisory NSW Independent Assessment Prequalification Scheme - SCM4721

Subsidence Advisory NSW (SA NSW) is now outsourcing the claims assessment process.  Opportunities exist for providers to deliver services to community members whose properties may have been affected by mine subsidence damage.

Following large scale reforms to SA NSW’s governing legislation and operating framework, service providers are required in the following construction and professional services fields:

• Building Inspector and Estimator

• Civil Engineering

• Environmental Studies

• Geotechnical Engineering

• Property Valuer

• Quantity Surveying

• Rail Engineer

• Structural Engineering

• Surveyor

• Utility and Asset Locating Consultant

Following stakeholder feedback, the NSW Government agreed that using private sector service providers to assess claims for possible damage resulting from mine subsidence would increase efficiency and transparency of the claims compensation process.

The scheme provides SA NSW access to a pool of diverse, quality service providers with relevant expertise to assist in the delivery of high quality results in mine subsidence claims management.

Background Information 

The scheme has been established as part of the NSW Government’s reforms to management of coal mine subsidence under the Coal Mine Subsidence Compensation Act 2017. The reforms arise from a comprehensive review of the current 1961 Act, and follow significant industry consultation.

Key changes to the Act include:

• Coal mine operators in NSW will be directly accountable for subsidence damage they cause. Previously coal mine operators would pay a levy to a compensation fund to cover subsidence damage. This effectively discharged them of any liability arising from subsidence damage.

• SA NSW the peak regulatory body for mine subsidence compensation, will establish a new case management system where individual case managers are assigned to property owners to ensure they are treated fairly throughout the compensation process.

• All claims will be lodged with SA NSW through a new ePortal allowing property owners to have visibility of their claim throughout the process.

• Claims for compensation will be subject to an independent assessment by an assessor from the prequalification scheme. Mine proprietors and SA NSW will be required to compensate property owners in accordance with these assessments.

SA NSW’s Prequalification Scheme offers a platform for service providers to tender for provision of assessment services to government agencies.

The pool of prequalified service providers will provide assessment expertise and services to assist in the investigation and determination of any potential mine subsidence claims within NSW.

To achieve prequalification, Applicants are required to provide evidence of demonstrated experience within the category/ies nominated and client contact details confirming organisational capability in that type of work.

Scheme Conditions and Agreements shall be agreed in principle upon submission of your Scheme Application.

Investigation, Assessment and Project specific terms such as scope, timeline and fees shall be agreed during subsequent tender process.

Opportunities and Expectations of the Scheme

The scheme provides simple access for SA NSW and service providers. It promotes increased competition to enable SA NSW and NSW Government to get value for money services.

It should be noted that prequalification does not guarantee works or projects to service providers. Historically greater than 300 claims per year have been lodged. The nature and volume of claims work is difficult to predict and will fluctuate.

Benefits for suppliers

• the online application removes lengthy and expensive tender processes.

• suppliers can be added regularly, giving agencies continual access to new suppliers and emerging technologies.

• streamlined categories enabling suppliers to align their offerings and maximise opportunities to provide services to SA NSW.

• a short-form contract with simplified terms provides opportunities for SMEs and reduces costs of doing business with SA NSW.

Applicants must answer all questions in this online application and provide the information requested.

Incomplete applications or applications deemed unsatisfactory may be rejected by the Assessment body.

It is recommended that applications are submitted from a generic/proxy email address (such as tenders@###.com) to ensure applications are managed accordingly. Correspondence about the application for prequalification will be sent to the email address that submitted the application.

Applicants must identify their area of expertise by nominating their preferred Region/s and Capability categories.

It is recommended that the applicant download and review the scheme documents prior to completing the application. Refer in particular to the “Categories by Region” document which will provide guidance for capability selection.

Download the Guidelines for applicants (PDF, 312KB)

Download the Scheme Terms and Conditions (PDF, 697KB).

Applications to be complete via eTendering website

Applicants have the opportunity to apply for work categories relating to investigation and assessment of potential mine subsidence across different regions. It is the applicants responsibility to update their information and re-apply for further capabilities as their experience grows.

You will be asked to select Region/s and Category/ies for which you can provide sufficient evidence of your experience. You will also have the opportunity to select one or more areas of expertise (Capabilities), should that apply to your business.

The Applicant must identify its areas of substantial expertise by nominating the categories in which it is seeking prequalification.

• A01. Nepean
  Building Inspector and Estimator within Nepean region
• A02. South West Sydney
  Building Inspector and Estimator within South West Sydney region
• A03. Central Coast
  Building Inspector and Estimator within Central Coast region
• A04. Hunter
  Building Inspector and Estimator within Hunter region
• A05. Central West
  Building Inspector and Estimator within Central West region
• A06. Orana/Far West
  Building Inspector and Estimator within Orana/Far West region
• A07. New England
  Building Inspector and Estimator within New England region
• A08. Illawarra
  Building Inspector and Estimator within Illawarra region

• B01. Nepean
  Civil Engineering within Nepean region
• B02. South West Sydney
  Civil Engineering within South West Sydney region
• B03. Central Coast
  Civil Engineering within Central Coast region
• B04. Hunter
  Civil Engineering within Hunter region
• B05. Central West
  Civil Engineering within Central West region
• B06. Orana/Far West
  Civil Engineering within Orana/Far West region
• B07. New England
  Civil Engineering within New England region
• B08. Illawarra
  Civil Engineering within Illawarra region

• C01. Nepean
  Environmental Studies within Nepean region
• C02. South West Sydney
  Environmental Studies within South West Sydney region
• C03. Central Coast
  Environmental Studies within Central Coast region
• C04. Hunter
  Environmental Studies within Hunter region
• C05. Central West
  Environmental Studies within Central West region
• C06. Orana/Far West
  Environmental Studies within Orana/Far West region
• C07. New England
  Environmental Studies within New England region
• C08. Illawarra
  Environmental Studies within Illawarra region

• D01. Nepean
  Geotechnical Engineering within Nepean region
• D02. South West Sydney
  Geotechnical Engineering within South West Sydney region
• D03. Central Coast
  Geotechnical Engineering within Central Coast region
• D04. Hunter
  Geotechnical Engineering within Hunter region
• D05. Central West
  Geotechnical Engineering within Central West region
• D06. Orana/Far West
  Geotechnical Engineering within Orana/Far West region
• D07. New England
  Geotechnical Engineering within New England region
• D08. Illawarra
  Geotechnical Engineering within Illawarra region

• E01. Nepean
  Property Valuer within Nepean region
• E02. South West Sydney
  Property Valuer within South West Sydney region
• E03. Central Coast
  Property Valuer within Central Coast region
• E04. Hunter
  Property Valuer within Hunter region
• E05. Central West
  Property Valuer within Central West region
• E06. Orana/Far West
  Property Valuer within Orana/Far West region
• E07. New England
  Property Valuer within New England region
• E08. Illawarra
  Property Valuer within Illawarra region

• F01. Nepean
  Quantity Surveying within Nepean region
• F02. South West Sydney
  Quantity Surveying within South West Sydney region
• F03. Central Coast
  Quantity Surveying within Central Coast region
• F04. Hunter
  Quantity Surveying within Hunter region
• F05. Central West
  Quantity Surveying within Central West region
• F06. Orana/Far West
  Quantity Surveying within Orana/Far West region
• F07. New England
  Quantity Surveying within New England region
• F08. Illawarra
  Quantity Surveying within Illawarra region

• G01. Nepean
  Rail Engineers within Nepean region
• G02. South West Sydney
  Rail Engineers within South West Sydney region
• G03. Central Coast
  Rail Engineers within Central Coast region
• G04. Hunter
  Rail Engineers within Hunter region
• G05. Central West
  Rail Engineers within Central West region
• G06. Orana/Far West
  Rail Engineers within Orana/Far West region
• G07. New England
  Rail Engineers within New England region
• G08. Illawarra
  Rail Engineers within Illawarra region

• H01. Nepean
  Structural Engineering within Nepean region
• H02. South West Sydney
  Structural Engineering within South West Sydney region
• H03. Central Coast
  Structural Engineering within Central Coast region
• H04. Hunter
  Structural Engineering within Hunter region
• H05. Central West
  Structural Engineering within Central West region
• H06. Orana/Far West
  Structural Engineering within Orana/Far West region
• H07. New England
  Structural Engineering within New England region
• H08. Illawarra
  Structural Engineering within Illawarra region

• I01. Nepean
  Surveyor within Nepean region
• I02. South West Sydney
  Surveyor within South West Sydney region
• I03. Central Coast
  Surveyor within Central Coast region
• I04. Hunter
  Surveyor within Hunter region
• I05. Central West
  Surveyor within Central West region
• I06. Orana/Far West
  Surveyor within Orana/Far West region
• I07. New England
  Surveyor within New England region
• I08. Illawarra
  Surveyor within Illawarra region

• J01. Nepean
  Utility and Asset Locating Consultant within Nepean region
• J02. South West Sydney
  Utility and Asset Locating Consultant within South West Sydney region
• J03. Central Coast
  Utility and Asset Locating Consultant within Central Coast region
• J04. Hunter
  Utility and Asset Locating Consultant within Hunter region
• J05. Central West
  Utility and Asset Locating Consultant within Central West region
• J06. Orana/Far West
  Utility and Asset Locating Consultant within Orana/Far West region
• J07. New England
  Utility and Asset Locating Consultant within New England region
• J08. Illawarra
  Utility and Asset Locating Consultant within Illawarra region

The Applicant must answer the following questions based on the prequalification type they are applying for