Funding Agreement 2015-2019
On 4 June 2015 AgriFutures Australia signed a Funding Agreement with the Australian Government. This Funding Agreement sets out expectations about performance, transparency and accountability to levy payers, the Government and the public.

• Funding Agreement 2015-2019
• Board Governance Manual 
• Audit Committee Charter

Indexed list of files
As part of Standing Orders of the Senate, AgriFutures Australia is required to provide access to an indexed list of the titles of all relevant files, including new parts of existing files, that it has created from 1 January 1998.

• January 2018 – June 2018
• July 2017 – December 2017 

Privacy Statement
The AgriFutures Australia privacy policy sets out how we comply with our obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act).

• AgriFutures Australia Privacy Statement

AgriFutures Australia Program Framework
The AgriFutures Australia Program Framework informs the development of key planning and reporting documents such as the Strategic R&D Plan, Annual Operational Plan and Annual Report.

• AgriFutures Australia Program Framework

AgriFutures Australia Evaluation Framework
The AgriFutures Australia Evaluation Framework outlines how investment decisions are made and how performance impacts of program investments are evaluated.

• AgriFutures Australia Evaluation Framework

AgriFutures Australia Events Code of Conduct
AgriFutures Australia is committed to ensuring that no person feels unsafe during any event. AgriFutures Australia requires all attendees, speakers, sponsors and volunteers at any AgriFutures Australia event to agree with the following code of conduct.

• AgriFutures Australia Events – Code of Conduct

Preferred suppliers list for the provision of corporate services 

The following businesses/agencies have been placed on our preferred suppliers list for 1 January 2019 – 31 December 2019.

• Sunday Collective
• Gaal Creative
• Regional PR Co.
• Seftons
• Sauce Communications
• Cox Inall Communication
• Redhanded
• Frank and Earnest
• Eddy May Communications
• Seedbed Media
• Jack of Hearts
• Michael Frogley Photography
• Rachel McLellan Photography
• Wagga Wagga TV
• Bengar Films
• Screencraft
• Chambers Whyte Design and Print
• CanPrint
• Active Print
• CSU Print
• eFront
• RAAK
• Keo Design

Expressions of Interest For the Provision of Human Resource Services to AgriFutures Australia

AgriFutures Australia is seeking the provision of human resource services for two days per week for a two-year period from the beginning of this agreement. The human resource services required have a focus on:

• Human resource management – lead, develop and implement policies, practices, and working conditions to ensure AgriFutures Australia is a positive, safe and enjoyable place for people to work;
• Compliance – ensure the organisation is compliant with all Work, Health Safety legislation; effectively manage confidential and sensitive information; ensure systems and processes are in place to maintain awareness of relevant changes in Government legislation and make recommendations to the LT as required;
• Best practice– assist managers with building effective working relationships internally and externally, develop opportunities to nurture collaboration, teamwork and partnerships; develop strategies for effectively managing a flexible workforce; ensure the effective management of the mental health of all staff; lead opportunities for staff to demonstrate AgriFutures Australia values;
• Staff recruitment – effectively manage the recruitment of all staff; ensure all staff contracts are up to date and the necessary insurances are in place;
• Staff training – manage staff training programs, ensuring all staff have the training required to effectively perform their roles; maintain training attendance register;
• Staff induction – manage the staff induction program ensuring all staff are inducted in a timely and effective manner; review current induction program and make recommendations if required;
• Team meetings – contribute content for each team and whole of staff team meetings; assist GM’s by facilitating team meetings and leading WIP’s in their absence if required;
• Performance management – be available to staff for professional development guidance as required; liaise with existing HR providers; demonstrate empathy and lead a solutions-based approach to support the welfare of all staff; support manager and staff with performance management issues as required;
• Maintain necessary documentation, provide administrative support to the LT as required.

Applications close 21 January 2019.

Expressions of Interest For the Provision of Legal Services to AgriFutures Australia

AgriFutures Australia is seeking the provision of legal services for 2-3 days per week for a 12-month period from the beginning of this agreement. The requirement includes a focus on:

• Research Agreements – negotiate terms with partners; undertake annual review of research agreements; develop fit for purpose templates; consider non-negotiable clauses for AgriFutures; provide training to relevant staff on research agreements to ensure they understand the key principles
• Provider agreements – negotiate terms with partners; undertake annual review of provider agreements; development of fit for purpose templates; provide training to relevant staff on contracting to ensure they understand the key principles
• Sponsorship agreements – negotiate terms with sponsors; undertake annual review of sponsor agreements; develop fit for purpose templates; provide training to relevant staff on sponsorship agreements to ensure they understand the key principles
• Government – ensure systems and processes are in place to maintain awareness of relevant changes in Government legislation and make recommendations to the organisation as required;
• General Contracting – ensuring standard templates meet the changing needs of the organization;
• Human Resources / Industrial Relations – provide legal advice to the organization on HR matters as required
• Intellectual Property / Commercialisation – provide advice to the organization on best practice IP and commercialisation law; develop contracts and templates that meet the needs of the organisation; negotiate terms with partners;
• Contract Management – provide monthly review of active contracts through Clarity and Sharepoint; develop reports as required by the LT; liaise with external legal providers as necessary.

Applications close 21 January 2019.

Request for Quotation – AgriFutures Australia Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Framework

This Request for Quotation (RFQ) is seeking the services of an appropriately qualified and experienced consultant(s) to develop a monitoring, evaluation and reporting (MER) framework for AgriFutures Australia based on its Strategic R&D Plan 2017-2022.

The aim of this project is to provide AgriFutures Australia with the tools to report against all measures listed in the AgriFutures Australia Strategic R&D Plan 2017-2022.

The MER Framework RFQ closes Tuesday, 12 February 2019.

The broad objective of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) is to give the Australian community access to information held by the Government of the Commonwealth.  Reforms to the FOI Act which came into effect on 1 May 2011 are aimed at promoting a pro-disclosure culture across government, building a stronger foundation for greater openness and transparency in government operations.  AgriFutures Australia is committed to a proactive approach to publishing information which it holds to the benefit of rural industries, the research community and the broader Australian public.

AgriFutures Australia operates under the direction of a Board of Directors. Our headquarters is in Wagga Wagga and our corporate contact details are:

AgriFutures Australia
Building 007
Tooma Way
Charles Sturt University
Locked Bag 588
Wagga Wagga NSW 2650

02 6923 6900
info@agrifutures.com.au

How to make a request for access to documents under the FOI Act
Requests made under the FOI Act must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be in writing
• State that the request is an application for the purposes of the FOI Act
• Provide such information concerning the document that will allow AgriFutures Australia to identify it
• Provide detail of how notices provided by AgriFutures Australia in relation to the FOI request can be sent to the applicant.

AgriFutures Australia documents
AgriFutures Australia publishes or holds corporate documents such as the Annual Report, Corporate Plan and Annual Operational Plan. These are free while stocks are available. They are also available for free download from AgriFutures Australia website.

AgriFuture Australia’s extensive research library of is available for viewing, free downloading or purchasing from our Publications and Resources page. Purchases can also be made by phoning 1300 634 313.

Accessing information
Formal requests for information under the FOI Act must be made in writing to the FOI Coordinator.

In many cases, an application under the FOI Act may not be required as information or documents may be readily available.

An up-to-date listing of projects funded by AgriFutures Australia is detailed in our Research-in-Progress publications and also on the AgriFutures Australia website. Funding information on individual projects is available upon request.

Part II of the FOI Act establishes an Information Publication Scheme (IPS) for Australian Government agencies subject to the FOI Act.  The IPS commenced on 1 May 2011 and requires agencies to publish a broad range of information on their websites.

AgriFutures Australia Agency Information Plan describes how it intends to comply with the IPS.

In accordance with sub-section 8(2) of the FOI Act, AgriFutures Australia publishes the following information:

• Who we are
• What we do
• Our Priorities
• Reports and responses to Parliament
• Working with us
• Routinely requested information
• Arrangements for public consultation
• Operational information
• Our Finances
• Our Publications
• Our Lists
• Contact us

Our information is grouped and accessible through the following classes:

Who we are
This section includes information about our organisation and its structure, governance arrangements, Board, Advisory Panel members and senior management team.

The following information is located in the About section of this website:

• Overview
• Board of Directors
• Advisory Panels
• Corporate Documents
• Contact us

This section includes information describing the AgriFuture’s functions and decision-making powers and other powers affecting the research community, rural industries and the public.

What We Do – Our Goals and Strategic Direction
This section outlines information on what our priorities are and how we are working to achieve these priorities.

The following information is located in the About section of this website:

• Corporate Documents

The following information is located in the For Researchers section of this website:

• Our Programs
• Our Research Priorities
• Applying for Research Funding

Our reports and responses to Parliament
AgriFutures Australia tables an Annual Report to Parliament each year in October. Copies of recent Annual Reports can be found in the section of this website.

Working with Us
AgriFutures Australia values social and cultural diversity and is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and the provision of a safe and healthy work environment.

The following information is located in the Careers section of this website:

• RIRDC Enterprise Agreement 2013-16

The following information is located in the For Researchers section of this website:

• Applying for Research Funding

AgriFutures Australia is an agency subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act). The 2010 reforms to the FOI Act included the introduction of the Information Publication Scheme (IPS). This plan describes how AgriFutures Australia intends to comply with the IPS by managing its IPS entry.

Purpose
The purpose of this plan is to:

• Identify information AgriFutures Australia proposes to publish for the purposes of Part II of the FOI Act
• Identify how and to whom AgriFutures Australia proposes to publish information for the purposes of Part II of the FOI Act
• How AgriFutures Australia will otherwise comply with Part II of the FOI Act.

Objectives

AgriFutures Australia’s objectives are to outline appropriate procedures to:

• Manage its information holdings relevant to the IPS
• Proactively identify and publish all information required to be published
• Proactively identify and publish all operational information
• Review information published under the IPS on a regular basis to ensure that is accurate, up-to-date and complete
• Ensure that information published under the IPS is discoverable, understandable and re-useable
• Ensure that the format of online content conforms with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Version 2.0 (WCAG 2.0)
• Measure the success of AgriFutures Australia’s contribution to the IPS by reference to feedback and review processes
• Any other specific agency objectives as announced from time to time.

Establishing AgriFutures Australia’s contribution to the IPS

The General Manager, Business and Finance has overall responsibility for leading AgriFutures Australia’s work on implementing the FOI reforms, including the IPS. AgriFutures Australia is responsible for administration of Freedom of Information, communications and publishing.

AgriFutures Australia identified information required or permitted to be published under the FOI Act by:

• Requesting Programs within AgriFutures Australia to review their functions and information holdings to identify material relevant to the IPS
• Identifying information to be published under the IPS section of AgriFutures Australia’s website
• Ensuring information to be published under the IPS section of the website was up to date, complete and accurate.

Timeframes for establishing the IPS at AgriFutures Australia are as follows:

Administering AgriFutures Australia’s contribution to the IPS
The General Manager, Business and Finance is responsible for managing the IPS and will maintain registers of information required to be published under the FOI Act.  AgriFutures Australia will assist the Communications Team to develop guidance material to explain AgriFutures Australia’s responsibilities for contributing to the IPS. The guidance material will:

• Help staff identify on an ongoing basis any required or optional information to be published under the IPS
• Describe processes to be followed internally to ensure the accuracy, currency and completeness of published information.

AgriFutures Australia is required by the FOI Act 1982 (s11C) to publish a disclosure log on its website. The disclosure log lists information which has been released in response to an FOI access request.  This requirement has applied since 1 May 2011.

The disclosure log requirement does not apply to:

• Personal information about any person if publication of that information would be ‘unreasonable’
• Information about the business, commercial, financial or professional affairs of any person if publication of that information would be ‘unreasonable’
• Other information covered by a determination made by the Australian Information Commissioner if publication of that information would be ‘unreasonable’
• Any information if it is not reasonably practicable to publish the information because of the extent of modifications that would need to be made to delete the information listed in the above dot points.

A link is provided if the information can be downloaded from this website or another website.

Information that is not available on our website or in this Disclosure Log, or that is not available in HTML format, may be obtained by writing to:

FOI Coordinator, General Manager, Business and Finance
AgriFutures Australia
Building 007
Tooma Way
Charles Sturt University
Locked Bag 588
Wagga Wagga NSW 2650

02 6923 6900
louise.heaslip@agrifutures.com.au

Disclosure Log