SMARTBUY in Schools

Executive, 29 January 2008

SMARTBUY is an online system for ordering supplies via government contracted suppliers. It is a public service wide system and all departments are being encouraged to use it.

Our members had looked at the system and were concerned that it did not link with the existing OASIS computer system in schools. This meant that our members would be expected to enter purchases twice (once in OASIS and once in SMARTBUY). In July 2006 the PSA met with DET representatives and were assured that by January 2007 the systems would be integrated.

PSA representatives were also assured the training of SAS Staff to use SMARTBUY would be discussed with the Union prior to its rollout. In late 2007 we discovered that SMARTBUY was still not integrated and that training was beginning and no further discussions had occurred.

In January 2008 the President of the PSA and industrial staff met with representatives of the DET. We have again been assured that the integration will occur and have been shown the proposed training program. We have now been sent the funding submission (which has been approved) to pay for the integration software to be written. We are informed it will be completed by Term 2 this year.

Given that funding is now available for the software and the training it may eventuate. Should this not occur the PSA will take further action.