There is lots of untapped knowledge in Australia’s small and mid-tier accounting firms, and its time the government took advantage of it, for their benefit and ours.
Anyone who has ever tried to land a government contract knows how hard it can be. The barriers to entry often mean that small to medium (SME) businesses have little chance to make those coveted “preferred supplier lists” of the big government departments. For decades, this has certainly been the case for the accounting and advisory sector, where the top 5 or 6 firms have a virtual oligopoly when it comes to government work. However, casting a wider net for suppliers of accounting and advisory work could bring benefits for both the government agencies and society, including:
- Cost Efficiency: Without an expensive global network to support, SME’s can often out-compete the big firms on price;
- Specialised Expertise: SME firms often develop industry specialities that may not exist in the bigger firms;
- Talent Utilisation: For a whole range of reasons, plenty of talented and hard-working accountants and advisors choose to make their career in the SME Sector rather than the big firms. That expertise should not be lost to governments simply because those individuals have chosen a different path;
- Environmental Impact: Governments are under increasing pressure to lower their emissions, and that includes considering which suppliers they use. Many SME’s will have a lower footprint that the big global businesses; and
- Supporting Small: Governments are always very vocal about supporting small businesses. Awarding contracts to smaller accounting practices is a practical way to do this
It seems we are not alone in this sentiment.
CGA Accounting welcomes the likes of Senator David Pocock’s comments about reform of government procurement policies.
Let’s open the doors of procurement reform and support our experts who choose to make their careers in Australia’s wonderful SME sector!
Contact us today to learn how our expertise in the SME accounting sector can benefit your business and help you navigate these opportunities.