Financial and Administrative Delegations Register

Purpose. This register records who in the department holds the authority to approve expenditure, grants, procurements, contracts, compliance actions and other decisions, and the limits on that authority under the Financial Management Act 1994 and the department's instrument of delegation.

1.Purpose

The Deputy Secretary holds the powers of the department and delegates them to positions, not to people, through the instrument of delegation. A decision made by someone without the delegation is invalid and must be re-made by a delegate. This register is the single reference staff must check before approving anything.

2.Financial delegations

Financial delegations authorise the commitment and payment of public money up to a limit per transaction. The delegate must confirm funds are available in the budget, that the purchase or grant has followed the applicable policy and that they have no conflict of interest before approving.

• Deputy Secretary: unlimited within the appropriation
• Directors: up to $500,000 per transaction
• Managers: up to $150,000 per transaction
• Team leaders: up to $25,000 per transaction
• Officers with a purchasing card: up to $5,000 per transaction

3.Grant delegations

Grant decisions are made by the delegate for the program: the Director, Grants and Programs for grants up to $250,000 and the Deputy Secretary above that amount or for any grant the Minister has asked to see. The delegate must decide on a recommendation report prepared under the grant assessment procedure.

4.Procurement and contract delegations

Approval to approach the market and approval to award follow the financial delegation for the full contract value. Contract variations that increase value must be approved by a delegate for the new total value. Exemptions from the procurement policy must be approved by the Manager, Procurement and Contracts and reported to the audit and risk committee.

5.Compliance and regulatory delegations

Notices to comply, conditions on funding and suspension of payments must be approved by the Director, Regulation and Compliance. Termination of a service agreement for non-compliance must be approved by the Deputy Secretary. Authorised officer appointments are recorded in this register with the date of authorisation.

6.Acting arrangements and record

A person formally acting in a position holds its delegations for the period of the acting arrangement recorded in the human resources system. The register is maintained by Corporate Services, updated on every change and reviewed each July. Every approval must cite the delegation relied on.