About Us

About Industry Capability Network

Industry Capability Network (ICN) is a national network of independent industry consultancies managed by industry and sponsored by state governments to achieve beneficial outcomes for local Australian and New Zealand industry and economy. ICN provides a unique range of services to project proponents and local suppliers from 25 offices throughout Australia and from two offices in New Zealand.

ICN's primary focus in WA is on WA projects and WA suppliers. However, in pursuing the best solutions for project proponents and in order to offer the widest possible range of opportunities for suppliers, the resources of the national ICN network are engaged to achieve optimum outcomes for all stakeholders.

ICN in WA's client reference list

ICN's clients in WA include Aker Solutions, Alcoa, Alstom, Anglo Gold Ashanti, Bechtel, BHP Billiton, Chevron, Citic Pacific, Clough, Gindalbie Metals Ltd, IHI Engineering, Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR), Newmont, Rio Tinto, Shell, Water Corporation, Wesfarmers LPG Pty Ltd, Woodside Energy, Worley Parsons and Worsley Alumina Pty Ltd.

ICN's activities are aimed at enhancing the competitive position of the purchaser and the global competitiveness of Australian projects, while at the same time supporting Australian industry participation.

Our standard vendor identification service is provided free of charge. You will be advised in writing of any ICN service that would attract a fee. Supply of such services need to be separately negotiated on mutually agreed terms and conditions prior to commencement.

How can you access free services?

Obtaining our standard free service is a simple process. Please see the below requirements.

1. Let us know if you are a tendering to a project or have already been awarded a supply contract.
2. If you wish us to identify Australian suppliers against a large range of key components that you utilise in the plant or equipment you produce, we need to know if any of these components are manufactured in-house or need to be sole-sourced. There would be limited benefit in providing you with any details on Australian companies for sole-sourced items. The components we can best assist you with are the ones that you would normally purchase on a competitive tendering basis and there is a reasonable likelihood of us identifying an Australian supplier who can meet all your commercial requirements.
3. We need to know that there is sufficient time for us to undertake our research, provide you with information on suppliers and allow you to investigate them.
4. We need sufficient technical information on the products or services you require (e.g. datasheets, etc).
5. Tell us the quantities of the item and its required delivery schedule.
6. We need to know what quality standards the Australian vendors require.
7. It is also helpful to inform us of the Australian vendors you have already approached to avoid us going over the same ground.
8. Let us know the date that you require our Australian vendor information by.
9. Lastly, we need your acknowledgment that you will supply us with some feedback on your evaluation of the suppliers we have identified.
   

What information do we supply you?

ICN will quickly undertake an investigation of prospective Australian vendors based on their:

• Ability to undertake the work in technical / engineering terms
• Ability to finance the size of an individual package
• Ability to meet delivery and quality requirements
• Track record
• Competitiveness

ICN will then provide you with our nominations of Australian suppliers for the product or service you require, together with supporting comments. We would point out, however, that it is your responsibility to evaluate any supplier nominated by us and establish their ultimate suitability and compatibility to suit your job requirements and specification.

Buyer registration

Buyers can either contact us directly or register online by providing details of goods and services currently being imported. Our consultants will then endeavour to seek suitable Western Australian, Australian and New Zealand companies with the necessary capability. Buyers can register by clicking here.

Supplier registration

It is important that ICN holds your company’s current capabilities and details to help us provide buyers with the best information about your company.

There is no cost to your company to use the ICN service. ICN is an independently managed, non-profit organisation supported by industry and state and federal governments. The 'buy local' initiative enables ICN in each state and territory to provide its standard vendor identification service free of charge.

If you are a Western Australian manufacturer or provide a value-adding service, and you want your capabilities known to the ICN national network, you should be correctly registered on our national database.

To register your company’s capability, click here

A simple search will determine if your company is already registered.If not, you have the opportunity to “Create Company Profile”.If your company is registered with ICN, you have the opportunity to edit your company’s profile online.Only the person who originally created your company’s profile can make changes to this record. For contact details, please call us on 08 9365 7623.

ICN service

ICN offers a consultancy service to evaluate purchasing requirements and makes recommendations on alternative supply channels aimed at lowering project costs and building effective Australian industry supply networks.

ICN’s standard vendor identification service is provided free of charge. However, if the project’s engineering and procurement team require an ICN consultant for a material period of time, then this will need to be separately negotiated on mutually agreed terms and conditions prior to commencement.

ICN in WA consultancy service covers three areas:

• WA major projects
• global supply chain access service
• information communication technology.

As a guide, some of ICN's services used by domestic and international companies and organisations include:

• identifying competitive Australian made goods and services
• linking competitive Australian made goods and services into global supplier registration systems of global engineering companies
• locating potential Australian partners for joint ventures and technology transfers
• providing industry briefings and seminars on WA investment project procurement opportunities
• supplying industry development services such as capability analysis, industry specific capability directories, investigation into infrastructure requirements and many others.
  

Industry Capability Network across Australia

ICN is a national network of independently owned and operated ICN offices in each state and territory of Australia and also New Zealand. If your company is registered on the ICN database, your details are available to the rest of the ICN national network. Contact us us to make sure that your company is registered or click here.

Industry Capability Network Limited

ICN Ltd was founded in 1995 to facilitate coordination between the various state and territory ICNs and assist in the maximisation of Australian and New Zealand participation in Australian Government purchasing. ICN Ltd, whose headquarters are in Canberra, is a public company funded by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR).

ICN Ltd also manages the Supplier Access to Major Projects (SAMP) program on behalf of DIISR. Proposals under the program need to be approved by the board of ICN Ltd. The prime purpose of SAMP is to provide funds to employ resources to assist the management teams of Australian projects of national significance to maximise opportunities for Australian and New Zealand industry.

On behalf of the various ICN offices, ICN Ltd also maintains the national database, ICN Gateway, comprising over 50,000 records used as a reference base by the network in conducting its research of Australian capabilities.

To contact ICN Ltd please visit its website at www.icn.org.au

Local Content Policy

ICN in WA is an integral part of the Western Australian Government’s Local Content Policy aimed at maximising opportunities for local industry on major WA investment projects. The policy is to ensure that WA businesses are afforded 'Full, Fair and Reasonable' opportunity to quote and tender for work.

A Local Content Unit has been established within the WA Department of Commerce to oversee and drive the government’s approach to promoting local industry participation. The unit works in a cooperative relationship with developers, local industry, other government agencies and the ICN in WA to maximise opportunities for Western Australian industry.

Tariff concession and Enhanced Project By-Law Applications

ICN acts as a 'Prescribed Organisation' under the Customs Act to determine whether 'substitutable goods' subject to a Tariff Concession application are manufactured in Australia. ICN can also verify if 'equivalent goods' are the subject of an Enhanced Project By-Law Scheme (EPBS) application are manufactured in Australia.

For further information click here or email info@icnwa.org.au.