Office of the Industry Advocate

What Office of the Industry Advocate does

The Office of the Industry Advocate (OIA) is a statutory agency of the Government of South Australia, established under the Industry Advocate Act 2017 to advance the South Australian Industry Participation Policy (SAIPP). Headquartered at Level 17, 30 Wakefield Street (Wakefield House) in Adelaide, the agency operates with approximately 11 employees and a state-wide mandate covering all 13 South Australian regions. Its function is to increase local business participation in government procurement by reducing information asymmetries between SA suppliers and government buyers, and by enforcing local-industry obligations on public authorities. It is wholly owned by the Government of South Australia and reports through standard ministerial channels; there is no private ownership, funding, or capital structure.

The agency\u2019s core product surface is a web-based platform comprising three interlocking components: (1) the SA Product and Services Directory, a free online registry that lists 2119+ SA businesses across industries and makes them visible to government procurement staff, project planners, and head contractors; (2) the Industry Participation Plan (IPP) submission system, an online portal through which businesses submit local-participation commitments tied to government contracts; and (3) Ready to Tender, a self-paced online training program with multiple modules covering procurement readiness, bid qualification, response management, and submission. These are supplemented by in-person and virtual programs including the annual Meet the Buyer event, Tender for Success Training, Supply to Government Panel Workshops, and fortnightly MS Teams Public Authority Training on SAIPP compliance. Additional initiatives target Aboriginal-owned businesses (Aboriginal Engagement Initiative) and regional recovery (Whyalla Regional Support and Tailored Industry Plan).

The business model is fully non-commercial: all services are provided free of charge to SA businesses and government procurement staff. The agency does not disclose revenue, does not raise private funding, and has no traditional go-to-market motion; outreach is conducted via its website, email newsletter, events, and mandated training. The relevant economic signal is not topline revenue but the scale of the procurement market it shapes, since IPP compliance is a condition of doing business with the SA Government.

Name

Office of the Industry Advocate

Legal name

Office of the Industry Advocate

Website

https://industryadvocate.sa.gov.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Office of the Industry Advocate is a South Australian Government statutory agency that helps SA businesses, including Aboriginal-owned and regional firms, compete for government contracts through a free online directory, IPP submission portal, and procurement training programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Procurement Support Services

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (54182)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAFADAB

Public Affairs, Government Relations & Lobbying

Business & Public Services/Marketing, Advertising & PR Services/Public Relations & Communications

SECONDARYBPAGAFAN

Government Accountability, Ethics & Anti-Corruption Advocacy

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Civil Rights, Advocacy & Public Policy Organizations

SECONDARYBPAAAJAO

Procurement Systems Administration (ERP/P2P Tools Support)

Business & Public Services/Administrative & Support Services (BPO, Call Centers, Back Office)/Procurement & Purchasing Support (P2P, Vendor Admin)

Keywords

• Government procurement support
• Local business advocacy
• Supplier directory services
• Tender readiness training
• Industry participation policy

Headquarters

HQ city

Adelaide

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Office of the Industry Advocate is a South Australian Government agency that operates a free SA Product and Services Directory (listing 2,119+ SA businesses for government buyers), an online Industry Participation Plan (IPP) submission system, and a Ready to Tender training program. It supplements these digital platforms with workshops, annual Meet the Buyer events, and fortnightly Public Authority training on SAIPP compliance to maximise local business participation in government procurement.

Product overview

The Office of the Industry Advocate operates as a government body that provides a portfolio of interconnected services designed to increase South Australian business participation in government procurement. The core offerings include the SA Product and Services Directory (a free business registration and showcase platform for government buyers), the Industry Participation Plan (IPP) submission system, and the Ready to Tender online training program with four learning modules. These are supplemented by in-person programs including Meet the Buyer events, Tender for Success Training, Supply to Government Panel Workshops, and Public Authority Training for procurement staff. Additional initiatives support Aboriginal businesses and regional areas like Whyalla.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SA Product and Services Directory A free online directory enabling South Australian businesses to register profiles and showcase products and services to government buyers, project planners and head contractors to improve visibility for government procurement opportunities.
• Industry Participation Plan (IPP) Submission System An online government form submission system through which businesses submit Industry Participation Plans as part of South Australian government procurement processes to boost local jobs and businesses.
• Ready to Tender Training Program A free self-paced online training program with multiple modules guiding South Australian businesses through government procurement processes, including business readiness, qualifying opportunities, managing tender responses, and submission improvement.
• Meet the Buyer Event Annual networking event that brings together South Australian businesses and government buyers to maximise opportunities for local suppliers, including Aboriginal-owned and regional businesses, in government contracts.
• Tender for Success Training A training program designed to help South Australian businesses understand and respond effectively to government tender opportunities.
• Supply to Government Panel Workshops Interactive educational events explaining how government procurement works, the role of SAIPP, and how purchasing decisions are made, featuring panel discussions with government representatives and successful suppliers.
• Public Authority Training Mandatory training delivered fortnightly via MS Teams for public authority procurement staff on the South Australian Industry Participation Policy (SAIPP), covering annual compliance requirements for procurement processes.
• Aboriginal Engagement Initiative A program supporting Aboriginal Economic Participation through government procurement by helping Aboriginal-owned businesses (50%+ Aboriginal-owned companies, incorporated associations, sole traders, partnerships, trusts and social enterprises) access government contract opportunities.
• Whyalla Regional Support Program A regional economic recovery program providing support services for businesses and workers impacted by the Whyalla Steelworks challenges, including a Tailored Industry Plan to facilitate local industry participation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2119+ SA businesses listed in directory
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Western Australian Industry Link (WAIL): WA's equivalent state-level agency delivering the WA Industry Participation Plan and connecting local businesses to WA government procurement — same regulatory advocacy mandate as the Office of the Industry Advocate, in a different state.
• Local Jobs First (Victoria): Victorian state policy administered by the Industrial Capability Network Victoria, requiring Local Industry Development Plans on major projects. Mirrors SA's Industry Participation Plan in policy design and supplier engagement focus.
• Industry Capability Network (ICN): ICN operates a national gateway connecting Australian suppliers with major project buyers across mining, infrastructure, defence and government — a directly comparable capability set to the SA Product and Services Directory and IPP submission system.
• Buy Queensland: Queensland Government's local-procurement initiative that prioritises Queensland businesses in government tenders. Operates a supplier directory, training, and engagement events — closely analogous to SA's SAIPP program and Meet the Buyer event.

Others

• Procurement Australia: Member-owned cooperative providing aggregated procurement services and supplier matching across government and not-for-profit buyers. Adjacent enabling role rather than a state-advocacy peer, but operates comparable supplier-directory infrastructure.

Emerging players

• Aboriginal Business Australia: National peak body supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses in accessing commercial and government opportunities — directly comparable to the OIA's Aboriginal Engagement Initiative but operating as a non-government organisation.

Broad incumbents

• NSW Procurement Board: Sets whole-of-government procurement policy and capability across NSW, including SME and local participation objectives — a broader incumbent playing a similar advocacy and oversight role at greater scale than the Office of the Industry Advocate.
• Industry Innovation and Science Australia: Federal statutory body advising government on industry, innovation and science policy — operates at a broader national scale with overlapping industry-advocacy functions but does not specialise in state-level procurement participation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/office-of-the-industry-advocate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Office of the Industry Advocate