ACT government is considering information from CIT around $4.99 million contract

A spokeswoman for Skills Minister Chris Steel confirmed that CIT provided information late on Tuesday afternoon about the contract.

CIT's justification for the contract has not been publicly released but more information is expected in the coming days.

Mr Steel demanded an explanation from the institute over the $4.99 million contract to Think Garden, a company run by consultant Patrick Hollingworth, as he could not determine what the contract would deliver "based on the use of jargon and an ill-defined statement of requirements".

The contract was only $10 below the threshold needed to go before the government's procurement board. The contract has been criticised for having unclear terms of reference and deliverables.

THE STORY SO FAR:

Mr Hollingworth's company has received more than $8.5 million in taxpayer money over the past five years for consulting work.

Mr Steel had previously raised concerns in March 2021 over more than $3.2 million worth of contracts awarded to Mr Hollingworth.

The Skills Minister has also previously confirmed he has sought advice on what power he has in relation to the contracts.

CIT has stood by the contracts in public statements, with a spokesman telling The Canberra Times last Friday that the institute was confident the contracts represented value for money and that procurement had been undertaken through appropriate processes.

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