We could not believe our eyes when this rolled into our in box. It is an RFP from GETS which is the Govt tender process. Big PR firms and other government suppliers subscribe to it . In fact it sat in our in box for a while. And out of curiosity we opened it - and as we say often - bugger me.
It was a 54 page tender document for some campaigns for energy efficiency being run by the Electricity Commission - some of of it will be around subsidisation for commercial energy efficiency - which we have a philosophical issue with - but the stunner was by our reckoning between $8 - $10 million over two years to get you and me to change our bloody light bulbs. Yes - $8-10m. to - change- to - energy - efficient - light - bulbs.
Basically one of those big PR campaigns loved by the Nanny State to get you to change your behaviours that is often referred to as " Social Marketing."
We think this is bloody outrageous. Actually its more than outrageous its bloody near criminal.
This money could be better used in so many ways - That would buy a lot of herceptin.
Here is the estimate that the Commission gives the tenderers for the contract in the document
For the year ending 30 June 2009, the Commission has an appropriation of $12 million for electricity efficiency initiatives in the commercial and industrial sectors and for efficient lighting programmes.
The Commission currently estimates that up to $3.5 million will be available in 2008/09 for programmes arising out of this RFP and an RFP that was recently released for Industrial Motors Programmes.
Proposals submitted in response to this RFP will be assessed in conjunction with responses to the Industrial Motors RFP and the available funding will be applied to the proposals considered to best utilise the available funds.
For programmes that are anticipate to run beyond the current financial year, the Commission’s anticipated appropriation for electricity efficiency programmes for 2009/10 is $15 million across the three areas of commercial, industrial and lighting.
We think that this tender should be withdrawn immediately. It is quite simply an insult to the nations collective intelligence and the type of frivolous government spending that lurks in so many departments that the public never gets a chance to see.
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