Client Success Story

Innovating Trade and Supply Chains with Government and Industry

Extensive engagement with the industry ecosystem
• 20 of Australia’s largest importers
• 10 major logistics providers & specialist operators
• 10 trade industry software providers
• 6 international customs brokers
• 2 peak bodies – IFCBAA and AI Group

Our thinking

Reason helped the Department of Agriculture rapidly co-design policy with industry to innovate the exchange of trade data.

With the Trade Innovation Sandbox, we proved the hypothesis that it was not only technically possible but also feasible to exchange pre-arrival data to speed up our supply chains and clearance processes.

From the get-go, we were actively engaged with stakeholders, forging strong partnerships and fostering a collaborative environment. Our team worked closely with experts and key players to identify opportunities for improvement and develop cutting-edge ideas that would drive the project forward.

Collaborating closely, we refined a policy that not only reduces the department’s workload, but also enhances compliance, lowers risks, and ensures a more efficient supply chain operation.

The Trade Innovation Sandbox serves as a practical and secure platform for all government agencies seeking to collaborate with industry partners on trade data exchange and solution co-design.

The outcome

Reason delivered a smarter, safer and faster government co-design experience with industry.  

What typically required a multi-year comeback and significant paperwork was done in a more practical and demonstrable way. The Trade Innovation Sandbox made a difference for STEPS as a driver for transformation in supply chains and whole-of-government simplified trade use cases. The outputs are helping enable world-leading digital trade standards and innovation, keeping Australia at the forefront of regional and international trade opportunities, transforming government regulation and broader digital adoption in the economy.

The Trade Innovation Sandbox delivered the following results for STEPS:

  • Developed new co-designed solutions within 1 month, providing early visibility and opportunities for government and industry to refine estimates and assumptions
  • Onboarded and integrated 3rd party software used by the participants within hours using APIs
  • Empowered industry participants to exchange data in real time, simulating solutions in real world scenarios
  • Proved solution feasibility and development path to make first and second pass business cases stronger
  • Tested whole-of-government and cross agency solution concepts
  • Delivered a template and exemplar for government-industry co-design

In 2022 our work on the Trade Innovation Sandbox was showcased at Parliament House as a digital transformation exemplar. Read about it here

“Industry wants documentation earlier. The POC proved that we can use digital solutions to get ahead of the growing volume curve and provide earlier access to information. Early information is a motivator for government and importers to be more organised.” – Industry Participant

Our featured experts

Aleks Vranesevic

Aleks Vranesevic

Partner

Amanda Phillips

Amanda Phillips

Principal