Indigenous Supplier Development Program

Overview

Tika EQ supported PMO Partners in the design and development of the Indigenous Supplier Development Program (ISDP), a strategic initiative led by the University of Sydney Business School in collaboration with the NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce (NSWICC).

The ISDP is an executive education program designed to strengthen and accelerate the growth of Indigenous-owned businesses by building commercial capability, leadership, and access to government and corporate supply chains. It brings together industry, academia, and community to advance sustainable Indigenous economic participation across NSW.

Our role focused on helping partners translate Aboriginal Participation Planning into practice, ensuring the program’s foundation was culturally informed, collaborative, and outcomes-driven.

Our Role and Approach

Tika EQ worked alongside PMO Partners (Turner & Townsend, HKA Global, Logikal and Deloitte), the University of Sydney, and NSWICC to deliver a comprehensive and culturally grounded program framework. Our contributions included:

• Funding Acquisition Support – assisting partners in securing key program funding and investment through strategic proposals that aligned with government Aboriginal procurement and participation priorities.
• Curriculum Development – co-designing content to balance academic and community perspectives, ensuring that the program was culturally safe, practical, and scalable for Indigenous businesses.
• Partner and Program Development – facilitating collaboration between academic leaders, industry mentors, and Indigenous business networks to ensure the ISDP reflected both global business standards and local cultural integrity.
• Strategic Advisory – advising on cultural governance structures, metrics of success, and alignment with state and federal economic participation frameworks.

Program Impact

The ISDP provides Indigenous entrepreneurs and suppliers with access to advanced business education, mentoring, and procurement pathways. Through its collaboration between the University of Sydney Business School, NSWICC, and corporate partners, the program:

• Strengthens Indigenous business capability and long-term growth potential.
• Builds stronger relationships between Indigenous suppliers, major buyers, and procurement networks.
• Contributes to state and national goals for Aboriginal economic empowerment and participation.
• Demonstrates the impact of Connecting with Country principles beyond the built environment, applied here to economic design and capability development.

Legacy and Future Outlook

The Indigenous Supplier Development Program is a benchmark in how academia, industry, and Indigenous leadership can co-create meaningful pathways for self-determination and prosperity.

Tika EQ’s role helped shape a model that is replicable, sustainable, and relational; one that integrates cultural intelligence into business growth, procurement policy, and education design.

The program continues to expand its reach across sectors, demonstrating the value of partnership, cultural respect, and shared economic responsibility.

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