Staffing firm ManpowerGroup today announced a new AUS$400 million contract over five years for recruiting services to the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The contract renews the firm’s  Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) collaboration with the ADF and is seen as the industry's largest RPO partnership.

The contract covers the entire recruiting process for the ADF, which first partnered with Manpower in 2003 to create the first Defence Force Recruiting (DFR) contract. The DFR is an integrated organization comprising personnel from the ADF, the Australian Public Service, ManpowerGroup, Corporate Health Group Defence and Hewlett-Packard.

“An increasing number of employers worldwide are seeking to outsource the permanent recruitment function as this enhances their flexibility and efficiency in securing the right talent,” said Darryl Green, ManpowerGroup President of Asia Pacific and Middle East. 

The new contract will begin in November this year and, if successful, may grow to 10 years. Manpower will manage two major subcontractors, Corporate Health Group Defence for the provision of medical services, and Hewlett-Packard for ICT services.

“The size and complexity of DFR's recruiting services contract is second to none and the recruiting environment is becoming increasingly complex,” commented Air Commodore Henrik Ehlers, the Director General of Defence Force Recruiting.