The following information will provide you with an overview of our tendering process.
See also
Finding tender opportunities
We advertise all open approaches to market (ATM) on AusTenderExternal Link.
After registering with AusTender you can:
- set up alerts to be notified of business opportunities that match your business profile
- download tender documents
- lodge tender responses
- find details about successful tenderers and existing contracts.
Suspension of procurements and Public Interest Certificates
Under the Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018 (Cth), certain types of procurements may be suspended while complaints are being investigated or injunctions are being considered.
Relevant Commonwealth entities like us may issue a Public Interest Certificate in circumstances where they consider that it is not in the public interest for a particular procurement process to be suspended. See the list of Public Interest Certificates we have issued.
Submitting a tender request
You can search on AusTenderExternal Link to identify open tenders that may be of interest to you.
After logging into AusTender you can review a tender's Approach to Market (ATM) documents to help understand the specific requirements of the goods or services we are looking to procure.
It is important you review the ATM documents to:
- understand what we are looking for
- help you prepare your tender submission.
To apply for an open tender, you must prepare and submit a response in accordance with the ATM documentation via AusTender before the closing date and time.
Guidance on preparing a submission
Understanding the responsibilities each party has, in conjunction with the tender requirements, can assist you in targeting your tender response. Find out more about each party’s procurement responsibilities in our Guidelines for contractors and suppliers.
The Department of Finance's Guide to sellingExternal Link provides information on how to prepare tenders for the Australian Government.
The Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) lists additional information for Selling digital products and services to governmentExternal Link.
Late applications
Tenders received after the specified closing date and time are deemed late and cannot be accepted unless the delay is due to mishandling by us or a technical issue with AusTender.
After submission
After the tender closes, we collate and assess all on time submissions against the ATM specifications, any mandatory conditions for participation, and determine which offers provide value for money.
A contract that achieves value for money is not simply the application with the lowest initial price. We take a whole-of-contract approach to assessing each submission by considering all relevant financial and non-financial costs and benefits associated with a procurement.
Notification of successful and unsuccessful applications
If you are successful or unsuccessful in a tender, we will notify you in writing. Both successful and unsuccessful applicants are able to request feedback regarding their submission.
Before sending a final contract to a supplier for a successful tender, we will generally contract them to discuss and clarify the terms and conditions of a procurement.
Once all terms and conditions are agreed upon, a final contract is issued.
Publishing on AusTender
When we award a contract with a value above $10,000 (including GST) we publish the high level supplier details on the AusTender's Contract Notice ListExternal Link within 42 days from the date the contract is entered into.
Details of contracts awarded below the reporting threshold value of $10,000 (including GST) are exempt from reporting requirements and are not published on AusTender.
End of contract
After a procurement has ended with the ATO, you may still have responsibilities surrounding what you can and cannot disclose to other organisations. You may also be required to dispose or return information through specific channels.
To ensure you are complying with your obligations even after your contract has ended, refer to the conditions in your contract in the first instance. If you have specific questions regarding your contract, contact your contract manager.
For general information regarding record keeping see Information management for our contractors.