If you are a supported employment provider, or your business otherwise primarily exists to provide the services of people with disability, there are initiatives which make it simpler for Australian Government buyers to purchase from your business.
The information on this page is intended to help supported employment providers understand these arrangements. To understand how you should go about selling to the Australian Government in general, please refer to the Guide to selling section of this website.
I am a supported employment provider. Are there any arrangements in place to make it easier for Australian Government buyers to approach me for work?
There are exemptions in place under the Commonwealth Procurement Rules which enable Australian Government organisations to directly engage supported employment providers, or businesses that otherwise primarily exist to provide the services of people with disability, for the provision of goods and services.
Australian Government buyers will still need to be satisfied that engaging you represents value for money. You will need to provide a response to any request for tender or quote, and demonstrate that you can deliver the required goods and / or services requested on a value for money basis.
How do I show that I am a supported employment provider? Where and how should I advertise this so that Australian Government buyers know where to find me and how to approach me?
Australian Government buyers need to know that you are a supported employment provider, or that your business otherwise primarily exists to provide the services of people with disability, and need to be able to find you to approach you for work.
There are several ways that you can demonstrate that you are a supported employment provider:
- The National Disability Insurance Scheme maintains a list of supported employment providers that are registered as NDIS providers
- other business resources such as the BuyAbility website which provides government and private business with an easily navigated resource to identify and source supported employment providers nationally.
You could also advertise this on your website and in any promotional materials.
Can I respond to open tenders on AusTender, or should I wait for Australian Government buyers to approach me directly?
While Australian Government buyers may approach you under these arrangements, this should not stop you from considering responding to open Approaches to Market (ATMs) advertised through AusTender, or any approaches you may receive through panel arrangements or limited tender arrangements.
When an opportunity has been advertised as an open tender through AusTender, or circulated to specific providers to request quotes through a limited tender process, contracts may only be awarded to a supplier that responds to the ATM. If you are interested being considered for work that has been advertised, you will need to respond to the ATM.
For more information on identifying opportunities to sell to the Australian Government, responding to an ATM, and getting selected to supply to government, please refer to the Guide to selling section of this website.
Further information on how to use AusTender is available in the Frequently Asked Questions – Using AusTender section of this website, and on the AusTender Help and Information Centre.
