Annual Procurement Plan
Annual Procurement Plan (APP) – a plan providing information on significant procurements Australian Government organisations plan to undertake over the next twelve months. Planned procurements can be used by businesses to prepare to tender for potential business opportunities. It is important to note that APPs are an indication of what organisations expect to procure each year and are based on the best information available at the time of publication. Planned procurements may be revised, withdrawn, or cancelled, and the organisation may undertake procurements that have not been previously identified in APPs. APPs are published on AusTender.
Approach to Market
Approach to market (ATM) – any notice inviting potential suppliers to participate in a procurement. While the term, ATM, is preferred, other terms are used, and may include a Request for Tender (RTF), Request for Quote (RFQ), request for expression of interest (EOI).
AusTender
AusTender–the web-based facility for the publication and reporting of Australian Government procurement information, including business opportunities, annual procurement plans and contracts awarded. For more information, visit AusTender.
Australian Government
Australian Government – this guide relates to the procurement activities of the Australian Government at the federal level; it does not relate to the activities of state, territory or local government bodies. Australian Government refers to bodies subject to the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act (2013).
Commonwealth Procurement Rules
Commonwealth Procurement Rules (the Rules) – the policy document that sets out the framework governing Australian Government procurement activity. The Rules and supporting procurement policy and procedural information is available from www.finance.gov.au under the Procurement menu.
Contract
Contract – an arrangement for the procurement of goods, and / or services under which money is payable or may become payable.
Commonwealth Contracting Suite
Commonwealth Contracting Suite (CSS) – a document creation website for Australian Government officials intended to create uniformity across Australian Government contracts and reduce the burden of suppliers contracting with the Australian Government. The CSS is mandatory for the majority of procurements under $200,000 and is encouraged for procurements up to $1 million. As a supplier, you do not need to log into CSS to finalise contracts or compete for government businesses. The Australian Government organisation running a procurement process will provide you with all the documentation that you will require to submit a response, and if you are successful in winning work, enter into a contract. The CCS, including standard terms and conditions, and sample documents, is available on www.finance.gov.au under the Procurement menu.
Goods
Goods – every type of right, interest or thing which is legally capable of being owned. This includes, but is not restricted to, physical goods and real property as well as intangibles such as intellectual property, contract options and goodwill.
Limited tender
Limited tender – involves an Australian Government organisation approaching one or more potential suppliers to make submissions, where the process does not meet the rules for open tender.
Minimum content and format requirements
Minimum content and format requirements – minimum mandatory conditions that a potential suppliers submission must meet, in order for it to be considered in a procurement process. This may include, for example, submission of a signed Statutory Declaration or a requirement to undertake an accreditation or validation procedure.
Open tender
Open tender – involves publishing an open approach to market (any notice inviting all potential suppliers to participate in a procurement) and inviting submissions. Open Tenders are published on AusTender.
Panel
Panel – refer to ‘Standing Offer’ below.
Services
Services – the provision of, or access granted to, skills abilities and/or other resources.
Standing offer
Standing offer – (also known as a ‘panel’) an arrangement setting out the terms and conditions, including a basis for pricing, under which a supplier agrees to supply specified goods and services to an Australian Government organisation for a specified period. An Australian Government organisation can enter into a standing offer with one or multiple suppliers.
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) – under the Commonwealth Procurement Rules, an SME is defined as an Australian or New Zealand firm with fewer than 200 full-time equivalent employees.
