Public tenders in Australia: platforms, thresholds and rules

At a glance

Law: Commonwealth Procurement Rules (CPRs)
Oversight: Department of Finance
Central portal: AusTender

Thresholds

Goods and services, non-corporate Commonwealth entities (CPR procurement threshold, incl. GST)	AUD 125,000
Goods and services, prescribed corporate Commonwealth entities (CPR procurement threshold, incl. GST)	AUD 400,000
Construction services, all relevant Commonwealth entities (CPR procurement threshold, incl. GST)	AUD 7.5 million
Contract reporting on AusTender, non-corporate Commonwealth entities (within 42 days)	AUD 10,000
Indigenous Procurement Policy mandatory set-aside (procurements wholly delivered in Australia, incl. GST; all remote procurements)	AUD 80,000 – 200,000

Law and buyers

Federal procurement is governed by the Commonwealth Procurement Rules (CPRs), issued by the Finance Minister under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act). The current edition applies to approaches to market from 17 November 2025. Achieving value for money is the core rule of the CPRs. The rules apply to non-corporate Commonwealth entities (departments and agencies) and to prescribed corporate Commonwealth entities; the Department of Finance owns the policy and runs whole-of-government panels such as the Management Advisory Services Panel and the People Panel. Every state and territory sets its own procurement legislation and policies, and local councils follow state rules. Australia joined the WTO Government Procurement Agreement on 5 May 2019 and has procurement chapters in free trade agreements, including the Australia-United States FTA (AUSFTA), which give covered foreign suppliers non-discriminatory access.[1][3][4][10]

Where tenders are published

Commonwealth open tenders must be published on AusTender (tenders.gov.au), which also lists annual procurement plans and awarded contracts. Registering on AusTender is free and lets you download documents and receive email alerts. ICT work for federal agencies often runs through BuyICT, the Digital Transformation Agency marketplace, where you must first join a panel. Each state and territory has its own portal: buy.nsw (New South Wales), the Buying for Victoria Tenders Portal (Victoria), QTenders (Queensland), Tenders WA (Western Australia), SA Tenders and Contracts (South Australia), Tasmanian Government Tenders, Tenders ACT and NT Quotations and Tenders Online (Northern Territory). Many local councils publish requests through VendorPanel. No qualified electronic signature is required by the CPRs; submissions are usually lodged online through the portal.[1][7][8][13]

Procedures and thresholds

The CPRs know two methods. Open tender means publishing an open approach to market and inviting submissions, including multi-stage processes that start with an open approach. Limited tender means approaching one or more selected suppliers. At or above the procurement threshold, limited tender is only allowed in the listed circumstances of CPR paragraph 10.3 (for example no suitable bids in an open tender, extreme urgency or only one capable supplier) or when an Appendix A exemption applies. Below the threshold, Division 2 does not apply and entities may approach a few suppliers directly; non-corporate entities must then invite only Australian businesses (New Zealand businesses count too) for buys from AUD 10,000. Many purchases also run through standing offers and panels, where only appointed suppliers can quote.[1]

Documents and language

There is no Australian equivalent of the ESPD. Each request for tender sets its own conditions for participation, which may only test legal, commercial, technical and financial ability, plus minimum content and format requirements that a submission must meet. Typical requests are a completed response form, a pricing schedule, evidence of experience, insurance certificates, financial information and confirmation of compliance with the draft contract and the Commonwealth Supplier Code of Conduct. Australian suppliers are expected to quote an Australian Business Number (ABN); if a supplier carrying on an enterprise in Australia does not quote one, the buyer must withhold tax from payments. Foreign suppliers not carrying on an enterprise in Australia generally do not need an ABN. Tenders are written in English.[1][12]

Deadlines, award and challenges

For open tenders at or above the threshold, suppliers must get at least 25 days from publication to lodge a submission, plus five days if documents are not available electronically or bids cannot be lodged electronically. The period may be cut to no less than 10 days, for example when the buy was flagged in an annual procurement plan on AusTender or in genuine urgency. The contract goes to the tenderer that meets the conditions for participation, is fully capable and offers the best value for money against the published criteria. Debriefings are available on request. Under the Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018 a supplier can complain in writing to the agency, which usually suspends the procurement, and can then apply to the Federal Court for an injunction, generally within 10 days of becoming aware of the breach, or for compensation.[1][5][6]

How to win a tender in Australia

Australian Commonwealth agencies award to the tender that offers the best value for money under the Commonwealth Procurement Rules, and the rules state that price is not the sole factor: quality, fitness for purpose, the supplier's experience and whole-of-life costs all count. Each request for tender lists its evaluation criteria, which a panel scores, and sets conditions for participation and minimum content and format requirements that are pass or fail. Ask questions only through the contact officer named in the approach to market and before the stated cut-off; answers that matter to everyone are issued as addenda on AusTender to all registered suppliers, so keep your AusTender alerts on. To know the buyer, read its annual procurement plan and earlier contract notices on AusTender, where contracts are reported within 42 days, plus its annual report and corporate plan. Answer each criterion separately with measurable outcomes, named personnel and recent references, and include Indigenous participation or local industry commitments where the request asks for them. Late submissions are not accepted unless the delay was caused by the agency's own mishandling. After award, ask for a debrief, which agencies must give on request and which explains why your submission was unsuccessful.[14][15][17][18]

List every condition for participation and minimum content requirement first.
Read the buyer's annual procurement plan and contract notices on AusTender.
Send questions to the named contact officer before the cut-off.
Check AusTender addenda right up to the closing time.
Answer each criterion with measurable outcomes, named staff and recent references.
Request a debrief after every unsuccessful submission.

Clarification round: Questions to the contact officer, answered by addenda on AusTender

How TenderRender helps you in Australia

TenderRender does the work behind each step above. Your team checks and refines.

1
Research the buyer
Brings together the buyer's earlier awards, policies and contracts, so your bid fits this buyer's situation in Australia.
2
Ask questions
Finds unclear points and risks in the documents and drafts questions about them for the clarification round: Questions to the contact officer, answered by addenda on AusTender.
3
Write per criterion
Drafts a first version per award criterion, in the language of the tender, with citations to your own documents.
4
Review
Scores your bid per award criterion the way an evaluator would, with concrete improvements.
5
Fill in forms
Fills in the declarations, price schedules, questionnaires and Excel annexes from your own data and earlier bids, with a source per answer.
6
Submit
Builds a checklist of everything you need to submit on AusTender and prepares the documents ready to sign.

Tender search covers the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany; in Australia you upload the documents from AusTender and TenderRender works with them the same way.

Teams writing or reviewing with TenderRender won 49% of their completed tenders. How this was calculated

Book a demo

Tips for bidders

First check who the buyer is: a federal agency follows the CPRs and AusTender, a state agency or council follows its own state rules and portal, so set up alerts on every portal relevant to your sector and region. Register early on AusTender and on panels such as BuyICT, because much work is awarded only to panel members. Foreign firms should note the preference for Australian businesses below the threshold and the Indigenous Procurement Policy, which gives Indigenous enterprises first opportunity on many contracts between AUD 80,000 and 200,000 and sets Indigenous participation requirements on large contracts. Ask questions only through the channel named in the documents, meet every minimum content and format requirement, because late or non-compliant bids are excluded, and always request a debrief after an unsuccessful bid.[1][8][9][13]

Platforms in Australia

This country does not publish on TED, so there are no shares. These are the platforms from our market map, public ones first.

AusTender
Free registration lets you download documents, get addenda and lodge responses online; the Supplier Portal is only needed for panel arrangements.
How it works →Website
buy.nsw
Register in the buy.nsw Supplier Hub (ABN required); this automatically creates your NSW eTendering account, where you respond to opportunities.
How it works →Website
Buying for Victoria Tenders Portal
Register on the portal to download documents and submit offers; state registers use the separate Supplier Hub, often needing a Fair Jobs Code certificate.
How it works →Website
NT Quotations and Tenders Online
Create an account and register at least one business before you can download documents or lodge responses to NT Government quotations and tenders.
How it works →Website
QTenders
Queensland is moving to a new procurement platform; create a free supplier profile there, while tender information stays on QTenders during the transition.
How it works →Website
SA Tenders and Contracts
Free registration with your ABN unlocks document downloads, electronic lodgement and alerts; each business can be registered only once, with extra users added.
How it works →Website
Tasmanian Government Tenders
Browsing is open; free two-stage registration gives email alerts, document downloads and electronic lodgement where the agency allows it.
How it works →Website
Tenders ACT
Free registration is needed to download documents and lodge responses; start uploading at least two hours before closing and keep the on-screen receipt.
How it works →Website
Tenders WA
Registering your business unlocks extra features; always check the request document for valid submission methods, which can differ per tender.
How it works →Website
TenderLink
Register free on each buyer's TenderLink portal to download documents and bid; a paid subscription bundles alerts across most public portals.
How it works →Website
VendorPanel
Buyers invite suppliers to quotes, tenders and panels via VendorPanel; register on the VendorPanel Marketplace so buyers can find and invite you.
How it works →Website

PublicCommercial

Tender search for this country

AskTender
Service that puts live Australian government tenders and past contract awards from all federal, state and territory portals inside ChatGPT and Claude.
Australian Tenders
Subscription tender search and alert service covering government and private tenders across Australia and New Zealand, with alert profiles and a watchlist.
Intermedium
Government market intelligence for ICT suppliers: budgets, expiring contracts, tenders and agency profiles, queried through its AI assistant Govii.
TenderLink
Tender notification service and e-tendering platform connecting suppliers and buyers in Australia and New Zealand, with daily alerts and online bid lodgement.
Tenders.Net
Australian tender database with free registration for public tenders and paid subscriber access with daily email notifications matching saved searches.
TenderSearch
Tender notification service with daily alerts and an online dashboard covering Australian tenders, plus market analytics from its parent BCI Central.
Tendertrace
Public sector market intelligence platform with an AI assistant (Tracey) covering Australian and UK government spend, contracts, panels and open tenders.
Tendor
AI tender platform for Australian contractors that surfaces tenders, maps requirements, reuses an evidence library and drafts responses for human review.

Bid writing tools from this country

Aurora Marketing
Tender services consultancy for tender writing, bid management, proposals, grants and AI for bids, focused on construction, infrastructure and defence.
AutogenAI
AI platform to draft, manage and review proposals, bids and grants, including for public-sector tenders.
BidWrite
Tender and bid consultancy offering bid strategy, writing, management, training and bid technology for government and commercial tenders.
Tender Relief
Australian tender firm offering Scryve, a step-by-step AI platform for tenders, grants, proposals and contract review, alongside bid consulting.
Tendl
Platform that helps suppliers respond to tenders, RFPs and ITTs using approved evidence, past bids and expert input.
Tendor
AI tender platform for Australian contractors that surfaces tenders, maps requirements, reuses an evidence library and drafts responses for human review.

Bid consultancies

Aurora Marketing
Tender services consultancy for tender writing, bid management, proposals, grants and AI for bids, focused on construction, infrastructure and defence.
Bidsmith
Tender writing consultancy whose bid writers and proposal consultants prepare public and private sector tender responses for businesses of any size.
BidWrite
Tender and bid consultancy offering bid strategy, writing, management, training and bid technology for government and commercial tenders.
PitchThis
Bid and tender consultancy providing tender writing, bid management, training, templates and bid library services across sectors.
Tender Relief
Australian tender firm offering Scryve, a step-by-step AI platform for tenders, grants, proposals and contract review, alongside bid consulting.

All players on the market map

Frequently asked questions

Where are public tenders in Australia published?

Federal (Commonwealth) open tenders are published on AusTender at tenders.gov.au. States and territories each have their own portal, such as buy.nsw, the Buying for Victoria Tenders Portal, QTenders and Tenders WA, and many councils use VendorPanel.[1][7]

Do I need to register?

Registration on AusTender is free and needed to download documents and receive alerts. State portals and panels such as BuyICT have their own, separate registration.[7][8][13]

What are the thresholds?

Under the CPRs the procurement threshold is AUD 125,000 for non-corporate Commonwealth entities, AUD 400,000 for prescribed corporate Commonwealth entities and AUD 7.5 million for construction services, all including GST. State and territory thresholds differ.[1]

Can foreign companies bid?

Yes, above the thresholds foreign suppliers can bid, and suppliers from WTO GPA and FTA partners such as the United States have non-discriminatory access to covered procurements. Below the threshold, Commonwealth agencies must first invite only Australian (or New Zealand) businesses.[1][10][11]

In which language do I bid?

Tenders are issued and answered in English.[1]

How much time do I have to submit a bid?

For open tenders above the threshold at least 25 days from publication, which may be shortened to no less than 10 days in specific cases such as genuine urgency.[1]

Do I need an ABN?

Australian businesses are expected to quote an Australian Business Number; otherwise the buyer must withhold tax from payments. Foreign suppliers that do not carry on an enterprise in Australia generally do not need one.[12]