What is a government panel, and how do I get on one?

A panel, published on AusTender as a standing offer notice, sets agreed terms and often agreed rates under which its member suppliers will provide goods or services over a period. Agencies then run mini competitions among panellists or place orders directly, rather than going to open tender each time.

This is the structural fact that surprises most new suppliers. A great deal of Commonwealth work never appears as an open tender, because it was competed inside a panel you were not on. No amount of tender writing skill compensates for not being eligible.

Getting on is itself a procurement. Panels are established through their own approach to market and then refresh periodically, sometimes only every few years. Watching for refresh notices in your categories, and being ready to respond when one appears, is usually the highest leverage thing a supplier can do.

Some panels are whole of government and usable by many agencies, which makes them worth more than a single agency arrangement. Non-corporate entities must also restrict certain panel approaches under $125,000 to small and medium enterprises.