Reference
Australian Government procurement glossary
The language of government contracting, in plain English. Every term you need to read a approach to market, register your business, and win work.
Annual Procurement Plan (APP)
A forward look at what an entity expects to buy in the coming financial year.
Appendix A Exemption 16
Lets an agency buy directly from a majority Indigenous owned SME.
Appendix A Exemption 17
Lets an agency engage an SME directly for procurements up to $500,000 including GST.
Approach to Market (ATM)
Any published notice inviting suppliers to respond to a requirement.
AusTender
The Australian Government's official procurement system, where tenders and contracts are published.
Australian Business Number (ABN)
The 11 digit number that identifies your business to government.
Australian Company Number (ACN)
The 9 digit number ASIC issues to a company.
Closing Time
The deadline for lodgement. Stated in one jurisdiction's local time, and strictly enforced.
Commonwealth Procurement Rules (CPRs)
The rulebook governing how Australian Government entities buy.
Conditions for Participation
The minimum requirements a response must meet to be considered at all.
Contract Notice (CN)
The published record of a contract the Australian Government has actually entered into.
Evaluation Criteria
The stated factors a response is scored against.
Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Australia's 10 per cent consumption tax. Every procurement figure includes it.
Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP)
Targets and set-asides directing Commonwealth spend to First Nations businesses.
Limited Tender
Approaching one or more suppliers directly without publishing an open approach to market.
Open Tender
A procurement advertised publicly on AusTender and open to any eligible supplier.
Panel
A standing offer with multiple suppliers, competed among its members.
PGPA Act
The finance law that Commonwealth procurement sits under.
Prequalified Tender
An approach limited to suppliers already on a panel or a prequalification list.
Procurement Threshold
The contract value at which the prescriptive rules in Division 2 of the CPRs switch on.
Recompete
The retendering of work when an existing contract reaches its end date.
Small and Medium Enterprise (SME)
An Australian or New Zealand business with fewer than 200 full time equivalent staff.
Standing Offer Notice (SON)
An arrangement setting agreed terms under which agencies can buy over time.
UNSPSC Code (UNSPSC)
The category codes the Australian Government classifies its buying under.
Value for Money
The core principle of the CPRs. Not the same thing as lowest price.
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