Our Procurement Process
Starting 1 July 2025, Council will implement Strategic Contracting Procedures as per the Local Government Regulations 2012. This strategic approach enhances procurement and contracting by identifying opportunities and managing risks.
The Strategic Contracting Plan (SCP) builds on the foundations of the Default Contracting Procedures (DCP) and allows various tendering methods for procurements over $500,000, including public, selective, and closed tendering.
Key Benefits:
- Improved cost efficiency: Identifying opportunities to reduce contracting expenditure.
- Accelerated sourcing timeframes: Streamlining procurement processes while maintaining competition.
- Stronger Local Engagement: Increasing opportunities for local suppliers, social benefit enterprises, and Indigenous businesses.
- Enhanced Contract Management: Strengthening relationships with suppliers to deliver ongoing value.
- Administrative Efficiency: Increasing efficiency in procurement processes.
- Transparency: Introducing an Annual Contracting Plan for better oversight and accountability.
The transition to the Strategic Contracting Plan (SCP) will not affect existing contracts or procurement processes established before 1 July 2025. These procedures help plan procurement activities for at least one year, aligning with the City's Corporate Plan.
For more details, please download our Annual Contracting Plan.
Buy Ipswich
Council is committed to developing competitive and thriving local businesses and industries. Investing in the Ipswich economy will yield social and economic benefits for the community as a whole, including greater opportunities for employment, skills and education and business development.
Pursuant to section 104 of the LGA, consideration must be given to the Sound Contracting Principles for the development of competitive local business and industry. Council plays a vital role in ensuring local businesses and industry are given every opportunity to compete for Council’s business. The development and inclusion of competitive local business and industry is a priority across the entire procurement process, from the planning stage to supplier selection and evaluation stage.
To promote the development of competitive local business and industry Council will include a statement in its RFx documentation that Council, through this policy, encourages the development of competitive local business and industry.
Council will also apply the following preferential factors to the sourcing process.
Request for Quotations (up to $50,000)
- Invite suitably qualified local business (Table 1) to respond in the first instance. If local businesses cannot supply, are not considered to be reasonably capable or do not represent value for money for the ratepayers, other quotations be invited from non-local businesses.
Closed Market, Sourcing (EOI, RFQ, RFT, RFP) (greater than $50,000)
- Include at least one suitably qualified local business (Table 1) in the sourcing process in the first instance.
- 15% local economy support criteria is applied during the evaluation process (Table 2 below).
Public Sourcing:
- 15% local economy support criteria is applied during the evaluation process (Table 2 below).
If the application of the competitive local business and industry preferential factors will result in an outcome that is believed to be unreasonable or will not deliver value for money, the matter must be referred to the Manager, Procurement for further consideration in consultation with the relevant General Manager.
For the purposes of competitive local business and industry preferential factors, businesses supplying Council have been categorised as shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Business categorisation for local business
Category | Description |
|---|---|
A | A business with their Head Office located in Ipswich and conducts business in Ipswich (includes sole traders) |
B | Branch office in Ipswich of the business submitting the offer. Branch office conducts business in Ipswich. |
Table 2: Local Support Criteria
% | Sub-Criterion | Description |
|---|---|---|
5% | Business Location | Location of the head office/branch. Descending preference from Ipswich, adjacent local government and Queensland. |
5% | Employment and/or Supply Chain | Respondent employs local residents, supports local suppliers and/or local subcontractors |
| 2.5% | Community Development | Respondent engages local apprenticeship, traineeships, or offers other location development opportunities. The respondent |
| 2.5% | Community Engagement | Respondent demonstrates interest, engagement and support for local community and sporting groups and activities. |
| 15% | Total | |
Sound Contracting Principles
Our procurement process adheres to the principles of value for money, open competition, local business development, environmental protection, and ethical behaviour, as outlined in the Local Government Act 2009. The Procurement Policy also allows for exemptions where seeking competitive offers may not be practical.
The Procurement Policy provides for circumstances where it may not be advantageous or practical for us to seek competitive offers, resulting in an exemption.
The council conducts procurement sourcing activities through VendorPanel, adhering to the procurement expenditure thresholds outlined below:
THRESHOLD | PROCUREMENT SOURCING PROCESS |
|---|---|
Up to $15,000 | Do it Yourself (DIY) Procurement |
Equal to or more than $15,000 and less than $50,000 | Request for Quotation (RFQ) |
Equal to or more than $50,000 and less than $500,000 | Low Value Sourcing |
Equal to or more than $500,000 and less than $7,000,000 |
Strategic Sourcing Open/Closed Request for Tender/Proposal Expression of Interest |
Equal to or more than $7,000,000 or a term of greater than 10 years. |
Significant Contracting Plan A Significant Contracting Plan must be made before the Contract starts. Each Significant Contracting Plan will identify the chosen procurement strategy and must be approved in accordance with Council's Contracting Plan and may only be modified by resolution of council. Open/Closed Request for Tender/Proposal Expression of Interest |
Doing Business With Council
If you wish to engage in business with council, you can self-register via VendorPanel Marketplace at no charge. VendorPanel Marketplace is the council's preferred online platform for managing tenders and quotations. Registering gives you the opportunity to collaborate with the council, although it does not automatically qualify you as a supplier.
Supplier Onboarding
Council has implemented the eftsure software solution as part of its supplier onboarding and accounts payable process to improve security measures and reduce the risk of fraud when paying suppliers. The threat and incidences of cyber fraud, including email phishing scams and payment details being altered fraudulently have unfortunately become more prevalent.
Suppliers who do business with Council will need to have their details verified by eftsure before payment can be made. Any requested changes to bank account details will need to be re-verified. This may involve an email and/or telephone call from eftsure to verify the business name, ABN and bank details that have been provided to Council.
eftsure is a leader in fraud detection and payment protection, which enables Council to verify banking details in real-time before processing EFT payments. Essentially, eftsure assists Council in ensuring that payments are made to the correct bank account.
Due to the nature of their service, eftsure treats privacy and security with the utmost importance. All data is encrypted, kept private and located within Australia.
Further information can be found here in our fact sheet or on the eftsure website.
Quotations
Quotations are sourced through VendorPanel Marketplace. To receive an invitation to quote, simply register on VendorPanel Marketplace.
For more details or enquiries, check out ‘Doing Business with Council’ or contact Council on (07) 3810 6666 or email procurement@ipswich.qld.gov.au.
Public Tenders
In accordance with the Local Government Act 2009 and Local Government Regulations 2012, council lists all tender opportunities through VendorPanel. New tenders are regularly uploaded as well as published in other media sources.
You can view Ipswich City Council's current tenders by clicking the button below:
Awarded Contracts
To enhance transparency in procurement and rebuild trust with the Ipswich community, Ipswich City Council amended its Procurement Policy at the end of July 2020 to include the following ongoing requirements:
- The council will publish basic contract details for all awarded contracts and procurements over $10,000 (excluding GST) from August 2020.
- In accordance with legislative obligations under section 237 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, contracts awarded $200,000 and above (excluding GST) will be published.
Click on the link for details: https://stories.opengov.com/ipswichqld/published/AJEBkwgCB
Please note that all contract values contained within this document are approximate and based on an estimate of the full contract term value.
Human Rights Act for Contractors
The Human Rights Act 2019 (HRA) commenced in full on 1 January 2020. The HRA imposes obligations on ‘public entities’ to act compatibly, and properly consider, human rights when undertaking acts or making decisions. Council is a ‘public entity’ for the HRA. However, it is possible that suppliers to Council may also be considered ‘public entities’ and have obligations under the HRA depending on the nature of the services they provide to council. Council has prepared a fact sheet for suppliers in relation to the HRA.
Supplier Information Sessions
Are you interested in supplying goods or services to us? We're excited to announce that we will soon be hosting biannual information sessions! These events will be a fantastic opportunity for businesses to:
- Discover how we procure goods and services.
- Learn strategies to maximise business opportunities with us.
Don't miss out on this chance to connect and grow with us. To register your interest, please email us at: procurement@ipswich.qld.gov.au
We look forward to seeing you there!