Getting government work

The Western Australian Government buys billions of dollars worth of goods and services each year and does so in a number of ways based on their type and value. The Who Buys What and How Report gives an overview of what agencies are purchasing.

The Strategic Forward Procurement Plan (SFPP) Public Report provides an overview of agencies planned procurements valued at $250,000 and above across two financial years, including goods, services, community services and works procurements.

A listing of current and future infrastructure projects can be accessed through the Pipeline of Works. 

Government wants to give suppliers fair and equal access to supply opportunities and has procurement policies in place that ensure open and effective competition.

When buying goods and services, government looks for value for money. Once you are awarded a contract, government expects you to fulfil your contractual obligations including pricing, quality of your goods and services, reliability and financial reporting.

We can help you with general advice and information about the tender process and tender training.

​ Most government agencies use Tenders WA to advertise:

• Requests
• Requests for comment
• Early notice of tenders
• Contract awards

Sometimes, Requests are also advertised in metropolitan, national or regional newspapers.

​The best way to get a copy of the Request documents is by downloading them via the Tenders WA website

​Some examples of goods and services currently on a CUA include:

• stationery
• computers
• fuel
• telecommunications
• electricity

Under a CUA, suppliers offer goods and services under specified terms and conditions including price and a fixed period (often between two and five years). After this period, CUAs are reviewed with the possibility of being re-tendered.

Most CUAs are mandatory in the Perth Metropolitan area so if an item is available on a CUA, government officers must buy it from one of the contracted suppliers unless Finance grants an exemption.

As a supplier, the process to apply to be on a CUA is generally the open tender process, explained in Open Tender.

Each CUA has a contract manager who provides advice and works with suppliers to ensure that they meet their contractual obligations.

To find out if there are CUAs relevant to your business, go to the Common Use Arrangements (CUAs) page.

There are government and agency initiatives that support the growth and sustainability of Aboriginal businesses.

The Contracting with the Western Australian Government - A Guide for Aboriginal Businesses helps businesses understand WA government procurement policies and processes to harness the opportunities presented by the Aboriginal Procurement Policy and other procurement initiatives.  It also identifies organisations that assist businesses with:

• finance and economic support
• training, mentoring and capability
• brokering and connecting

Marketing your business to relevant agencies will help to make sure that you are on the radar of potential buyers.

These following tools will help you identify potential buyers.

• The Approved Register of Who Can Buy From CUAs includes all organisations that have approval to buy from CUAs.
• The Procurement Contacts in Agencies includes an initial point of contact for procurement queries.

If you are emailing government buyers, you should use government email addresses carefully and thoughtfully.

When you are marketing your product or service, purchasing officers will be looking for:

• proof of value for money
• competitive price
• quality
• evidence of your capability and experience as a supplier

For the best response from purchasing officers:

• keep your pitch specific and relevant to their needs
• identify yourself – provide clear details of who you are and the company or business that you work for. Offer your contact information (direct phone number, email address, country of origin etc)
• clearly and succinctly describe your product, and offer a link to a website or more documentation if they request it

The Western Australian Government encourages its staff to use government purchasing cards when paying suppliers. If you have credit card facilities in place and accept the government purchasing card, you can:

•  eliminate payment delays
•  benefit from improved cash flow
•  reduce paperwork from purchase orders and requests for duplicate invoices​

Government also expects suppliers to act ethically with integrity and accountability. Some agencies may publish their integrity and accountability expectations on their websites.

Suppliers that are found to engage in the worst cases of wrongdoing may be prevented from contracting with Government under the Debarment Regime. The Debarment Regime: Guide for suppliers contains more information to help suppliers understand their responsibilities under the Regime.

​Finance provides training and support for suppliers seeking to supply goods and services to government.