AusTender

What is AusTender?

AusTender is the Australian Government's official procurement information system. It's where Commonwealth (federal) agencies publish tender opportunities, contract awards, and procurement forecasts.

Operated by the Department of Finance, AusTender provides transparency into federal government purchasing and serves as the gateway for suppliers seeking Commonwealth contracts.

Who runs it?

The Department of Finance operates AusTender as part of the Australian Government's procurement framework. The platform serves all Commonwealth entities covered by the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act.

What contracts are published?

Published on AusTender:

• Open approach to market (tenders above thresholds)
• Contract awards above $10,000
• Multi-use lists and standing offers
• Annual Procurement Plans

Commonwealth procurement spans defence, health, IT, construction, professional services, and every sector of government activity.

Federal vs state procurement

AusTender covers Commonwealth (federal) government only. Australia's states and territories operate separate systems:

• NSW eTendering (New South Wales)
• Buying for Victoria
• SA Tenders (South Australia)
• WA Tenders (Western Australia)

For comprehensive Australian coverage, monitoring both federal and state sources is essential.

Procurement thresholds

Commonwealth procurement rules vary by value:

• Below $10,000: Direct procurement permitted
• $10,000-$80,000: At least one written quote
• Above $80,000: Open tender generally required
• Above international thresholds: Full international competition

Contract awards above $10,000 are published on AusTender within 42 days of signing.

Registration

Searching AusTender is free without registration. To receive notifications and respond to some tenders, you can register for a free account.

Some procurements use AusTender's response management functionality; others direct you to external submission systems.

Strengths

• Comprehensive federal coverage: All Commonwealth procurement
• Good transparency: Contract awards and annual plans published
• Free access: No cost to search or register
• Historical data: Past awards provide market intelligence
• Forecasting: Annual procurement plans show upcoming opportunities

Limitations

• Federal only: No state or local government coverage
• Separate submission systems: Not all responses through AusTender
• Panels dominate: Much procurement through pre-qualified panels
• Interface dated: Functional but not modern

Our coverage

We monitor AusTender alongside state government portals across Australia. This gives you visibility from Commonwealth opportunities down to state-level procurement.

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