Australia's official federal government procurement portal. The central source for Commonwealth tender opportunities and contract awards.
Visit AusTenderWhat 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.
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.
Interested in Australian government contracts? Start searching now.
How many notices does AusTender publish?
Show as a table
| Month | Notices |
|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | 88 |
| Dec 2025 | 43 |
| Jan 2026 | 41 |
| Feb 2026 | 64 |
| Mar 2026 | 87 |
| Apr 2026 | 70 |
| May 2026 | 69 |
| Jun 2026 | 65 |
| Jul 2026 | 73 |
| Aug 2026 | 1,315 |
| Sept 2026 | 4,453 |
| Oct 2026 | 3,939 |
In the 12 months to 31 October 2026, Open Opportunities collected 10,307 notices from AusTender.
In the 12 months to 31 October 2026, AusTender published 830 tenders and 9,477 award notices.
In the 12 months to 31 October 2026, the largest category of notices from AusTender was Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security (CPV division 79): an estimated 32% of notices, from a sample of 850 counted by the most relevant CPV code Open Opportunities gave each.
In the 12 months to 31 October 2026, the most active buyer on AusTender was Department Of Defence, with 4,320 notices.
Of 100 tenders sampled from AusTender in the 12 months to 31 October 2026, half gave 32 days or more to respond.
In the 12 months to 31 October 2026, contracts from AusTender went to 1,000 different suppliers; the most frequent winner was THALES AUSTRALIA.
Largest categories
- Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security: 32%
- IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support: 11%
- Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation: 9%
- Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services: 6%
- Repair and maintenance services: 6%
Most active buyers
- Department Of Defence: 4,320
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: 489
- Services Australia: 357
Most frequent winners
- THALES AUSTRALIA: 107 awards
- DELL AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED: 65 awards
- BIDFOOD AUSTRALIA LIMITED: 54 awards
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AusTender free?
Yes, searching and registration are completely free.
Does AusTender include state government tenders?
No. AusTender covers Commonwealth (federal) government only. Each state operates its own tender portal.
What are Annual Procurement Plans?
Commonwealth entities publish forecasts of planned procurement for the coming year. These give early visibility of upcoming opportunities before formal tenders are released.
Can overseas companies bid on Australian tenders?
Yes. Australia is a GPA member and has free trade agreements providing procurement access. Some contracts may have local content requirements.
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